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On Saturday, Aug. 13, Bishop Kevin Sweeney made a pastoral visit to Our Lady of Fatima Parish in the Highland Lakes section of Vernon where he celebrated Mass to mark the apparition of Our Lady of Fatima in 1917. The parish’s Rosary Society coordinated the event. Father Julio Barrios, pastor, concelebrated the Mass and Deacons Jerzy Chciuk and Bill Aquino assisted at the Mass.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney made a pastoral visit on Pentecost Sunday to St. Paul Parish in Clifton June 5. During his visit, he administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to young people of the parish, who prepared for the sacrament through the parish’s Confirmation program.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Monica Parish in Sussex May 21 where he celebrated the vigil Mass for the Sixth Sunday of Easter. During the Mass, the Bishop administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to young people of the parish.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Thomas of Aquin Parish in Ogdensburg May 22 and celebrated the noon Mass for the Sixth Sunday of Easter. During the Mass, teenagers of the parish received the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to young people of Christ the King Parish in New Vernon on May 3. Young people of the parish prepared for the Sacrament through the parish’s Confirmation program, which is a two-year program of preparation.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney administered the Sacra­ment of Confirmation to teenagers at St. Cather­ine of Bologna Parish in Ringwood during the vigil Mass marking the Fourth Sunday of Easter on May 7.

Young people at St. Clare Church in Clifton received the Sacrament of Confirmation, which was administered by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney May 8, the Fourth Sunday of Easter and Mother’s Day.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited Good Shepherd Parish in Andover on Sunday, May 1, the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, where he celebrated the noon Mass and administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to 30 young people of the parish.

The faith communities of Our Lady of Fatima (OLF) Parish and St. Nicholas Parish, at the vigil Mass April 30 for the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, welcomed Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney to Our Lady of Fatima Church in Paterson where he celebrated a 5:30 p.m. Mass and administered the Sacrament of Confirma­tion to young people of both parishes.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Mary Church in Denville April 24 and celebrated Mass for Divine Mercy Sunday on the Second Sunday of Easter. During his visit, the Bishop administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to young people of the parish.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Joseph Parish in Paterson where he celebrated Mass April 24 for Divine Mercy Sunday, which is marked on the Second Sunday of Easter. During the Mass, the Bishop also administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to young people of the parish.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Brendan/St. George Church in Clifton April 10 where he celebrated the 10:30 a.m. Mass on Palm Sunday.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Andrew the Apostle Church in Clifton where he celebrated Mass March 27 for the Fourth Sunday of Lent, which is also known as Laetare Sunday. On Laetare Sunday, vestments worn by clergy are rose colored to signify the coming joy of Easter on April 17. Laetare comes from the Latin, meaning, “To rejoice.” The history of St. Andrew’s began in 1938 when Mass was first celebrated in the renovated almshouse on Mount Prospect Avenue in the Richfield section of Clifton. The property was eventually purchased and a church was built in 1940 and subsequently enlarged in 1963.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney made a pastoral visit to Our Lady of Pompei (OLP) Church in Paterson Feb. 27 where he celebrated Mass marking the Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time. During the visit, he administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to young people of the parish.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Agnes Parish in Paterson Jan. 23 where he celebrated Mass for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. The Bishop’s visit also came near the feast day (Jan. 21) of the parish’s patron, St. Agnes, virgin and martyr, who is the patron saint of girls, chastity, Girl Scouts, engaged couples, virgins, and rape victims. Vestments for the Mass were red to mark her death as a martyr.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Paul Church in Prospect Park Dec. 25 where he was the principal celebrant of a Christmas Day Mass marking the Nativity of the Lord.

To mark the First Sunday of Advent, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Nicholas / Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Passaic Nov. 28 where he celebrated Mass in St. Nicholas Church. During the Mass, the Bishop blessed the Advent wreath and lit the first candle on the wreath, which represents hope as Catholics worldwide await the coming of Christ on Christmas Day. The start of Advent also marks the beginning of the new liturgical year.

St. Joseph Parish in Passaic welcomed Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney during his pastoral visit to the faith community on Nov. 14 to celebrate a Mass to commemorate the 103rd anniversary of regaining independence in Poland and the Year of St. Joseph. At the mostly Polish community, many of the parishioners dressed in their native attire for the Bishop’s pastoral visit.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Vincent Martyr Parish in Madison Nov. 13 to celebrate a Mass in both Spanish and Portuguese for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time. During the Mass, the Bishop, who is also fluent in Spanish, delivered the homily in Spanish and English and blessed the flags of origin of parishioners that represented their home countries.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney made a pastoral visit on Sunday, Oct. 31 to the faith community of St. Brendan/St. George in Clifton where he celebrated two Masses at 10:30 a.m. in English and 1 p.m. in Spanish for the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time.