Advent joy deepens as Bishop presents papal honor to Father Kegley
December 17, 2024 at 11:12 a.m.
UPDATED Dec. 17, 2024
“A humbling honor.”
That was how Father Jeffrey Kegley described the experience of receiving a papal honor from Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., Dec. 15.
PHOTO GALLERY: Bishop's Advent visit to Middletown parish
The Bishop had come to St. Mary Parish, Middletown, to celebrate Mass for the Third Sunday of Advent and to present the pastor, Father Kegley, with The Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Medal on behalf of Pope Francis. The honor translates to “On Behalf of the Church and the Pope” and is one of the highest honors bestowed by the pope upon chosen members of the clergy and lay faithful.
Following Communion, Bishop O’Connell presented Father Kegley with the papal honor’s ceremonial medal, lapel pin and papal proclamation. The award “recognizes the long and distinguished service to the Catholic Church,” and is a sign of honor for the whole parish and the Diocese of Trenton, the Bishop explained.
In his recommendation letter to Pope Francis, Bishop O’Connell described Father Kegley “as a deeply spiritual man” who serves as the liaison to the Diocesan Catholic Charismatic Renewal, sponsors spiritual conferences at his parish, is an excellent administrator and a member of the Priest Council.
“Father Kegley is very faithful to the Church’s teachings,” Bishop O’Connell emphasized.
Father Kegley is the third priest to receive the award in recent weeks. Two weeks ago, the Bishop presented the award to Father Jeffrey Lee, pastor of St. Mary Parish, Colts Neck, and Father Scott Shaffer, pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Toms River.
In reflecting on the award, Father Kegley credited his parishioners for making him who he is today with their “encouragement, love and support.” He added that (they) “have really been instrumental to my priesthood.”
Father Kegley has been with St. Mary Parish for 17 years, five years as a parochial vicar and 12 years as the pastor. Among the many things accomplished during his pastoral leadership of St. Mary Parish is the establishment of the Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament Perpetual Adoration Shrine, which was named a Diocesan Shrine by Bishop O’Connell.
“People are there 24 hours a day, seven days a week, praying for that mission,” he stated. “We really get a lot of prayer warriors here, faithful disciples…missionary disciples.”
A time to rejoice
In his homily, Bishop O’Connell said that traditionally, the third Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete Sunday, which in Latin means “to rejoice.”
“The whole season of Advent can be considered to be a doorway to the joys of Christmas, when our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ came to dwell with us,” Bishop O’Connell said.
“We celebrate Christ coming into human history on Christmas Day, but he’s already come, it’s already happened, and we should live each day, not only in Advent but throughout the year, with that faith in his presence among us,” the Bishop said. He added that Christ also comes in mystery, in the people and circumstances that we face each day. This gives us the opportunity to “see him, to meet him, to love him…to be loved by him.”
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This young St. Mary parishioner holds up an image of the Baby Jesus for Bishop O'Connell to bless Dec. 13.Lastly, we celebrate and anticipate Christ coming in majesty, Bishop O’Connell added. “At the end of time, he will make a new Heaven and a new Earth for us. This belief should be part of our thinking and conviction, not only in Advent but throughout the year.”
“We must continue to wait for him in faith, focus our eyes on him, and do it with joy,” he explained.
The foundational message of Advent is the Lord has come, continues to come, and will come again, the Bishop expressed.
Jesus is waiting for us on the other side of the door. “Come in, come home, find the mercy you need, and share it with others,” Bishop said.
“Take the time, make the time to rejoice, and remember the Lord Jesus is, as they say, the reason for the season,” the Bishop concluded.
Special Blessing
During Mass, Bishop O’Connell dedicated time to say a blessing, followed by a sprinkling of holy water, over the pictures and figurines of Baby Jesus that parishioners were asked invited to bring from their home Nativity sets. People gathered around the altar and held out their statues of the Baby Jesus as the Bishop prayed over them.
Father Kegley explained that the blessing is called the Blessing of the Bambinelli, which means Baby Jesus in Italian. Originally instituted by Pope John Paul II, children would bring the Baby Jesus to St. Peter Square, and the Holy Father would bless them.
Father Kegley added that the parish adopted this tradition a couple of years ago. “[Parishioners] are bringing that blessing from the Church, back to their homes,” he said.
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Parishioners were pleased about the papal honor that was bestowed upon their pastor, Father Jeffrey Kegley
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UPDATED Dec. 17, 2024
“A humbling honor.”
That was how Father Jeffrey Kegley described the experience of receiving a papal honor from Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., Dec. 15.
PHOTO GALLERY: Bishop's Advent visit to Middletown parish
The Bishop had come to St. Mary Parish, Middletown, to celebrate Mass for the Third Sunday of Advent and to present the pastor, Father Kegley, with The Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Medal on behalf of Pope Francis. The honor translates to “On Behalf of the Church and the Pope” and is one of the highest honors bestowed by the pope upon chosen members of the clergy and lay faithful.
Following Communion, Bishop O’Connell presented Father Kegley with the papal honor’s ceremonial medal, lapel pin and papal proclamation. The award “recognizes the long and distinguished service to the Catholic Church,” and is a sign of honor for the whole parish and the Diocese of Trenton, the Bishop explained.
In his recommendation letter to Pope Francis, Bishop O’Connell described Father Kegley “as a deeply spiritual man” who serves as the liaison to the Diocesan Catholic Charismatic Renewal, sponsors spiritual conferences at his parish, is an excellent administrator and a member of the Priest Council.
“Father Kegley is very faithful to the Church’s teachings,” Bishop O’Connell emphasized.
Father Kegley is the third priest to receive the award in recent weeks. Two weeks ago, the Bishop presented the award to Father Jeffrey Lee, pastor of St. Mary Parish, Colts Neck, and Father Scott Shaffer, pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Toms River.
In reflecting on the award, Father Kegley credited his parishioners for making him who he is today with their “encouragement, love and support.” He added that (they) “have really been instrumental to my priesthood.”
Father Kegley has been with St. Mary Parish for 17 years, five years as a parochial vicar and 12 years as the pastor. Among the many things accomplished during his pastoral leadership of St. Mary Parish is the establishment of the Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament Perpetual Adoration Shrine, which was named a Diocesan Shrine by Bishop O’Connell.
“People are there 24 hours a day, seven days a week, praying for that mission,” he stated. “We really get a lot of prayer warriors here, faithful disciples…missionary disciples.”
A time to rejoice
In his homily, Bishop O’Connell said that traditionally, the third Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete Sunday, which in Latin means “to rejoice.”
“The whole season of Advent can be considered to be a doorway to the joys of Christmas, when our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ came to dwell with us,” Bishop O’Connell said.
“We celebrate Christ coming into human history on Christmas Day, but he’s already come, it’s already happened, and we should live each day, not only in Advent but throughout the year, with that faith in his presence among us,” the Bishop said. He added that Christ also comes in mystery, in the people and circumstances that we face each day. This gives us the opportunity to “see him, to meet him, to love him…to be loved by him.”
This young St. Mary parishioner holds up an image of the Baby Jesus for Bishop O'Connell to bless Dec. 13.Lastly, we celebrate and anticipate Christ coming in majesty, Bishop O’Connell added. “At the end of time, he will make a new Heaven and a new Earth for us. This belief should be part of our thinking and conviction, not only in Advent but throughout the year.”
“We must continue to wait for him in faith, focus our eyes on him, and do it with joy,” he explained.
The foundational message of Advent is the Lord has come, continues to come, and will come again, the Bishop expressed.
Jesus is waiting for us on the other side of the door. “Come in, come home, find the mercy you need, and share it with others,” Bishop said.
“Take the time, make the time to rejoice, and remember the Lord Jesus is, as they say, the reason for the season,” the Bishop concluded.
Special Blessing
During Mass, Bishop O’Connell dedicated time to say a blessing, followed by a sprinkling of holy water, over the pictures and figurines of Baby Jesus that parishioners were asked invited to bring from their home Nativity sets. People gathered around the altar and held out their statues of the Baby Jesus as the Bishop prayed over them.
Father Kegley explained that the blessing is called the Blessing of the Bambinelli, which means Baby Jesus in Italian. Originally instituted by Pope John Paul II, children would bring the Baby Jesus to St. Peter Square, and the Holy Father would bless them.
Father Kegley added that the parish adopted this tradition a couple of years ago. “[Parishioners] are bringing that blessing from the Church, back to their homes,” he said.
Parishioners were pleased about the papal honor that was bestowed upon their pastor, Father Jeffrey Kegley