Diocese announces special Masses to celebrate canonization of popes, Year of Faith

July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.


Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., has announced that the diocese will celebrate the end of the Year of Faith, Nov. 23, in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton; and will celebrate the canonization of Blessed Pope John XXIII and Blessed John Paul II in St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, Freehold, and St. Hedwig Parish, Trenton in April.

On Sept. 30, Pope Francis announced he would declare his two predecessors saints at a single ceremony April 27, Divine Mercy Sunday.

St. Robert Bellarmine Parish will host a Mass celebrating Blessed Pope John XXIII, 4:30 p.m., April 26.  St. Hedwig Parish will host the Mass celebrating Blessed Pope John Paul II, April 27, at a time to be announced. Bishop O’ Connell will mark the end of the Year of Faith in the Cathedral at the 4 p.m. Vigil Mass Nov. 23.

Blessed John Paul was pope from 1978 to 2005 and beatified by Pope Benedict XVI in 2011 on Divine Mercy Sunday, a celebration the late Polish Pontiff instituted worldwide. Through Blessed John Paul’s intercession, a French nun is believed to have been miraculously cured from Parkinson’s disease, and a Costa Rican woman was inexplicably cured after suffering a cerebral aneurism on May 1, the day  Blessed John Paul was beatified, according to a www.cbsnews.com article on the canonization announcement. In most cases, the Church requires two miracles for sainthood.

Pope Francis made an exception for Blessed John, who was pope from 1958 to 1963 and convened the Second Vatican Council. Born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, Blessed John, known by many as ‘The Good Pope’ was beatified by Blessed John Paul in 2000. One miracle has been attributed to Blessed John’s intercession, and Pope Francis waived the requirement of a second miracle.

The Year of Faith was called by Pope Benedict in October 2011, and began Oct. 11, 2012, the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council and 20th anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. During the Year of Faith, which ends Nov. 24, Catholics are asked to study and reflect on the documents of Vatican II and the catechism so that they may deepen their knowledge of the faith.

[[In-content Ad]]

Related Stories

Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., has announced that the diocese will celebrate the end of the Year of Faith, Nov. 23, in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton; and will celebrate the canonization of Blessed Pope John XXIII and Blessed John Paul II in St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, Freehold, and St. Hedwig Parish, Trenton in April.

On Sept. 30, Pope Francis announced he would declare his two predecessors saints at a single ceremony April 27, Divine Mercy Sunday.

St. Robert Bellarmine Parish will host a Mass celebrating Blessed Pope John XXIII, 4:30 p.m., April 26.  St. Hedwig Parish will host the Mass celebrating Blessed Pope John Paul II, April 27, at a time to be announced. Bishop O’ Connell will mark the end of the Year of Faith in the Cathedral at the 4 p.m. Vigil Mass Nov. 23.

Blessed John Paul was pope from 1978 to 2005 and beatified by Pope Benedict XVI in 2011 on Divine Mercy Sunday, a celebration the late Polish Pontiff instituted worldwide. Through Blessed John Paul’s intercession, a French nun is believed to have been miraculously cured from Parkinson’s disease, and a Costa Rican woman was inexplicably cured after suffering a cerebral aneurism on May 1, the day  Blessed John Paul was beatified, according to a www.cbsnews.com article on the canonization announcement. In most cases, the Church requires two miracles for sainthood.

Pope Francis made an exception for Blessed John, who was pope from 1958 to 1963 and convened the Second Vatican Council. Born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, Blessed John, known by many as ‘The Good Pope’ was beatified by Blessed John Paul in 2000. One miracle has been attributed to Blessed John’s intercession, and Pope Francis waived the requirement of a second miracle.

The Year of Faith was called by Pope Benedict in October 2011, and began Oct. 11, 2012, the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council and 20th anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. During the Year of Faith, which ends Nov. 24, Catholics are asked to study and reflect on the documents of Vatican II and the catechism so that they may deepen their knowledge of the faith.

[[In-content Ad]]
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092

e-Edition


e-edition

Sign up


for our email newsletters

Weekly Top Stories

Sign up to get our top stories delivered to your inbox every Sunday

Daily Updates & Breaking News Alerts

Sign up to get our daily updates and breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox daily

Latest Stories


Pope condemns 'antisemitic violence,' 'terrorist massacre' in Sydney
Condemning the attack on Jews celebrating Hanukkah in Sydney, Pope Leo XIV...

Notre Dame freshman honors deceased veterans for Christmas season
For the second year in a row, one young man is making sure that local veterans ...

PHOTO GALLERY: Vocation Discernment Gathering
Bishop David M. O'Connell, C.M., hosted ...

From Chicago to Peru to Rome, Pope Leo remains 'one of us,' say US Catholics
A day before Pope Leo XIV spoke by livestream to teens ...

Gathering of prison ministers provided time to pray, network, share ideas
More than 30 women and men serving in jail and prison ministry ...


The Evangelist, 40 North Main Ave., Albany, NY, 12203-1422 | PHONE: 518-453-6688| FAX: 518-453-8448
© 2025 Trenton Monitor, All Rights Reserved.