Bishop Serratelli started the Jubilee Year of Mercy for the diocesan Catholic school community with a special Mass on Dec. 10 in St. Philip the Apostle Church in Clifton and with a special message to students, administrators and teachers — along with all local faithful: follow Pope Francis’ suggestion to use this “extraordinary time” to ask for God’s forgiveness and extend that mercy to others.

To celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas, Dec. 12, the Mexican and Hispanic communities at Holy Rosary and Sacred Heart parishes, Dover, filled Sacred Heart Church here to standing room. Bishop Serratelli was main celebrant of the vigil Mass for the Third Sunday of Advent, also known as “Gaudete Sunday.”

The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, one of the most recognizable landmarks in the Paterson skyline, has been shrouded in scaffolding for more than a year as it undergoes an historic restoration both to its exterior and interior. The Cathedral, dedicated on July 31, 1870, was closed following safety concerns in late fall 2010.

With great joy, Bishop Serratelli proclaimed, “This is the Lord’s gate; let us enter through it and obtain mercy and forgiveness” on Sunday, Dec. 13, as he opened Holy Doors at St. Margaret of Scotland Church in Morristown and Holy Rosary Church, Passaic.

The State Department is planning to release a declaration of genocides taking place around the world shortly, but according to a group of 30 Christian leaders, which includes Carl Anderson, supreme knight of the Knights of Columbus, it will either omit or reserve judgment on whether ISIS is committing genocide against Christians. To rectify this, the group is asking to meet with Secretary of State John Kerry in advance of the State Department’s declaration.

Bishop Serratelli made a pastoral visit to Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Mount Arlington where he celebrated the vigil Mass at 5 p.m. Dec. 5 to mark the Second Sunday in Advent.

A lone melodious voice emerges from the stereo speakers — seemingly from out of nowhere — as the fifth track of new compact disc, “A Child Is Born,” starts to play. Alone, Father David McDonnell, pastor of Our Lady of the Lake (OLL) Parish in Sparta, sings clear as a starry night “Wexford Carol,” a traditional Christmas song that fits perfectly with the concept of his holiday collection: retelling the narrative of Jesus’ birth through the music of the season.

Bishop Serratelli made a pastoral visit to St. Bonaventure Parish in Paterson Dec. 6 on the Second Sunday of Advent.

The annual Diocesan Christmas Concert, held Dec. 6 in St. Peter the Apostle Church in Parsippany, celebrated the First Noel through the gift of song. The concert featured the Diocesan Choir and Diocesan Children’s Choir with Vincent Carr, organist, and the Gramercy Brass Quintet, all under the direction of Preston Dibble, diocesan director of music.

As Christmas trees and snowmen are put on display at shopping malls across the nation, parishioners at St. Michael’s in Netcong are making more than just a fashion statement this Christmas by selling sweatshirts to remind everyone that the reason for the season is Jesus.

Nine-year-old Roman, who lives at the Good Shepherd Monastery in Cap Haitian, Haiti, suffers everyday with the debilitating effects of severe cerebral palsy. This merciless disease has mangled the poor orphan’s limbs, preventing him from walking or sitting and only allowing him to lie down — but not without great discomfort. Yet, even from his wheelchair, Roman’s mile-wide smile shines brightly as it does in the heart of Stephen Gebhardt.

It is considered the best selling book of all time, but for Catholics, the Bible is more than a best seller. So to mark National Bible Week, St. Peter the Apostle Parish here hosted a family Bible Study and created a unique display room featuring St. Paul and the story of his conversion on the road to Damascus. The parish also answered the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ invitation to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Second Vatican Council and “Lumen Gentium,” the Dogmatic Constitution of the Church.

Thirty-five years ago, on Dec. 2, 1980, Maryknoll Sisters Ita Ford and Maura Clarke, Ursuline Sister Dorothy Kazel and lay volunteer Jean Donovan were murdered in El Salvador where they were living and working with refugees of the country’s civil war.

As the weather continues to cooperate the exterior renovations move forward for the end of the year completion.

Floor framing and footing work are completed as the interior scaffolding begins to access the ceiling for demolition.

True contentment is not found in the palace of a king but in the manger that migrant parents borrowed for their newborn son. In Bethlehem, Jesus himself becomes “our daily bread” that fills us with joy. Welcoming him into our hearts and sharing him with others enriches us beyond the paltry pleasures of this passing world and brings peace and prosperity to our land. Christmas, not consumerism, is the answer to our deepest longings.

The Rosary Makers of St. Francis de Sales Parish in the McAfee section of Vernon sure know how to multitask. The small group that meets every Tuesday morning in Community Room 103 in the church has long mastered the ability to pray the rosary, while assembling several sets of rosaries — undertakings that together might seem overwhelming to many people.

Bishop Serratelli made a pastoral visit to Holy Spirit Parish in Pequannock Nov. 29. During his visit, he celebrated Mass there for the First Sunday of Advent.

Bishop Serratelli made a pastoral visit to St. Virgil Parish in Morris Plains Nov. 26, Thanksgiving Day, where he celebrated the 9 a.m. Mass for the holiday.

About 20 parishioners of Our Lady Queen of Peace in the Hewitt section of West Milford have been taking time from their hectic lives to seek out God by participating in an eight-part faith-formation series, “Longing for the Holy: Spiritu­ality for Everyday Life.” In the small-group program, Oblate Father Ronald Rolheiser explores how we “channel the deep longing at the core of our beings and explore the implications of the central mysteries of faith — the Incar­nation, the Eucharist, and the Paschal Mys­tery — for spirituality.”