News - May 2023 RSS Feed

This edition of “The Catholic Spirit” highlights our permanent deacons celebrating anniversaries of their ordination. For my column, I thought I would share my homily from our ordination of transitional deacons, which was held at the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi, Metuchen, May 13. We certainly are blessed by the service of our deacons who are configured to Christ the Servant and serve our parishes and institutions in so many ways. I ask you to join me in petitioning our loving Lord to bless our new transitional deacons and all our permanent deacons, as well as those now in formation for ordination. It is always a joy to serve with them at the altar on my parish visits. It is only one aspect of the many ways they serve, but one I am happy to share with them. A bishop and priest is still a deacon and called to make Christ the Servant present, so may we all make Christ the Servant present through our ministries! May God bless you all, and may Mary our Mother, during this her special month, give us her maternal protection. Know of my love, prayers and gratitude for you all!

METUCHEN — “It’s a glorious day for our Church and especially for our diocese,” said Bishop James F. Checchio as he welcomed all to a Mass in which four seminarians would be ordained transitional deacons and become part of the diocese’s clergy.

Boys and girls, the Ascension is a very special day — especially for all of us who lost a loved one — be this person a grandparent, a parent, a brother or sister or just a good friend. Today is the day that Jesus left the earth, physically, and returned to the Father. Upon his arrival, he unlocked the gates of Heaven — thereby opening paradise to all the dead who, up until this point in time, were like good students locked in their classrooms, day and night, seven days a week — unable to go back home to the families, unable to go to God and enjoy what they could see, imagine, smell and anticipate through their windows: heaven. In this comparison, the classrooms would symbolize the “abode of the dead,” outside would be a symbol of Heaven, which was closed to the public. Mind you, those inside were not in detention for bad behavior, they were good people but separated from the presence of God who alone could give them perpetual joy. Well, it would take Jesus’ ascension to the Father to unlock the gates of Heaven, to unlock the classrooms and liberate the dead to go to their Father and the land of the blessed in happiness forever.

SOMERSET — On April 22, the diocesan Office of Multicultural Ministries invited Black Catholics from the diocese to attend a Day of Reflection at St. Matthias Parish. The event was held in preparation for the National Black Catholic Congress XIII, which is scheduled to be held July 20-23, 2023, in Gaylord National Harbor, Maryland.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — By calling itself the “Papal Foundation” and supporting projects identified by the Vatican, members of the U.S.-based group have an obligation to promote the unity of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis said.

June 22nd - 6-10pm June 23rd - 5-11pm June 24th- 5-11pm Fun for the entire family! Rides, games, 50/50 raffle, Las Vegas wheel, fabulous food, beer garden, live nightly entertainment and more! Call the church office for more details at 732- 254-0212.

Come out to St. Matthew's Carnival June 7th-10th (Wednesday through Saturday). Wristbands every night! Great food, rides, games and fun for the entire family. Call 732-985-5063 or visit Church of St. Matthew the Apostle - Edison, NJ (stmatthewtheapostle.com) for more details.

Pope Francis often describes God as “the God of Surprises,” that is, a God who unsettles and amazes us with sudden, unexpected events that discombobulate our lives. Francis may well have had his own election in mind when he uses this phrase. Certainly, for most of the Church and the world, his election was indeed one of God’s surprises.

Students from the religious education program and Youth Group at Mary Mother of God Parish, Hillsborough, helped raised $18,000 for two charitable initiatives through a 30-hour fast they conducted in the winter.

OLD BRIDGE — The unshakable faith of a young Polish nun whose encounter with Christ prompted adoration and acts of mercy was celebrated April 16 at St. Ambrose Church.

PISCATAWAY — Spiritual music and powerful speakers greeted a packed gymnasium at the seventh annual Divine Mercy Family Healing Retreat hosted by Our Lady of Fatima Parish April 22. It was the first time the retreat has been held since 2019 because of COVID-19.

Bishop James F. Checchio presided at a memorial Mass for Father Blaise R. Baran at St. Joseph Church, Washington, May 5. Father Baran, 68, who last served in the dioceses as pastor, St. Joseph Parish, died April 23.

This year’s theme was: “St. Teresa of Calcutta had a beautiful understanding of the inherent dignity of the human person. Find a quote from St. Teresa and draw a picture about her message. Include her quote on your poster.” • 12 Catholic Schools Participated • 5 Religious Education Programs Participated • A total of 100 posters entries were submitted All poster entries submitted to the diocese were already winners in their own parishes and schools. The first- and second-place posters will be used to create a Respect Life Calendar for 2023/2024.

Leslie D. Hirsch, president and chief executive director, Saint Peter’s Healthcare System, New Brunswick, and Linda Muratore, chair of the Mathematics Department at Saint Joseph’s School, Metuchen, were honorees at the Hope Through Education gala at the Hamilton Farm Golf Club, Gladstone, May 4.

BASKING RIDGE — Part of the mission of Petros, which includes young adults ages 22 to 34 and is based out of St. Peter the Apostle University and Community Parish, New Brunswick, is to “reach out to and welcome young adults to experience the power of God’s love, and challenge them to deepen their relationships with Christ, His Church, and one another.”

Over the past few years there have been a growing number of bills being introduced in state legislatures across the country to legalize so-called “medical aid in dying.” In recent months there has been a flurry of news reports and editorials about the need to expand physician-assisted suicide in states where the practice is already legal in order to make “the right-to-die” more accessible. In states like Vermont, where this practice is allowed, the law was recently amended to increase patient access by allowing end-of-life prescriptions through telemed. There is even movement to drop the residency requirement for those who want to travel to the beautiful Green Mountain State to end their lives with a lethal prescription of drugs. Simply put: the “right-to-die movement” is alive and well!

This Sunday the Church marks the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, thus offering a special opportunity for us to celebrate the great truths that we proclaim so often in prayer — in the Apostles’ Creed we profess that Jesus “ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty,” and in the Nicene Creed at Mass every Sunday we similarly declare our faith that Jesus “ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.” In the earliest eras of the Church, the Ascension was usually treated simply in the larger context of the Resurrection or Pentecost, but beginning in the late 3rd century in the East and shortly thereafter in the West, the important message of this particular part of the salvation history became a topic of interest in its own right.