St. Paul students celebrate their last 2023 Mass before Christmas with Bishop
December 22, 2023 at 5:00 p.m.
As schools of the Diocese of Trenton prepare to recess for their Christmas vacation, many mark the occasion with a school liturgy. In Princeton, St. Paul School students and school representatives were pleased to welcome Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., to celebrate Mass Dec. 22, and to honor him with some special gifts.
PHOTO GALLERY: Bishop's Christmas Mass for St. Paul School, Princeton
“The church [of St. Paul] looks almost exactly the same as it did 50 years ago when I was in high school,” the Bishop remarked, noting that he attended a boarding school not far from Princeton, and had fond memories of visiting the church on the weekends.
“Today is such a special day … because we are celebrating Christmas. And what is it that we celebrate at Christmastime?” Bishop O’Connell asked the students in his homily. “We celebrate an important fact of our faith, that God sent his only son Jesus into the world, to save us from sin, to save us from pain, to save us from all the sufferings, and to lead us back to God at the end of our lives.”
Bishop O'Connell concelebrates Mass with St. Paul Parish clergy Father Christopher Dayton, parochial vicar, left, and Father Miguel Valle, pastor. At far left is Deacon Frank Crivello. John Batkowski photo One of the ways the Church and Catholics prepare for Christmas, he noted, is to set up a manger scene in church buildings and in homes.“We see the figures of Mary and Joseph and the baby, and the shepherds, the wise men, the sheep and the camels – everybody there looking toward that little child, that humble little child Jesus who would save us, who would lead us to God the Father,” he said.
He encouraged the children to remember that “in this Mass – just as he became present to the world in Bethlehem that first Christmas – Jesus will again become present to us on this holy altar, and we will have the opportunity to receive him, to take him into ourselves in Holy Communion.”
Remembering those living in conflict zones, Bishop O’Connell included intercessory prayers “for peace in our world, in the Holy Land where Jesus was born, peace in the Ukraine, peace in all those places in the world where there is war.”
Following Communion, the fifth-grade class had prepared a gift for the Bishop, singing a rendition of “In the Bleak Midwinter / What Can I Give Him?” Students also presented him with a St. Paul’s blanket and the 2023 parish ornament.
Ann Schwimmer, upper school religious education teacher, was honored by St. Paul’s Deacon Frank Crivello, who acknowledged her involvement in the children’s participation in the liturgy, and presented her with a Rosary that he asked Bishop O’Connell to bless.
“She coaches these children and really makes them understand how the word of God comes alive in the readings and how Jesus is present with us every moment when we’re in here, what we like to call the biggest classroom at St. Paul’s,” Deacon Crivello said.
“Thank you for coming to St. Paul’s – I can’t think of a better way to celebrate heading into Christmas break than to have you here with us,” principal Kim Clauss said to the Bishop at the close of Mass. She reminded the students to “cherish the time you get to spend with your family and friends. We all know the presents are great … but remember, it’s about the Birth of Jesus. Keep that spirit of Christmas in your heart all through the break.”
After Mass the Bishop took a tour of St. Paul School and had plenty of photo opps with the students. John Batkowski photo
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As schools of the Diocese of Trenton prepare to recess for their Christmas vacation, many mark the occasion with a school liturgy. In Princeton, St. Paul School students and school representatives were pleased to welcome Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., to celebrate Mass Dec. 22, and to honor him with some special gifts.
PHOTO GALLERY: Bishop's Christmas Mass for St. Paul School, Princeton
“The church [of St. Paul] looks almost exactly the same as it did 50 years ago when I was in high school,” the Bishop remarked, noting that he attended a boarding school not far from Princeton, and had fond memories of visiting the church on the weekends.
“Today is such a special day … because we are celebrating Christmas. And what is it that we celebrate at Christmastime?” Bishop O’Connell asked the students in his homily. “We celebrate an important fact of our faith, that God sent his only son Jesus into the world, to save us from sin, to save us from pain, to save us from all the sufferings, and to lead us back to God at the end of our lives.”
Bishop O'Connell concelebrates Mass with St. Paul Parish clergy Father Christopher Dayton, parochial vicar, left, and Father Miguel Valle, pastor. At far left is Deacon Frank Crivello. John Batkowski photo One of the ways the Church and Catholics prepare for Christmas, he noted, is to set up a manger scene in church buildings and in homes.“We see the figures of Mary and Joseph and the baby, and the shepherds, the wise men, the sheep and the camels – everybody there looking toward that little child, that humble little child Jesus who would save us, who would lead us to God the Father,” he said.
He encouraged the children to remember that “in this Mass – just as he became present to the world in Bethlehem that first Christmas – Jesus will again become present to us on this holy altar, and we will have the opportunity to receive him, to take him into ourselves in Holy Communion.”
Remembering those living in conflict zones, Bishop O’Connell included intercessory prayers “for peace in our world, in the Holy Land where Jesus was born, peace in the Ukraine, peace in all those places in the world where there is war.”
Following Communion, the fifth-grade class had prepared a gift for the Bishop, singing a rendition of “In the Bleak Midwinter / What Can I Give Him?” Students also presented him with a St. Paul’s blanket and the 2023 parish ornament.
Ann Schwimmer, upper school religious education teacher, was honored by St. Paul’s Deacon Frank Crivello, who acknowledged her involvement in the children’s participation in the liturgy, and presented her with a Rosary that he asked Bishop O’Connell to bless.
“She coaches these children and really makes them understand how the word of God comes alive in the readings and how Jesus is present with us every moment when we’re in here, what we like to call the biggest classroom at St. Paul’s,” Deacon Crivello said.
“Thank you for coming to St. Paul’s – I can’t think of a better way to celebrate heading into Christmas break than to have you here with us,” principal Kim Clauss said to the Bishop at the close of Mass. She reminded the students to “cherish the time you get to spend with your family and friends. We all know the presents are great … but remember, it’s about the Birth of Jesus. Keep that spirit of Christmas in your heart all through the break.”
After Mass the Bishop took a tour of St. Paul School and had plenty of photo opps with the students. John Batkowski photo