Honoring Our Mother -- Bishop joins Colts Neck community for Assumption celebration and dedication of grotto
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
By Mary Stadnyk | Associate Editor
Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., and faithful from St. Mary Parish, Colts Neck, came together to pay tribute to the one perfect human being who ever lived – the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Celebrating the Aug. 14 Vigil Mass for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven which commemorates how Mary, at the end of her life, was taken up to heaven, both body and soul, Bishop O’Connell emphasized that the Blessed Mother was the only human being who comes as close as any human being to the image of God in which she was created and made.
To see photo gallery on this story, click here.
“She was fully, completely and perfectly human,” said Bishop O’Connell. “In fact, she was so perfect in her humanity, that when her life on earth was finished, God, her creator – our creator, took her body and soul completely back to himself from this world, leaving behind only her memory; her example; her virtue, the grace of her existence. We call this action of God toward the Blessed Mother, the Assumption of Mary into heaven.”
The Bishop noted that after the birth and life and death and resurrection and ascension and Pentecost of her son, the Lord Jesus, who alone is fully human and fully divine, the Assumption of Mary stands as the greatest event of human history and the greatest expression of our faith in human possibility. He also spoke of how Mary’s Assumption into heaven is one of only two infallible truths proclaimed by the Church, with the other being her Immaculate Conception, that she was conceived without sin.
“And so the Church celebrates her with the highest honor: her conception, her life, her maternity and her physical return to God at the Assumption.”
For Father Jeffrey Lee, pastor of St. Mary Parish, and the hundreds of parishioners who filled the church, the solemnity marked another milestone as they witnessed Bishop O’Connell’s blessing the parish’s new prayer garden and newly restored grotto that is dedicated to the Blessed Mother under her title of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Following the Mass, Bishop O’Connell and the throng joined in an outdoor candlelight procession from the church to the prayer garden where Bishop O’Connell offered a prayer and blessing. The procession continued on to the grotto and as they walked, all joined in chanting “Ave, Ave, Ave Maria.”
Work on restoring the grotto and expanding the prayer garden came to fruition through a generous charitable bequest given in memory of parishioner Catherine “Kitty” Pancetti who died in February, 2014, said Father Lee
Though discussions on the need to make major repairs to the grotto, which is located on a far end of the sprawling parish campus, began soon after he arrived as pastor in May, 2013, the repairs were cost prohibitive for the parish to assume. But the bequest made by the Pancetti family “enabled us to undertake this renovation of the Marian grotto while expanding the prayer garden,” he said.
Describing some of the restoration involved, Father Lee said that while the statue of the Blessed Mother and the stone facing is original, the exalt way was completely renovated to make it ADA compliant and to conform with the Colts Neck land use guidelines. Lighting fixtures were added and mechanical systems were upgraded.
Father Lee said he believed the Assumption was a most appropriate occasion to have Bishop O’Connell visit the parish while “celebrating this solemnity of the celebrate universal Church and the patron of our Diocese of Trenton.”
“It is a visual reminder that we are part of the Diocese of Trenton and in communion with our Bishop and the other parishes, and together as a Diocese, in communion with our Pope and Catholics throughout the world,” said Father Lee in reflecting on the celebration in his parish.
“This grotto is visited by faithful from throughout the region. It is something that our parishioners provide for others to come and discover the sacred in their everyday lives.”
As dusk fell, parishioners prayerfully looked on as Bishop O’Connell blessed the grotto and the lovely statue of the Blessed Mother, whose beauty was enhanced by the soft, flickering candlelight surrounding it.
Longtime parishioner Jack DeCerce spoke of the grotto as being a welcoming and quiet place of prayer to visitors. He noted how it was the place where he found inner comfort and peace while offering prayers of healing for his brother who was stricken with cancer.
“My brother is much better,” DeCerce said with a smile. “When you visit our grotto here at St. Mary’s, it’s like going on our own special pilgrimage.”
Mrs. Pancetti’s husband of 64 years, John Pancetti, their two adult children, John Pancetti and Zelinda Daroci, and other family members in attendance, reflected on how meaningful it was to have a part in helping to make the prayer garden and grotto a reality for the parish that was near and dear to their wife and mother’s heart.
“This was such a great tribute to Mom,” said John Pancetti, as his sister nodded in agreement. “Mom would have loved it."
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By Mary Stadnyk | Associate Editor
Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., and faithful from St. Mary Parish, Colts Neck, came together to pay tribute to the one perfect human being who ever lived – the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Celebrating the Aug. 14 Vigil Mass for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven which commemorates how Mary, at the end of her life, was taken up to heaven, both body and soul, Bishop O’Connell emphasized that the Blessed Mother was the only human being who comes as close as any human being to the image of God in which she was created and made.
To see photo gallery on this story, click here.
“She was fully, completely and perfectly human,” said Bishop O’Connell. “In fact, she was so perfect in her humanity, that when her life on earth was finished, God, her creator – our creator, took her body and soul completely back to himself from this world, leaving behind only her memory; her example; her virtue, the grace of her existence. We call this action of God toward the Blessed Mother, the Assumption of Mary into heaven.”
The Bishop noted that after the birth and life and death and resurrection and ascension and Pentecost of her son, the Lord Jesus, who alone is fully human and fully divine, the Assumption of Mary stands as the greatest event of human history and the greatest expression of our faith in human possibility. He also spoke of how Mary’s Assumption into heaven is one of only two infallible truths proclaimed by the Church, with the other being her Immaculate Conception, that she was conceived without sin.
“And so the Church celebrates her with the highest honor: her conception, her life, her maternity and her physical return to God at the Assumption.”
For Father Jeffrey Lee, pastor of St. Mary Parish, and the hundreds of parishioners who filled the church, the solemnity marked another milestone as they witnessed Bishop O’Connell’s blessing the parish’s new prayer garden and newly restored grotto that is dedicated to the Blessed Mother under her title of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Following the Mass, Bishop O’Connell and the throng joined in an outdoor candlelight procession from the church to the prayer garden where Bishop O’Connell offered a prayer and blessing. The procession continued on to the grotto and as they walked, all joined in chanting “Ave, Ave, Ave Maria.”
Work on restoring the grotto and expanding the prayer garden came to fruition through a generous charitable bequest given in memory of parishioner Catherine “Kitty” Pancetti who died in February, 2014, said Father Lee
Though discussions on the need to make major repairs to the grotto, which is located on a far end of the sprawling parish campus, began soon after he arrived as pastor in May, 2013, the repairs were cost prohibitive for the parish to assume. But the bequest made by the Pancetti family “enabled us to undertake this renovation of the Marian grotto while expanding the prayer garden,” he said.
Describing some of the restoration involved, Father Lee said that while the statue of the Blessed Mother and the stone facing is original, the exalt way was completely renovated to make it ADA compliant and to conform with the Colts Neck land use guidelines. Lighting fixtures were added and mechanical systems were upgraded.
Father Lee said he believed the Assumption was a most appropriate occasion to have Bishop O’Connell visit the parish while “celebrating this solemnity of the celebrate universal Church and the patron of our Diocese of Trenton.”
“It is a visual reminder that we are part of the Diocese of Trenton and in communion with our Bishop and the other parishes, and together as a Diocese, in communion with our Pope and Catholics throughout the world,” said Father Lee in reflecting on the celebration in his parish.
“This grotto is visited by faithful from throughout the region. It is something that our parishioners provide for others to come and discover the sacred in their everyday lives.”
As dusk fell, parishioners prayerfully looked on as Bishop O’Connell blessed the grotto and the lovely statue of the Blessed Mother, whose beauty was enhanced by the soft, flickering candlelight surrounding it.
Longtime parishioner Jack DeCerce spoke of the grotto as being a welcoming and quiet place of prayer to visitors. He noted how it was the place where he found inner comfort and peace while offering prayers of healing for his brother who was stricken with cancer.
“My brother is much better,” DeCerce said with a smile. “When you visit our grotto here at St. Mary’s, it’s like going on our own special pilgrimage.”
Mrs. Pancetti’s husband of 64 years, John Pancetti, their two adult children, John Pancetti and Zelinda Daroci, and other family members in attendance, reflected on how meaningful it was to have a part in helping to make the prayer garden and grotto a reality for the parish that was near and dear to their wife and mother’s heart.
“This was such a great tribute to Mom,” said John Pancetti, as his sister nodded in agreement. “Mom would have loved it."
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