Mass with the Bishop: Annual School gathering in Trenton celebrates gift of Catholic education
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
By Rose O'Connor | Correspondent
The annual Mass, celebrated by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., brings together for the only time all year representatives from both elementary and secondary schools from all four counties in the Diocese. This year more than 800 students, teachers and staff representing some 40 schools were present in the Cathedral. Concelebrating the Mass with Bishop O’Connell were some two dozen priests from around the Diocese. The Bishop asked for a round of applause when he acknowledged their presence and thanked them for their support of Catholic education.
Kerry Hennessy, a senior in St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel, who has attended the Mass each year since she was a freshman, said, “This Mass allows us to come together embrace what we have in common; our faith. It’s an opportunity to join together to witness that there is nothing more powerful than prayer.”
Missionary Experience Shared
As October is the month when the universal Church remembers those serving in mission lands, the Catholic Schools Mass was distinguished by the presence of a number of missionaries, including Father Albert A. Adeleke from the Diocese of Ijebu-Ode, Nigeria, who addressed the students prior to the start of Mass about the power of prayer and gave thanks for the missionaries who “go into the world and preach the Good News.”
He encouraged the students to learn to sacrifice, “little by little and learn to give something to the poor,” reminding them of the Scripture passage, Matthew 25: 40, “whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.”
Cultural symbols and art from the Diocese of Ijebu-Ode, Nigeria, were a part of the opening procession as students carried the objects along with flags from their respective schools.
“This is a beautiful occasion as it is every year,” Bishop O’Connell said as he welcomed the school communities, “I am so proud and happy to be here with all of you.”
Acknowledging that the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi was observed Oct. 4, Bishop O’Connell, said, “Today we celebrate the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. He is, perhaps, the most well-known and popular saint of the Catholic Church. We see him in paintings, pictures and statues dressed in his brown robe, with a rope belt around his waist, usually with his arms joyfully raised up in prayer, surrounded by birds and other animals. It is easy to love and admire him. And we do. He is loved and admired so much, that even the Pope took his name.”
Bishop O’Connell shared a story in which St. Francis had a dream and vision and a pilgrimage to Rome, then likened Francis’ journey to the experiences of the Catholic school students in attendance.
Bishop’s support for Catholic education
“Like St. Francis on his pilgrimage trip to Rome, we are very lucky to be here. We may not have a dream or vision that brings us together but we have something very special: our faith in Jesus Christ,” Bishop O’Connell said. “And that faith, the reason for Catholic schools, leads us all, leads you to understand that our Catholic schools give us a chance to pray and learn more about our faith in a way that many of our friends in public schools do not and cannot share.”
In Catholic schools, he continued, “We learn all the same things that our public school friends do but we learn something more. We learn that everything we have and learn is a gift from God.”
“We learn about our Catholic religion and what the Bible and our Church teaches. We learn how to pray. We learn that everyone, including our friends in other schools, were created by God and that makes us look at our lives, our families, our friends, our studies, our talents differently. We learn the difference between right and wrong and why. We learn that Jesus invites us to live a life of love and helping others because that’s what he did, that’s what he wants for us. In addition to everything we learn in the subjects we study, we learn the one thing that completes them all: our faith in Jesus Christ. We ‘have it all.’”
The Cathedral resounded with applause when JoAnn Tier, superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese announced that St. Peter School, Point Pleasance Beach was recently named a 2016 National Blue Ribbon School 2016 by the U.S. Department of Education.
St. Peter principal, Tracey Kobrin accepted the honor on behalf of the entire school community, including former principal Kathleen Berlino and Conventual Franciscan Father Robert Benko, pastor, who was also present at the Mass.
Day of Gratitude and Pride
Bishop O’Connell thanked all of the priests in attendance and applauded them for their dedication to their Catholic schools.
“These men are here to show you how much they love and support you,” he stated.
The feelings of love and support were reciprocated and a strong sense of community and family was felt among the attendees.
“It’s nice to celebrate our faith with the larger community, this brings everyone together as one big family,” Liam O’Connor, eighth grade student, from Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Maple Shade, said.
“It’s good to see our faith in action and share our faith with this happy community,” Dylan Rivard, an eighth grader in Holy Innocents School, Neptune, shared.
Classmate, Bella Ross offered, “It’s nice to be with peers who share our faith.”
“Our faith gives us a common identity,” Beau Brineau, a senior in Holy Cross Academy, Delran, said.
Olive Barkley, a junior in Mater Dei Prep, Middletown, added, “this brings our faith family together, and there is a strong sense of family here.”
The strong faith foundation and sense of community was also felt by the administration of the schools, pleased to take part in the celebration of Mass with fellow Catholic schools in the Diocese.
“I believe we are planting seeds of faith and this is a wonderful opportunity for the children, “Michele Williams, principal of St. Joseph School Toms River said.
Fellow principal, Sister of St. Joseph Kathleen Nace, principal St. Rose High School, Belmar, agreed.
“It’s great for our students to see that what we do at school is mirrored in the Church and that we are part of a larger faith community, we a part of a bigger mission,” she said.
[[In-content Ad]]Related Stories
Thursday, December 25, 2025
E-Editions
Events
By Rose O'Connor | Correspondent
The annual Mass, celebrated by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., brings together for the only time all year representatives from both elementary and secondary schools from all four counties in the Diocese. This year more than 800 students, teachers and staff representing some 40 schools were present in the Cathedral. Concelebrating the Mass with Bishop O’Connell were some two dozen priests from around the Diocese. The Bishop asked for a round of applause when he acknowledged their presence and thanked them for their support of Catholic education.
Kerry Hennessy, a senior in St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel, who has attended the Mass each year since she was a freshman, said, “This Mass allows us to come together embrace what we have in common; our faith. It’s an opportunity to join together to witness that there is nothing more powerful than prayer.”
Missionary Experience Shared
As October is the month when the universal Church remembers those serving in mission lands, the Catholic Schools Mass was distinguished by the presence of a number of missionaries, including Father Albert A. Adeleke from the Diocese of Ijebu-Ode, Nigeria, who addressed the students prior to the start of Mass about the power of prayer and gave thanks for the missionaries who “go into the world and preach the Good News.”
He encouraged the students to learn to sacrifice, “little by little and learn to give something to the poor,” reminding them of the Scripture passage, Matthew 25: 40, “whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.”
Cultural symbols and art from the Diocese of Ijebu-Ode, Nigeria, were a part of the opening procession as students carried the objects along with flags from their respective schools.
“This is a beautiful occasion as it is every year,” Bishop O’Connell said as he welcomed the school communities, “I am so proud and happy to be here with all of you.”
Acknowledging that the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi was observed Oct. 4, Bishop O’Connell, said, “Today we celebrate the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. He is, perhaps, the most well-known and popular saint of the Catholic Church. We see him in paintings, pictures and statues dressed in his brown robe, with a rope belt around his waist, usually with his arms joyfully raised up in prayer, surrounded by birds and other animals. It is easy to love and admire him. And we do. He is loved and admired so much, that even the Pope took his name.”
Bishop O’Connell shared a story in which St. Francis had a dream and vision and a pilgrimage to Rome, then likened Francis’ journey to the experiences of the Catholic school students in attendance.
Bishop’s support for Catholic education
“Like St. Francis on his pilgrimage trip to Rome, we are very lucky to be here. We may not have a dream or vision that brings us together but we have something very special: our faith in Jesus Christ,” Bishop O’Connell said. “And that faith, the reason for Catholic schools, leads us all, leads you to understand that our Catholic schools give us a chance to pray and learn more about our faith in a way that many of our friends in public schools do not and cannot share.”
In Catholic schools, he continued, “We learn all the same things that our public school friends do but we learn something more. We learn that everything we have and learn is a gift from God.”
“We learn about our Catholic religion and what the Bible and our Church teaches. We learn how to pray. We learn that everyone, including our friends in other schools, were created by God and that makes us look at our lives, our families, our friends, our studies, our talents differently. We learn the difference between right and wrong and why. We learn that Jesus invites us to live a life of love and helping others because that’s what he did, that’s what he wants for us. In addition to everything we learn in the subjects we study, we learn the one thing that completes them all: our faith in Jesus Christ. We ‘have it all.’”
The Cathedral resounded with applause when JoAnn Tier, superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese announced that St. Peter School, Point Pleasance Beach was recently named a 2016 National Blue Ribbon School 2016 by the U.S. Department of Education.
St. Peter principal, Tracey Kobrin accepted the honor on behalf of the entire school community, including former principal Kathleen Berlino and Conventual Franciscan Father Robert Benko, pastor, who was also present at the Mass.
Day of Gratitude and Pride
Bishop O’Connell thanked all of the priests in attendance and applauded them for their dedication to their Catholic schools.
“These men are here to show you how much they love and support you,” he stated.
The feelings of love and support were reciprocated and a strong sense of community and family was felt among the attendees.
“It’s nice to celebrate our faith with the larger community, this brings everyone together as one big family,” Liam O’Connor, eighth grade student, from Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Maple Shade, said.
“It’s good to see our faith in action and share our faith with this happy community,” Dylan Rivard, an eighth grader in Holy Innocents School, Neptune, shared.
Classmate, Bella Ross offered, “It’s nice to be with peers who share our faith.”
“Our faith gives us a common identity,” Beau Brineau, a senior in Holy Cross Academy, Delran, said.
Olive Barkley, a junior in Mater Dei Prep, Middletown, added, “this brings our faith family together, and there is a strong sense of family here.”
The strong faith foundation and sense of community was also felt by the administration of the schools, pleased to take part in the celebration of Mass with fellow Catholic schools in the Diocese.
“I believe we are planting seeds of faith and this is a wonderful opportunity for the children, “Michele Williams, principal of St. Joseph School Toms River said.
Fellow principal, Sister of St. Joseph Kathleen Nace, principal St. Rose High School, Belmar, agreed.
“It’s great for our students to see that what we do at school is mirrored in the Church and that we are part of a larger faith community, we a part of a bigger mission,” she said.
[[In-content Ad]]