TOP PHOTO: Bishop O’Connell is shown at the start of Mass in Sacred Heart Church, Mount Holly, May 31. The Bishop will be visiting the four parishes in the Diocese named Sacred Heart as part of the observance of the Consecration of the Nation to the Sacred Heart initiative. Mary Stadnyk photos
By Mary Stadnyk
Associate Editor
In n anticipation of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in the United States, the U.S. Bishops have asked all Catholics throughout the country to participate in the Consecration of the Nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
PHOTO GALLERY: Bishop’s Mass in Sacred Heart Church, Mount Holly
And the Diocese of Trenton is responding to that call.
Parish Connections
Leading the way is Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., who is celebrating May and June Masses in the four Sacred Heart Parishes of the Diocese. The Bishop visited Mount Holly on May 31, and he’s scheduled to visit Bay Head on June 6, Trenton on June 14 and Riverton on June 20.
The Mass in Mount Holly coincided with the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, which the Bishop described as “the central mystery of our faith, the mystery of who God is in himself: Father, Son and Holy Spirit – one God, three divine Persons, united in perfect love.”
Tying together the Feast of the Holy Trinity and the upcoming Feast of the Sacred Heart on June 12, Bishop O’Connell said, “Here at Sacred Heart Parish, this solemnity takes on a special radiance because the Trinity is not only a doctrine to profess, it is a love to behold, receive and imitate,” the Bishop said. “The Sacred Heart of Jesus is the human and divine expression of that Trinitarian love poured out for the world.”
Bishop O’Connell told the Mount Holly congregation saying that their parish “bears a name that is not sentimental, but theological.”
“The Sacred Heart is not merely a devotion; it is a revelation of the inner life of God,” he said. “To be a parish of the Sacred Hert means: to be a community rooted in mercy, like the Father; to be a community shaped by self-giving love, like the Son; to be a community alive with unity and peace, like the Spirit,” he said.
“On this Trinity Sunday, let us ask for the grace to live from the Heart of Jesus, so that the world may see in us the love of the Father, the grace of the Son and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.”
Special Devotion
The Bishop’s visit triggered a special family memory for Father John Czahur, pastor. He recalled hearing a story about his parents, who were newly married, had their parish priest visit their home, and the couple consecrated themselves, their home and their future family to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
“The framed picture of the Sacred Heart, together with the prayer of Consecration and his parents’ signatures, always hung in a special place in our home. That same picture and prayer now hangs in one of my rooms [here] at Sacred Heart Parish,” he said.
“This beautiful image of Jesus revealing his loving heart and looking back with kind and gentle eyes always made our home feel sacred and special and we all felt protected and safe in happy times as well as times of difficulty,” he said.
Father Czahur noted the honor and privilege it was to have Bishop O’Connell lead the congregation in the Prayer of Consecration to the Sacred Heart.
“The presence of the Bishop made a very heartfelt connection to the wonderful memories of home and family, the many blessings of being pastor of a wonderful parish and the challenges and responsibilities of sharing the mystery of Jesus’ life-giving love to a Church, a nation and a world that, as Bishop O’Connell has stated: “calls each believer to become a vessel of mercy and a witness to love,” said Father Czahur.
Events planned around the Diocese to commemorate the country’s 250th anniversary include parish missions, prayer services and social gatherings with a special concert planned by the Diocesan Festival Choir. Check in at trentonmonitor.com/category/usa-250/ for further information.
