The Morris Catholic High School community in Denville welcomed Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, who presided over his annual Bishop’s Mass on Oct. 3.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney spoke about “Creating a Culture of Life” at St. Cecilia in Rockaway on Oct. 6. It was during a pro-life community event sponsored by the Rocka­way-Denville Catholic Respect Life Ministry.

Bishop Kevin. J. Sweeney was the main celebrant of a Mass for Life at St. Margaret of Scotland Church in Morristown and then led an outdoor rosary procession for life on Oct. 7, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

Augustina Angelica Brutus was so excited to walk into the new Brilla Paterson Charter School on Aug. 14 — opening day — as part of its very first “class” of 225 students. This 5th-grader soon learned her greatest lesson at the new public charter elementary school: how to fall in love with learning.

Like last year, the Thomas A. Haltigan Memorial LIFE Runners Pro-Life 5K — to be held in Morristown on Sunday, Oct. 22 this year — will draw some inspiration from its late namesake: a “pro-life champion.” The family-friendly pro-life 5K will start at Assumption Parish in Morristown at 2:30 p.m., following sign-ins at 1:30 p.m. and a prayer gathering.

Join Bishop Kevin Sweeney and Communications Director Jai Agnish for episode 27 of Beyond The Beacon, a podcast of the Diocese of Paterson, N.J. They welcome Tim Potter to the episode. Potter has been the Chief Development Officer for the Diocese of Paterson for 30 years.

On Oct. 4, as we do each year, we celebrated the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. In addition to the Blessing of Animals, we often remember St. Francis and his exemplary life and teaching by offering the “Prayer of St. Francis.” His well-known prayer begins, “Lord, make me an instrument of your Peace,” and continues by asking, “where there is hatred, let me sow Love … where there is injury, pardon.” Have you had experiences in your life when you found it difficult to be an “instrument of Peace” or when you found it difficult to “sow Love” and/or to forgive?

On Sept. 30, the Salesians of Don Bosco celebrated the jubilees of religious profession or ordination of 21 Salesians, including five, who come from or have served the Paterson Diocese. The celebration was held at the Marian Shrine in Haverstraw, N.Y.

Join Bishop Kevin Sweeney and Communications Director Jai Agnish for episode 26 of Beyond The Beacon, a podcast of the Diocese of Paterson, N.J. They welcome Brother Joachim Joseph, C.F.R., and Solanyi Rodriguez to discuss their efforts to promote a culture of respect for the dignity and value of every human life.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Paterson on Oct. 1. He celebrated the 4 p.m. trilingual Mass for the parish’s patron saint, St. Michael, whose feast day was on Sept. 29.

St. Therese Parish in the Succasunna neighborhood of Roxbury Township on Sept. 30 gathered for a Mass to mark the feast day of the parish’s patron, St. Therese of Lisieux, and the 60th anniversary of the parish school.

Wracked with unbearable grief, U.S. District Judge Esther Salas frantically phoned her pastor. She screamed words that still make the priest tremble: “My son was murdered!” Salas made the call from the hospital on her darkest day: July 19, 2020. Her only child, Daniel Anderl, 20, sacrificed his life to save her and her husband, taking a bullet to the chest from a shooter who came to the door of their North Brunswick home.

St. John Vianney Parish of Stockholm (Hardyston) held its first-ever flea market on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 23 and 24, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. The flea market, sponsored by Knights of Columbus #12649, was held at Madonna Hall on the parish property. The $1,300 dollars raised will be distributed to local charities.

St. Anthony Parish in Hawthorne welcomed Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney who celebrated Mass during a pastoral visit on Sept. 24. After the 10 a.m. Mass, he blessed the parish’s refurbished Jubilee Garden and a new marble statue of St. Anthony.

As a practicing Catholic, Claire Garland always considered herself pro-life — but never an activist for the cause. That changed in February when this married mother of two gathered the courage to start CtK for Life. It’s a new Respect Life ministry in Garland’s home parish, Christ the King, in New Vernon (Harding Township). With its 11 members, the ministry promotes education, advocacy, and action.

It was not my intention or plan to write on a similar topic or theme for two consecutive weeks, but as I was writing my column last week, I learned some news that caused me to change my plans. I decided that I should write about Joan (Andrews) Bell, her inspiring life and dedication to the pro-life cause, and her current “status” (in prison).