News - April 2023 RSS Feed

Sister John Paul Thorley spent five years at St. Cecilia’s Parish in Rockaway, and she departed for her new assignment in early February to a throng of well wishes and memories.

The faith community of St. Mary Parish in Denville on April 22 welcomed Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, who celebrated Mass and administered the sacrament of confirmation to 51 young people of the parish. Concelebrating the 5 p.m. Mass were Father Martin Glynn, pastor, and Father Stephen Delia, parochial vicar. Assisting were Deacon Mike Allgaier, Deacon Jack Flynn, and Deacon Jim Rizos.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney had the honor of throwing out the first pitch at a home baseball game of the Lions of Pope John XXIII Regional High School in Sparta vs. St. Joseph’s Regional High School in Montvale at Pope John on April 17. The Lions walked off with a 2–1 win.

Sparta’s St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in February started offering a mid-month Kateri Coffee House, which addresses informative and challenging topics facing people, especially youths.

Their feet hurt, and their legs ached. But the brief pain was worth it for a group of local faithful who braved a steep hike up the famed Stairway to Heaven on April 15 in Wawayanda State Park in Vernon Township. At the top, these 48 Catholics — priests, religious, and laity — got a rare experience of worshiping God while taking in panoramic views of his creation. At the top, at Pinwheel Vista, the hikers joined with participating priests for an outdoor celebration of the Eucharist.

Quinn “Q” Furnald breathes new life into Psalm 30:12–13 with his new Catholic pop-rock tune, “To Dancing.” In a majestic voice that soars over bouncing piano and drums, the singer-songwriter prays to God in the chorus, “You took these rags and clothed me with joy that my heart may sing your praises now and forever.”

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney on April 24 blessed a new mobile unit that will be parked outside of abortion clinics to provide free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, and counseling to women, and expectant mothers, as an alternative to abortion. The blessing took place in the parking lot of the diocesan chancery office on Valley Road in Clifton.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney congratulated 58 religious sisters and priests marking milestone anniversaries in consecrated life, thanking them for their service to the diocese and Church at the annual diocesan Jubilee Mass for Religious on April 22 at St. Ann Church in Parsippany. Concelebrating the Mass were many priests. The office of Salesian Sister Theresa Lee, diocesan chancellor and delegate for religious, organized the liturgy.

One of my prayer intentions on “World Day of Prayer for Vocations” in 2023 is that, as we continue to “emerge” from the pandemic, some of what we have all experienced during these past three years will lead women and men who are being called to follow Jesus as consecrated religious or priests. We should all be praying that those who are being called will be able to “hear” that call and respond with a generous, courageous, and faith-filled “Yes.”

A newly launched podcast called Beyond The Beacon gives the faithful everywhere a chance to get more acquainted with the spiritual leader of the Diocese of Paterson, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, and his down-to-earth style.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morristown on Sunday, April 16, to install Father Duberney Villamizar, its administrator, as its new pastor during a 3:30 p.m. Mass.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney blessed a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Christ Child on Sunday, April 16, for the 125th anniversary of Sacred Heart Parish in Clifton, which was celebrated last year.

Father Robert Wisniefski, the administrator of Sacred Heart Parish in Clifton, was installed on Sunday, April 16, as the parish’s pastor by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney during noon Mass.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney on Saturday, April 15, visited Assumption Parish in Morristown, where he administered the sacrament of confirmation to 67 young people during two Masses at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Five youths of St. Joseph Parish in Paterson received the sacrament of confirmation from Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney on Sunday, April 16, during a 9:30 a.m. Mass in the church.

The faith community of St. Vincent de Paul Parish, located in the Stirling neighborhood of Long Hill Township, on Saturday, April 15, welcomed Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney for the 4 p.m. Mass. He administered the sacrament of confirmation to 36 young people of the parish.

In January, longtime St. Joseph’s Parish of Newton parishioner John Kappelmeier retired from the Counters ministry. Kappelmeier had overseen the group that counted the weekly collection monies for over 12 years but served the parish in the ministry for 25 years.

The St. Catherine of Bologna Parish of Ringwood Social Concerns — Faith in Action ministry has for a few years aided the Franciscan Mission Outreach by sending needed items in “Father Brock’s Suitcase” to Casa de Esperanza in Honduras.

While visiting the Knock Shrine in Ireland on Friday, President Joe Biden had a tearful meeting with the priest who gave his son Beau his last rites nearly eight years ago before he succumbed to brain cancer at the age of 46.

Carrying a Cross, actor Stevenson Balagarin is pictured as a battered and bloody Jesus in Paterson on April 7, Good Friday, as part of a powerful and prayerful reenactment of Christ’s Passion hosted by the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.