Pope Francis has often said that there are more martyrs now than in the early Church. He is moved, he said, whenever he thinks of those who have been killed for their faith, encouraging the faithful to remember them and their courageous witness.

History records the sad fact that disputes over religious tenets have led to war, even within Christendom. At the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, differences in religion ignited fires on the battlefield. To end the first large-scale conflict, in 1555, The Peace of Augsburg declared that every ruler had the power to determine the religion of his realm.

The Annual Diaconate Retreat will be August 28-30 at the Malvern Retreat Center, Malvern, Pa. The Retreat Master will be Msgr. Anthony Ciorra, Asst. Vice President and Professor of Theology at Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, Conn.

This week, a team of hearty young men — consisting of two priests and three seminarians from New York State — should be pedaling toward the final stretch of a physically demanding 29-day bike trek up the East Coast. This 1,400-mile “pilgrimage” has put into high gear their efforts to raise awareness for vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

Faith has always been an important part of Nick Boyle’s life on and off the football field. So it was no surprise that the parishioner of St. Monica Parish here got the call from the Baltimore Ravens that they had drafted him in the fifth round of the National Football League draft while the University of Delaware tight end was attending a party for his cousin who had just made her First Holy Communion at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Flanders.

Combined, the priest jubilarians in the Diocese celebrate 1,420 years in the priesthood. That is almost a millennium and a half of celebrating baptisms and marriages, healing in times of sadness or sickness, and giving the faithful Jesus in the Eucharist and Jesus’ forgiving love in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Word from the Vatican this week is that Pope Francis’ long-awaited encyclical on the environment will be published June 18. It will be titled, “Laudato Sii” (“Praised Be”), a line from St. Francis of Assisi’s “Canticle of Creatures.”

It’s amazing to realize that the lips of Mother Dolores Hart — in her younger days as a Hollywood actress — once gave singer Elvis Presley his very first on-screen kiss in the 1957 movie “Loving You.”

Bishop Serratelli ordained 13 men to the Order of Deacon June 5 in St. Peter the Apostle Church which was filled to capacity with many diocesan priests and deacons, the families and friends of the new pernament deacons, and the faithful of the Paterson Diocese.

Like Samuel in the darkness of night, like Elijah on Mt. Horeb, I had no dramatic encounter with God in wind, earthquake or fire. Rather God calls in the sheer silence of life. “What are you doing here?” God asks over and over again. God calls your name over and over again. All we can do is respond: “Here I am! Speak, for your servant is listening.” My students and others I meet often ask “Why did you become a monk?” My reply is the same: “I don’t know; it was God’s idea!” Because it was God’s idea, He brings it to fruition. It wasn’t because of some event or series of events. God reveals Himself to us over time, gradually, often in silent and subtle ways.

The Paterson Diocese is inviting all of its parishes to take advantage of the opportunity this summer to develop and launch their own brand-new websites that can help them evangelize by presenting visitors with attractive, mobile-friendly and easy-to-navigate designs and content.

Bishop Serratelli took to the radio airwaves on the morning of May 18 to sound a note of hope on the future of Catholicism before a national audience, especially in light of increased efforts — and ongoing opportunities — to evangelize and form new disciples not only in the Paterson Diocese, but also throughout the universal Church.

Bishop Serratelli announced this week the appointment of Mary Baier as diocesan Superintendent of Schools and Deborah Duane as Associate Superintendent of Schools. Baier has been the diocesan Deputy Superintendent of Schools since 2010 and Duane is currently the principal of St. Virgil Academy in Morris Plains.

In joyful celebration for their making First Holy Communion, 153 children from parishes across the Paterson Diocese met with Bishop Serratelli at St. Philip Church here May 31, the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity.

As threats to religious freedom continue to emerge almost on a daily basis in our nation and worldwide, it is more urgent than ever for people of faith to take action to defend their First Amendment right and most precious liberty — the freedom to practice their faith and worship.

Media headlines throughout the world have been trumpeting Ireland’s recent acceptance of same-sex “marriage” as the coming of age of Catholics in today’s world. There are 19 other countries that have previously accepted the proposition that equality for gays and lesbians means redefining marriage to include same-sex couples.