News - January 2023 RSS Feed

In 1975, Pope Saint Paul VI, in his Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelization in the Modern World, wrote, “Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses.” What is most needed in Catholic Schools today? Credible witnesses — teachers across all disciplines whose hearts have been captured by Christ and zealously accompany students in the pursuit of truth.

One of the greatest gifts my mom and dad ever gave to me was the gift of a Roman Catholic education. My formal education began at St. Patrick School, Smithtown, N.Y. The school was staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, N.Y. They were excellent educators and certainly left an impression on my young mind. Sister Patricia Ann Kenny was my first-grade teacher who taught us to love Jesus and His Blessed Mother. On the lighter side, she also taught us all about leprechauns! Her love of all things Irish left an impression on this Italian American!

There are six buildings that comprise the property of St. James of the Marches Church in Totowa, N.J. During the three and half years I have been privileged to be the pastor. On many weekend afternoons, I have walked alone through one of the said six buildings. Each time I have experienced some or all of the following thoughts and emotions as I strode through one revered building in particular.

Members of parishes throughout the Paterson Diocese outside St. Peter’s on Capitol Hill where Mass was celebrated before participating in the March for Life on Jan. 20.

The faith community of St. Stephen Parish in Paterson welcomed Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney on Jan. 21 to celebrate a Mass for the Feast of Our Lady of Altagracia, considered the protective mother of the Dominican people. Concelebrating was Father Rafael Ciro, St. Stephen’s pastor. At Mass, the bishop blessed such items as flower arrangements in the design of the Domini­can flag

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney celebrated Mass at Bethlehem Hermitage in Chester on Jan. 17. The hermitage is a foundation of Catholic hermits, men, and women who live a life of prayer, penance, silence, and solitude.

A retreat for 101 Confirmation candidates from parishes across the diocese was held on Jan. 15 at the Evangeli­zation Center of St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison. It was coordinated by the diocesan Office of Catechesis and Faith Formation, the diocesan Office of Youth Ministry, and Fiat Ventures.

Roberta Vitcusky of St. Cecilia Parish in Rockaway has her daily prayer routine mapped out thanks to a few clicks on her cell phone. The retired advanced practice nurse set up her own schedule of prayers, including some she had never prayed before, using an app called Hallow. The variety of prayers and devotions ranges from Lectio Divina to the Examine Prayer. In December, St. Cecilia’s gave Vitcusky and hundreds of other parishioners a Christmas gift to heighten their spirituality: a free subscription to Hallow from Advent until Easter Monday.

Each year, usually in late January or early Febru­ary, we celebrate National Catholic Schools Week, which, this year, will be from Sunday, Jan. 29 through Saturday, Feb 4. For me, this will be my third National Catholic Schools Week as bishop, and I am grateful for every opportunity we have to promote, celebrate and give thanks for the gift of Catholic Schools, in general, and for the wonderful Catholic grammar and high schools that we have here in our Diocese of Paterson.

Bishop Emeritus Arthur J. Serratelli helped the Daughters of Charity of the Most Precious Blood celebrate the 150th anniversary of their founding by leading a retreat on Jan. 5–7 in St. Joseph’s Rest Home in Paterson, which is sponsored and operated by the religious sisters.

John Cammarata, director of Youth Min­istry for the Diocese of Paterson and a youth minister for 20 years, is finding that a resurgent point of discussion for those he serves involves mental health. “Young people are much more willing to talk about mental health,” he says. “You can’t treat it like it doesn’t exist.

A new Motherhood Discipleship Group recently formed at Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Parish in Cedar Knolls. Expectant mom, Jessika Caruso, approached the parish with the idea, and it was accepted. Caruso explained, “We’re reading a book together, Mother­hood, An Extraordinary Vocation, by Dr. Kathryn Rombs.”

To great fanfare, San Leucio di Brindisi, a little-known 2nd-Century Italian saint — and a once popular devotion to him — returned to the diocese last week after a more than 40-year absence. Helping the diocese reclaim San Leucio — called a “saint for the 21st Century” — was a former member of St. Gerard Majella Parish in Pater­son, during a quest to discover his Italian-Catholic roots.

After reading the title of this column, you may have thought or questioned, “Wasn’t the Feast of the Holy Family two or three weeks ago?” You may have also recalled that because Dec. 25 fell on a Sunday in 2022, the Feast of the Holy Family was on Friday, Dec. 30 — instead of the Sunday after Christmas, as it is most (6 out of 7) years. You may also be aware that another result (on our liturgical calendar) of Dec. 25 falling on a Sunday is that the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord is celebrated on a Monday instead of the Sunday after the Epiphany — as occurred this year when we celebrated the Epiphany on Sunday, Jan. 8 and the Baptism of the Lord on Jan. 9.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morristown on Jan. 1, New Year’s Day, to celebrate its Spanish-language Mass for the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. The bishop brought several bags of donated toys for the children of St. Margaret’s and the families it serves.

Ask Father Michael Rodak how many times he’s been to the national March for Life in Washington, D.C., and he’ll concede that his memories of the events have started to run together. “Twenty-five. No, wait, it could be 26. Or 27.”

The Daughters of Charity of the Most Precious Blood welcomed Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, who celebrated Mass on Dec. 30, the Feast of the Holy Family, in the chapel of St. Joseph’s Rest Home in Paterson, which the religious sisters sponsor and operate.

Family and friends of organ and tissue donor Tyler Rodimer of Stillwater, N.J., recently gathered at the Hudson Farm Club for the unveiling of a floragraph memorial portrait of Tyler that was featured on the 2023 Donate Life Rose Parade float during the 2023 Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan 2, 2023.

Many have said that the last three Pontiffs have been the tangible expression of the theological virtues for our contemporary world. St. John Paul II symbolizes hope, while Benedict XVI represented faith, and Pope Francis conveys love or charity. In other words, St. John Paul II taught us the «what» of our faith, while Benedict focused on explaining the «why», and currently, Francis teaches us «how» to live out that faith in our Christian lives.

The faith community of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Passaic on Dec. 20 welcomed Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, who presided over the 7 p.m. bilingual Mass. Concelebrating with the bishop were Father Hernan Cely, pastor, and Father Jose M. Zuniga, parochial vicar.