Pastoral Visits

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Paul Church in Prospect Park Dec. 25 where he was the principal celebrant of a Christmas Day Mass marking the Nativity of the Lord.

To mark the First Sunday of Advent, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Nicholas / Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Passaic Nov. 28 where he celebrated Mass in St. Nicholas Church. During the Mass, the Bishop blessed the Advent wreath and lit the first candle on the wreath, which represents hope as Catholics worldwide await the coming of Christ on Christmas Day. The start of Advent also marks the beginning of the new liturgical year.

St. Joseph Parish in Passaic welcomed Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney during his pastoral visit to the faith community on Nov. 14 to celebrate a Mass to commemorate the 103rd anniversary of regaining independence in Poland and the Year of St. Joseph. At the mostly Polish community, many of the parishioners dressed in their native attire for the Bishop’s pastoral visit.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Vincent Martyr Parish in Madison Nov. 13 to celebrate a Mass in both Spanish and Portuguese for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time. During the Mass, the Bishop, who is also fluent in Spanish, delivered the homily in Spanish and English and blessed the flags of origin of parishioners that represented their home countries.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney made a pastoral visit on Sunday, Oct. 31 to the faith community of St. Brendan/St. George in Clifton where he celebrated two Masses at 10:30 a.m. in English and 1 p.m. in Spanish for the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time.