By David Kilby | Correspondent

In a church that resonated with the joy of song, prayer and words of encouragement and thanks, St. Rose Parish Belmar celebrated “125 years of growing in faith together” with Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M. Oct. 5.


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About 500 parishioners, priests, deacons, religious and visitors brought to life the early 20th-century Gothic revival church, which had remarkably recovered from the floods of Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

At noon, the anniversary Mass began with a procession starting with the Knights of Columbus, altar servers, about 20 priests and deacons, and Bishop O’Connell.

The parish music ministry, led by Timothy Novembre, led the congregation in songs that made it ever the clearer that they were celebrating with the saints and angels depicted in the statues and stained glass around the church.

The Sunday Old Testament readings reminded the congregation that “The vineyard of the Lord is the House of Israel,” while the Gospel told the parable of the unfaithful vineyard tenants in Matthew 21. In his homily, Bishop O’Connell used the parable in contrast to the faithfulness of the St. Rose Parish community.

He compared the vineyards described in the readings with the vineyards of Napa Valley, saying some of those vineyards went back generations, and were maintained with great care and pruning.

He explained how in the Old Testament and Gospel readings, the vineyard was used to describe a community of the Lord; but in those readings both vineyards failed to yield good fruit.

“Why is that? God provided the possibility for these vineyards to prepare fine and rich harvests. Everything in God’s creation is intended to produce good for him and for us, but we get in the way and lose sight of that big picture.”

Alluding to the vineyard in the Gospel parable, he said, “We prefer our way to his way – selfishness, greed, lack of concern for others, refusal to accept God’s grace. Even when God sent his Son among us, we rejected him.”

But then, he shared how St. Rose’s community is different, describing its history as 125 years of life, ministry and caring.

“This vineyard ... has grown, has produced fruit that has endured,” he said.

The Bishop added that just about everywhere he goes in the Diocese, someone mentions St. Rose Parish in Belmar.

“Why? Because you have produced fruit that lasts ... You have opened your hearts and minds up to God’s ... You have opened your hearts and minds up to God’s grace.

“What we celebrate is a faith that has opened itself to God’s grace so that this community, this vineyard – carefully pruned by good pastors and priests, good religious women, good members of God’s faithful – has produced good fruit,” the Bishop said, adding, “The challenge for us is to continue caring for this vineyard, that it might continue to be the vibrant, loving community of faith that God has planted in the Diocese of Trenton for generations to come.”

Four students from St. Rose’s schools brought up the gifts, and Msgr. Edward Arnister, pastor, later reminded the congregation that the high school is celebrating its 91st year and the grammar school its 93rd, and will soon be celebrating anniversaries of their own.

“What can we say but a humble and grateful thanks to God,” Msgr. Arnister said as he addressed the Bishop and the community.

Msgr. Arnister said he is humbly grateful to serve as pastor, and that it is “a gift to be your parish priest.”

He also recalled a time two years ago, a few days after the church was struck by Superstorm Sandy, when Bishop O’Connell visited the parish community “to give us hope ... to remind us that God is still with us. Thank you, Bishop O’ Connell, for all you do. The good people of St. Rose love you,” he said.

Parishioner Marie Bailey said her husband, Deacon Normand Bailey, was the first deacon for the parish. “That’s why I’m here to celebrate this glorious day and I’m very proud ... to see him assisting at the altar for the anniversary Mass.

“It means a lot because I grew up here. I’m the third generation that graduated from the high school,” said parishioner Anthony DeSarno, adding that the devotion of many families over many generations is “what is being celebrated, and why all of this is possible.”

Following the Mass, Bishop O’Connell joined the St. Rose Parish community for a reception at a local banquet hall where he not only enjoyed the entertainment, but also provided some musical entertainment of his own, much to the delight of his audience.