By MARY STADNYK
Associate Editor
Bishop O’Connell leads the congregation in their renewal of baptismal promises in St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold. Mike Ehrmann photo
As the Diocese of Trenton inaugurated the Jubilee Year 2025, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., exhorted all the faithful throughout Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean Counties to embrace the year and its theme.
“Be pilgrims of hope,” he said.
Pope Francis proclaimed the Jubilee Year as a time for the faithful to rediscover, proclaim and build hope. The official opening of the Jubilee Year occurred on Christmas Eve with Pope Francis entering the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.
PHOTO GALLERY: Opening of Jubilee Year Mass in Cathedral
PHOTO GALLERY: Opening of Jubilee Year Mass in Co-Cathedral
For the Diocese, the official start of the Jubilee Year 2025 began with Bishop O’Connell serving as principal celebrant and homilists of two solemn Masses on Dec. 28 in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, and Dec. 29 in St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold.
The Masses began with the Rite of the Opening of the Jubilee Year with Bishop standing near the doors leading into the churches and from where he read a section of the Jubilee Decree, “Spes Non Confundit” (“Hope does not disappoint”). At the Cathedral, the Bishop and other clergy and ministers who were serving the Mass began the Rite in the gathering space. At the Co-Cathedral, the entire congregation was invited to join the Bishop on the outdoor plaza to witness the Rite and then process into church. Once inside, the Bishop went to the baptismal fonts where he read a prayer then led the congregation in the renewal of their baptismal promises. The congregation was then sprinkled with holy water.
As the weekend also marked the universal Church’s observance of the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Bishop O’Connell focused his homily on the connection between the Jubilee Year and the role of families. He referred to Pope Francis’ Dec. 18 message for the Jubilee Year of Hope and its emphasis on the importance of family as a cornerstone of faith and community. The Bishop underscored the Pope’s assertion that families are essential in nurturing hope, love and forgiveness, adding that the Pope encouraged families to rediscover the joy of encountering the Lord together.
“The Pope also stressed the need for spiritual renewal and transformation within families,” Bishop O’Connell said, “and urged them to be ‘beacons of hope’ in a world facing many challenges.”
“The purpose of today’s feast is to demonstrate to us the importance of family life; love within that family life: love that recognizes the distinctness of roles; the responsibilities unique to each role, and the unity that comes when those roles and responsibilities are lived in love,” Bishop O’Connell said.
“That’s what makes the family work,” Bishop O’Connell said. “Love is not easy. Love requires sacrifice. Yet love is its own reward for it begets love and gives rise to hope, the theme of the Church’s Jubilee Year which we begin this weekend in the Diocese of Trenton.”
As they hear and read more about the Jubilee Year 2025, parishioners said they appreciate its significance and look forward to participating in events, whether they are parish-based or diocesan-sponsored.
“The Bishop said for us to be ‘beacons of hope,’ and that’s what I want to do — be a beacon for others,” said Co-Cathedral parishioner, Mary Anne Arias. “I want to do that not so much through my words but through my actions. I want to be the face of Christ for others,” said Arias.
Though Lilian and Erick Perez had moved from the Trenton Diocese to the Camden area, they were happy to return to Trenton for the Jubilee Mass on Dec. 28.
“It is an invitation that the Holy Father makes to us and today it was also a pleasure to be with our Bishop and listen to his message, that message of peace and encouragement that he gives to everyone to follow the path of the Lord,” Erick said.
Blanca Ronquillo of St. Joseph Parish, Trenton, said that she and her family felt “very blessed by the grace of God” to attend the Mass with Bishop O’Connell in the diocesan Cathedral.
“The reflection of the Holy Family and the invitation to live the Jubilee was very beautiful,” Blanca said, “and we are prepared to follow the teaching of our Pope Francis.”
Her husband, Miguel Ronquillo added, that “All Masses are important but today is a Jubilee Mass” as well as the Feast of the Holy Innocents, which the Church commemorates on Dec. 28.
Though Kathleen and Carmine Spinelli relocated from Freehold to Brick and are now members of the town’s Visitation Parish, the couple returned to St. Robert’s for the Year of Jubilee Opening Mass.
“Hey, this happens once every 25 years, and this is a great opportunity for us to try and participate in what the Jubilee has to offer,” said an enthusiastic Carmine, who sang along with the choir.
“I want to spend more time in prayer this year,” he said.
Kathleen Spinelli added that she was moved by the focus on family and she hopes to find ways to spend more time with her four grown children who are “scattered,” as well as to make the year as special as possible for her 92-year-old father in-law.
“It’s very special to start the new year with the Bishop’s blessing,” said Alissa Connor, who attended the Co-Cathedral Mass with her husband, Shane, and three young children, Chole, Cody and Colton.
“Shane and I want to teach our kids as much as we can about their faith,” Alissa said, adding that it’s the plan for “the five of us to do more faith-related things as a family.”
When Alissa asked her daughter what some of those things might be, Chloe was quick to say, “We can come to church more and say our prayers together every night.”
Some information for this story was taken from interviews conducted by Marianne Hartman, director of the diocesan Department of Multimedia Production.
Prior to the start of the Dec. 28 Mass, Bishop O’Connell stands in the narthex of St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, and reads a portion of the papal bull as he declares the start of the Jubilee Year 2025 in the Diocese. Mike Ehrmann photo