Jubilee event was time to lift up parish personnel, celebrate Bishop’s anniversary
August 4, 2025 at 9:00 a.m.
Parish and diocesan staff participate in the Jubilee Mass. UPDATED Aug. 4, 2025
Expressions of gratitude and love abounded July 30 when some 400 parish staff members from across the Diocese of Trenton gathered in St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold, for the Jubilee for Parish Personnel.
The gathering, one of several diocesan observances of the Jubilee Year of Hope, was a time to recognize the many men and women who faithfully serve in parishes and diocesan ministries. The day was also used as the occasion to congratulate Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., on the 15th anniversary of his Ordination as a Bishop.
PHOTO GALLERY: Jubilee for Parish Personnel
“Parish ministry rarely makes headlines,” Bishop O’Connell said in his homily during the Mass he celebrated.
“From the front office to faith formation, to maintenance workers to music ministry and so many other things, their witness – your witness – is woven into the rhythm of our sacred community and the Jubilee for Parish Personnel of the Diocese of Trenton,” Bishop O’Connell said. “These past 15 years have given me the privilege of being with you as we minister with our clergy and co-workers together. My sisters and brothers, you make it all work!”
Bishop O’Connell recounted how St. Paul, in his Letter to the Ephesians, “urges us to live a life worthy of the calling we have received.”
“It is a call to humility, patience and love – virtues that sound gentle but demand incredible strength,” he said.
“I think about that often … I ask you to do the same,” the Bishop said, then emphasized his point by listing tasks carried out by parish workers – setting up chairs, serving meals at parish events, cleaning parish facilities, answering phones, preparing the altar with reverence, to name a few.
“It’s humble work,” he said. “Paul reminds us that these diverse tasks are held together by one Spirit, one hope, one Lord. … Thank you for building your Diocese, your parish, the Kingdom of God, one brick, one gentle act at a time.”
Poignant Example
In welcoming the more than 400 attendees who represented more than 60 parishes and the full diocesan staff, Terry Ginther, diocesan chancellor and executive director of Parish Life and Mission, said the day “is an opportunity to show appreciation for the important contribution parish personnel make to our local church every day.”
“In many ways you are the face of the Church. Your work is essential, you are essential,” she said.
In offering the parish and diocesan workers food for thought and encouraging words about their work, Ginther, along with Father Christopher Dayton, pastor of St. Paul Parish, Princeton, reflected on the life and ministry of U.S.-born Blessed Solanus Casey, who became a Capuchin friar. Because Solanus did not do well in his seminary studies, he was limited in the ways he could function as a priest. One of his jobs was to be a porter – a door holder – Ginther said. While most people would find such a job to be demeaning, Solanus “embraced his limitations.”
“His joy was obvious to everyone he meant,” she said, and like Solanus, it’s important that the parish workers too exude joy to all they encounter.
Solanus was recognized as a holy man who was known for his kindness and wisdom, Ginther said. “It’s the little things we do that makes an impact.”
In the same boat
In reflecting on the day’s theme, “Living and Serving as a Pilgrim of Hope,” Father Dayton said that while the diocesan and parish staff members are in the trenches serving others, it is equally important for “us to recognize that we too are pilgrims on the journey.”
“While often we feel like the cruise director on a rowdy ship, it’s in those moments that we need to remember that our spiritual needs are just as important as the needs of those we work for,” he said. “This phrase, a pilgrim of hope, points us to movement, mission and, most importantly, to trust.”
Father Dayton cited Blessed Solanus’ quote, “The greatest challenge in life is not so much in finding work that will fulfill us, but in finding fulfillment in whatever we are doing.”
“What Blessed Solanus is challenging us is [to realize] that each day is not about searching endlessly for perfection, the ideal situation or the most visible or affirming program, but about learning to discover meaning, joy and purpose right where we are – even – and maybe especially – in the routine or hidden tasks of ministry,” he said.
After Communion, Msgr. Thomas Gervasio, diocesan vicar general, addressed the gathering and directing his words to the Bishop said, “We, your co-workers, in this corner of the Lord’s vineyard, want to thank you for the opportunity to gather to celebrate with you, our Shepherd, this Jubilee, enabling us to raise a great, united prayer to God that we may always be effective in our works, gentle in our ministry, and constant in our prayer as we labor in this field in the name of Christ and his Church,” Msgr. Gervasio said.
“Our Jubilee,” Msgr. Gervasio continued, “is also an occasion for us to celebrate your 15th anniversary of your Episcopal Ordination, your 15 years of of ministry among us. You have tended the Lord’s flock in countless ways, always with love and fidelity. Today we point our voices to your magnificat, your thanksgiving to God as you observe this anniversary.”
Msgr. Gervasio presented a gift to the Bishop, explaining, “Inspired by your patron, St. Vincent de Paul, all of your co-workers and all the faithful of the Diocese offer to you lovingly, a Bouquet of Good Works,” in which more than 12,000 Corporal Works of Mercy have been pledged and are “being offered throughout the Diocese for your intentions and with our love and good wishes.”
Workers in the Lord’s vineyard
Several attendees commented on what it meant for them to participate in the Jubilee for Parish Personnel.
Reflecting on her years as the parish catechetical leader in Sacred Heart Parish, Trenton, Mary Tovar said she regards her work as “much more than a job.”
“It truly is a vocation,” she said. “Witnessing our students’ spiritual journeys, from the time they come to us in kindergarten and as they progress through Confirmation, allows me to see God’s grace every day and that deepens my own faith.”
Having the opportunity to share the Jubilee for Parish Personnel with “so many others who dedicate their lives to parish ministry reminded me that we are part of something much larger than ourselves, that we share a mission to nurture faith and serve God’s people together,” she said.
Father Joel Wilson was happy to accompany members of the leadership team in Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Maple Shade.
“The work we accomplish as a parish is so very dependent on our team,” he said. “Without them, the progress and growth we have enjoyed would not be possible. We all work together to build up the Body of Christ – [which is] our mission.”
Father Wilson added that he saw the Jubilee celebration as a “greater opportunity to bring people together who are often quietly doing the good work of the Lord in their respective parishes or ministries.”
“It was so good to have that dedication and commitment valued and celebrated along with our Chief Shepherd’s 15 years of service,” Father Wilson said. “So many layers of service were present in that room!”
Elizabeth Zimak has realized many blessings in the two years she’s worked as the communications coordinator in St. Isaac Jogues Parish, Marlton.
“I’ve been able to use my God-given skills and talents to bless the people around me,” she said. “I’ve grown in my relationship with God and my circle of friends and acquaintances has grown as well.”
In reflecting on the Jubilee celebration, Zimak admitted that, “In the day-to-day routine of working at a parish, it can sometimes seem like we’re on our own little islands, but coming together like this helps me to remember that, in reality, we’re all part of something greater.”
Anna Pedreiro, secretary and bulletin editor in St. Rose Parish, Belmar, saw the day as “a family gathering” that was “filled with gratitude, appreciation and love for Bishop O’Connell by all the members of the Diocese which he shepherds with love, kindness, wisdom and experience.”
“As with any family gathering, it was wonderful to see old friends and to meet in-person, so many of the people I make contact with on a regular basis.”
Noting that she stopped working in the secular world years ago because she wanted to work in an environment closer to her faith beliefs, Pedreiro has found her work to be “a different mindset and heart-set,” she said. “If my work brings just one person closer to their faith, then I have done my job.”
Throughout the day, Ric Gonzales was reminded of when he interviewed for his position as the facilities manager in Incarnation-St. James Parish, Ewing. He was told that “this isn’t a job, it’s a ministry and your work is to care for it … to care for God’s home.”
“The appreciation shown to us today is humbling,” Gonzales said, adding that he enjoyed attending the Mass with his pastor and co-workers “who are of a similar mindset.”
Brenda Hanuschik, faith formation coordinator in Incarnation-St. James, called the event “delightful and uplifting and was an opportunity to make a real connection with other people in ministry.”
Anna Scerbo couldn’t say enough about how much she loves working as the cook in the Co-Cathedral rectory.
“The parish is family to me. I have so many friends here,” Scerbo said, and the “most important thing we share is our Catholic faith.”
Dan O’Connell, who has served the Diocese as an associate superintendent of Catholic schools for almost 12 years, said he finds it hard to believe that it has been 15 years since his brother’s episcopal Ordination.
O’Connell recalled the morning of July 30, 2010 when he, along with his mother and other relatives, arrived at the hotel where the Bishop-elect and diocesan staff gathered for breakfast before the Ordination Mass.
“We were seated in the lobby near the elevators and at one point, the doors open and there he was, dressed as a Bishop. It took my breath away,” O’Connell said. “My greatest memory of the day is when he came over to our mother, she grabbed his hand and kissed his ring.”
“I am so grateful that she had the opportunity to see her son elevated to the Order of Bishops,” O’Connell said. “I only wish that my father could have been there on that beautiful day as well.”
At the reception following Mass, a video that captured highlights of Bishop O'Connell's 15 years in the Diocese was shown. The video was produced by the Department of Multimedia Production. 
Terry Ginther, diocesan chancellor and executive director of Pastoral Life and Mission, offers welcoming remarks to the congregation.
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Excerpts from the homily of Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M.
Friday, December 05, 2025
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Parish and diocesan staff participate in the Jubilee Mass. UPDATED Aug. 4, 2025
Expressions of gratitude and love abounded July 30 when some 400 parish staff members from across the Diocese of Trenton gathered in St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold, for the Jubilee for Parish Personnel.
The gathering, one of several diocesan observances of the Jubilee Year of Hope, was a time to recognize the many men and women who faithfully serve in parishes and diocesan ministries. The day was also used as the occasion to congratulate Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., on the 15th anniversary of his Ordination as a Bishop.
PHOTO GALLERY: Jubilee for Parish Personnel
“Parish ministry rarely makes headlines,” Bishop O’Connell said in his homily during the Mass he celebrated.
“From the front office to faith formation, to maintenance workers to music ministry and so many other things, their witness – your witness – is woven into the rhythm of our sacred community and the Jubilee for Parish Personnel of the Diocese of Trenton,” Bishop O’Connell said. “These past 15 years have given me the privilege of being with you as we minister with our clergy and co-workers together. My sisters and brothers, you make it all work!”
Bishop O’Connell recounted how St. Paul, in his Letter to the Ephesians, “urges us to live a life worthy of the calling we have received.”
“It is a call to humility, patience and love – virtues that sound gentle but demand incredible strength,” he said.
“I think about that often … I ask you to do the same,” the Bishop said, then emphasized his point by listing tasks carried out by parish workers – setting up chairs, serving meals at parish events, cleaning parish facilities, answering phones, preparing the altar with reverence, to name a few.
“It’s humble work,” he said. “Paul reminds us that these diverse tasks are held together by one Spirit, one hope, one Lord. … Thank you for building your Diocese, your parish, the Kingdom of God, one brick, one gentle act at a time.”
Poignant Example
In welcoming the more than 400 attendees who represented more than 60 parishes and the full diocesan staff, Terry Ginther, diocesan chancellor and executive director of Parish Life and Mission, said the day “is an opportunity to show appreciation for the important contribution parish personnel make to our local church every day.”
“In many ways you are the face of the Church. Your work is essential, you are essential,” she said.
In offering the parish and diocesan workers food for thought and encouraging words about their work, Ginther, along with Father Christopher Dayton, pastor of St. Paul Parish, Princeton, reflected on the life and ministry of U.S.-born Blessed Solanus Casey, who became a Capuchin friar. Because Solanus did not do well in his seminary studies, he was limited in the ways he could function as a priest. One of his jobs was to be a porter – a door holder – Ginther said. While most people would find such a job to be demeaning, Solanus “embraced his limitations.”
“His joy was obvious to everyone he meant,” she said, and like Solanus, it’s important that the parish workers too exude joy to all they encounter.
Solanus was recognized as a holy man who was known for his kindness and wisdom, Ginther said. “It’s the little things we do that makes an impact.”
In the same boat
In reflecting on the day’s theme, “Living and Serving as a Pilgrim of Hope,” Father Dayton said that while the diocesan and parish staff members are in the trenches serving others, it is equally important for “us to recognize that we too are pilgrims on the journey.”
“While often we feel like the cruise director on a rowdy ship, it’s in those moments that we need to remember that our spiritual needs are just as important as the needs of those we work for,” he said. “This phrase, a pilgrim of hope, points us to movement, mission and, most importantly, to trust.”
Father Dayton cited Blessed Solanus’ quote, “The greatest challenge in life is not so much in finding work that will fulfill us, but in finding fulfillment in whatever we are doing.”
“What Blessed Solanus is challenging us is [to realize] that each day is not about searching endlessly for perfection, the ideal situation or the most visible or affirming program, but about learning to discover meaning, joy and purpose right where we are – even – and maybe especially – in the routine or hidden tasks of ministry,” he said.
After Communion, Msgr. Thomas Gervasio, diocesan vicar general, addressed the gathering and directing his words to the Bishop said, “We, your co-workers, in this corner of the Lord’s vineyard, want to thank you for the opportunity to gather to celebrate with you, our Shepherd, this Jubilee, enabling us to raise a great, united prayer to God that we may always be effective in our works, gentle in our ministry, and constant in our prayer as we labor in this field in the name of Christ and his Church,” Msgr. Gervasio said.
“Our Jubilee,” Msgr. Gervasio continued, “is also an occasion for us to celebrate your 15th anniversary of your Episcopal Ordination, your 15 years of of ministry among us. You have tended the Lord’s flock in countless ways, always with love and fidelity. Today we point our voices to your magnificat, your thanksgiving to God as you observe this anniversary.”
Msgr. Gervasio presented a gift to the Bishop, explaining, “Inspired by your patron, St. Vincent de Paul, all of your co-workers and all the faithful of the Diocese offer to you lovingly, a Bouquet of Good Works,” in which more than 12,000 Corporal Works of Mercy have been pledged and are “being offered throughout the Diocese for your intentions and with our love and good wishes.”
Workers in the Lord’s vineyard
Several attendees commented on what it meant for them to participate in the Jubilee for Parish Personnel.
Reflecting on her years as the parish catechetical leader in Sacred Heart Parish, Trenton, Mary Tovar said she regards her work as “much more than a job.”
“It truly is a vocation,” she said. “Witnessing our students’ spiritual journeys, from the time they come to us in kindergarten and as they progress through Confirmation, allows me to see God’s grace every day and that deepens my own faith.”
Having the opportunity to share the Jubilee for Parish Personnel with “so many others who dedicate their lives to parish ministry reminded me that we are part of something much larger than ourselves, that we share a mission to nurture faith and serve God’s people together,” she said.
Father Joel Wilson was happy to accompany members of the leadership team in Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Maple Shade.
“The work we accomplish as a parish is so very dependent on our team,” he said. “Without them, the progress and growth we have enjoyed would not be possible. We all work together to build up the Body of Christ – [which is] our mission.”
Father Wilson added that he saw the Jubilee celebration as a “greater opportunity to bring people together who are often quietly doing the good work of the Lord in their respective parishes or ministries.”
“It was so good to have that dedication and commitment valued and celebrated along with our Chief Shepherd’s 15 years of service,” Father Wilson said. “So many layers of service were present in that room!”
Elizabeth Zimak has realized many blessings in the two years she’s worked as the communications coordinator in St. Isaac Jogues Parish, Marlton.
“I’ve been able to use my God-given skills and talents to bless the people around me,” she said. “I’ve grown in my relationship with God and my circle of friends and acquaintances has grown as well.”
In reflecting on the Jubilee celebration, Zimak admitted that, “In the day-to-day routine of working at a parish, it can sometimes seem like we’re on our own little islands, but coming together like this helps me to remember that, in reality, we’re all part of something greater.”
Anna Pedreiro, secretary and bulletin editor in St. Rose Parish, Belmar, saw the day as “a family gathering” that was “filled with gratitude, appreciation and love for Bishop O’Connell by all the members of the Diocese which he shepherds with love, kindness, wisdom and experience.”
“As with any family gathering, it was wonderful to see old friends and to meet in-person, so many of the people I make contact with on a regular basis.”
Noting that she stopped working in the secular world years ago because she wanted to work in an environment closer to her faith beliefs, Pedreiro has found her work to be “a different mindset and heart-set,” she said. “If my work brings just one person closer to their faith, then I have done my job.”
Throughout the day, Ric Gonzales was reminded of when he interviewed for his position as the facilities manager in Incarnation-St. James Parish, Ewing. He was told that “this isn’t a job, it’s a ministry and your work is to care for it … to care for God’s home.”
“The appreciation shown to us today is humbling,” Gonzales said, adding that he enjoyed attending the Mass with his pastor and co-workers “who are of a similar mindset.”
Brenda Hanuschik, faith formation coordinator in Incarnation-St. James, called the event “delightful and uplifting and was an opportunity to make a real connection with other people in ministry.”
Anna Scerbo couldn’t say enough about how much she loves working as the cook in the Co-Cathedral rectory.
“The parish is family to me. I have so many friends here,” Scerbo said, and the “most important thing we share is our Catholic faith.”
Dan O’Connell, who has served the Diocese as an associate superintendent of Catholic schools for almost 12 years, said he finds it hard to believe that it has been 15 years since his brother’s episcopal Ordination.
O’Connell recalled the morning of July 30, 2010 when he, along with his mother and other relatives, arrived at the hotel where the Bishop-elect and diocesan staff gathered for breakfast before the Ordination Mass.
“We were seated in the lobby near the elevators and at one point, the doors open and there he was, dressed as a Bishop. It took my breath away,” O’Connell said. “My greatest memory of the day is when he came over to our mother, she grabbed his hand and kissed his ring.”
“I am so grateful that she had the opportunity to see her son elevated to the Order of Bishops,” O’Connell said. “I only wish that my father could have been there on that beautiful day as well.”
At the reception following Mass, a video that captured highlights of Bishop O'Connell's 15 years in the Diocese was shown. The video was produced by the Department of Multimedia Production. Terry Ginther, diocesan chancellor and executive director of Pastoral Life and Mission, offers welcoming remarks to the congregation.