By John Spinelli | Correspondent
UPDATED APRIL 19
On the day that the Catholic Church commemorates the institution of the Eucharist by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., told those gathered in St. Aloysius Church, Jackson, “‘Greater love than this no one has than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.’ That is exactly what he did this week. That is the Eucharist. That leads us to his cross. That is what makes this night holy.”
Bishop O’Connell served as principal celebrant and homilist for the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, April 17. He was joined at the altar by Father John Bambrick, pastor, and Father Rjoy Ballacillo, parochial vicar.
PHOTO GALLERY: Holy Thursday with Bishop in Jackson church
In his homily, the Bishop emphasized that the night is holy “not because of the things we do here but, rather, because of the things he did — the Lord Jesus Christ.”
“It is he who gathers us. It is he who gives us himself as food and drink. It is he who drops to his knees to wash the feet of his disciples. He, the Lord Jesus Christ, makes this night holy,” said Bishop O’Connell.
He added, “Calling to mind the whole of salvation history, we come to celebrate the Eucharist. Committing ourselves to the command to serve one another.”
“Tonight, is the unambiguous and non-negotiable core of our Catholic faith, intrinsically and integrally sown together as the one fabric of our Christian lives: one divine cloth that can never be torn or ripped apart because this is what the Church is and why the Church was established and what the Church does.”
Part of the Mass was set aside to conduct the Rite of Candidacy for two men seeking ordination as permanent deacons in the Diocese of Trenton. Bishop O’Connell accepted the candidacy of Graham Mulholland of St. Aloysius Parish and John Vitale of St. Gabriel Parish in Marlboro. (More to come on their candidacy in a separate article.)
Father Bambrick shared his perspective on the special significance of the Mass, stating, “Holy Thursday is an important day for all priests. If there are no priests, there is no Eucharist. And if there is no Eucharist, then there is no Church.”
Father Bambrick also reflected on how important it was to have the Bishop celebrate the Mass in the Jackson parish.
“Whenever the Bishop is present for any liturgy it’s special. He is the successor to the Apostles and the high priest of our Diocese.” Quoting St. Ignatius of Antioch, Father Bambrick said, “Wherever the Bishop is, the Church is.”
Chris Mulholland (whose father was accepted that night as a deacon candidate), attended with his fiancée Claudia. He said, “I love this Mass.”
“Tonight brought me into perspective imagining where Jesus was during his Last Supper. This inspires me to walk in his shoes by walking the good path. It inspires me to try to stay sin-free the best I can.”
Attendees in St. Aloysius Church, Jackson, pray during the Mass that Bishop O’Connell celebrated on Holy Thursday, April 17. Mike Ehrmann photos