By Mary Stadnyk | Associate Editor

Giving up a beautiful, summer Sunday afternoon to attend a specially planned July 31 Mass in St. Isaac Jogues Church, Marlton, posed no hardship for the priests who concelebrated or the 130 women, men and young people in the congregation.

They all wanted to be there. They wanted to come together knowing that the prayers they were offering were for the intentions of world peace and for all of those affected by terrorism.

“It’s frightening, it’s absolutely frightening,” said Father Phillip C. Pfleger, pastor of St. Isaac Jogues Parish, and St. John Neumann Parish, Mount Laurel, as he cited examples of the recent terrorist attacks that have escalated across the globe – the gunning down of police officers in Dallas, an 85-year-old priest who was killed at the hands of extremists while celebrating Mass in a church in France, and others.

Reflecting on the surge of terrorism in recent weeks, Father Pfleger said that several parishes in the southern Burlington County deanery – St. Mary of the Lakes, Medford, Our Lady of Good Counsel, Moorestown, and St. Joan of Arc, Marlton – in addition to St. Isaac Jogues and St. John Neumann, decided to “do something that could help bring about a sense of peace.”

“Today is a way of letting people know that God is still with us,” said Father Pfleger. “Today is about creating a sense of peace right here in our part of the world in Burlington County, New Jersey.”

“We are not alone, God is with us,” he said.

Father Pfleger served as principal celebrant of the Mass. Concelebrants included Father Daniel Swift, pastor of St. Mary of the Lakes Parish, Medford; Father Christopher Colavito, parochial vicar of St. Isaac Jogues and St. John Neumann Parishes, who was homilist, and Father Joseph Manickam of the Archdiocese of Madras, India, who was conducting a mission appeal on behalf of his home archdiocese in St. John Neumann Parish, that weekend.

Though it was the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, the selected Readings that were proclaimed were appropriate for a Mass to pray for the intentions of peace. The First Reading was from Isaiah 9:1-6; the Second Reading was from 1 Peter 3:8-12, and the Gospel was Matthew 5:1-12, the Sermon on the Mount.

The combined choirs from the collaborating parishes provided the music, singing appropriate hymns such as “Prayer of St. Francis” and “The Lord Bless You and Keep You.”

Surmising that many people have asked the question, “Where is God in all of this?”, Father Colavito reminded the congregation that “God hasn’t removed himself from the world. “The world has removed him.”

Referring to “some” [people] who claim that the “horrendous actions” that end in the destruction and death of so many “is being done in the name of God for his honor and glory,” Father Colavito said, “We know as Christian Catholics, that God is not a destroyer, he is a creator. He does not wish that people be hurt or killed…He wills that they be healed and live forever in his presence.”

What is even more sad, Father Colavito went on to say, is that while the aggressors claim to be “doing their work on behalf of God, an ever growing part of our society and culture has turned away from God completely and are not even asking the question of where is God in all of this.”

“That’s because they don’t believe in God, his Church, or his desire that all humankind live peacefully and lovingly among themselves here on earth…They also don’t see the potential that one day we can all share in the eternal divine afterlife.”

Stating that what causes the “greatest harm” is that people tend to lose faith and become apathetic or numb to all the suffering taking place around the world,” Father Colavito urged the congregation to remember that they have been “called by Christ to be his disciples, to follow in his ways, not only for ourselves, but for our neighbors as well.”

“We are called to go out and engage the world to bring his message of peace, love and eternal life each and every day,” he said.

The folks in the congregation shared why they felt drawn to attend the Mass.

“I’m the father of two sons who are police officers,” stated Michael Rocco of St. Isaac Jogues Parish, as he noted that son Sam is a police officer in Collingswood and Michael serves in South Harrison. In addition to keeping his sons in prayer, Rocco also shared his perspective as an educator in a charter school in Philadelphia and as a concerned parishioner and citizen.

“Violence begets more violence and people are on the edge,” said Our Lady of Good Counsel parishioner Frank Feeney as he reflected on how disheartening it is to “turn on the TV” and hear about all the violent events in the news.

“Our hope has to be in prayer,” Feeney said. “Prayer is our last resort. At some point, the Lord is going to have to intervene.”

St. Mary of the Lakes parishioner Robert Bannon attended the Mass to pray for all affected by the recent acts of terrorism as well as to pray for the repose of the soul of his brother who died 25 years ago at the hands of a terroristic act.

“My brother was in eighth grade when he was shot by another eighth grader…that was here in Burlington County,” Bannon said. “That may have been a long time ago, but all of this violence taking place today reminds me of what happened to my brother. I’m also here today to pray for my brother.”