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In the two-plus years that I have been writing this weekly column, I believe that there have been times when, indirectly, I asked for or encouraged “feedback” from you (Dear Readers). I believe that now may be a good time to request that feedback more directly. So, I will begin with two questions: 1. How many of you listen to Bishop Robert Barron’s Word on Fire Podcast? (more about that in a moment) and 2. As we consider Bishop Barron’s “strategies for growth,” do you have a practical suggestion or strategy that could help us “evangelize” (grow the Church)?

Thanks to a new water-tight tin roof, the hut’s dirt floor no longer turns to mud when it rains. And the beds don’t get soaked at night. That’s what a father reported, delighted with a roof on his family’s shack in Batey Lecheria in the southern Domini­can Republic. Helping install the roof were missioners of Our Lady of Good Counsel (OLGC) Parish in Pequannock, who visited the impoverished village Nov. 6–13.

A history major in college, Father John Calabro didn’t like one career option after graduation: teaching. He laughs when he considers his life today: as a diocesan priest, serving as chaplain and a teacher at Pope John XXIII Regional High School in Sparta. “God works in mysterious ways,” said Father Calabro, ordained a diocesan priest in 2019 — different from his previous life plans of a career and marriage. He spoke as part of a vocations talk and discussion with young adults on Nov. 9 at the Evangelization Center at St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison. He told them, “God is with you on the journey. Trust that he will lead you and build you up.”

In an inspired homily at the 22nd annual Respect Life Mass Satur­day, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney said pro-life advocacy is about changing one heart at a time with love and compassion. “We are here because our hearts have been converted to believe and witness to the dignity and value of every human life from the moment of conception,” the leader of the Diocese of Pater­son said to those gathered at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson. “But we must ask ourselves what are we doing — as St. Pope John Paul II inspires us — to build a culture of life, to change not only laws but hearts. One heart at a time if necessary.”

This past week, from Nov. 14–17, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) held their semi-annual “General Assembly” in Baltimore, Md. The “fall meeting” is always in Baltimore, and the June meeting is held in a different part of the country each year. This year’s General Assembly was my third “in-person” meeting. The first two meetings I “attended” in November 2020 and June 2021 were held “virtually” on Zoom because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sundays, Oct. 2022–May 2023 • The Corpus Christi Chargers Meetings Corpus Christi Parish, Chatham; 6–8 p.m. Monthly program for special needs teens to young adults with a wide range of cognitive abilities, to help form meaningful relationships in an atmosphere of friendly acceptance. Program includes arts and crafts, movies, games, family sing-alongs, and barbeques. Seeking new members. Contact Ron for information: killian.r@verizon.net. 1st Mondays • Patriotic Rosary St. Joseph Church, Lincoln Park; after 7 p.m. Mass. Rosary prayers for our country through the intercession of Our Lady. Info: Camille (201) 396-3798.

The Disciples of Christ Mission ministry group meets every Saturday at 10 a.m. in the parish center of St. Joseph Parish, 454 Germantown Road, in West Milford. The purpose and mission are clear and succinct: The Disciples of Christ is a non-profit Catholic ministry that seeks to help and lead all people to Jesus Christ, who gives us salvation.

The 2022 Caritas Gala of Catholic Chari­ties of the Diocese of Paterson was held on Nov. 10 at The Meadow Wood in Randolph. The gala highlights organizations which are recipients of Catholic Charities’ three agency awards, and then there is an additional Bishop’s Award which Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney presents.

St. Jude the Apostle Church in Hardy­ston now has its own smaller “communion of saints” of sorts — across from the church’s main altar. Already, St. Jude’s parishioners, like Stephen Rozak, have been praying before the new Shrine of Saints — featuring statues of eight prominent saints and one of the Holy Family — calling it a “peaceful, sacred place.”

The party was jumping to the rhythm of Cuban music. Before long, Modesto “Al” Alonso noticed a beautiful young lady sitting next to him in the Knights of Columbus hall in Havana. He figured he had three minutes — the length of a pop song and a dance with her — to ask for her phone number. He got the dance and her number.

Love was in the air at the annual Silver and Gold Mass held at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson on Nov. 6, where about 70 couples celebrated anniversaries and renewed their marriage vows before Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney concelebrated the Blue Mass with Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., and other clergy at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark on Nov. 3. The Mass honored law enforcement personnel who died in the past year, including officers from Paterson, Clifton, and other departments in the geographic area of the Diocese of Paterson.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney presided over a memorial Mass to celebrate the life of Father John T. Catoir on Nov. 4 at St. Philip the Apostle Church in Clifton. Father Catoir, known fondly as the media’s ‘messenger of joy,’ died at the age of 90. He was a retired priest of the Diocese of Paterson, was ordained in 1960, and faithfully served in priestly ministry for 62 years.

St. Mary’s Parish of Pompton Lakes recently formed a new ministry called Holy Bones. The ministry's mission is to employ people with intellectual disabilities in baking and packaging all-natural dog biscuits. Sept. 19 was the first baking date, and the launch happened on Oct. 8 at the Paws in the Park Festival in Hawthorne, where 170 Holy Bones packages were sold.

All are encouraged to attend the annual Respect Life Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson on Nov. 19 at 10 a.m. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney is the principal celebrant of the Mass.

Last Monday, St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Paterson held a special production of the Annunciation of the Lord in the parish hall. Performed in Spanish, the dramatization featured children dressed as angels, saints, and a bishop.

DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne welcomed Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney during a visit on Nov. 1, when he presided over a Mass for All Saints Day. Concelebrating the Mass was Father Christopher Han, DePaul’s chaplain. In his homily, Bishop Sweeney shared his insights about two modern saints who were famous when he was in high school and college: St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Pope St. John Paul II.

They discuss news of the Church and the diocese. They also talk about goings-on in their lives, including homilies they recently delivered — or just kid each other. Several of the 10 priests, who live at Nazareth Village, the diocesan priest’s retirement residence in Chester enjoy engaging in lively conversation together over a home-cooked meal at noon each day. That’s one of the reasons that Father Brendan Murray, pastor emeritus of Sacred Heart/Our Lady Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Parish in Dover, chose to reside at Nazareth: to live in community — and fraternity— with his brother priests.

Early on, around 1970–71, Michael Jackson’s career as a relief pitcher in professional baseball was on the upswing. This Paterson native posted high strikeout and batting averages in the major and minor leagues for several pro teams, such as the Philadelphia Phillies. Then Jackson started to suffer a series of disappointing setbacks. He spent most of his short career in the minors and didn’t get many chances to pitch when he was a major leaguer.

It has been said that our Catholic Faith and theology will often favor (when possible) a “both/and” rather than an “either/or” approach to life, our experiences, and choices. That thought came to my mind as I chose my topics and “title” for this week’s column. I thought that, in recent weeks, I had been focusing on that “both/and” or, at least, the “and” theme. When I looked back, I realized that my previous three columns had the headings: “Vivere Christus AND the Universal Call to Holiness,” “The Diocesan Ministries Appeal AND the Inspiration of the Saints, “Faithful Citizenship AND our Right to vote.” We will see what next week brings, but for this week, I feel the need to continue with the “AND” theme because there are two events about which I would like to share some thoughts and reflections. First, our Diocesan Respect Life Convocation, which took place on Saturday, Oct. 29, and second, National Vocation Awareness Week (Nov. 6–12), which is taking place (or has recently concluded) as you read this column.