Year marked by recovery efforts, evangelization and catechesis initiatives
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
The Diocese looks back on an historic year in the Church, with the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI and the election of Pope Francis, shown above, setting off a series of changes and extraordinary events for the universal Church.
Prominent among them was July’s World Youth Day in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, during which more than two million youths and young adults congregated on the beach to participate in a Mass celebrated by the Holy Father.
Locally, the focus for 2013 was the Year of Faith and the New Evangelization, which enriched catechesis and formation efforts. Pictured, top right, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., is shown ordaining a transitional deacon in May. Lower right, one of the 1,400 young men and women who graduated this year from Catholic schools in the Diocese shows her enthusiasm for starting the next chapter of her life.
Year of Faith and the New Evangelization
The Year of Faith, promulgated by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, spanned Oct. 11, 2012-Nov. 24, 2013 and was celebrated in the Diocese of Trenton with numerous events, including the first-ever Eucharistic Congress held Oct. 12-14, 2012, in the PNC Bank Arts Center.
Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., directed that specially prepared catechetical homilies aimed at building understanding of the main tenets of the faith be preached in all parishes on the second weekend of every month. The homilies were written by various priests of the diocese, provided to all parishes and made available on the TrentonMonitor.com website.
The bishop closed out the Year of Faith with a series of pastoral essays on the new evangelization, an initiative promulgated during the pontificate of Blessed John Paul II and renewed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2011. The series, which appeared in consecutive issues of The Monitor, explored several key areas and their impact on the new evangelization.
They included: adult faith formation; Catholic education; parish religious education, and the transformation/conversion of culture.
Marking both the end of a special year and an onward faith journey, Bishop O’Connell concluded the year-long diocesan observance of the Year of Faith with Mass in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, Nov. 23. In his homily, the Bishop acknowledged the relationship between the Year of Faith and the season of Thanksgiving. “Faith leads us to be more caring, more forgiving, more merciful, more welcoming, as Pope Francis reminds us. In a real sense, we can say the Year of Faith has led us to thanksgiving, to be truly grateful for all God’s gifts and blessings, especially our Catholic faith.”
Social Service / Outreach
Typhoon Haiyan hit the shores of the Philippines Nov. 8; Bishop O’Connell joined his fellow bishops nationwide calling for a special collection the weekend of Nov. 16-17 to provide financial aid to the people of the stricken country. The total collected amounted to $641,678.15 Msgr. Thomas N. Gervasio, diocesan vicar general and moderator of the curia, announced June 3 a number of organizations to receive grants through the 2013 Bishop George W.
Ahr Endowment Fund. The Fund was created to award grants for special projects that fulfill a spiritual need. This year’s recipients include Birthright of Ocean County, the Mercer County CYO, the Trenton Mount Carmel Guild, and two parish St. Vincent de Paul Societies.
Superstorm Sandy
The somber yet hope-filled one-year anniversary of the arrival of Superstorm Sandy, a natural disaster with an intensity never before seen in New Jersey was observed Oct. 29. Though many areas of the state were impacted, Monmouth and Ocean counties were especially affected, with countless homes, churches, businesses and tourist attractions laid waste by wind and water, a strong diocesan response to the tragedy reaffirmed our faith in God and each other. More than $1 million was donated to the diocesan Hurricane Relief Effort in the year following the storm and was distributed to Catholic social service agencies.
Storm-ravaged Project PAUL reopened its doors in Keansburg March 22. The community outreach center, thrift shop and food pantry were nearly destroyed by Hurricane Sandy the previous year. Simon’s Soup Kitchen, Seaside Heights, also conquered the floodwaters to reopen in October.
Numerous parishes and organizations held commemorative Masses or interfaith services to mark the anniversary of the storm.
Bishop O’Connell visited the newly repaired Belmar boardwalk May 22 before hundreds of onlookers and students from the town’s St. Rose Grammar and High Schools. St. Rose High School, Belmar, marked the anniversary with a varity of events. The 90-yearold school had endured nine feet of water which destroyed seven classrooms, the chapel, the cafeteria and numerous offices. A flag raising ceremony, lunch with a fish theme, and a visit by Gov. Chris Christie capped the day.
Visitation Relief Center, Brick, is bustling a year post-storm, distributing food and clothing donations for those still in need. The one-time spontaneous food collection and soup kitchen housed in a former garden center now serves as a one-stop relief hub. On the one-year anniversary of the storm, a ribbon cutting marked that the former Mantoloking Marketplace, leased for several months by the Relief Center, had been purchased and was part of the parish.
Diocesan Initiatives, Events, Celebrations
Bishop O’Connell inaugurated the 2013 Bishop’s Annual Appeal “Faith Forward in Christ” in all parishes in the diocese the weekend of Feb. 9-10 announcing a goal of $8 million to be directed towards diocesan operations, ministries and initiatives, as well as parish-based programs and other Catholic social service agencies that serve the poor. As of Dec. 5, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton, began a series of events marking its milestone 100 years of service in the diocese with an anniversary Mass Feb. 1. The agency estimates it has come to the aid of six million people during its first century of operation.
The results and recommendations of the school sustainability study instituted in 2012 were submitted in May. Bishop O’Connell had charged a 24-member group of pastors, diocesan officials, school administrators and community leaders with the responsibilities of investigating the viability and vibrancy of Catholic elementary schools in the diocese; developing clear and consistent criteria for evaluating the schools’ sustainability; identifying those schools which are sustainable and those which appear at risk.
While the bishop acknowledged that the diocese’s Catholic schools “do an excellent job of teaching our young people and preparing them for further education and for life, especially in large urban centers with diverse populations,”he also expressed concern on how parishes“cannot be unfairly expected to bear the burden of constantly escalating costs in maintaining schools indefinitely, especially when the many other responsibilities of parishes begin to suffer.”
Bishop O’Connell identified student enrollment as being the key factor to ensuring that schools in the diocese will remain open. He approved that Catholic primary schools be given more time to evaluate their own sustainability based upon criteria by the commission and noted that he will not approve the closing of another Catholic primary school before 2015.
“But our parishes, our Diocese and I cannot keep all our Catholic primary schools open indefinitely and at all costs,” he emphasized.
Thousands of faithful from all corners of the diocese joined fellow life-affirming people in the 40th annual March for Life in Washington Jan. 25, commemorating the passage of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. Bishop O’Connell met with the Trenton Diocese marchers near the national mall shortly before they walked the mile-long trek to the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court. A rally on the steps of the N.J. State House held on the same day attracted speakers and several hundred more people.
Seven seminarians of the Diocese of Trenton marked another step on their journey towards the priesthood with their ordination to the transitional diaconate May 18 in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton. This year’s class included John K. Butler, Carlo James Calisin, Rafael Enrique Esquen, Jean Renald Felicien, Augusto Lorenzo Gamalo, Jerome J. Guld and Mark Ronald Nillo. One week prior, 13 men were ordained permanent deacons for the diocese.
In May, more than 1,400 young men and women graduated from the eight parish and diocesan high schools, earning more than $123 million in college scholarships.
Hundreds of maturing adults gathered throughout the month of May in four parishes, one in each of the four counties of the diocese, for the Spirituality/ Education Days for Maturing Adults sponsored by the diocesan Department of Pastoral Care.
Bishop O’Connell ordained four new priests of the diocese June 1 in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton. Father Carlos Aguirre, Father Jorge Bedoya, Father Garry Koch and Father Juan Gabriel Rojas were welcomed joyfully before a crowd of more than 600 family, friends and well-wishers.
Bishop O’Connell announced two events in support of the U.S. bishops’ call for comprehensive immigration reform - July 14 as Justice for Immigrants Sunday, and Oct. 11, a diocesan Mass for Justice for Immigrants in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton. The bishop also met the “Nuns on the Bus”, a group of sisters sponsoring a mobile social justice platform for immigration reform during a May 29 stop at St. Ann Parish, Lawrenceville.
Some 2,000 diocesan faithful embarked on the Oct. 19 pilgrimage with Bishop O’Connell to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington. The day-long event, themed“The Family as the Garden of Faith”offered pilgrims the opportunity for confession, private prayer and blessings, culminating in Mass celebrated in the Great Upper Church.
Hundreds attended the diocesan Multi-Cultural Mass in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, Nov. 16. Attendees wore traditional garb as they carried images of the Blessed Virgin Mary along with white roses.
The Diocesan Catholic Charismatic Renewal sponsored its first conference for women, “Blessed and Highly Favored,” on Dec. 7.
Awards and Recognition
Father Daniel Swift, pastor of St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel, was recognized as one of 12 Distinguished Pastors by the National Catholic Education Association for his outstanding support of Catholic education. Sister of St. Joseph Jude Boyce, principal of Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, Asbury Park, was named as the one distinguished principal by the same organization.
The Monitor garnered six Catholic Press awards during the Catholic Media Conference June 19 to 21, ranging from editorial, spiritual commentary and coverage of special events.
Denise Contino, coordinator of religious education in St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel and religion coordinator in St. Benedict School, was awarded the 2013 “Chick” McGinty Award for excellence in catechetical ministry.
Richard Collier of St. Paul Parish, Princeton, was awarded the diocesan Lumen Gentium award Nov. 8 for his nearly four decades of legal work in defense of life. Collier died on Christmas Day.
Six priests of the diocese were invested as Knights in the Equestrian of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem during a Mass of Investiture held Nov. 22 in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York: Msgr. Sam Sirianni, pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, Freehold; Father Daniel Peirano, pastor of Christ the King Parish, Long Branch; Father Alberto Tamayo, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Red Bank; Father Ian Trammell, pastor of St. Gregory the Great Parish, Hamilton Square; Father John Folchetti, pastor of St. Leo the Great Parish, Lincroft; and Father Michael Lankford-Stokes, chapain for the Department of Veterans Affairs in the Archdiocese for Military Services.
Cornelius Begley, principal, St. Leo the Great School, Lincroft, and Angela and Paul Dwyer, St. Rose of Lima Parish, Freehold, were among 120 Catholic men and women invested in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem’s Eastern Lieutenancy of the United States during the annual investiture Mass, Nov. 23, in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, N.Y., and celebrated by Cardinal Timothy Dolan.
People in the News
Joe Williams, a member of St. Martha Parish, Point Pleasant, was named new diocesan St. Vincent de Paul Society council president.
Father Peter James R. Alindogan was named new diocesan director of the Pontifical Mission Societies, succeeding Msgr. Richard L. Tofani who had served as mission director from 1986 until his unexpected death on Aug. 29.
Robert P. George, parishioner of St. Paul Parish, Princeton, and Catholic legal scholar and ethicist at Princeton University, was elected to head the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.
Vincentian Father Martin F. McGeough was named “Volunteer of the Year, Central Reception and Assignment Facility” by the N.J. State Department of Corrections.
Jason Parzynski, a seminarian for the diocese, was admitted to Candidacy for Holy Orders by Bishop O’Connell during Mass celebrated for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception Dec. 9. Parzynski, who served as associate director, diocesan Ministry of Catechesis and Evangelization, is currently secretary to the bishop.
Erica Graff, 18, of St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel and a member of Jesus the Lord Parish, Keyport, was voted winner of the 2013 Loving Life Logo Contest held by the Respect Life Ministry in the diocesan Department of Pastoral Care.
Francis S. Sgroi, mathematics department chairman of Holy Cross High School, Delran, was listed in the Who’s Who for Excellence in Mathematics Education.
Milestones
Anniversaries were observed by a number of priests of the diocese in 2013. Clergy celebrating 50 years of distinguished service included: Divine Word Father Joseph Detig, Divine Word Residence, Bordentown; Father James J. Sauchelli, Visitation Parish, Brick; and Conventual Franciscan Father Paul M. Varga, St. Peter Parish, Point Pleasant Beach. Father Andrew Jamieson, Holy Eucharist Parish, Tabernacle; Father Robert Grodnicki, St. Luke Parish, Toms River; and Father Damian McElroy, Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Moorestown, celebrated 25 years of priestly service.
The religious of the diocese celebrating 50 years of service to the Church are: Christian Brothers Peter Costello and James Furlong, Christian Brothers Academy, Lincroft; Franciscan Sister Mary Catherine Gurley, Georgian Court University, Lakewood; St. Joseph of Chestnut Hill Sister Christine Joseph Iacobacci, St. Peter Parish, Point Pleasant Beach; Dominican Sister Eileen Ivory, St. Aloysius Parish, Jackson; Mercy Sister Carole MacKenthun, St. Catharine School, Spring Lake; Franciscan Sister Marie Angela Presenza, St. Anthony School, Hamilton; Religious Teachers Filippini Sister Brunilda Ramos, St. Joseph by the Sea Retreat House, South Mantoloking; Sister of St. Joseph Marcella Springer, Francis House of Prayer, Rancocas; Sister of Charity Margaret Tierney, St. Catharine – St. Margaret Parish, Spring Lake; Mercy Sister Linda Travostino, St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel; and Dominican Sister Rosemarie Wdzieczkowski, Our Lady of Good Counsel School, Moorestown.
Men marking 25 years in the permanent diaconate include: Jose Beauchamps, St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton; William S. Sepich, St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Cinnaminson; Barry R. Tarzy, St. Joan of Arc Parish, Marlton; and Richard Titmas, St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Brant Beach.
Four priests joined the ranks of retired priests: Father Anthony Carotenuto, St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Red Bank; Father Patrick Castles, St. John the Baptist Parish, Allentown; Msgr. John K. Dermond, St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, and Judicial Vicar; and Msgr. Eugene Rebeck, St. Catharine, Holmdel.
Congregations around the diocese began joy-filled observations of their parish anniversaries: St. David the King, West Windsor, 25 years; Sacred Heart Parish, Bay Head, 100 years; St. Dominic Parish, Brick, 25 years; St. Aloysius Parish, Jackson, 50 years; Sacred Heart Parish, Trenton, 200 years; Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Highlands, 130 years, and Nativity Parish, Fair Haven, 60 years.
Visitation Home, Hamilton, which serves adults with developmental disabilities, celebrated its tenth anniversary.
The communities of St. James Elementary School and Red Bank Catholic High School joined forces at St. James Church Sept. 22 to honor the Mercy Sisters who have served the communities for 125 years.
The diocese mourned the loss of priests and deacons who served at one time in the four counties, including Father Charles R. Valentine, St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, Freehold, Jan. 28; Father Francis E. Santitoro, St. Maximilian Kolbe, Toms River, Jan. 29; Father James Cammisa, Holy Trinity Parish, Long Branch, Feb. 8; Father Laszlo F. Rauch, Our Lady of Peace Parish, Normandy Beach, March 5; Father John T. Kielb, Precious Blood Parish, Monmouth Beach, March 27; Father Philip T. Matera, Assumption Parish, New Egypt, April 2; Father James E. Coley, Sacred Heart Parish, Riverton, April 8; Msgr. William J. Carton, St. Mark Parish, Sea Girt, July 13; Msgr. Richard L. Tofani, Episcopal vicar of Burlington County, pastor of Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, Hainesport, and diocesan director of missions, Aug. 29; and Father G. William Evans, St. Dorothea Parish, Eatontown, Nov. 18.
Departed deacons of the diocese included Alvin C. Miester, Jan. 2; and Jay C. Harbeck, Jan. 18.
Blessings, Dedications
St. Peter Claver Parish broke ground on a 5,300 square foot outreach center to aid its Asbury Park neighborhood Jan. 17. The building was completed in the fall, then dedicated and blessed Nov. 20. Holy Cross Parish, Rumson, broke ground on phase two of its major renovation and expansion project April 14. This phase will feature improvements to incorporate its existing church building into a larger edifice which will seat over 600 congregants.
The Mercer County CYO broke ground on its largest-ever construction project Sept. 20.
The Monsignor Toomey annex, named for the priest who served as the CYO’s first director, will be a 4,600 square foot addition to the Yardville childcare site and camp.
St. Paul School, Princeton, held a ribboncutting ceremony to mark the opening of its first preschool Sept. 24. Two Sisters of Mercy and two assistant teachers serve as instructors for the program’s 35 full and part-time preschool students.
Our Schools
Catholic schools around the diocese celebrated milestone years of education and service to diocesan youth: Trenton Catholic Academy, 50 years; Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, Princeton, 50 years; Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, Asbury Park, 90 years; St. Ann School, Lawrenceville, 50 years; Villa Victoria Academy, Ewing, 80 years. The Trenton Catholic Academy Upper School, Hamilton, girls basketball team clinched their fifth state title in seven years in the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions March 10.
Marty Kenney, the longtime head baseball coach at Christian Brothers Academy, Lincroft, celebrated his 700th win April 25, only the fourth person in New Jersey high school baseball to reach this milestone.
Due to declining enrollment, St. Mary School, Bordentown, and Sister Georgine School, Trenton, closed their doors at the end of the school year.
Youth and Young Adults
High school students from all five New Jersey dioceses gathered for an inter-cultural retreat and leadership experience at Trenton Catholic Academy, Hamilton, Jan. 13. Activities at the Kujenga +PLUS event included guest speakers, group activities, faith sharing, prayer and self-reflection. The first diocesan young adult conference was held May 4 at St. Mary Parish, Colts Neck.
The day-long event included praise and worship, workshops, music, Adoration and Mass, with speakers ranging from Bishop O’Connell to social justice advocates and religious.
The April 14 diocesan youth celebration, entitled “Trenton’s Got Talent” rocked the grounds of St. Aloysius Parish, Jackson, as about 300 teens from around the diocese gathered for faith formation and fellowship including presentations, workshops, skits and music.
The celebration also recognized 25 young people of the diocese as examples of love, faith and virtue as they received the annual Timothy Awards from the department of Youth, Marriage and Family Life.
The annual splasH event was held in Monmouth Beach Aug. 7 – 8, engaging teens from ten parishes in prayer, spiritual talks, recreation, and a service component. The annual G.R.A.C.E. before dinner to Gather, Reflect and Celebrate the Eucharist was held Nov. 2 in St. Catherine Parish, Middletown, and served as an opportunity for the youth to reflect how far they have come in the year since Superstorm Sandy.
Some 75 diocesan youth and their chaperones joined more than 20,000 of their Catholic peers for the 31st biennial National Catholic Youth Conference, “Signed. Sealed. Delivered.”
Nov. 21-23 in Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, and the Indiana Convention Center.
Priest Assignments
Father Peter James Alindogan, pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Cinnaminson, appointed Dean of the Northern Burlington Deanery and diocesan director of missions.
Rev. Msgr. Edward J. Arnister, pastor, St. Rose Church, Belmar, and regional dean, also episcopal vicar, Monmouth County.
Rev. Msgr. Michael J. Walsh, pastor, St. James Church, Pennington, and administrator, St. Alphonsus Church, Hopewell, also episcopal vicar, Mercer County.
Very Rev. Oscar B. Sumanga, judicial vicar and vice chancellor, Diocese of Trenton, with residence and sacramental assistance, St. Alphonsus Church, Hopewell.
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Events
The Diocese looks back on an historic year in the Church, with the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI and the election of Pope Francis, shown above, setting off a series of changes and extraordinary events for the universal Church.
Prominent among them was July’s World Youth Day in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, during which more than two million youths and young adults congregated on the beach to participate in a Mass celebrated by the Holy Father.
Locally, the focus for 2013 was the Year of Faith and the New Evangelization, which enriched catechesis and formation efforts. Pictured, top right, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., is shown ordaining a transitional deacon in May. Lower right, one of the 1,400 young men and women who graduated this year from Catholic schools in the Diocese shows her enthusiasm for starting the next chapter of her life.
Year of Faith and the New Evangelization
The Year of Faith, promulgated by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, spanned Oct. 11, 2012-Nov. 24, 2013 and was celebrated in the Diocese of Trenton with numerous events, including the first-ever Eucharistic Congress held Oct. 12-14, 2012, in the PNC Bank Arts Center.
Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., directed that specially prepared catechetical homilies aimed at building understanding of the main tenets of the faith be preached in all parishes on the second weekend of every month. The homilies were written by various priests of the diocese, provided to all parishes and made available on the TrentonMonitor.com website.
The bishop closed out the Year of Faith with a series of pastoral essays on the new evangelization, an initiative promulgated during the pontificate of Blessed John Paul II and renewed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2011. The series, which appeared in consecutive issues of The Monitor, explored several key areas and their impact on the new evangelization.
They included: adult faith formation; Catholic education; parish religious education, and the transformation/conversion of culture.
Marking both the end of a special year and an onward faith journey, Bishop O’Connell concluded the year-long diocesan observance of the Year of Faith with Mass in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, Nov. 23. In his homily, the Bishop acknowledged the relationship between the Year of Faith and the season of Thanksgiving. “Faith leads us to be more caring, more forgiving, more merciful, more welcoming, as Pope Francis reminds us. In a real sense, we can say the Year of Faith has led us to thanksgiving, to be truly grateful for all God’s gifts and blessings, especially our Catholic faith.”
Social Service / Outreach
Typhoon Haiyan hit the shores of the Philippines Nov. 8; Bishop O’Connell joined his fellow bishops nationwide calling for a special collection the weekend of Nov. 16-17 to provide financial aid to the people of the stricken country. The total collected amounted to $641,678.15 Msgr. Thomas N. Gervasio, diocesan vicar general and moderator of the curia, announced June 3 a number of organizations to receive grants through the 2013 Bishop George W.
Ahr Endowment Fund. The Fund was created to award grants for special projects that fulfill a spiritual need. This year’s recipients include Birthright of Ocean County, the Mercer County CYO, the Trenton Mount Carmel Guild, and two parish St. Vincent de Paul Societies.
Superstorm Sandy
The somber yet hope-filled one-year anniversary of the arrival of Superstorm Sandy, a natural disaster with an intensity never before seen in New Jersey was observed Oct. 29. Though many areas of the state were impacted, Monmouth and Ocean counties were especially affected, with countless homes, churches, businesses and tourist attractions laid waste by wind and water, a strong diocesan response to the tragedy reaffirmed our faith in God and each other. More than $1 million was donated to the diocesan Hurricane Relief Effort in the year following the storm and was distributed to Catholic social service agencies.
Storm-ravaged Project PAUL reopened its doors in Keansburg March 22. The community outreach center, thrift shop and food pantry were nearly destroyed by Hurricane Sandy the previous year. Simon’s Soup Kitchen, Seaside Heights, also conquered the floodwaters to reopen in October.
Numerous parishes and organizations held commemorative Masses or interfaith services to mark the anniversary of the storm.
Bishop O’Connell visited the newly repaired Belmar boardwalk May 22 before hundreds of onlookers and students from the town’s St. Rose Grammar and High Schools. St. Rose High School, Belmar, marked the anniversary with a varity of events. The 90-yearold school had endured nine feet of water which destroyed seven classrooms, the chapel, the cafeteria and numerous offices. A flag raising ceremony, lunch with a fish theme, and a visit by Gov. Chris Christie capped the day.
Visitation Relief Center, Brick, is bustling a year post-storm, distributing food and clothing donations for those still in need. The one-time spontaneous food collection and soup kitchen housed in a former garden center now serves as a one-stop relief hub. On the one-year anniversary of the storm, a ribbon cutting marked that the former Mantoloking Marketplace, leased for several months by the Relief Center, had been purchased and was part of the parish.
Diocesan Initiatives, Events, Celebrations
Bishop O’Connell inaugurated the 2013 Bishop’s Annual Appeal “Faith Forward in Christ” in all parishes in the diocese the weekend of Feb. 9-10 announcing a goal of $8 million to be directed towards diocesan operations, ministries and initiatives, as well as parish-based programs and other Catholic social service agencies that serve the poor. As of Dec. 5, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton, began a series of events marking its milestone 100 years of service in the diocese with an anniversary Mass Feb. 1. The agency estimates it has come to the aid of six million people during its first century of operation.
The results and recommendations of the school sustainability study instituted in 2012 were submitted in May. Bishop O’Connell had charged a 24-member group of pastors, diocesan officials, school administrators and community leaders with the responsibilities of investigating the viability and vibrancy of Catholic elementary schools in the diocese; developing clear and consistent criteria for evaluating the schools’ sustainability; identifying those schools which are sustainable and those which appear at risk.
While the bishop acknowledged that the diocese’s Catholic schools “do an excellent job of teaching our young people and preparing them for further education and for life, especially in large urban centers with diverse populations,”he also expressed concern on how parishes“cannot be unfairly expected to bear the burden of constantly escalating costs in maintaining schools indefinitely, especially when the many other responsibilities of parishes begin to suffer.”
Bishop O’Connell identified student enrollment as being the key factor to ensuring that schools in the diocese will remain open. He approved that Catholic primary schools be given more time to evaluate their own sustainability based upon criteria by the commission and noted that he will not approve the closing of another Catholic primary school before 2015.
“But our parishes, our Diocese and I cannot keep all our Catholic primary schools open indefinitely and at all costs,” he emphasized.
Thousands of faithful from all corners of the diocese joined fellow life-affirming people in the 40th annual March for Life in Washington Jan. 25, commemorating the passage of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. Bishop O’Connell met with the Trenton Diocese marchers near the national mall shortly before they walked the mile-long trek to the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court. A rally on the steps of the N.J. State House held on the same day attracted speakers and several hundred more people.
Seven seminarians of the Diocese of Trenton marked another step on their journey towards the priesthood with their ordination to the transitional diaconate May 18 in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton. This year’s class included John K. Butler, Carlo James Calisin, Rafael Enrique Esquen, Jean Renald Felicien, Augusto Lorenzo Gamalo, Jerome J. Guld and Mark Ronald Nillo. One week prior, 13 men were ordained permanent deacons for the diocese.
In May, more than 1,400 young men and women graduated from the eight parish and diocesan high schools, earning more than $123 million in college scholarships.
Hundreds of maturing adults gathered throughout the month of May in four parishes, one in each of the four counties of the diocese, for the Spirituality/ Education Days for Maturing Adults sponsored by the diocesan Department of Pastoral Care.
Bishop O’Connell ordained four new priests of the diocese June 1 in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton. Father Carlos Aguirre, Father Jorge Bedoya, Father Garry Koch and Father Juan Gabriel Rojas were welcomed joyfully before a crowd of more than 600 family, friends and well-wishers.
Bishop O’Connell announced two events in support of the U.S. bishops’ call for comprehensive immigration reform - July 14 as Justice for Immigrants Sunday, and Oct. 11, a diocesan Mass for Justice for Immigrants in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton. The bishop also met the “Nuns on the Bus”, a group of sisters sponsoring a mobile social justice platform for immigration reform during a May 29 stop at St. Ann Parish, Lawrenceville.
Some 2,000 diocesan faithful embarked on the Oct. 19 pilgrimage with Bishop O’Connell to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington. The day-long event, themed“The Family as the Garden of Faith”offered pilgrims the opportunity for confession, private prayer and blessings, culminating in Mass celebrated in the Great Upper Church.
Hundreds attended the diocesan Multi-Cultural Mass in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, Nov. 16. Attendees wore traditional garb as they carried images of the Blessed Virgin Mary along with white roses.
The Diocesan Catholic Charismatic Renewal sponsored its first conference for women, “Blessed and Highly Favored,” on Dec. 7.
Awards and Recognition
Father Daniel Swift, pastor of St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel, was recognized as one of 12 Distinguished Pastors by the National Catholic Education Association for his outstanding support of Catholic education. Sister of St. Joseph Jude Boyce, principal of Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, Asbury Park, was named as the one distinguished principal by the same organization.
The Monitor garnered six Catholic Press awards during the Catholic Media Conference June 19 to 21, ranging from editorial, spiritual commentary and coverage of special events.
Denise Contino, coordinator of religious education in St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel and religion coordinator in St. Benedict School, was awarded the 2013 “Chick” McGinty Award for excellence in catechetical ministry.
Richard Collier of St. Paul Parish, Princeton, was awarded the diocesan Lumen Gentium award Nov. 8 for his nearly four decades of legal work in defense of life. Collier died on Christmas Day.
Six priests of the diocese were invested as Knights in the Equestrian of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem during a Mass of Investiture held Nov. 22 in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York: Msgr. Sam Sirianni, pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, Freehold; Father Daniel Peirano, pastor of Christ the King Parish, Long Branch; Father Alberto Tamayo, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Red Bank; Father Ian Trammell, pastor of St. Gregory the Great Parish, Hamilton Square; Father John Folchetti, pastor of St. Leo the Great Parish, Lincroft; and Father Michael Lankford-Stokes, chapain for the Department of Veterans Affairs in the Archdiocese for Military Services.
Cornelius Begley, principal, St. Leo the Great School, Lincroft, and Angela and Paul Dwyer, St. Rose of Lima Parish, Freehold, were among 120 Catholic men and women invested in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem’s Eastern Lieutenancy of the United States during the annual investiture Mass, Nov. 23, in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, N.Y., and celebrated by Cardinal Timothy Dolan.
People in the News
Joe Williams, a member of St. Martha Parish, Point Pleasant, was named new diocesan St. Vincent de Paul Society council president.
Father Peter James R. Alindogan was named new diocesan director of the Pontifical Mission Societies, succeeding Msgr. Richard L. Tofani who had served as mission director from 1986 until his unexpected death on Aug. 29.
Robert P. George, parishioner of St. Paul Parish, Princeton, and Catholic legal scholar and ethicist at Princeton University, was elected to head the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.
Vincentian Father Martin F. McGeough was named “Volunteer of the Year, Central Reception and Assignment Facility” by the N.J. State Department of Corrections.
Jason Parzynski, a seminarian for the diocese, was admitted to Candidacy for Holy Orders by Bishop O’Connell during Mass celebrated for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception Dec. 9. Parzynski, who served as associate director, diocesan Ministry of Catechesis and Evangelization, is currently secretary to the bishop.
Erica Graff, 18, of St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel and a member of Jesus the Lord Parish, Keyport, was voted winner of the 2013 Loving Life Logo Contest held by the Respect Life Ministry in the diocesan Department of Pastoral Care.
Francis S. Sgroi, mathematics department chairman of Holy Cross High School, Delran, was listed in the Who’s Who for Excellence in Mathematics Education.
Milestones
Anniversaries were observed by a number of priests of the diocese in 2013. Clergy celebrating 50 years of distinguished service included: Divine Word Father Joseph Detig, Divine Word Residence, Bordentown; Father James J. Sauchelli, Visitation Parish, Brick; and Conventual Franciscan Father Paul M. Varga, St. Peter Parish, Point Pleasant Beach. Father Andrew Jamieson, Holy Eucharist Parish, Tabernacle; Father Robert Grodnicki, St. Luke Parish, Toms River; and Father Damian McElroy, Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Moorestown, celebrated 25 years of priestly service.
The religious of the diocese celebrating 50 years of service to the Church are: Christian Brothers Peter Costello and James Furlong, Christian Brothers Academy, Lincroft; Franciscan Sister Mary Catherine Gurley, Georgian Court University, Lakewood; St. Joseph of Chestnut Hill Sister Christine Joseph Iacobacci, St. Peter Parish, Point Pleasant Beach; Dominican Sister Eileen Ivory, St. Aloysius Parish, Jackson; Mercy Sister Carole MacKenthun, St. Catharine School, Spring Lake; Franciscan Sister Marie Angela Presenza, St. Anthony School, Hamilton; Religious Teachers Filippini Sister Brunilda Ramos, St. Joseph by the Sea Retreat House, South Mantoloking; Sister of St. Joseph Marcella Springer, Francis House of Prayer, Rancocas; Sister of Charity Margaret Tierney, St. Catharine – St. Margaret Parish, Spring Lake; Mercy Sister Linda Travostino, St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel; and Dominican Sister Rosemarie Wdzieczkowski, Our Lady of Good Counsel School, Moorestown.
Men marking 25 years in the permanent diaconate include: Jose Beauchamps, St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton; William S. Sepich, St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Cinnaminson; Barry R. Tarzy, St. Joan of Arc Parish, Marlton; and Richard Titmas, St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Brant Beach.
Four priests joined the ranks of retired priests: Father Anthony Carotenuto, St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Red Bank; Father Patrick Castles, St. John the Baptist Parish, Allentown; Msgr. John K. Dermond, St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, and Judicial Vicar; and Msgr. Eugene Rebeck, St. Catharine, Holmdel.
Congregations around the diocese began joy-filled observations of their parish anniversaries: St. David the King, West Windsor, 25 years; Sacred Heart Parish, Bay Head, 100 years; St. Dominic Parish, Brick, 25 years; St. Aloysius Parish, Jackson, 50 years; Sacred Heart Parish, Trenton, 200 years; Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Highlands, 130 years, and Nativity Parish, Fair Haven, 60 years.
Visitation Home, Hamilton, which serves adults with developmental disabilities, celebrated its tenth anniversary.
The communities of St. James Elementary School and Red Bank Catholic High School joined forces at St. James Church Sept. 22 to honor the Mercy Sisters who have served the communities for 125 years.
The diocese mourned the loss of priests and deacons who served at one time in the four counties, including Father Charles R. Valentine, St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, Freehold, Jan. 28; Father Francis E. Santitoro, St. Maximilian Kolbe, Toms River, Jan. 29; Father James Cammisa, Holy Trinity Parish, Long Branch, Feb. 8; Father Laszlo F. Rauch, Our Lady of Peace Parish, Normandy Beach, March 5; Father John T. Kielb, Precious Blood Parish, Monmouth Beach, March 27; Father Philip T. Matera, Assumption Parish, New Egypt, April 2; Father James E. Coley, Sacred Heart Parish, Riverton, April 8; Msgr. William J. Carton, St. Mark Parish, Sea Girt, July 13; Msgr. Richard L. Tofani, Episcopal vicar of Burlington County, pastor of Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, Hainesport, and diocesan director of missions, Aug. 29; and Father G. William Evans, St. Dorothea Parish, Eatontown, Nov. 18.
Departed deacons of the diocese included Alvin C. Miester, Jan. 2; and Jay C. Harbeck, Jan. 18.
Blessings, Dedications
St. Peter Claver Parish broke ground on a 5,300 square foot outreach center to aid its Asbury Park neighborhood Jan. 17. The building was completed in the fall, then dedicated and blessed Nov. 20. Holy Cross Parish, Rumson, broke ground on phase two of its major renovation and expansion project April 14. This phase will feature improvements to incorporate its existing church building into a larger edifice which will seat over 600 congregants.
The Mercer County CYO broke ground on its largest-ever construction project Sept. 20.
The Monsignor Toomey annex, named for the priest who served as the CYO’s first director, will be a 4,600 square foot addition to the Yardville childcare site and camp.
St. Paul School, Princeton, held a ribboncutting ceremony to mark the opening of its first preschool Sept. 24. Two Sisters of Mercy and two assistant teachers serve as instructors for the program’s 35 full and part-time preschool students.
Our Schools
Catholic schools around the diocese celebrated milestone years of education and service to diocesan youth: Trenton Catholic Academy, 50 years; Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, Princeton, 50 years; Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, Asbury Park, 90 years; St. Ann School, Lawrenceville, 50 years; Villa Victoria Academy, Ewing, 80 years. The Trenton Catholic Academy Upper School, Hamilton, girls basketball team clinched their fifth state title in seven years in the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions March 10.
Marty Kenney, the longtime head baseball coach at Christian Brothers Academy, Lincroft, celebrated his 700th win April 25, only the fourth person in New Jersey high school baseball to reach this milestone.
Due to declining enrollment, St. Mary School, Bordentown, and Sister Georgine School, Trenton, closed their doors at the end of the school year.
Youth and Young Adults
High school students from all five New Jersey dioceses gathered for an inter-cultural retreat and leadership experience at Trenton Catholic Academy, Hamilton, Jan. 13. Activities at the Kujenga +PLUS event included guest speakers, group activities, faith sharing, prayer and self-reflection. The first diocesan young adult conference was held May 4 at St. Mary Parish, Colts Neck.
The day-long event included praise and worship, workshops, music, Adoration and Mass, with speakers ranging from Bishop O’Connell to social justice advocates and religious.
The April 14 diocesan youth celebration, entitled “Trenton’s Got Talent” rocked the grounds of St. Aloysius Parish, Jackson, as about 300 teens from around the diocese gathered for faith formation and fellowship including presentations, workshops, skits and music.
The celebration also recognized 25 young people of the diocese as examples of love, faith and virtue as they received the annual Timothy Awards from the department of Youth, Marriage and Family Life.
The annual splasH event was held in Monmouth Beach Aug. 7 – 8, engaging teens from ten parishes in prayer, spiritual talks, recreation, and a service component. The annual G.R.A.C.E. before dinner to Gather, Reflect and Celebrate the Eucharist was held Nov. 2 in St. Catherine Parish, Middletown, and served as an opportunity for the youth to reflect how far they have come in the year since Superstorm Sandy.
Some 75 diocesan youth and their chaperones joined more than 20,000 of their Catholic peers for the 31st biennial National Catholic Youth Conference, “Signed. Sealed. Delivered.”
Nov. 21-23 in Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, and the Indiana Convention Center.
Priest Assignments
Father Peter James Alindogan, pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Cinnaminson, appointed Dean of the Northern Burlington Deanery and diocesan director of missions.
Rev. Msgr. Edward J. Arnister, pastor, St. Rose Church, Belmar, and regional dean, also episcopal vicar, Monmouth County.
Rev. Msgr. Michael J. Walsh, pastor, St. James Church, Pennington, and administrator, St. Alphonsus Church, Hopewell, also episcopal vicar, Mercer County.
Very Rev. Oscar B. Sumanga, judicial vicar and vice chancellor, Diocese of Trenton, with residence and sacramental assistance, St. Alphonsus Church, Hopewell.
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