Pastor sees Co-Cathedral as resource to wider diocesan community Story by Mary Stadnky, Associate Editor
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ong before St. Robert Bellarmine Church was established as a co-cathedral, it had been an active and vital parish community, serving as the spiritual home to more than 4,000 households and offering a variety of ministries that numbers more than 40. In addition, the parish, in recent years, had also become the chosen location to host numerous diocesan workshops and liturgies primarily because of its central location within the four counties of Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean, and facilities that are accessible location-wise and can accommodate large numbers of people.
In this 2014 photo, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., celebrates Mass in St. Robert Bellarmine Church for catechetical leaders who were attending a daylong workshop. At left is Msgr. Sam Sirianni, pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine Parish. Jeff Bruno photo
to solicit feedback from parishioners on how they felt about their parish obtaining co-cathedral status. While the community had recognized the prestige that would come with being named a co-cathedral, Now that the Freehold Township church has been Msgr. Sirianni assured the Bishop that with or without dedicated a co-cathedral by Bishop David M. O’Connell, the co-cathedral title, “We here at St. Robert Bellarmine C.M., Msgr. Sam A. Sirianni, who now serves as rector, would continue to do what we can to help the Diocese said he envisions the mission of the Co-Cathedral will in any way.” be to work in close cooperation with St. Mary of the “The parishioners are used to hosting various diocAssumption Cathedral, Trenton, “the Mother Church of esan events,” Msgr. Sirianni said, referring to the nuthe Diocese, in serving the Diocese.” merous workshops, the Chrism Mass that’s traditionally “I believe as a parish and as a co-cathedral, St. Robheld on the Monday of Holy Week each year and the ert Bellarmine is now being called to serve a variety Bishop’s Anniversary Blessing Mass for couples from of communities – the parish community, the diocesan Monmouth and Ocean Counties who are observing community and the wider community of Freehold and milestone wedding anniversaries: 25, 50 or more years western Monmouth County,” said Msgr. Sirianni. of marriage. Msgr. Sirianni smiled as he recalled more than a year Now with its official status as a co-cathedral, Msgr. ago when Bishop O’Connell “asked me if I would mind” Sirianni, along with his staff and parishioners, will his investigating the process involved in establishdo everything possible to be of service to the ing St. Robert Bellarmine Parish as a co-calarger diocesan community. It’s his hope thedral. The process, he said, would inthat the major renovations that are curclude the Bishop’s collecting data on the rently underway in the parish center parish, such as its history, demographwill be completed in a timely fashion ics and ministries, and submitting and that the building will soon “be a formal request to the Vatican for fully operational.” The renovations review and approval. Additionally, the include repairs to the floor, converting Bishop had also asked Msgr. Sirianni the kitchen into more of a catering pantry to accommodate the myriad events the parish hosts, renovating the space where the offices are set up as well as sgr. Sam A. Sirianni was born in 1954 in Long Seminary, Darlington. the foyer area to create Branch and is the son of Marie and the late Msgr. Sirianni was ora more welcoming and Anthony Sirianni. A native of Holy Trinity dained a deacon Dec. 4, 1983, useful area. Parish (now part of Christ the King Parish), Long and served his transitional The Co-Cathedral Branch, he is a graduate of Long Branch High School; diaconate year assignment in now has the responsibilJuniata College, Huntingdon, Pa., where he earned a St. Gregory the Great Parish, ity of being of service to bachelor’s degree in history, and Indiana University of Hamilton Square. the larger diocesan comPennsylvania, where he earned a master of arts degree Following his Nov. 10, munity, Msgr. Sirianni in student personnel services. 1984, priestly ordination reiterated. Most imporMsgr. Sirianni worked for the Long Branch Dein Holy Trinity Church by tantly, our community of partment of Recreation for 18 months and, in August then-Auxiliary Bishop Edfaith continues to strive 1979, became director of parish ministry in Holy ward U. Kmiec, Msgr. Sirianto fulfill its mission “to Trinity Parish, where he established senior and youth ni’s first assignment was as parochial vicar of Our Lady proclaim Christ in a very programs before entering Immaculate Conception Continued on • C26 active and concrete way.”
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The CoCathedral now has the responsibility of being of service to the larger diocesan community.
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A Welcoming
Presence
Meet the Co-Cathedral rector
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FEBRUARY 23, 2017 • TrentonMonitor.com •
Celebrating Our Co-Cathedral • C7