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Bishop Kevin Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Simon Parish in Green Pond marking the Fifth Sunday of Easter April 2. During the visit, the Bishop administered the Sacrament of Confir­mation to young people of the parish, who had prepared for the Sacra­ment for two years in the parish’s Confirmation program.

Ten years ago, the Diocese of Paterson offered a house in Clifton on Valley Road that formerly served as the diocesan Offices for Clergy Personnel and Priestly Life allowing a group of eight young women to be the first residents of Casa Guadalupe, a house of discernment and prayer. Since its opening on April 2, 2011, the house has offered young women in the very early stages of a vocation to religious life, marriage or lay consecrated life, a place to discern God’s plan for their lives, live in community and to pray in deep contemplation and communication with God.

The faith community of St. Catherine of Bologna Parish in Ringwood welcomed Bishop Kevin Sweeney on his pastoral visit on May 1 where he was the main celebrant and homilist for the 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. vigil Masses for the 5th Sunday of Easter. During his visit, the Bishop administered the sacrament of Confirmation to a total of 45 young people of the parish during the two Masses.

A small group of Catholic men have been taking time out of their busy lives to learn how to “suit up” as warriors for Christ, as part of “Into the Breach,” a weekly virtual video-and-discussion series, produced by the Knights of Columbus and the Diocese of Phoenix, Ariz.

Jerellyne Santos, a fourth-grader from St. Gerard Majella School in Paterson, felt an unusual mix of being “nervous and excited” Sunday afternoon, May 2. She helped her family recite the rosary as they often do but on that day, in a much larger place than a room in their home — on the lawn of the Shrine of St. Joseph in Stirling, leading in prayer more than 300 people, including Bishop Kevin Sweeney.

To honor and give thanks for the sacrifices made by the brave men and women who serve in law enforcement, the Paterson Diocese hosted its 21st annual Blue Mass May 4 in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson. Bishop Kevin Sweeney, celebrating his first Blue Mass as Bishop of Paterson, was main celebrant and homilist. Many priests from around the Diocese, who serve as police chaplains for local departments, were concelebrants of the Mass.

Once again, President Biden’s press secretary has said that President “respectfully disagrees” with Catholic bishops, this time on federally-funded fetal tissue research. Last week at a press briefing, EWTN News Nightly reporter Owen Jensen asked Jen Psaki, White House press secretary, about the Biden Administration’s recent decision to remove restrictions on federally-funded fetal tissue research.

When I thought about writing this column for this weekend of May 8/9, after a while, the term “Spiritual Bouquet” came to mind. That is a phrase that (I believe, unfortunately) we do not hear as often as we used to. The decline may have to do with fewer Catholic elementary schools and, especially, with fewer religious sisters teaching in those schools. I did receive a few “Spiritual Bouquets” from schools and communities here in our Diocese, when I was named as the new Bishop last year. I take this opportunity to say “Thank You” for that very important spiritual support.

John Merritt, vice principal of student life of DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne, has been “bleeding green” — the school color — for nearly half a century. He is a member of the Class of ’71 and has devoted his entire 44-year career to the school, holding just about every position as a teacher and administrator. Last week, Bishop Sweeney appointed Merritt to the top leadership post: president of DePaul, effective July 1.

Behind closed doors in the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel monastery in Morristown, a community of Discalced Carmelite sisters live out the beauty of their faith by devoting much of their time to praying for the Church and the world — far from the busy world outside its doors. But in recent years, the public face of the cloistered sisters — the exterior of its beautiful monastery — has been in need of significant cosmetic and safety repairs.

Bishop Kevin Sweeney administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to young people at St. Clare Parish in Clifton during his pastoral visit April 25 where he celebrated Mass marking the Fourth Sunday of Easter, which was also Good Shepherd Sunday.

Bishop Kevin Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Jude Church in Hopatcong April 24 where he celebrated the vigil Mass marking the Fourth Sunday of Easter, which was also Good Shepherd Sunday. During the Mass, young people of St. Jude’s received the Sacrament of Confirmation, administered by the Bishop.

Bishop Kevin Sweeney has appointed Father Marc Mancini as diocesan Judicial Vicar for the Tribunal Office, effective May 1. The appointment follows the death on March 11 of Msgr. Edward Kurtyka, who had served in that position since 1995. Father Mancini, pastor of St. James of the Marches Parish in Totowa since 2019, has officially served in the diocesan Tribunal Office since 1999 after receiving his licentiate degree in canon law at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

With the pandemic turning 2020 upside down, 46 couples who marked 50 years of marriage last year were finally able to celebrate their golden anniversaries and renew their marriage vows before Bishop Kevin Sweeney in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson April 25. To celebrate this joyful milestone, the couples attended the Diocese’s Gold Anniversary Mass at which Bishop Sweeney honored the couples for their fidelity to each other and to the Sacra­ment of Matrimony for five decades.

The level of Christian persecution has reached a record high globally, according to watchdog organization Open Doors. The organization announced the disturbing news in its 2021 World Watch List that ranks the top 50 countries where it is most dangerous to be Christian — and exposes startling shifts in the landscape of global religious persecution.

As we continue, together with the whole Church, to live this Year of St. Joseph, we have an opportunity to reflect on one of the few saints that has two feast days. The Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary and Patron of the Universal Church is celebrated on March 19 and, here in our Diocese, as in so many other places, we marked the Solemnity in many special ways, particularly by inviting people throughout the Diocese to be “consecrated” to St. Joseph at Mass on the Solemnity.

Bishop Kevin Sweeney stopped by practice for the Morris Catholic High School baseball team on school’s campus in Denville on April 16. He toured the athletic facilities for the Crusaders and then spoke with the players about sports, life, and faith.

Young people at St. Bonaven­ture Parish in Paterson received the Sacrament of Confirmation from Bishop Kevin Sweeney during his pastoral visit April 18, which also marked the Third Sunday of Easter.

Bishop Kevin Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Mary Church here April 17 where he celebrated the vigil Mass marking the Third Sunday of Easter. During the visit he administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to young people of the parish, who were prepared for the Sacrament by the parish’s religious education program.

For many Polish-American parents, instilling the culture from their homeland in their children is an important priority and a strong part of that culture is the Catholic faith. The John Paul II Supplementary Polish School was founded 15 years ago in 2006 to serve as a school to teach the Polish language to children in grades k to nine and the culture, traditions, history, and geography of the Eastern European country and the Catholic faith. Like so many countries, the Catholic faith is embedded in Poland’s culture.