News - March 2024 RSS Feed

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Around the world we join with our brother and sister Christians proclaiming with joy Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead. We exult in the Resurrection because, as St. Peter tells us, Jesus “gave us a new birth to a living hope … to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3-4).

Ninety catechumens representing 30 parishes across the Diocese of Metuchen gathered in the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi in Metuchen on the First Sunday of Lent, Feb. 18, for the Rite of Election, celebrated by Bishop James F. Checchio and marking their last major step to full initiation into the Catholic Church.

The Easter Vigil takes place on Holy Saturday, the evening before Easter Sunday. This is the night that “shall be as bright as day” as proclaimed by the Exsultet, an ancient church hymn, as we joyfully anticipate Christ’s Resurrection.

“Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name … let hearts that seek the LORD rejoice! Seek out the LORD and his might; constantly seek the face of the Lord” (Psalm 105: 1, 3-4).

“For the Life of the World: A Lenten Mission for The Eucharistic Revival,” held in Mary, Mother of God Church, Hillsborough, and Immaculate Conception Church, Somerville, Feb. 25-26, respectively, was an opportunity for Timothy Glemkowski, chief executive officer of the National Eucharistic Congress, to lead parishioners to a fuller understanding of Eucharist as Encounter and Eucharist as Mission.

The image of a “kingdom” conjures up in the minds of many a king or queen overseeing their vast kingdoms or their realm; that is, the area of the world or the country that they govern. For those familiar with Disney World, you might recall signs like, “This Way to the Kingdom,” meaning this way to Disney’s Magic Kingdom Theme Park.

The St. John Neumann Pastoral Center was abuzz with activity on Feb. 29, when thirty parish catechetical leaders attended a presentation by Dr. Joseph White, associate publisher for Catechetical Resources at Our Sunday Visitor Publishing. Dr. White, a clinical psychologist, prolific author, and former catechetical leader, focused upon three key themes of the 2020 Directory for Catechesis: kerygma, Christian anthropology, and missionary discipleship.

On the Feast of the Chair of St Peter the Apostle, Randy Josue Gamboa Espinoza, a seminarian of the Diocese of Metuchen was ordained to the Order of Deacon by Bishop James F. Checchio in Mary Mother of God Parish, Hillsborough.

In recognition of outstanding service to the Church and greater community, Assumption College for Sisters, Denville, plans to bestow honors upon Sister of Christian Charity Joseph Spring, Angelo Del Russo of Del-Sano Contracting Corp., and Kevin and Lisa Clayton, St. James Parish, Basking Ridge, at the Annual Caring Basket Gala, March 22, the Park Avenue Club, Florham Park. The Claytons will receive the Family Life Award.

With director Robert Orlando declaring his film as “the most transformative true crime story,” and his journey of discovery punctuated with stark black and white imagery, one might forgive an audience member for thinking they had accidentally stumbled upon an episode of “CSI: Turin.”

Saint Joseph Church, a 1910 Richardson Romanesque style church, was designed by Joseph A. Jackson (1861-1940) from New York City. It was the first church built in the then newly formed Trenton Diocese. The actual parish was officially founded on Sept. 24, 1882. Both corner stones are at the front façade of the church.

Vocationist Father Deniskingsley Nwagwu’s journey to the pastorate of St. Cecilia Church, Iselin, began in his native Nigeria where he was ordained in 2008 and took him through Vermont before he came to New Jersey.

The story of Deborah, judge and prophetess, is recounted in both prose and song in Chapters 4 and 5 of the book of Judges. She successfully led a revolt against Canaanite domination in the north of Israel. The wife of Lappidoth, Deborah was a judge, a woman whose moral authority was seen as inspired by the Lord.

I recently read a beautiful description of the Church: “The Church is like the moon. She does not shine with her own light but reflects the light of Christ. Indeed, just as the moon without the sun is dark, opaque, and invisible, so too is the Church if she separates herself from Christ, true God and true man.”

The Church of the Annunciation community, Bloomsbury, formally welcomed Father James W. McGuffey, March 10, when Bishop James F. Checchio celebrated the Mass of Installation making him their pastor.

Recently, Mother Seton Council #15540 of the Knights of Columbus, which meets at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Three Bridges, continued to distribute the funds it raised during the fall 2023 charity golf outing which was held at Heron Glen Golf Course.

Those who minister to the faithful of the Diocese of Metuchen would do well to mind Father Hank Hilton’s pithy advice to “Show up, shove over, shut down.”

Like other schools in the Metuchen Diocese, students and faculty at Sts. Philip & James School hold various fundraisers to bolster operating expenses and advancement costs.

Every year the Veterans of Foreign Wars sponsors a youth essay competition which gives students an opportunity to express their views on an annual patriotic theme. This year’s theme was “How are you inspired by America?” Thousands of students from New Jersey entered this year’s competition at the district level with the district winners competing at the state-level competition. On Feb. 10, Natalia Hekiert, a seventh grader at St. James School, Basking Ridge, was named this year’s state champion in the Patriots Pen Essay Contest in Toms River.

Nearly 300 alumni, family members and friends of deceased members of the Immaculata High School community, Somerville, gathered in prayer for their loved ones at the 20th annual Spartan Memorial Mass held Feb. 25 at the high school.