‘Love Thy Neighbor’

BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY

I have always found Dorothy Day to be a fascinating, complex individual (and it is not just because she is a fellow New Yorker born in Brooklyn!) She was a prolific writer with strong opinions. Her words were always inspiring and often challenging. Day’s road to Catholicism was not an easy one, but she could not turn away from the beauty of the faith that tugged at her heart. Her tireless work of behalf of the poor, the outcast, the marginalized, along with her steadfast commitment to the Catholic faith, are models for us all. In 2002, New York’s John Cardinal O’Connor initiated Day’s cause for sainthood. While those around her called her a saint, Dorothy Day, always feisty and in true New York fashion, replied, “Don’t call me a saint. I don’t want to be dismissed so easily.”

There is one story that Day wrote that has stayed with me. It is about the impact that of one of her neighbors, Mrs. Barrett, had on her life and future path.

“Mrs. Barrett gave me my first impulse toward Catholicism. It was around ten o’clock in the morning that I went up to Kathryn’s to call for her to come out and play. There was no one on the porch or in the kitchen. The breakfast dishes had all been washed. They were long railroad apartments, those flats, and thinking the children must be in the front room, I burst in and ran through the bedrooms.

In the front bedroom, Mrs. Barrett was on her knees, saying her prayers. She turned to tell me that Kathryn and the children had all gone to the store and went on with her praying. And I felt a warm burst of love toward Mrs. Barrett that I have never forgotten, a feeling of gratitude and happiness that still warms my heart when I remember her. She had God, and there was beauty and joy in her life.

All through my life what she was doing remained with me.”

This neighbor’s simple act of prayer was a profound moment of evangelization for a young girl whose cause for sainthood is moving forward. Mrs. Barrett may not have known that she started Dorothy on her road to sainthood, but God knows. He knows that how we treat each other — how we treat our neighbors — can be a transformative blessing and a sacred act.

With the theme of “Love Thy Neighbor,” our 2020 Diocesan Ministries Appeal (formerly known as the Bishop’s Annual Appeal) is underway. In this Sunday’s Gospel, our Lord teaches us the two most important commandments. “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

By supporting our Diocesan Ministries Appeal, we have the opportunity to act on these commandments in very real and concrete ways. The Appeal helps the lives of your neighbors here in the Paterson Diocese. The funds raised support four specific causes: Catholic Charities, seminarian education, inner-city area Catholic education and priests’ healthcare, including Nazareth Village, our residence for senior priests. Our parishes can also benefit directly from the Appeal. Fifty percent of all funds raised over a parish goal are returned to the parish for their own needs. More than $713,000 was returned to parishes from the 2019 Appeal alone — and more than $3.25 million in five years. Parishioners should feel good knowing that the funds are used solely for these worthy causes and for no other purpose.

During these last few months, the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on our nation, our state and our Diocese. We continue to pray for those who have died as a result of the coronavirus and for those who have become ill. The health implications have touched our families and neighbors. To make matters more difficult, the pandemic has also hurt the economy, affecting jobs and creating a sense of uncertainty.

For many, the silver lining can be found in the work of our Catholic Charities agencies. “Love thy neighbor” was their mantra as families in need flooded their food pantries. Before COVID, about 5,000 people visited our food pantries each month. At the height of the pandemic in June, that number increased to 25,000. Many had never come to our food pantries before, but this has become the new reality. The need for emergency services also skyrocketed, and Catholic Charities was there to help. Whether it is feeding the hungry, finding shelter for homeless veterans, providing life-saving assistance for people with addictions or serving adults with disabilities, our Catholic Charities continues to do all that and more. I am proud to report that the largest percentage of Appeal funds help support our diocesan Catholic Charities.

The fact is that the pandemic is still with us. Therefore, the need for the Church of Paterson to help all those in desperate need continues. I ask you to prayerfully consider a gift to the 2020 Diocesan Ministries Appeal. I make this request knowing that it might be impossible for some this year. For those parishioners, please know that you are in my daily prayers, and I ask you to reach out to our Catholic Charities agencies to see if there is any assistance we can provide. If you are able to contribute, I ask that you be especially generous this year to help us serve the increased number of people who are coming to us in this time of great need.

In parishes throughout the Diocese this weekend, the faithful will hear an audio-homily from me and have the opportunity to make a pledge to the Appeal. I hope you will be as generous as possible. For those who are unable to attend Mass this weekend because of COVID restrictions, I will send a letter requesting your participation. The success of the Appeal is critically important and needed now more than ever. I hope you will respond with love and generosity in your heart.

The late Cardinal Hickey from the Archdiocese of Washington D.C., in talking about the role of the Church, once said, “We shelter the homeless, educate those hungry for knowledge, and care for the sick, not because they’re Catholic, but because we’re Catholic. They are Jesus in disguise.” Your gift to our Diocesan Ministries Appeal is a beautiful way to act on today’s Gospel message to love Christ by loving your neighbor.