Mazzella's legacy lives on through respect life education for young people
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
By Mary Stadnyk | Associate Editor
Teaching young people about the sacredness of human life from conception until natural death is something that the family of Joseph A. Mazzella whole-heartedly continues to support.
Through the generosity of Mr. Mazzella’s family members, the Diocesan Respect Life Ministry has once again presented $1,000 grants to two Catholic high schools for the sole purpose of providing funding for respect life education. As a recipients of the 2014 Joseph A. Mazzella Memorial Respect Life Educational Grant, the Upper School in Trenton Catholic Academy, Hamilton, is using its grant to implement Theology of the Body into the religion curriculum for grades nine-12, while Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville, applied funds toward a Respect Life Week observance March 17-21, with an array of activities including a pep rally, and hosting three speakers all of whom shared compelling stories on raising awareness on respect for life.
Donna Goodwin, coordinator of the Diocesan Pastoral Care’s Respect Life Ministry, extended appreciation to the family of the late Joseph A. Mazzella who made it possible for the Respect Life Ministry to award two grants each year to Catholic high schools in the Diocese. The grants, which were initiated in 2012, are restricted to education in Catholic teaching on respect for human life. Decisions on grant recipients are made by the Diocesan Respect Life Steering Committee, with Father Joe Noche, chaplain and diocesan liaison for Family Life and Pro-Life Activities, and Goodwin.
Goodwin recounted how Mazzella’s daughter, Diana Bischoff, who serves on the Diocesan Respect Life Steering Committee, donated the grant funds each year, recognizing the need for greater youth participation in respect life teaching and promotion.
Of her father, Bischoff stated in writing: “My father was a quiet but hardworking man who took his responsibilities seriously. He did not like us to fuss over him, so I think he would be pleased with this educational grant in his memory …. Hopefully, this grant can inspire the teens who attend the approved activities. Ideally, they will learn and go forward with action to make a better world in accord with Catholic Social Teaching based on respect for the dignity of all human life.”
Mazzella was a World War II veteran, serving in the 12th Armored Division Hellcat and was a Bronze Star recipient. Although his major employment was for the United States Post Office, he worked multiple jobs concurrently that allowed him to move his family from living in an apartment in the Bronx to a home in Brick, where they joined St. Dominic Parish. There, Mazzella was a sacristan and a member of the Knights of Columbus. His outreach included visiting the imprisoned, and bringing the Eucharist to the hospitalized and homebound. His favorite ministry was making hand-made rosaries which were distributed around the world including India, Mexico and the Philippines. In the United States, his rosaries provided a source of comfort to the sick in hospitals and they were also distributed at abortion facilities where prayers were offered for mothers to have a conversion of heart and choose life for her child and were sent to the U.S. military serving in battle.
In 2012, Goodwin noted that grants were given to Trenton Catholic Academy Upper School which allowed students to attend the Ninth Annual Pro-Life Youth Rally presented by the Salesians of Don Bosco. For Red Bank Catholic, the grant was used to assist the Caseys 4Life Pro-Life Club to attend the March for Life and Youth Rally and Mass for Life in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 25, 2013.
In 2013, St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel, was awarded a grant to be used to host a pro-life rally and march with respect life presentations for their student body in April of this year. Mater Dei Prep, Middletown, was also awarded a grant to be designated for a respect life assembly as well as to host an overnight stay in the school the night before the 2014 March for Life. Though Mater Dei’s trip to Washington was cancelled due to snow, students instead will use the funds to attend a pro-life rally on April 4 in Seton Hall University, South Orange.
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By Mary Stadnyk | Associate Editor
Teaching young people about the sacredness of human life from conception until natural death is something that the family of Joseph A. Mazzella whole-heartedly continues to support.
Through the generosity of Mr. Mazzella’s family members, the Diocesan Respect Life Ministry has once again presented $1,000 grants to two Catholic high schools for the sole purpose of providing funding for respect life education. As a recipients of the 2014 Joseph A. Mazzella Memorial Respect Life Educational Grant, the Upper School in Trenton Catholic Academy, Hamilton, is using its grant to implement Theology of the Body into the religion curriculum for grades nine-12, while Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville, applied funds toward a Respect Life Week observance March 17-21, with an array of activities including a pep rally, and hosting three speakers all of whom shared compelling stories on raising awareness on respect for life.
Donna Goodwin, coordinator of the Diocesan Pastoral Care’s Respect Life Ministry, extended appreciation to the family of the late Joseph A. Mazzella who made it possible for the Respect Life Ministry to award two grants each year to Catholic high schools in the Diocese. The grants, which were initiated in 2012, are restricted to education in Catholic teaching on respect for human life. Decisions on grant recipients are made by the Diocesan Respect Life Steering Committee, with Father Joe Noche, chaplain and diocesan liaison for Family Life and Pro-Life Activities, and Goodwin.
Goodwin recounted how Mazzella’s daughter, Diana Bischoff, who serves on the Diocesan Respect Life Steering Committee, donated the grant funds each year, recognizing the need for greater youth participation in respect life teaching and promotion.
Of her father, Bischoff stated in writing: “My father was a quiet but hardworking man who took his responsibilities seriously. He did not like us to fuss over him, so I think he would be pleased with this educational grant in his memory …. Hopefully, this grant can inspire the teens who attend the approved activities. Ideally, they will learn and go forward with action to make a better world in accord with Catholic Social Teaching based on respect for the dignity of all human life.”
Mazzella was a World War II veteran, serving in the 12th Armored Division Hellcat and was a Bronze Star recipient. Although his major employment was for the United States Post Office, he worked multiple jobs concurrently that allowed him to move his family from living in an apartment in the Bronx to a home in Brick, where they joined St. Dominic Parish. There, Mazzella was a sacristan and a member of the Knights of Columbus. His outreach included visiting the imprisoned, and bringing the Eucharist to the hospitalized and homebound. His favorite ministry was making hand-made rosaries which were distributed around the world including India, Mexico and the Philippines. In the United States, his rosaries provided a source of comfort to the sick in hospitals and they were also distributed at abortion facilities where prayers were offered for mothers to have a conversion of heart and choose life for her child and were sent to the U.S. military serving in battle.
In 2012, Goodwin noted that grants were given to Trenton Catholic Academy Upper School which allowed students to attend the Ninth Annual Pro-Life Youth Rally presented by the Salesians of Don Bosco. For Red Bank Catholic, the grant was used to assist the Caseys 4Life Pro-Life Club to attend the March for Life and Youth Rally and Mass for Life in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 25, 2013.
In 2013, St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel, was awarded a grant to be used to host a pro-life rally and march with respect life presentations for their student body in April of this year. Mater Dei Prep, Middletown, was also awarded a grant to be designated for a respect life assembly as well as to host an overnight stay in the school the night before the 2014 March for Life. Though Mater Dei’s trip to Washington was cancelled due to snow, students instead will use the funds to attend a pro-life rally on April 4 in Seton Hall University, South Orange.
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