Monitor Mag Dec 2025 issue

MAGAZINE

‘Come,

Lord Jesus’

ALSO . . .

IN FOCUS: Faith response to Artificial Intelligence

ORDINATION: Nine new deacons ordained, celebrated Young parishioners reflect the joyful anticipation of the season. See inside for Advent and Christmas content.

SPECIAL REPORT: Immigration messages from Pope Leo XIV, U.S bishops and Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M.

• Pastoral Life & Mission

Campus Ministry, Catechesis, Evangelization & Family Life, Grief & Bereavement, Jail & Prison Ministry, Marriage Ministry, Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, Youth & Young Adult Ministry

• Clergy & Consecrated Life

Diaconate Formation, Priestly Formation, Retired Clergy, Villa St. Denis, Villa Vianney, Vocations

• Catholic Education Curriculum Guidance & Standards, Professional Development, Marketing Support & Consultation

• Catholic Social Services

Catholic Charities Trenton, Holy Innocents Society, Mount Carmel Guild, Parish Counseling Services, Seeds of Service

• Communications

Diocesan website, Multimedia Production, Social Media, The Monitor Magazine

Diaconate Ordination

Without deacons, the Church would struggle to carry out essential ministries –proclaiming the Gospel, serving those in need, and supporting parish life in meaningful ways. In a world longing for compassion and hope, well-formed deacons are a true gift.

Your support of the Annual Catholic Appeal helps ensure that our deacon candidates receive the spiritual, academic, and pastoral formation needed to answer God’s call. You are investing in servants who will walk with the poor, assist at the altar, accompany families, and bring Christ’s love throughout our Diocese.

At the Diaconate Ordination on November 15, 2025, our 9 newly ordained deacons expressed a humble desire to serve God’s people with faithfulness and compassion – a ministry made possible by your generosity.

Ways to Give

Mail: Send check or money order payable to: Annual Catholic Appeal, Diocese of Trenton PO Box 70170, Newark, NJ 07101

Online: Scan the QR code or visit giveaca.org to make a gift using credit cards, bank draft, PayPal, Apple Pay, or Venmo!

Call : 609-403-7197

Email: develop@dioceseoftrenton.org

Additional Gift Options: Gifts of Stock, IRA Distributions, Bequests, Charitable Annuities, and Cryptocurrency can be coordinated by contacting the Department of Development at 609-403-7197 or develop@dioceseoftrenton.org

ON THE COVER

In preparation for the Advent season, students in the religious education program in St. Mary Parish, Colts Neck, and their families were invited to make their own Advent wreaths during a recent workshop. Facebook photo

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Soon-to-be deacons of the Diocese participate in the Penitential Rite of their Ordination Mass in St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold. Mike Ehrmann photo

7-8  From the Bishop

Excerpts of Bishop O’Connell’s reflections for Advent, December Marian holy days

33-37 

In Focus: Artificial Intelligence

Pope Leo XIV addresses AI concerns in digital age; Bishop O’Connell stresses that AI can only mimic; Princeton academics discuss implications of AI for young people

38-41 

We Believe

National Catholic Youth Conference impresses on youth their necessity in the Church of now

43-46 

Special Report

Pope Leo XIV and Bishop O’Connell join Church leaders in calling for dignity and respect in immigration policy

48-52  Diocese

Msgr. Flynn remembered; Guadalupe Torches complete diocesan pilgrimage

54-63  Church

Metuchen Diocese wishes Bishop Checchio well on new assignment, welcomes new administrator; Bishop O’Connell’s decree on directives for Catholic healthcare

REGULAR FEATURES

66-67  Insight from Father Koch, Mary Morrell

68  Question Corner 69  Faith at Home

 Fun & Games

Acoge al extranjero con esperanza

NPor el OBISPO DAVID M. O’CONNELL, C.M.

uestra fe nos llama a ver en cada persona la imagen de Dios y a acoger al extranjero como acogeríamos al mismo Cristo. En estos tiempos, cuando tantas familias y personas se ven desplazadas por la guerra, la pobreza o la persecución, la Iglesia debe ser un faro de compasión y justicia.

Las Escrituras hablan con claridad y urgencia sobre nuestra responsabilidad hacia los inmigrantes y extranjeros. En Levítico 19:33-34, el Señor ordena: “Cuando un extranjero resida contigo en tu tierra, no lo maltratarás. Tratarás al extranjero que reside contigo como a uno de los tuyos, y lo amarás como a ti mismo, porque vosotros también fuisteis extranjeros en la tierra de Egipto”. Esto no es una sugerencia, sino un mandato divino. Se nos recuerda que nuestra propia historia como nación está marcada por la migración, y que el pueblo de Dios siempre ha sido llamado a practicar la hospitalidad.

 Las Escrituras hablan con claridad y urgencia sobre nuestra responsabilidad hacia los inmigrantes y extranjeros.

“Sé acogedor”, una escultura de bronce que representa a un viajero, obra del artista canadiense Timothy Schmalz, se ve en la Plaza de San Pedro en el Vaticano el 15 de abril del 2025. Foto CNS/Justin McLellan

el Evangelio. En Mateo 25:35, se identifica con el extranjero: “Porque tuve hambre, y me disteis de comer; tuve sed, y me disteis de beber; fui forastero, y me recibisteis”. Acoger al inmigrante es acoger a Cristo. Rechazar al inmigrante es rechazar a Cristo. Este es el desafío radical del Evangelio.

La Carta a los Hebreos nos recuerda las bendiciones que vienen con la hospitalidad: “No se olviden de practicar la hospitalidad, pues por ella algunos hospedaron ángeles sin saberlo” (Hebreos 13:2). Acoger a los inmigrantes no es solo un deber, sino una gracia que nos abre a la presencia de Dios de maneras inesperadas.

De igual manera, Deuteronomio 10:18-19 proclama: “Él hace justicia al huérfano y a la viuda, y ama al extranjero, dándole alimento y ropa. Por lo tanto, amen al extranjero, porque ustedes también fueron extranjeros en la tierra de Egipto”. Dios mismo nos muestra cómo cuidar al inmigrante, y nosotros, como su Iglesia, debemos imitar su amor.

Nuestro Señor Jesucristo profundiza en esta enseñanza en

Finalmente, San Pablo nos ofrece una visión de unidad en Cristo que trasciende toda frontera: “Ya no hay judío ni griego; no hay esclavo ni libre; no hay hombre ni mujer, porque todos ustedes son uno en Cristo Jesús” (Gálatas 3:28). En Cristo, se superan las divisiones de nacionalidad, cultura y condición social. Somos una sola familia, reconciliados en su amor.

ALÍSTESE PARA EL 2025/26 AHORA Nos encargamos de:

Preparar el cortacésped para el tiempo invernal

Vaciar el tanque

Cambiar el aceite y las bujías

Reemplazar filtros de aire

Afilar los filos

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Comparto estas reflexiones no solo como su obispo, sino también como discípulo del Señor Jesús, profundamente conmovido por el sufrimiento de tantos entre nosotros que viven con miedo, incertidumbre y separación debido a la actual situación de las políticas de inmigración en nuestro país. Ciertamente, Estados Unidos, como toda nación soberana, tiene el derecho y la responsabilidad de regular sus fronteras y proteger a sus ciudadanos. Este deber, sin embargo, debe ejercerse de una manera que respete nuestra dignidad humana dada por Dios y defienda los principios de justicia y misericordia que se encuentran en el corazón del Evangelio, de nuestra fe católica y de la doctrina de la Iglesia Católica.

Como diócesis, debemos encarnar el llamado del Evangelio, lo cual significa:

• Acoger a los inmigrantes en nuestras parroquias y comunidades con dignidad y respeto.

• Promover políticas justas que protejan a las familias y defiendan los derechos humanos.

Lea la historia completa en TrentonMonitor.com>peces

Mensaje pastoral para la Fiesta de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, Patrona de las Américas

12 DEL DICIEMBRE DE 2025

En diciembre de 2018, tuve la bendición de guiar a sacerdotes y fieles laicos en peregrinación a la Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, en México. Juntos nos arrodillamos ante la Madre de las Américas, elevando nuestros corazones en oración en aquel lugar sagrado donde incontables peregrinos han llegado antes que nosotros. Vimos a miles de personas —muchas que habían caminado durante días desde aldeas lejanas— traer sus peticiones y sus dolores, confiándolos a Cristo por la tierna intercesión de su Santísima Madre.

Desde 2016, al acercarse la Fiesta de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, el clero y los fieles de la Diócesis de Trenton han llevado antorchas por nuestros cuatro condados. Estas llamas son más que luz en medio de la oscuridad: son signos de la fe radiante que Nuestra Señora enciende en nosotros, la luz de su Hijo brillando en nuestros corazones mientras avanzamos hacia Él.

el humilde converso de 57 años a quien Nuestra Señora llamó “Juanito, mi hijito,” en el cerro del Tepeyac en 1531. Así como en Lourdes y Fátima, ella escogió a alguien sencillo, para que su mensaje llegara a todos en un lenguaje de amor y misericordia. El Papa Francisco nos recuerda: “Al hablarles a ellos, ella habla a todos, en un lenguaje adecuado para todos, comprensible, como el de Jesús.”

A Juan Diego se le reveló como Madre de todos: “Verdaderamente soy honrada de ser vuestra madre compasiva, tuya y de todos los que habitan en esta tierra, y de todos los demás linajes de hombres: los que me aman, los que claman a mí, los que me buscan, los que confían en mí.” Ella es la Madre de Dios, y también es nuestra Madre.

Apareciéndose cuatro veces, pidió que se construyera un templo donde sus hijos pudieran acudir a recibir misericordia, sanación y consuelo. Para fortalecer la fe de Juan Diego, lo envió con rosas recogidas en su tilma. Cuando la abrió ante el obispo, las rosas cayeron y apareció la imagen milagrosa

El tiempo de Adviento

Recordamos la historia de Juan Diego, Mensaje Pastoral para el Primer Domingo de Adviento de 2025

“Velad, porque no sabéis en qué día vendrá vuestro Señor.” (Mateo 24:42)

Al entrar en el santo tiempo de Adviento, la Iglesia nos invita una vez más a alzar la mirada hacia el horizonte de la esperanza. El Adviento es mucho más que una cuenta regresiva para la Navidad; es un camino sagrado de expectativa, preparación y renovación. Es un tiempo en el que el Pueblo de Dios se detiene lo suficiente para recordar que nuestras vidas no están guiadas por la casualidad, sino por la promesa: la promesa de Dios de permanecer con nosotros y volver a nosotros. Lea el mensaje completo del Obispo O’Connell en línea.

El Grupo Folklorico Kariany dieron la bienvenida a la Antorcha Tepeyac a su llegada a la parroquia Madre de la Misericordia en Asbury Park el 16 de noviembre. Foto de Facebook

que conocemos tan bien: Nuestra Señora vestida con atuendo indígena, resplandeciente con la presencia de Dios. Durante nuestra peregrinación, tuve la gracia de contemplar esa misma tilma, preservada en el santuario de la Basílica que lleva su nombre.

El arzobispo José Gomez predicó una vez en su fiesta: “Nuestra Señora nos llama a escuchar su voz, a dejarnos guiar por sus palabras y su ejemplo… a hacer algo especial por ella, tal como llamó a San Juan Diego a llevar a Jesús a cada corazón y a cada alma.” Éste es su llamado para nosotros hoy.

Lea la historia completa en TrentonMonitor.com>peces

Mensaje Pastoral para el Segundo Domingo de Adviento

En este Segundo Domingo de Adviento, la Palabra de Dios se abre ante nosotros con un horizonte lleno de esperanza, misericordia y posibilidades divinas. Por medio del profeta Isaías escuchamos una promesa lo suficientemente poderosa como para conmover incluso al corazón más cansado: “Brotará un retoño del tronco de Jesé, y de su raíz florecerá un vástago.” Qué hermoso recordatorio de que Dios hace brotar vida justamente donde nosotros vemos solo finales. Cuando el mundo parece talado o vacío de promesas, Dios ya está obrando —silenciosa y fielmente— para hacer surgir la renovación. Sobre este Enviado prometido reposa el Espíritu de sabiduría, entendimiento, consejo y fortaleza. En Él, la justicia y la paz se abrazan, y hasta el lobo y el cordero habitan juntos. El Adviento nos reta a creer que el sueño de Dios para la humanidad es mucho más grande que cualquier cosa que podamos lograr por nuestras propias fuerzas.

Lea el mensaje completo del Obispo O’Connell en línea.

Giving Advent and Christmas the greater share

IA message from RAYANNE BENNETT

Associate Publisher

t often seems to me that this Readers’ Corner page is a metaphor for everyday life. Each issue, I have this finite amount of space that is not nearly enough to accommodate the many different elements and topics I would like to share with our readers.

We are all faced with this similar dynamic in our lives – trying to get more done than there are hours in the day; spending more money than our budgets will bear, and being everything to everyone when we are, after all, just human beings who get fatigued, distracted and, sometimes, even frustrated.

ON THE WEB THROUGHOUT DECEMBER . . . LOOK FOR THIS SPECIAL COVERAGE ON TRENTONMONITOR.COM: YEAR IN REVIEW

Analysis: Pope Leo spends 2025 steadily navigating Church, global waters

From Chicago to Peru to Rome, Pope Leo remains ‘one of us,’ say US Catholics

From Nigeria to Belarus, 2025 marks a grim year for religious freedom

‘Hope does not disappoint:’ A Jubilee for the history books

Photo collections of ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS around the Diocese – visit trentonmonitor.smugmug.com IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF THE MONITOR MAGAZINE:

Pilgrims of Hope in the Diocese of Trenton – As the 2025 Jubilee Year officially comes to a close, we will take a look back at some of the many ways that the local faithful participated. If you were among the estimated millions of pilgrims who visited Rome for the many Jubilee celebrations, please reach out to us at Monitor-News@ dioceseoftrenton.org.

This is often the time of year when we must wrestle with our limitations, even as the demands attached to the secular Christmas holiday seem relentless. Spending time in quiet and prayerful preparation for the coming of Christ’s birth might seem incongruent with our daily pace and is too often relegated to just another item on the task list.

 “. . . Messages that are important and necessary and true cannot be repeated and studied enough.”

Unless, that is, we decide to reorder our perspective. Unless we are intentional about prioritizing our spiritual needs and not allowing Advent to pass us by as we are busy making holiday preparations. Readers may find inspiration toward that end in this month’s many Advent and Christmas pieces, beginning on page 11 and located throughout the issue.

Sharing space in this December issue are two special coverage sections that I highly recommend to our readers –one on Artificial Intelligence and the other on the current immigration crisis. Much has been said in recent months on both of these key topics that deserve our dedicated attention. But, much like the

torrent of information that runs through our newsfeeds for a day and is gone, significant teachings from our faith leaders on these critical topics are sometimes seen and soon forgotten.

Though it may run against the grain of this social media age, messages that are important and necessary and true cannot be repeated and studied enough. That is especially so when the messages come from Pope Leo XIV and Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., along with other experts and trusted voices. We encourage you to spend some time with this special content beginning on pages 33 (AI) and 43 (immigration). We also hope that it will serve as a springboard for you to continue to read and deepen your understanding on these unfolding issues for our brothers and sisters in the United States and around the world.

As always, there is lots more in this latest issue of the magazine. Please be sure to check out our BEST COVER SURVEY on page 18 and let us know your first, second and third ranking picks for The Monitor’s best cover in 2025.

The people who work together to bring you The Monitor – from our publisher, Bishop O’Connell, to those who work on editorial, art and graphics, advertising and circulation – have you, our reader, in mind at all times. May God bless you and your loved ones with a joyful Christmas and a peace-filled new year!

‘Stay awake, for you do not know on which day your Lord will come’

A

BISHOP DAVID M. O’CONNELL, C.M.

The following reflections are excerpted from the pastoral messages of Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., for Advent, the Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe celebrations.

For the full text of Bishop’s reflections, visit TrentonMonitor.com > Bishop’s Corner.

Advent is far more than a countdown to Christmas; it is a sacred journey of expectation, preparation and renewal.

First Week of Advent: A Season of Watchfulness

On this First Sunday of Advent, Jesus calls us to stay awake. In a world crowded with noise, activity and distraction, Advent gently whispers: Slow down. Breathe. Pay attention. We may discover that God’s light is already breaking through places where we least expected.

“Awaken Hope” • Hope, the theme of this Jubilee Year, is the first candle we light, the first grace we receive … [and] trust that God is faithful, even when circumstances feel uncertain. This week, let us rekindle hope through encouraging words and gestures of patience.

“Practice Watchful ness” • Advent watchfulness is the watchfulness of love, which is attuned to the needs of others, ready to respond with compassion. We stay awake when we listen to those who feel unheard, reach out to those who feel unseen, and stand alongside those who feel forgotten.

“Prepare Room” • Just as Mary opened her heart to receive the Word made flesh, we too are called to make room for Christ. … letting go of resentment, extending forgiveness, or creating moments of silence for prayer.

Second Sunday of Advent: Hope, mercy and divine possibility

“The Immaculate Conception” mosaic made of 250,000 individual pieces of natural stone, Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, D.C. National Shrine website photo

and every heart finds the peace it was made for.

St. Paul, writing to the Romans, reminds us that by endurance and by the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Hope does not come cheaply; it takes endurance, humility, and the courage to welcome one another as Christ has welcomed us. Advent is therefore never a solitary journey. It is the Church – one body – moving together toward the Light, to be renewed, strengthened, and united in praise of the God who saves.

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception: Joyful news

“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28). In that single greeting, centuries of hope found their fulfillment. Mary – chosen from the beginning – was revealed as the one uniquely “full of grace,” preserved from sin from the first moment of her existence.

Through the prophet Isaiah we hear a promise powerful enough to stir even the weariest heart: “A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom.” What a breathtaking reminder that God brings life precisely where we see only endings … Advent dares us to believe that God’s dream for humanity is far greater than anything we can achieve on our own.

The responsorial psalm carries that promise forward: “Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace forever.” Advent, then, is … an active longing for the world God desires … when we lift our eyes toward a future where the poor are defended, the vulnerable protected,

This is the mystery we celebrate today: the Immaculate Conception of Mary, the divine path that prepared the way for the Incarnation of Christ, the Word made flesh. … To her, the angel proclaimed: “You will conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you shall name him Jesus” (Luke 1:31).

Mary’s response was filled with wonder and honest questioning. “How can this be?” she asked. Gabriel’s answer continues to echo across time: “Nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37). In faith and humility, Mary offered her “yes”: “Let it be done to me as you say” (Luke 1:38). With that fiat, the door

Message from

A season of blessings

Continued from 7

of salvation swung open, and Grace Himself – Jesus Christ – entered our world …

Mary’s immaculate faith teaches us to trust, to surrender, and to respond with courage. May her purity kindle our hope, her humility strengthen our faith, and her steadfast “yes” guide us to welcome Christ into our hearts this Advent.

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas: Our mother, too

As the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe approaches ... we recall the story of Juan Diego, the humble 57-year-old convert … on the hill of Tepeyac in 1531. Just as at Lourdes and Fatima, she chose one who was simple, so that her message might reach all people in a language of

love and mercy …

Appearing four times, Mary asked that a temple be built where her children might come to receive mercy, healing and consolation. To strengthen Juan Diego’s faith, she sent him with roses gathered in his tilma. When he opened it before the bishop, the roses fell away to reveal the miraculous image we know so well – Our Lady clothed in Aztec dress, radiant with the presence of God …

As the Gospel proclaims, Mary believed the word spoken to her by the Lord, and she was blessed. So too are we invited to share in that same trust. Let us never forget her tender words: “Do not let your heart be disturbed. Do not fear. Am I, your Mother, not here? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Are you not in the folds of my arms? What more do you need?”

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

Merry Christmas & God’s Blessings in the New Year.

Most Reverend David M. O’Connell, C.M., Bishop of Trenton

Christmas Eve 2024,St. Anthony Church, Hamilton. Mike Ehrmann photo (Edited)

Our Lady of Guadalupe, Tepeyac Hill, Mexico City. Wikipedia image

Retirement Fund for Religious

Please give to those who have given a lifetime.

Our senior sisters, brothers, and religious order priests need your help. Decades of caring for others with little or no pay have left many communities without sufficient retirement savings. Over 20,500 elderly religious depend on the Retirement Fund for Religious for health care, medication, and daily living expenses. Your gift helps ensure they receive the care they deserve. Please give back to those who have given a lifetime.

Please donate at your local parish, December 13–14, or by mail at: Diocese of Trenton Department of Finance 701 Lawrenceville Road Lawrenceville NJ 08648 Make check payable to Diocese of Trenton-Retirement Fund for Religious.

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This is a 17th-century painting titled “The Adoration of the Shepherds” by Murillo, Bartolome Esteban Murillo. Considering the Nativity through the eyes of Mary can help lead us to ‘contempletive adoration.’ OSV News photo/Bridgeman

Arriving at the manger through Mary’s pondering

BY CATHERINE CAVADINI  OSV News

The scriptural scene for this Christmas Sunday is familiar to us all. We encounter it in most Nativity scenes. But there, the scene is calm – they are but statues. But in Scripture, the scene is a busy one: Angels come and go, shepherds come and go – and come again, stories of a newborn King and God’s love-appeared are told, and many are amazed by the marvelous goings-on, for Christ has come. He is born today.

At the center of this activity, there is a contemplative, love-filled stillness. There is the stillness of a swaddled, sleeping babe: Peace on Earth. And the stillness of his mother, reflecting in her heart on the whole scene unfolding around her son.

Have you ever wondered what the course of Mary’s thoughts were on that first Christmas day? How her heart reflected on the swaddled, sleeping babe before her? Just what did her contemplation reveal?

Advent & Christmas

On the one hand, we may know something  Just what did [Mary’s] contemplation reveal?

Continued on 16

Advent prayers even the overscheduled can embrace

BY EMMALEE ITALIA  Contributing Editor

Preparing the way of the Lord can feel like an insurmountable task in a month filled with countless obligations and demands upon our time.

How can we make ready our hearts and minds for the Christ Child while pulled in so many directions, with the calendar ever announcing another task or event?

Enter the “O Antiphons” – part of the Church’s ancient evening prayer of the Divine Office – a different title for Christ opening each of seven short verses, with one prayed per day Dec. 17-23. These themes set the tone for remembering the Son’s role throughout salvation history, even leading up to his Incarnation – and they are brief enough to be prayed and remembered in the midst of a demanding schedule.

The Roman Catholic Church has been singing the O Antiphons since the eighth century. Each antiphon begins with a traditional title for Christ: “O Wisdom,” “O sacred Lord,”

“O Flower of Jesse’s Stem,” “O Key of David,” “O Radiant Dawn,” “O King of all the nations,” and finally, “O Emmanuel,” which means “God with us.”

“Each of these traditional titles for the Messiah connects the coming of Christ with the prophetic writings of the Old Testament,” notes Paulist Father Larry Rice in a reflection on USCCB.org, which describes the titles as “a magnificent theology that uses ancient biblical imagery drawn from the messianic hopes of the Old Testament to proclaim the coming Christ as the fulfillment not only of Old Testament hopes, but present ones as well.”

Interestingly, the first letter of the Messianic titles in Latin spell out the words “ERO CRAS,” which means “Tomorrow, I will come.”

December 17  O Sapientia (O Wisdom)

O Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love: come to teach us the path of knowledge!

December 18  O Adonai (O Lord/Leader)

O Leader of the House of Israel, giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai: come to rescue us with your mighty power!

December 19  O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse)

O Root of Jesse’s stem, sign of God’s love for all his people: come to save us without delay!

December 20  O Clavis David (O Key of David)

O Key of David, opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom: come and free the prisoners of darkness!

December 21  O Oriens (O Dayspring / O Rising Sun)

O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death.

December 22  O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations)

O King of all nations and keystone of the Church: come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!

December 23  O Emmanuel (O God-with-us)

O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law: come to save us, Lord our God!

The O Antiphons are the Alleluia verse before the Gospel at Mass during Advent, and they form the basis for the verses of the hymn “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” a ubiquitous Advent hymn based on Gregorian Chant that focuses on Jesus’ imminent coming at Christmas.

of Preachers. Published 1300. Public domain

Father Rice points out that the over-abundance of Christmas music in stores and on the radio before the season begins can be fatiguing by the time the Birth of Jesus finally arrives.

“The ever-present repetition of Christmas carols often serves to point out that the rest of the world is celebrating Christmas, while we’re still in the season of Advent.”

Not so with the ancient hymn of the O Antiphons, he continues.

“The original hymn, with its pleading for Christ’s coming, still serves as a welcome antidote [in] December,” Father Rice says.

As Advent grows ever busier, the Church recalls the need for contemplation – which we can embrace through these brief prayers as Christmas approaches. Keep this list of antiphons in the busiest room of your home, so a bit of calm can pierce the chaos.

Antiphon O Clavis; Advent Antiphons, Master of the Méliacin Antiphonary, Dominican Order. Order

Advent reflections from the women doctors of the Church A dvent

BY MICHELLE JONES  OSV News

Advent calls us beyond the false security of the merely virtuous person and into the daring surrender to God’s love of the saint. Thankfully, what the Advent season calls us to, it also makes possible.

As we contemplate Advent themes, we welcome into our company four radiant women, all doctors of the Church, who put all their hope in God’s love: Thérèse of Lisieux, Hildegard of Bingen, Teresa of Avila and Catherine of Siena.

ST. THÉRÈSE OF LISIEUX ON CONSISTENCY

A particular genius of St. Thérèse of Lisieux was to live in trust of God’s love for her and thus to be an unwavering beacon of divine goodness. This is unmistakable in Thérèse’s response to the trial of faith of her last 18 months.

 “The Spirit of God / is a life that bestows life ...”

After first describing to her prioress her experience of a relentless “night of nothingness” in which “everything has disappeared,” Thérèse articulates her stance of steadfast trust. She writes: “My dear Mother, I may perhaps appear to you to be exaggerating my trial. In fact … I must appear to you as a soul filled with consolations and one for whom the veil of faith is almost torn aside; and yet it is no longer a veil for me, it is a wall which reaches right up to the heavens and covers the starry firmament. When I sing of the happiness of heaven and of the eternal possession of God, I feel no joy in this, for I sing simply what I want to believe.”

Try to live in the spirit of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, acting not according to your changing feelings, but rather according to what you want to believe.

ST. HILDEGARD OF BINGEN ON TRANSFORMATION

The writings of St. Hildegard of Bingen crackle with a living awareness of the transforming

power of the Holy Spirit. For Hildegard, the Holy Spirit is the source of “viriditas,” or greenness –that vitality, freshness, dynamism which makes all life, both physical and spiritual, alive.

She writes in a letter to a friend: “May He anoint you with the viridity of the Holy Spirit, and may He work good and holy works in you through that devotion with which true worshipers worship God.”

We again hear Hildegard portraying the Holy Spirit’s power to make the divine life take root within us in her “Antiphon to the Holy Spirit”:

“The Spirit of God / is a life that bestows life, / root of world-tree / and the wind in its boughs. / Scrubbing out sin, / she rubs oil into wounds. / She is glistening life / alluring all praise, / all-awakening, / all-resurrecting.”

Take time this week to notice creation around you. Ask the Holy Spirit to stir such surprising vitality in the dormant and barren areas of your interior life.

ST. TERESA OF AVILA ON ENCOUNTER

Advent challenges us to confront the presumption that we know the Lord and beckons us to deepen our personal relationship with him.

The Christian spiritual tradition teaches that praying with the Gospels is a singularly effective way of coming to know Jesus more intimately.

For St. Teresa of Avila, the Gospels are a fruitful context for focusing our attention on Jesus and speaking with him in faith.

A beautiful demonstration is when she contemplates keeping Jesus company in the Garden of Gethsemane. She had been writing to her sisters about prayer, but she spontaneously bursts into prayer: “O Lord of the world, my true Spouse! … Are You so in need, my Lord and my Love, that You would want to receive such poor company as mine, for I see by your expression that you have been consoled by me?”

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Images of doctors of the Church, from top:

St. Thérèse of Lisieux, St. Hildegard of Bingen, St. Teresa of Avila, and St. Catherine of Siena. OSV News files

Come Lord Jesus!

Parishes in the Diocese joined the Church throughout the world in celebrating the First Sunday of Advent, Nov. 30. On this day, the Advent wreath is blessed and then usually parishioners are invited to light the first purple candle. Some parishes even held workshops for their parishioners, giving them the opportunity to make their own Advent wreath. The four-week season, which calls upon the faithful to reflect on the coming of Christ at Christmas, ends on Dec. 24 at which time the Christmas season begins.

Father Christopher Picollo, pastor of Nativity Parish, Fair Haven, gives a ‘high five’ to a young parishioner who helped his family make an Advent wreath.

These parishioners from Nativity Parish, Fair Haven, are pretty pleased with their newly made Advent wreath. Facebook photos

Father Michael Gentile, pastor of Resurrection Parish, Delran, lights a purple candle for the First Sunday of Advent. Facebook photo

This mom and her two children from St. Mary Parish, Colts Neck, attended a workshop during which they made a new Advent wreath. Facebook photo

A family from Epiphany Parish, Brick, stands by the newly blessed Advent wreath. Facebook photo

The first violet candle on the Advent wreath in St. Joan of Arc Parish, Marlton, is lit by the Johnson family at the start of Mass Nov. 29.  Mike Ehrmann photo

Msgr. Richard LaVerghetta, pastor of St. Joan of Arc Parish, Marlton, blesses the Advent wreath at the start of Mass Nov. 29. Looking on is the Johnson family who lit the first candle. Mike Ehrmann photo

Blessed Mother’s ponderings

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of Mary’s ponderings. For example, perhaps we have held and wondered at a newborn child. Or maybe, we have tried each Christmas, standing before a manger, to understand the marvelous goings-on of the Incarnation, reflecting on them in our hearts.

On the other hand, we are not privy to the content of Mary’s heart, so pure and free, beholding the fruit of her fiat. As Caryll Houselander once put it in her book, “The Reed of God,” “so little is recorded of (Our Lady’s) personality, so few of her words, so few deeds, that we can form no picture of her, and there is nothing that we can lay hold of to imitate.”

Still, we are drawn to her, especially today; drawn toward the contemplative stillness of her love-struck heart. Perhaps, with Our Lady, then, it is most simply this scene of contemplative adoration that we most need. Her love-struck heart suffices. Looking to her stillness

on Christmas morning, “it is Our Lady – and no other saint,” writes Houselander, “whom we can really imitate.”

“Our Lady had to include in her vocation, in her life’s work, the essential thing that was to be hidden in every other vocation, in every life, (ours included) … The one thing that she did and does is the one thing that we all have to do, namely, to bear Christ into the world.”

And so there is something we can lay hold of and imitate: Mary’s pondering. The more deeply we reflect on the wonder of the Incarnation, the more deeply we understand Christ as “the kindness and generous love of God our savior appeared” (Ti 3:4); the mercy of God “richly poured out” upon us. The more intimately we know Christ, the more we love him, and the more we readily bear him into the world in word and deed. This is to imitate Mary’s ponderous, love-struck heart, each of us in our own

vocation and in our own lives.

“Christ,” writes Houselander, “must be born from every soul, formed in every life. … In contemplating (Mary), we find intimacy with God … the one irresistible love.”

And so, having followed Mary through the weeks of Advent, we arrive at the manger on Christmas morning. We arrive at this scene of angels and shepherds, coming in adoration, and making the joyful news known. We arrive at the intimate scene of a mother beholding her newborn child.

And not only do we rejoice at the news of the angels and shepherds: This child is our God become flesh, but we are also drawn into the stillness of Mary’s contemplative heart. We sit and ponder God’s “irresistible love.”

Catherine Cavadini, Ph.D., is the assistant chair of the University of Notre Dame’s Department of Theology and director of its master’s program in theology.

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Women doctors of the Church are beacons of faith

Teresa makes the stunning claim here that we can console the Lord in his sufferings. When she teaches us about encountering Jesus in the Gospels, she is not merely suggesting some imaginative exercise or reconstructing in our minds a historical scene. She is talking about encountering a living person.

ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA ON CHRISTIAN IDENTITY

St. Catherine of Siena had a vivid insight how our true self flourishes as we grow in union with God. Her prayer

“My Nature is Fire” takes our self-understanding to new depths and profoundly enriches our sense of what our life in Christ offers others.

The prayer reads: “In your nature, eternal Godhead, I shall come to know my nature. And what is my nature, boundless love?

“It is fire, because you are nothing but a fire of love. And you have given humankind a share in this nature, for by the fire of love you created us. And so with all other people and every created thing; you made them out of love. … O eternal Trinity, my sweet

love! You, light, give us light. You, wisdom, give us wisdom. You, supreme strength, strengthen us. Today, eternal God, let our cloud be dissipated so that we may perfectly know and follow your Truth in truth, with a free and simple heart.”

Advent both reminds us of our transcendent calling and nurtures its fulfillment within us. Throughout this sacred season, we are created into beacons of divine tenderness as the Holy Spirit shapes our lives into Jesus’ “yes” to the Father’s love.

Michelle Jones writes from Australia.

United to Christ

The deacon candidates lie prostrate during the singing of the Litany of Saints, signifying their total dependence on God.

At Ordination,

new deacons respond to call to service

BY ROSE O’CONNOR  Digital and Social Media Manager, and MARY STADNYK  Associate Editor

The centuries-long history of the diaconate in the life of the Church has always been defined by the call to service.

“The deacon assists his bishop, a successor to the apostles, to offer their apostolic ministry to the people of God in the proclamation of the Word, the liturgy of the Church and its works of charity,” Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., said in his homily Nov. 15 before ordaining nine new deacons.

And yet, the Bishop said, to be a deacon is about more than just performing tasks.  He explained, “The deacon responds

to a call to be deeply, personally united to Jesus Christ who serves, to be deeply, personally represent in a visible way Jesus Christ who serves, to take the whole of his life – his marriage, his family, his profession – a deeply, personal witness to Jesus Christ who serves. In his ordination, all of these things become a ministry of service to, for and with Jesus Christ who serves.”

The Ordination Mass of the 2025 Class of Deacons drew loved ones, well-wishers and  scores of clergy to St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral in Freehold. Hailing from throughout Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean Counties, the Diocese’s newest deacons and their parishes are: Anthony Cullen, St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel; James D. de Poortere,

Continued on 20

Mike Ehrmann photo

Hearing the call

St. Catharine-St. Margaret Parish, Spring Lake; Chris I. Ellis Jr., Holy Innocents Parish, Neptune; Gerard (Gez) Ford, St. David the King Parish, Princeton Junction; Errol Giordani, St. Gabriel Parish, Marlboro; Steven A. Griggs, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Whiting; Christopher J. McNicholas, St. Mary Parish, Middletown; Jeffrey B. Miceli, Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Moorestown, and John Vitale, St. Gabriel Parish, Marlboro.

Their four years of formation included receiving theological instruction and pursuing advanced degrees from Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall University, South Orange, as well as gaining pastoral experience in parish settings. Father Christopher Colavito, director of vocations and the permanent diaconate program, said of the new deacons, “This class has been an immense joy to work with. They are the first class that I have worked with under our reformed formation

The newly ordained class of deacons pose for a photo with Bishop O’Connell; center; Father Christopher Colavito, diocesan director of vocations and director of the diaconate formation program, fifth from left; Father Jean Felicien, the Bishop’s secretary, and Msgr. Thomas Mullelly, episcopal vicar of clergy and consecrated life, at Bishop’s left.

Bishop O’Connell greets Deacon Miceli. Mike Ehrmann photo

Soon-to-be Deacon Vitale makes a Promise of Obedience to the Bishop. Mike Ehrmann photo

Bishop O’Connell hands the Book of the Gospels to Deacon de Poortre. Mike Ehrmann photo

Mike Ehrmann photo

process.”

Father Colavito expressed appreciation for their patience and resilience “as we tried new things and made adjustments along the way as we tried to best form these men as permanent deacons.”

Revisions to the program include its being shortened from five to four years of study with the fifth year focusing more on the practical aspects of diaconate ministry.

Father Colavito added, “I look forward to working with them in the future and receiving their feedback as to how we can continue to improve the program.”

The Diocese currently has 283 permanent deacons of whom 229 are active and 54 are retired.

Once ordained by the Bishop, deacons have the faculties to assist the priest at Mass during which they can proclaim the Gospel and preach the homily. Outside of Mass, the deacon is permitted to preside over prayer services and Baptisms, witness marriages,  administer Viaticum to the dying and officiate at wakes and committals. Deacons can also bless  religious articles.

In addition, deacons serve in various ministries including visiting the sick and homebound; oversee faith formation opportunities such as Scripture studies, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults and religious education; participate in outreach programs in service to the poor and needy, and teach in sacramental preparation programs, such as for Baptism and marriages.

Married deacons benefit from the crucial support of their wives both during their formation and ministry after ordination. During the formation process, wives are welcome and encouraged to attend the classes as well engage in social gatherings hosted by the Office of Clergy and Consecrated Life when possible.

RITE OF ORDINATION

As part of the Ordination Rite, Msgr. Thomas Mullelly, diocesan episcopal vicar for clergy and consecrated life, called the candidates forward, testifying to their readiness to receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders and assume the responsibilities of a deacon.

Bishop O’Connell, in the name of the entire

Continued on 22

 “I look forward to working with them.”

Dependence on the Father

Continued from 21

Church, accepted the testimony, and the congregation responded by applauding.

Each candidate then knelt before the Bishop, placing their hands in his and making a Promise of Obedience to him and his successors. In an act signifying their complete dependence on God, the nine men, while facing the altar, prostrated themselves on the floor, as the Diocesan Festival Choir led the congregation in singing the Litany of Saints.

As the candidates knelt before the Bishop for the second time, he placed his hands on their heads, conferring the Holy Spirit upon them and silently praying the words of consecration.

The newly-ordained deacons, with assistance from the priests they had selected, were then vested with the stole and dalmatic, the liturgical vestments that symbolize their ministry.

The rite continued with each deacon kneeling again before Bishop O’Connell, who handed him the Book of the Gospels, instructing him with the words, “Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe and practice what you teach.”

During the Liturgy of the Eucharist, several deacons’ wives participated in the Presentation of the Gifts and the new deacons assisted with the distribution of Holy Communion.

GRACE AND WITNESS

Following the Mass, the nine new deacons and their families greeted loved ones and well-wishers outside the Co-Cathedral.

“This has been a journey,” Deacon Griggs said. “There’s been a lot of growth, not only in my faith, but my service as well.”

While the deacon initially thought about working with youth, his relocation to the Whiting area and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish led him to begin working with the elderly.

“At first, I was intimidated. But the more I got to know and serve them, the more I grew to love them,” he said. “God put me right where he wanted me to be.”

Though it’s been years since they graduated from Penn State University, a group of fraternity brothers and longtime friends of Deacon Miceli were among those in the congregation.

Bishop O’Connell imposes hands on the head of Anthony Cullen, ordaining him a deacon. Mike Ehrmann photo

Wives of the newly ordained deacons participate in the Presentation of the Gifts. Mike Ehrmann photo

“The writing was on the wall,” Dan Morris said upon learning about Jeff’s intention to be a deacon. “I think the world of Jeff. He’s a great person and his becoming a deacon is a great fit for him and for the Church.”

“I am excited for him. It’s been a long five years,” said Anne Cullen, wife of Deacon Anthony Cullen. Noting that her husband is the campus minister at St. Benedict Parish and School, Holmdel, she added that she was glad “a few of his students came today for him.”

“He’s following in the Lord’s footsteps.”

Tears welled in Christine de Poortere’s eyes as she reflected on her husband’s Ordination.

“I just get so emotional. I am just really proud of him,” she said. “I am glad he’s here today, surrounded by family and friends.”

Deacon Tony Ford and his wife, Mary, parents of the newly-ordained Deacon Gez Ford, had flown in from England with several other family members for the Ordination.

After noting that he was ordained 21 years ago for the Diocese of Shrewsbury and that coincidently, he and Gez were both 59 years old at the time of their respective ordinations, the elder Deacon Ford admitted to being “overwhelmed with emotion” when Bishop O’Connell imposed hands on his son’s head.

“He’s following in the Lord’s footsteps, I don’t think he’s following in mine,” Deacon Ford said. “I’m so thankful to God for what he has done.”

“Surreal” is how Mary Ford described the feeling of having both a husband and son serving

Father Evarist Kabagambe, pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Whiting, right, assists with vesting newly ordained Deacon Steven A. Griggs. Mike Ehrmann photo

Bishop O’Connell administers the Eucharist to newly ordained Deacon Chris I. Ellis. Mike Ehrmann photo

Deacons in attendance offer the Sign of Peace to the newly ordained deacons. Here, a deacon greets his newly ordained brother, Errol Giordani. Mike Ehrmann photo

Deacon Christopher J. McNicholas pauses for a photo with his pastor, Father Jeffrey Kegley, of St. Mary Parish, Middletown. Mike Ehrmann photo

Congratulations Deacon Steven Griggs on your ordination to the diaconate

With prayers and loving gratitude from the priests, deacons, religious, staff and parishioners of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church

With open arms

the Church as deacons.

“I have feelings of overwhelming grace and gratitude,” Mary said.

“Sense of completion” was the phrase Nadine Ford used when reflecting on her husband’s Ordination.

Between the many years that Gez had devoted to ministry and later with his diaconate preparation, Nadine said, “The joy I’m feeling right now goes beyond today. It’s a culmination of many years.”

Father Eugene Roberts said he and the community of St. Gabriel Parish, Marlboro, were doubly blessed to have two newly ordained deacons – Deacons Ford and Giordani.  Another deacon candidate is expected to be ordained next year, which would bring the parish to six deacons.

“We welcome them with open arms.” Father Roberts echoed the Bishop’s words about the deacons being ordained “to serve the people of God.”

“That is what ministry is about,” Father Roberts said, “being present to the people in the name of Jesus Christ.”

Video of the Ordination Mass will be available at youtube.com/trentondiocese.

Congratulations on your Ordination Deacon Jim DePoortere! May God bless you abundantly in your new ministry.

Fr. Damian, Fr. Gregg, & the Staff of St. CatharineSt. Margaret Parish SPRING LAKE

Congratulations to Our Newly Ordained Deacons!

With hearts full of joy and gratitude, St. Gabriel’s Parish celebrates the ordination of Deacon Errol Giordani and Deacon John Vitale

Ordained to the Holy Order of Deacons November 15, 2025

May your ministry be filled with grace, compassion, and the joy of serving God’s people.

We thank you for answering the Lord’s call with faith and love.

“Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.” – psalm 40:8

With love and prayers from your St. Gabriel’s Parish family, Marlboro

In Their Own Words

The Monitor asked the newly ordained deacons what aspect of their Ordination day will most impact their diaconal ministry.

Deacon Anthony Cullen

Iamoverjoyed and working hard as a deacon and middle school religion teacher. As Bishop O’Connell said at Ordination when handing me the Book of Gospels, “Believe what you read. Teach what you believe. Practice what you teach,” is being fulfilled. As campus minister of St. Benedict Parish and School, Holmdel, I am an example of the faith as a member of the clergy. Every day I bless Rosaries and religious articles, deliver homilies, preside at Benediction, talk with kids and parents, baptize babies, bring Communion to the sick and teach the faith day in and out.

Looking back, the unwavering encouragement of my family, the camaraderie of my friends, and the warm reception from my parish will sustain me through the challenges ahead. I cannot forget the memories of my parents, who instilled in me the truths of our Catholic faith. Those lessons now form the bedrock of my diaconal calling, truly guiding every step I take in ministry.

Deacon Chris I. Ellis, Jr.

TheMost impactful has been planting the seed of faith in the young people and adults I am with daily. Being a servant of the Church at the altar and being with the people of God has been so rewarding.

Deacon James D. de Poortere

The moment that stands out most vividly is the Bishop’s laying on of hands. It was a simple, profound gesture—a quiet invocation of the Holy Spirit to fortify me for the ministry ahead. The prayer that accompanied it petitioned God to enable me to serve with unwavering fidelity, and in that instant, I felt an outpouring of grace that words alone cannot capture. This Sacrament has deepened my faith, empowering me to offer myself selflessly and humbly in service to Christ and His Church.

moment of the Litany of the Saints and my prostration during ordination will most deeply impact my ministry. Lying prostrate before God, surrounded by the prayers of the Church on earth and in heaven, impressed upon me the profound truth that ministry can only be sustained through reliance on God’s grace. It affirmed that ministry is never carried out alone; I am supported, guided, and strengthened by the prayers of the Church and the constant mercy of God.

Deacon Gerard (Gez) Ford

Itwas such an overwhelmingly moving day. I sensed the power of the Holy Spirit strengthening my resolve to serve the Lord. I was particularly happy to promise obedience and respect to the Bishop and to receive those famous worlds declaring me as a herald of the Gospel.

Greeting my brother deacons (and my father deacon) and offering blessings upon the people of God… It’s an amazing gift to be able and ordained to serve. Come Holy Spirit, I am excited for more…

Deacon Cullen takes a selfie with Father John Michael Patilla after the Ordination Mass. Rose O’Connor photo

Cell phones were busy on Ordination Day, capturing highlights such as this where Deacon de Poortre greets loved ones. Mike Ehrmann photo

Newly ordained Deacon Ellis embraces a brother deacon during the Sign of Peace. Mike Ehrmann photo

Deacon Ford blesses his nephew, Francis Phoenix from Manchester, England. Mike Ehrmann photo

Deacon Errol Giordani

The aspect of my Ordination that will be most impactful to my diaconal ministry is the Sacramental Configuration to Christ the Servant, symbolized by the laying hands by Bishop David O’Connell, C.M., and the charge to be a herald of the Gospel and a servant of the most vulnerable and forgotten.

This spiritual transformation permanently gives me a new life and entitles me, by the grace of God, to a lifelong commitment to serve the Church, the poor and the needy.

Deacon Steven A. Griggs

Ithinkfeeling so very humbled that not only my family traveled from Georgia and Washington state to share this day with me, but also the priest (Father Sean Loomis from St. Madeline in Ridley Park) that not only started me on my journey to completing my Sacraments, but introducing me to the permanent diaconate. He came to concelebrate the Ordination Mass and share in this day.  I will never forget this day for obvious reasons, but these made it so much more special.

Deacon Christopher J. McNicholas

was at that moment that I truly felt the peace of the Spirit descend on me. It wasn’t the peace you would expect from completing a task or passing a test. I think until that very moment I hadn’t fully surrendered to God’s will. Was I good enough? Was I prepared enough? Was I fit to serve his Church? But in that moment, in that exchange of peace, i knew that his will was done.

Deacon Jeffrey B. Miceli

Interestingly enough, it wasn’t the laying on of hands that was the most impactful moment for me, but rather when I exchanged the sign of peace with the Bishop as a newly ordained deacon. It

Soon-to-be Deacon McNicholas proclaims a Reading during Mass.

Three interrelated thoughts come to mind. First, I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the Sacrament and the clear presence of the Holy Spirit.  Second, I was deeply touched by the support of the priests, deacons, parishioners, family members, and friends - some I’ve known for more than 40 years - who attended the Ordination. Third, it was a profound experience to witness firsthand the Bishop’s direction to: receive and be a herald of the Gospel of Christ: “Believe what you read; teach what you believe; and practice what you teach.”  Collectively, these thoughts form my mission statement: guided by the Holy Spirit, and with the love and support of community, I must always strive to do my  best to live the Gospel and help others to do the same.

Deacon John Vitale

TheDeacon Miceli greets family and friends prior to the start of Mass.

homily given by Bishop O’Connell was most impactful to me.  His emphasis on service to others in the Kingdom of Christ as well as a quote from one of my favorite lines in the Gospel where the master tells the servant well done my good and faithful servant.

Deacon Vitale is visibly happy following his Ordination. Mike Ehrmann photo

The Monitor has more to share from the Diocese of Trenton’s newest deacons!

Deacon Giordani receives a congratulatory embrace from a well wisher. Rose O’Connor photo

Deacon Griggs enjoys conversation with family members and friends. Mike Ehrmann photo

Mike Ehrmann photo

Soon-to-be

Mike Ehrmann photo

Your parish family of HOLY INNOCENTS, Neptune, appreciates your hard work and your dedication. We share your joy as you begin your journey in the service of God and our parish.

St. David the King Parish

GOD BLESS DEACON GEZ FORD IN HIS NEW MINISTRY.

The parish community of St. David’s gives thanks to God for calling Deacon Gez to this sacred ministry and looks forward to his service here at St. David the King.

We join in prayerful support for Deacon Gez as he begins this new chapter of discipleship and service to Christ and His Church.

Congratulations to all the newly ordained and God Bless them in their ministries.

Congratulations TO OUR NEWLY ORDAINED

Deacon Anthony Cullen

On this special occasion, may God’s love and blessings be upon you.

May He grant you continued grace, peace, and wisdom as you begin your ministry.

Very Reverend Garry

Koch, Pastor Reverend

Adam

Midor, Parochial

Vicar and the St. Benedict Catholic Church and School Community

Buon Natale!

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Crabmeat $90

Sausage, Fontina, spinach $75

• Credit Card information is required on all orders and will be charged Dec. 19.

All items will be picked up cold.

Priority will be given to orders pick up as scheduled.

Rice Balls with sauce, 9 pieces $30

Sicilian: Meat, Peas, Cheese, Rice • Cheese & Rice • Spinach • Assortment (3 of each)

Appetizers

• All orders assigned a one hour. pickup window. Your timeliness when picking up your order is greatly appreciated.

 NO CHANGES of any kind after Tuesday, Dec. 18.  Credit Card information is required on all orders and will be charged Dec. 18. All items will be picked up cold. All orders assigned a one hour. pickup window. Your timeliness when picking up your order is greatly appreciated. Priority will be given to orders picked up as scheduled. We are unable to accommodate special requests. All orders are limited to the items as they appear on this menu.

• We are unable to accommodate special requests. All orders are limited to the items as they appear on this menu.

• Priority will be given to orders pick up as scheduled.

10 pieces $150

Pink Panther Chicken $75

• We are unable to accommodate special requests. All orders are limited to the items as they appear on this menu.

Shrimp Cocktail U12 45 pieces $125

Artichoke Hearts Toscano Style

15 pieces $45

• Pizza Rustica $19 lb.

Seabass w/cherry tomatoes & wine garlic sauce 10 pieces $275 ½ tray:

Pasta

½ trays feeds 10 to 12

Colossal Stuffed Artichokes feeds 3 to 4 people, $9 each

Grilled Octopus Salad $150 •

Stuffed Breads

Chicken Valdostano $75

Boneless Turkey Breast in gravy $75

Your choice $18 each

Penne Vodka $50 • Baked Ziti $55

Seafood Salad $130 • Seafood Fra

STUFFED BREADS

Stuffed Mushrooms 20 pieces Crabmeat $90

Meat Lasagna $75

Diavolo w/linguine $150 • Fried

Your choice $18 each

- Sausage, Fontina, spinach $75

Rice Balls with sauce $30

Eggplant Parm • Chicken Parm, Meatball Parm • Sausage w/peppers & onions • Spinach & Ricotta • Stromboli • Pepperoni & Mozzarella

Beef

Cavatelli & Broccoli $50

- 9 pieces Sicilian (Meat, Peas, Cheese, Rice)

- 9 pieces Cheese and Rice

- 9 pieces Spinach

Our famous Prosciutto Bread $19

- 9 pieces Assortment (3 of each)

PASTA

½ trays feeds 10 to 12:

Penne Vodka $50 • Baked Ziti $55

Pizza Rustica $19 lb.

Meat Lasagna $75 • Cavatelli & Broccoli $50 • Stuffed Shells, 24 pieces $60

Boss of the Sauce (½ tray meat, ½ tray pasta w/fresh ricotta) $100

SEAFOOD

Christmas Dinner for 2

VEGETABLES

*Must pick up Dec. 23*

½ trays feeds 10 to 12:

Eggplant Parm, Chicken Parm, Meatball Parm, Sausage w/peppers & onions, Spinach & Ricotta, Stromboli, Pepperoni & Mozzarella

Package A

Eggplant Parm $55

Eggplant Rollatini

$60

½

Stuffed Shells, 24 pieces $60

Boss of the Sauce (½ tray meat, ½ tray pasta w/fresh ricotta) $100

Calamari $85 • Shrimp Scampi w/linguine & scampi sauce $120 • Grilled Shrimp $120 •

White Clam Sauce Qt. $24 •

Seafood

Fried Flounder 10 pieces $100

Artichoke Hearts Toscano Style 15 pieces $45. (Artichoke hearts, Parmigiano Reggiano, roasted garlic, fresh herbs, breadcrumbs, butter, & white wine)

Fried Flounder 10 pieces $100

Flounder Francaise w/lemon & wine

10 pieces $100

Salmon w/Crabmeat, scampi sauce & roasted peppers 10 pieces $200

Mozzarella Caprese, Penne Vodka, Eggplant Rollatini, Choice Chicken Francaise or Marsala, 2 Cheese Rice Balls, Dinner Rolls, Sfogliatelle $64.99 Package B

String Beans w/garlic & oil $55

Broccoli Rabe $65

Roasted Potatoes $45

Our famous Prosciutto Bread $19

Sauteed Vegetable Medley $55

Roasted Asparagus $65

Platters

Flounder Francaise w/lemon & wine 10 pieces $100

Feeds 10 to 12

Cheese Plate $75

Branzino w/garlic, white wine, sundried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, green olives with a touch of marinara 10 pieces $120 BEEF

Salads

Mozzarella Caprese, Penne

DESSERTS

Cookie Tray, 3 lbs. $35

Feeds 10 to 12

House Salad $45

Antipasto $75

Salmon w/Crabmeat, scampi sauce & roasted peppers 10 pieces $200

Mozzarella Caprese $75

Cod Puttanesca 10 pieces $100

½ trays feeds 10 to 12: Meatballs $65

Meatballs & Sausage $65

Stuffed Flounder, crabmeat & scampi sauce w/roasted peppers 10 pieces $150

Marinara, Shrimp Parm, Eggplant Rollatini, 2 Cheese Rice Balls, Dinner Rolls, Sfogliatelle $79.99

Pastry Platter, 12 pieces $30

Caesar Salad $45

Fruit Salad $40

(Pasticciotti, Sfogliatelle, Eclairs, Napoleons, Cream Puffs)

Grilled Veggie Antipasto $75

Cannolis, dozen boxed, $30

Gluten-Free Dinners

Roast Beef w/mushroom gravy $80

Filet Tips w/mushrooms $125

Last day for special orders: Dec. 15

Seabass w/cherry tomatoes & wine garlic sauce10 pieces $200

PORK

½ trays feeds 10 to 12:

Gift Baskets

Cod Puttanesca 10 pieces $100

Desserts

*Must pick up Dec 23 only*

Cookie Tray, 3 lbs. $35

Sausage Peppers & Onions $60

Grilled Octopus Salad ½ tray $150 Seafood Salad ½ tray $130 Seafood Fra Diavolo w/½ tray linguine $150 Fried Calamari ½ tray $85

Imported Italian Christmas Confections: Panettone, Pandoro, Torrone, Hard Candy, Chocolate

Pastry Platter, 12 pieces $30 (Sfogliatelle, Eclairs, Napoleons, Cream Puffs)

Stuffed Pork Roast $75

Maple Brown Sugar Glazed Sliced Ham $75

Make the Perfect Holiday Gifts

Stuffed Flounder, crabmeat & scampi sauce w/roasted peppers

Cannolis, dozen boxed, $30

Garlic Glazed Pork Roast $75

Shrimp Scampi w/½ tray linguine & scampi sauce $120

CHICKEN & TURKEY

Grilled Shrimp ½ tray $120

½ trays feeds 10 to 12:

Francaise, Marsala, Parm, $75

Linguine w/White Clam Sauce ½ tray $65

CAKES: Cannoli, Rainbow Cannoli, Carrot, Red Velvet, Yule Log, Cheesecake, 7-Layer Cookie Cheesecake, Oreo Cheesecake, Brownie Cheesecake. Plus Struffoli, Tiramisu, & Many More

Choice Chicken Francaise, Marsala, or Parm; choice Penne Vodka or Marinara; choice Roasted Potatoes, String beans or Asparagus; 1 Gluten-free Bread. Feeds 6. $169.99

Gift Cards

Perfect for Stocking Stuffers & last-minute Gifts

Imported Italian Christmas Confections: Panettone, Pandoro, Torrone, Hard Candy, Chocolate Cakes: Cannoli, Rainbow Cannoli, Carrot, Red Velvet, Yule Log, Cheesecake, 7-Layer Cookie Cheesecake, Oreo Cheesecake, Brownie Cheesecake. Plus Struffoli, Tiramisu, & Many More

2 North Commerce Square, Robbinsville • 609-259-0072 www.DolceandClementes.com

Mon.-Sat. 9am-5pm; Sun. 9am-3pm; Holiday Hours Dec. 22-23 8 am-5 pm: Christmas Eve 8am -3pm; Closed Christmas Day

2 North Commerce Square, Robbinsville • 609-259-0072  www.DolceandClementes.com Mon.-Sat. 9am-5pm; Sun. 9am-3pm; Holiday Hours Dec. 22-23 8 am-5 pm: Christmas Eve 8am-3pm; Closed Christmas Day

2 North Commerce Square, Robbinsville • 609-259-0072 www.DolceandClementes.com Mon.-Sat. 9am-5pm; Sun.69am-3pm; Holiday Hours Dec. 22-23 8 am-5 pm: Christmas Eve 8am -3pm; Closed Christmas Day

Oratorian

brother, deacon sees Lord’s call in path to priesthood

BY MARY STADNYK  Associate Editor

As his Dec. 20 priestly Ordination day nears, Rev. Brother Donald Ronning, C.O., has been practicing celebrating Mass, in which “I try not to become overwhelmed by the experience and thoughts of my unworthiness for such a grace-filled encounter.”

He served as a deacon for 19 years, but “felt it was the Lord’s call to equip me for even greater service among those in need.”

“Being able to administer the Sacraments, especially the Sacrament of Healing and of service, will open for me a new level of closeness between the people of God and our Lord, Jesus,” he said.

Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., will ordain the Oratorian brother a priest during a 10 a.m. Mass in the Oratory Church of St. Anthony of Padua, Red Bank.

At the time of his 2006 Ordination to the diaconate, Rev. Brother Ronning was widowed and working for the Superior Court of New Jersey for Essex County. He was assigned to St. Agnes Parish, Atlantic Highlands.

Fast forward 10 years: Rev. Brother

Ronning was nearing retirement when he joined St. Anthony of Padua Parish as a deacon. At that time, Father Alberto Tamayo, C.O., pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish and Oratory provost, and Nicholas Dolan, C.O., a seminarian at the time, were in the process of forming an oratory: a community of secular priests and brothers who do not take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.

“They told me of the joy of St. Philip, known as the Second Apostle of Rome and the Apostle of Joy,” Rev. Brother Ronning recalled.

 “It became my newest and most important direction in life.”

When Father Tamayo asked him if he would be interested in joining them in the Oratory, Rev. Brother Ronning said, “It was an opportunity I often thought about but never imagined would happen. It became my newest and most important direction in life.”

“Living in a religious community appealed to me,” he said.

Though Rev. Brother Ronning had

Rev. Brother Donald Ronning, C.O., carrying the Book of the Gospels, in front, served as the deacon for the 2025 Chrism Mass in St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold. Brother Ronning will be ordained a priest for the Red Bank Oratory by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., Dec. 20 at 10 a.m. in St. Anthony of Padua Church, Red Bank. Mike Ehrmann photo

participated in the diocesan diaconate program, he is currently studying at Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall University, South Orange, and taking in-house courses that are particular to Oratorian formation.

He said it’s been a constant source of joy and fulfillment in his 19 years as a deacon to see “the people in the parish as part of my extended family.”

“I like being needed, helping them grow closer to the Lord,” he said.

Reflecting on Brother Ronning’s upcoming Ordination, Father Tamayo said, “It’s such a joy to have our second priestly Ordination for the Oratory and our first here at home in the Oratory now that we are a pontifical congregation.”

“Brother Donald’s call first to the Oratory and now to the priesthood shows that, no matter what age we are, God is never done working on us.”

BY CAROL GLATZ  Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY • Human beings are meant to be actively involved in the world of creation, not just passive consumers of content generated by technology, Pope Leo XIV said.

“How can we ensure that the development of artificial intelligence truly serves the common good and is not just used to accumulate wealth and power in the hands of a few?” he asked Dec. 5.

The Pope was speaking to people taking part in a conference held in Rome Dec. 5 organized by the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation and the Strategic Alliance of Catholic Research Universities.

Pope Leo said, “The research carried out by Centesimus-SACRU represents a truly valuable contribution,” since “coordinated and concerted action involving politics, institutions, businesses, finance, education, communication, citizens and religious communities” is needed.

It is “essential to teach young people to use these tools with their own intelligence, ensuring that they open themselves to

Be co-workers in creation, not passive consumers of AI content, Pope says

the search for truth, a spiritual and fraternal life, broadening their dreams and the horizons of their decision making,” the Pope said. “We support their desire to be different and better, because never before has it been so clear that a profound reversal of direction is needed in our idea of maturing.”



“The research carried out by CentesimusSACRU represents a truly valuable contribution.”

“We must pause and reflect with particular care upon the freedom and inner life of our children and young people, and the possible impact of technology on their intellectual and neurological development,” he said.

“The new generations must be helped, not hindered, on their path to maturity and responsibility,” he said. “The well-being of society depends on their ability to develop their talents and respond to the demands of the times and the needs of others, with generosity and freedom of mind.”

Continued on 37

The Church in the Digital Age

Upholding morality and human dignity in the rise of AI

A pastoral reflection from BISHOP DAVID M.

O’CONNELL, C.M.

When I don’t have appointments, meetings or pastoral visits around the Diocese, I spend most of my day in the Chancery or my home office, working either on the computer or using my cell phone. That wasn’t the case earlier in my priesthood, but now I can hardly imagine functioning without these tools at my fingertips.

We live in a time of extraordinary technological advancement. Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming how we heal, teach, communicate and even how we understand ourselves.

In recent months, I’ve come across numerous articles and references to academic conferences at prominent universities exploring AI’s role in contemporary life. The topic even surfaced during a recent Presbyteral Council meeting. I must admit, I don’t yet know a great deal about AI, but I’m quickly learning — both about its potential benefits and the concerns surrounding its use and our growing reliance on it.

At its most basic level, AI refers to machines or systems that simulate human intelligence — learning, reasoning and problem-solving. While AI can perform tasks with remarkable efficiency, it remains a human creation, devoid of soul, conscience or moral agency. It is not a person, nor can it possess the dignity that belongs uniquely to human beings whom God made in his own

image and likeness, as we learn in Genesis1:27.

This distinction is crucial. The Church teaches that human dignity is inviolable, rooted not in productivity or intelligence, but in our capacity for relationship with God and one another. AI, no matter how sophisticated, must always serve humanity — not replace it. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that science and technology are valuable gifts when placed at the service of the human person and the common good (CCC 2293–2294).

 The word became flesh – not data.

What does it mean to be human in an age of machines? How can we ensure that these tools serve the Gospel, our faith, truth and the common good rather than distract from it?

TECHNOLOGY AND MORALITY

The Church teaches that human creativity and scientific discovery are gifts from God. AI, when rightly ordered, can help us care for creation and serve one another.

Pope Francis, in his 2024 address to the G7, described AI as “an exciting and fearsome tool,” capable of democratizing

access to knowledge and advancing research, but also of deepening inequality and fostering a “throwaway culture” if not guided by ethical reflection. He reminded us that “science and technology are brilliant products of the creative potential of human beings,” and must remain rooted in moral responsibility.

Pope Leo XIV, in his early homilies and public reflections, has spoken with pastoral urgency about the spiritual risks posed by digital technologies. He cautions against a “false world” where digital simulations replace authentic relationships and where “the presence of God is eclipsed by constant distraction.”

In a recent interview, Pope Leo stated: “Our human life makes sense not

because of artificial intelligence, but because of human beings and encounter. It’s going to be very difficult to discover the presence God in AI. In human relationships, we can find at least signs of the presence of God.”

Already, we see AI assisting physicians in diagnosing illness, enabling teachers to tailor learning to individual needs, helping relief agencies respond swiftly to disasters, and connecting loved ones across continents. These are signs of human ingenuity — echoes of the wisdom of God.

Yet every gift carries a responsibility. Technology is not neutral. It shapes not only our actions but our imaginations, our relationships and our hearts.

Let us not forget: the burning bush was not a hologram. The voice of God spoke not through code, but through

covenant. And the Word became flesh — not data.

FAITH-BASED ACTION

In considering the potential harm that could come through AI, Pope Francis called for a ban on autonomous weapons, declaring: “No machine should ever choose to take the life of a human being.” Pope Leo XIV has added: “Moral accountability must never be outsourced to algorithms.”

We must be a prophetic voice — defending the vulnerable and ensuring that technology fosters communion, not isolation.

Our response must be spiritual. Pope Francis calls for a “technological covenant” rooted in human dignity. Pope Leo XIV speaks of a “theology of wisdom” that honors creation and the primacy of love.

AI cannot love, forgive, pray, receive or share grace. These are gifts requiring humanity, rooted in our spiritual nature.

In a world of algorithms, the Church offers what no machine ever can:

The Eucharist

The sacrament of Reconciliation and other sacraments

The warmth of community

The witness of saints

The transforming power of grace

We need to teach our children not only how to use technology, but how to remain deeply human and anchored in relationship, conscience and prayer.

The Incarnation was not virtual. God became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). Salvation is not a download — it is a living encounter with Jesus Christ.

We should approach AI not with fear

As Catholics, we affirm that technology must serve the human person and the common good. We must remain vigilant as AI becomes more embedded in society.

Human dignity must be upheld. No machine can comprehend the worth of a soul.

Justice and fairness must guide development. Biased data leads to biased outcomes.

Privacy and autonomy must be protected. Data use must be transparent and consensual.

Accountability must remain with humans. Machines cannot bear moral responsibility.

Equity and access must be prioritized. AI’s benefits must be shared, not hoarded.

or naiveté, but with discernment, courage and hope. We do this by encouraging ethical reflection in our schools, parishes and homes; supporting policies that uphold human dignity; advocating for those excluded from technological progress and forming new generations in digital literacy and spiritual depth.

Our Diocese needs to be a beacon of light in this digital age — raising questions the world may neglect, offering a vision the world may not see, and bearing witness to a truth the world may forget: that no machine can replace the grace of Christ or the beauty of a soul in communion with God.

May we be inspired to live with integrity in this complex world and seek the wisdom to use technology without being used by it, cherishing the dignity of every person, even as machines grow more powerful. Technology must always serve the human person and the common good. Our true identity and destiny as humans are found not in the “icloud” but in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Freepik image

IN OUR IMAGE

Experts, educators and parents consider path for ethical AI use in schools

BY EMMALEE ITALIA 

Contributing Editor

Artificial Intelligence is supposed to think like a human being, but it has no moral safeguards, said Dr. R.J. Snell, director of academic programs and editor-in-chief of Public Discourse for the Witherspoon Institute, Princeton.

A fundamental misunderstanding of human intelligence, Dr. Snell said, is now going into the creation of a tool “which we think is like us and is not like us. Insofar as we’ve misunderstood intelligence, we’re also misunderstanding God.”

Parents and school administrators gathered in Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville, Nov. 12 to hear Dr. Snell as he explored what A.I. is and what it is not, in a moderated discussion with Dr. Ana Samuel, NDHS parent and fellow Witherspoon Institute scholar.

POTENTIAL VS. PERIL

The chatter about A.I. in the news, Dr. Snell said, is divided.

“Some think this is the best of times,

 “... its safeguards are not moral functions.”

that A.I. is going to cure cancer, we will have unlimited wealth and clean energy,” he said. “Others think A.I. is going to succeed momentously, and that will be the destruction of our human society; no one will work, the rich will become extremely rich, and everyone else will become extremely poor and dependent on universal basic income. You will not have meaningful work ever again.”

Dr. Snell said he believes a key concern is how A.I. is being created in the image of people, and “whether that image … is true to the human being. I think it is extremely false.”

Having so degraded the vision of the human person over time, he said, “we are creating a new tool, either for good or for ill, that reveals how we think of ourselves, and that image … is not very true, helpful or promising.”

Although A.I. is a sophisticated tool, Dr. Snell said, it does not have consciousness or self-knowledge. It can an-

A moderated discussion Nov. 12 between Dr. Ana Samuel and Dr. R.J. Snell, both of the Witherspoon Institute in Princeton, addresses the concerns over how artificial intelligence is used and implemented.

alyze and recognize predictive patterns, but it doesn’t have what he calls the “aha” moment of discovery, of working out a problem and coming to understanding like humans do.

And perhaps even more importantly, he noted, A.I. does not experience whether it “ought” to do something.

“You know what it’s like to have done wrong,” Dr. Snell said. “The algorithm has no sense of that experience … no idea what it means … its safeguards are not moral functions.”

Several parents and teachers noted that they use A.I. for jobs or to help with computational, data-heavy work. But on its use by students, they remained guarded.

Parents and students listen intently to Dr. Snell’s points about A.I. in the library of Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville.

“I want students to walk out of (our school) independent, critical thinkers,” said NDHS English teacher and parent Kellyanne Stewart, “and not have to defer to something A.I. is doing or saying; I want them to figure it out. … They don’t open computers in my classroom.”

EmmaLee Italia photos

CATHOLIC MEDIA ASSOCIATION RELEASES

NEW AI GUIDELINES TO KEEP ‘HUMAN DIGNITY’ CENTRAL

CHICAGO (OSV News) • As the use of artificial intelligence accelerates, the Catholic Media Association is calling for its members to adopt a holistic, moral approach – one rooted in Catholic teaching – regarding AI.

“One of the values at the heart of Catholic media is a concern for human dignity, and so Catholic journalists should be at the forefront of thinking about how we integrate AI technology, which has the potential to undermine that dignity, whether through replacing human work or feeding false narratives,” Kerry Weber, president of the CMA, told OSV News. Founded in 1911 as the Catholic Press Association, the CMA serves Catholic communications professionals and platforms throughout the U.S. and Canada.

“Most importantly, moral agency must be considered as primary, with responsibility and accountability for AI’s design, deployment and usage at every stage resting solely with humans and not automated systems,” said the CMA in its recently updated AI guidelines.

Along with publishing its general AI usage guidelines, the CMA specifically called for Catholic communicators to “clearly disclose when AI is used in generating editorial or creative content,” whether in text or multimedia format, with “humans, not computer algorithms,” supervising and fact-checking before release of such content to the public.

PAPAL VIEW ON A.I.

“The ability to access vast amounts of data and information should not be confused with the ability to derive meaning and value from it,” Pope Leo said. “The latter requires a willingness to

confront the mystery and core questions of our existence, even when these realities are often marginalized or ridiculed by the prevailing cultural and economic models.”

Addressing this challenge, he said, “requires asking an even more fundamental question: What does it mean to be human in this moment of history?”

“Human beings are called to be co-workers in the work of creation, not merely passive consumers of content generated by artificial technology,” he said. “Our dignity lies in our ability to reflect, choose freely, love unconditionally and enter into authentic relationships with others.”

While artificial intelligence has opened “new horizons for creativity,” he said, “it also raises serious concerns about its possible repercussions on humanity’s openness to truth and beauty, and capacity for wonder and contemplation.”

“Recognizing and safeguarding what characterizes the human person and guarantees his or her balanced growth is essential for establishing an adequate framework for managing the consequences of artificial intelligence,” the Pope said.

“This commitment comes before any partisan interest or profit, which is increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few,” he said. “Only through widespread participation that gives everyone the opportunity to be heard with respect, even the humblest, will it be possible to achieve these ambitious goals.”

ETHICAL PERSPECTIVE

Continued from 36 BUILDING

GUARDRAILS

“How can we help guide our children to use A.I. in an ethical way?” Dr. Samuel asked.

Dr. Snell noted that A.I. can be simply a discovery tool. However, “no tool should be used when the exercise … is asking for understanding,” he said. “The point of education is not just return on investment … it’s to develop our personhood.”

He advocated for students taking

liberal arts subjects like history to learn “the deeds of great men and women … [otherwise] they won’t know what magnanimity is.” He suggested classes in logic, “because if you can’t control or order your speech, you won’t be able to act … like a citizen in your community,” and art history, “because the soul bereft of beauty is a soul just bereft.”

Dr. Vincent de Paul Schmidt, diocesan superintendent of Catholic schools, asked how administrators and teachers can help protect students.

“We have to provide better, richer alternatives,” Dr. Snell answered, such as exposure to real art and in-person experiences. “We might not be able to prohibit phones and A.I. at home … but you [can] introduce your students to the real.”

Technology tends to “widen attention rather than deepen it,” he said. “It takes your experience sideways … whereas a real work of art intensifies your attention … it arrests you.”

RECLAIMING HUMANITY

The Church’s great challenge and response, he continued, should be to “reintroduce humanity to itself … to proclaim what it means to be a human being … as a friend of God.”

Regarding job displacement by A.I., Dr. Samuel asked what timeless truths Catholics should consider.

Referencing St. Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum Novarum and the chaplain of Poland’s Solidarity Movement, Father Józef Tischner, Dr. Snell talked about the dignity of work.

“Father Tischner wrote that ‘work is conversation, because it is always with someone, for someone and from someone.’ So work is a dialogue of persons,” Dr. Snell said.

Parent Frank Gramlich, a member of St. Paul Parish, Princeton, said he appreciated Dr. Snell’s highlight of humans as “made in the image of God, body and soul. Humans have dignity, and [we have to] keep that in mind during all the different iterations of A.I.”

Ken Stewart, NDHS parent, said the session made him realize, “Being human is that which makes you pause,” and “nothing in A.I. is going to make you pause.”

Jesus ‘is the king of our hearts,’ NCYC participants urged to stay close to the Lord

BY SEAN GALLAGHER 

The Criterion , OSV News

INDIANAPOLIS • Philadelphia

Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez looked out from a sanctuary built on the floor of Lucas Oil Stadium on the 16,000 youths from across the country who came to Indianapolis for the National Catholic Youth Conference.

He shared with them a message of hope he wanted them to nurture in their hearts as they returned to their homes.

“When you feel lost, Jesus is your shepherd,” Archbishop Pérez said in his homily during the conference’s closing Mass on Nov. 22. “Remember that. When you feel you’re in darkness, Jesus is your light. When you feel you’re absolutely hungry and your soul is weighed down, Jesus is your bread.”

In his homily, the Archbishop reflected on the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, saying that Christ is the “king of our hearts”

then added that he is not a king in the way that the world views such rulers.

“His throne is a Cross,” he said. “His crown is not made of gold and gems. It’s made of thorns. He doesn’t wear fancy, beautiful, priceless rings on his hands. He has nails.”

According to the world, Christ’s Death on the Cross was “the worst of all ways to execute a criminal.”

But, because of Christ’s Resurrection, the Church in faith proclaims that his Crucifixion was actually a great victory for him and all who believe in him.

Three times in his homily, Archbishop Pérez cried out in a popular and historic phrase in Spanish, “Viva Cristo Rey!” (“Long live Christ the King!”). And each time, the congregation cried out the common reply, “Que viva!” (“He lives!”).

Because the centerpiece of this year’s NCYC was a nearly hourlong video interaction of the participants with

Pope Leo XIV, Archbishop Pérez reflected in his homily on parts of the pontiff’s message.

Archbishop Pérez encouraged them in the Pope’s words to take “ ‘daily moments of silence … whether through Adoration, or reading Scripture, or simply talking to’ “ Jesus in order to build up a relationship with him and to “ ‘entrust their struggles’ “ to him.

“As you grow closer to Jesus, do not fear what he may ask you for. If he challenges you to make changes in your life, it’s always because he wants to give you a greater joy and freedom. God is never outdone in generosity.’”

Archbishop Pérez offered a heartfelt prayer at the end of his homily after quoting Pope Leo’s words.

“Thank you, Lord, for the visit of your vicar,” he said. “We are blessed and honored to have had him with us. And thank you, Lord, for being our king, for being the king of our hearts.”

One of the most impactful experiences of the National Catholic Youth Conference held every other year in Indianapolis is the gathering of all participants in Lucas Oil Stadium for Eucharistic Adoration, which took place this year on Nov. 21.

During Adoration, as Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services knelt before Christ in the Blessed Sacrament in the center of the stadium, he read the Bread of Life Discourse from John 6:35-58.

“We must partake of the bread of eternal life if we hope to achieve our goal – eternal happiness in union with Almighty God,” he said. “Jesus insists twice on this necessity, even in the faith of the disbelief of his audience. He will not compromise to please the crowd. ... Unlike many who will only tell us what they think we want to hear, Christ’s

Pope Leo XIV speaks on Nov. 21, 2025, with close to 16,000 Catholic youths gathered in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for the National Catholic Youth Conference. The pontiff had a 45-minute live video encounter with the youth attendees. OSV News photo/Sean Gallagher, The Criterion

Young DOT delegates attend NCYC to encounter Pope Leo, unite with faithful peers

BY EMMALEE ITALIA  Contributing Editor

“Filledwith high energy and joy” is how Dan Waddington, diocesan director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry, described the National Catholic Youth Conference, which he attended alongside 58 youth and youth ministers from the Diocese of Trenton.

The Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis were transformed Nov. 20-22 to include “powerful speakers, outstanding music and intentional prayer experiences,” Waddington attested, accommodating more than 16,000 participants in the annual conference themed “I Am” – an increase of about 3,000 from 2023.

The local contingent included young people and 15 adults from St. Joseph, Toms River; St. Joan of Arc, Marlton; St. Martha, Point Pleasant; St. James, Pennington; St. Aloysius, Jackson, and St. Isidore the Farmer, New Egypt. Parishes conducted independent fundraisers to help supplement the trip cost.

Pope Leo’s digital appearance and live interaction with the youth – a first for the conference – made a profound impression.

“The response to Pope Leo was tremendous!” Waddington said. “The Holy Father spoke to the young people – not

Father Stephen Sansevere, second from left, gets into the groove during the NCYC. Father Sansevere accompanied members of the youth group from St. James Parish, Pennington. Facebook photo

just at NCYC, but [youth] of our country. It was a personal and authentic message created especially for [them] ... he reminded them that they are the Church of the present and are needed to help shape the Church of the future.”

There was also “a very strong spirituality to the event, and at times it was very retreat-like,” encouraging attendees to “grow in their faith and their personal walk with the Lord,” Waddington continued.

 “The response to Pope Leo was tremendous!”

That excitement, he said, stems from the way the conference engages young people in their faith “in a way that is truly relatable to their lived experience. … A young person can be outwardly proud of their relationship with Jesus and share that openly with so many peers around them without fear. That sense of unity, and not being alone in your faith, is a priceless takeaway.”

Local participants took the experience home with them, he said, “fired up

With the livestream shown in the background, three teens from St. Isidore the Farmer Parish, New Egypt, smile for a photo during the Holy Father’s address. Courtesy photo

both for their faith and their connection to who they are as Catholics.” This energy, Waddington pointed out, can be infused into their youth ministry programs and parish life.

There’s a sacrifice to attend NCYC, he said, but one that reaps rewards.

“Our young people need to embrace this experience as a pilgrimage,” Waddington said. “They miss class, need to fundraise to cover the expenses of the trip, travel on a bus 13 hours to get there … and missing sports and extracurricular activities.”

But that dedication, he continued, “can truly help a young person realize … there are many other young people who believe what they believe in and practice what they practice. This in itself is worth the trip as it can help fortify their faith and encourage them to continue to grow in it.”

NCYC: In Their Own Words

Catherine Werner, director of youth ministry, St. Joseph Parish, Toms River

It’s important to attend events like NCYC to show our teens that they are not alone in practicing their faith. It’s a reminder of the wider Church and how diverse we are, while still sharing the same core belief in Jesus Christ. I hope that our teens remain proud to be Catholic and gain strength and confidence in living it out every day.

It was powerful when Pope Leo XIV reminded the youth that they are the Church of today, not just the Church of the future. His genuine care and affection for the youth was evident in his tone and words. My teens are still talking about the digital encounter.

We took four teens, ages 15-17. Adoration and Confession were powerful for our group, and being able to have Mass with 16,000 teens is always a beautiful experience. We are eager for NCYC 2027!

Lucia Street, sophomore in Central Regional High School, Bayville; member of CYGNUS youth ministry in St. Joseph Parish, Toms River

more grateful ... I went to find ways I could become closer to God and meet new people my age who would help me grow in my faith. Going to Confession during Adoration was the most meaningful part of this year’s convention. Witnessing the online exchange between Pope Leo XIV and the teens changed my perspective on how the Vatican views the young Church… Being a youth in the Catholic Church can feel powerless … because the main focus is often on adults who are doing great things … The Holy Father explained to us that it is not necessary for us to do grandiose actions … to be seen in the eyes of God.  I have created life-long friendships with people who I would never have talked to if it weren’t for this incredible trip. I have grown closer in my relationship with God and learned what it means to live out my faith every day.

Lisa Limongello, director of youth ministry, Catholic Community of Hopewell Valley

Attending an event like NCYC gives teenagers a sense of belonging. I accompanied eight teens ages 14-17; getting to witness other teens coming together as the Body of Christ to adore Jesus moved them to tears. … I pray that my teens take away that the Holy Spirit is a constant presence within themselves and they have the power to spread the Gospel and be Jesus to their community every day.

The Holy Father blessed us with his presence … he emphasized that … our young Church can make a difference today. He also spoke of the importance of authentic friendship … [who] will lead you closer to Christ, build up your faith and help you through hard times.

My teens are on fire for the Lord and are hungry for more. … The gratitude they have for getting to experience NCYC together is unmatched. IGNITE Youth Group will prosper at home with

their witness.

Aidan Filippone, junior, Hopewell Valley Central High School, Pennington

This is my first time attending NCYC and it was amazing. I thought it would be a very special experience for me and help me grow in my faith and relationship with God.

The most meaningful part of this year’s conference was the hour-long Adoration, where I got to be vulnerable with thousands of other teens. To go on a Facetime call with the Pope … reassured me that the Catholic youth do matter in the Church.

One thing he said that resonated with me was that youth … are the present of the Church. This meant a lot because we are currently participating in things to help our community and world. This also helps us teens strive to be the best Catholics we can be right now.

I am beyond grateful for this opportunity to that helped ignite the Catholic spark in me and … for everyone’s contributions and donations.

Nicole Robotti, junior, Hopewell Valley Central High School, Pennington

This is my first time going to NCYC. What motivated me to go was realizing it could bring me closer to my faith. … It was the best thing to happen to me.

The most meaningful part of the conference was the morning sessions as we all packed the stadium full [and] seeing how many other teens wanted to be involved in their faith. The speaker in the morning changed my view and how everyone was brought to their faith in a different way. Not everyone is called to God in the same way.

Witnessing the Pope come on to a live video call answering our questions made me realize that he wants young people to be curious about their faith and to help lead them through. One thing he said that stuck with me was that we aren’t the future in our Church, we’re the present.

Youth group members from St. James Parish, Pennington, take time out for a photo during NCYC. Courtesy photo

Pope Leo XIV connects with ‘future of our Church’ at National Catholic Youth Conference

BY ELIZABETH ZIMAK  Correspondent

“Dearyoung people ….I’m very glad to be with you all through this digital connection.”

That was how Pope Leo XIV, by way of livestream correspondence, greeted the 16,000 young people in attendance at this year’s National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC).

Held from Nov. 20-22 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, the three-day experience for Catholic teens and their chaperones included Mass, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, live speakers, music and more.

From his residence at the Vatican, the Holy Father spent close to an hour with the youth on Nov. 21, answering their questions on a variety of topics–including friendship, technology and how to stay focused in prayer.

Although NCYC has been held annually or bi-annually since 1983, this was the first time that a pope had participated in the event. Thanks to a partnership between Eternal Word Television Network and Vatican Media, the livestreamed address was also broadcast over the Internet, giving hundreds of other Catholics around the world the ability to view it remotely.

Several Catholic schools in the Diocese of Trenton joined their counterparts across the nation in having their students view the address during the school day.

“Events of this magnitude happen only once or twice in a lifetime,” remarked Lizanne Coyne, principal of St. Mary Academy, Manahawkin. “I felt strongly that our students would benefit from experiencing it live.”

St. Leo the Great, Lincroft, principal Caroline Fitzgerald agreed, then

remarked on how Pope Leo XIV has a “stronger influence” on today’s Catholic youth.

“He is approaching things at their level,” she said. “Young people can relate to technology, so the Holy Father addressed them with modern technology.”

Teresa N. and Michael L., eighthgrade students at St. Charles Borromeo, Cinnaminson, were both excited to be able to witness such a historic event.

“It’s cool to experience the Pope talking to people around my age,” Teresa said, noting that she especially appreciated the Holy Father’s remarks on young people and prayer.

“We get distracted easily while praying,” she stated. “Pope Leo explained how to solve this problem: by acknowledging the distraction, then turning back to your prayer.”

Michael commented that the Pope’s remarks on artificial intelligence (AI) really resonated with him.

“He addressed AI and its benefits, but also its drawbacks,” Michael said. “I plan to only use AI for the right reasons, and not for doing homework.”

St. Mary seventh-grader Preston L. found the Holy Father’s address to be “very inspirational”.

“Pope Leo discussed the importance of screen time and knowing when to shut it off,” Preston added “I should change my mindset and shift my priorities.”

“The Pope said, ‘you are the Church and not the future of it’,” added Jack C., a seventh-grader at St. Leo the Great. “We can begin helping in the church today and not wait till we are older.”

St. Charles Borromeo principal Tracey Kobrin agreed. “The Holy Father’s message made it clear that our young people are not only valued, loved, and the future of our Church, but that their voices and ideas matter right now.”

One student from St. Mary Academy, Manahawkin, remarked on being inspired to hear the Holy Father talk about screen time and knowing when to “shut it off.” Courtesy photos

Caroline Fitzgerald, principal of St. Leo the Great School, Lincroft, was impressed at how the Holy Father spoke to the young people at their level.

Tracey Kobrin, principal of St. Charles Borromeo School, Cinnaminson, reflected on Pope Leo XIV’s saying that the voices and ideas of young people “matter right now.”

“#@%&*!”

A little soap for the nation’s potty mouth

AMID THE FRAY

By Greg Erlandson, OSV News

Itasted soap once, and it was enough.

At a rather tender age, I must have sassed my mom. I don’t remember the crime, but I remember the punishment: Getting my mouth washed out with soap. It left an impression.

As we enter the Christmas season this year, I can’t help but think Santa Claus could do worse than leave a bar of soap in our nation’s collective stocking.

On the airwaves, from our comedians, from our politicians, even from our president, there are f-bombs galore. The same with many TV series and movies we stream. The minority leader of the U.S. Senate released a video message during the government shutdown that used the word as a point of emphasis, as if somehow the rest of his message was not enough.

Take the example of John Oliver. On his weekly HBO show he can do impressive reporting on such topics as public media and Medicare, but to listen to him, you must wade through a deluge

of what now are quaintly called “obscenities.” The deluge doesn’t add anything to the reporting, but it seems to impart some sort of seal of authenticity on the content, and is usually rewarded with laughter and applause from the audience.

There is a coarsening of our public speech that is impacting all of us. One hears it on public transportation or phone conversations had in public. One hears it from parents talking to their children and children talking to their parents. It has become acceptable as mainstream discourse, a kind of linguistic punctuation point to communicate anger or enthusiasm or simply (WTF) astonishment.

This coarsening of our public discourse has seeped into our politics. When the president of the United States called a reporter he didn’t like “piggy,” the White House defended his insult as “frankness.”

Insults, whether on our children’s playgrounds or in social media postings or in the White House press room are not examples of frankness. They are simply insults inappropriate for any

leader or gentleman.

The challenge, of course, is that one cannot simply mandate that everyone else stop using these words, these slurs and insults. And when one is swimming in a sea of verbal sewage, it is hard not to pick up the stink. I speak from uncomfortable experience, for I’ve found that the more I’m exposed to such language, the more I am likely to use it in moments of anger, enthusiasm or astonishment.

 There is a coarsening of our public speech that is impacting all of us.

Last Lent, it was even one of my resolutions to dial back on what is even more quaintly called “cuss words.” It was a resolve I struggled with. But since it is increasingly difficult to avoid its usage by others, the solution most of us are left with is how to change our own speech.

That may mean recovering expressions of anger, enthusiasm or astonishment from an older, more genteel period. We could start a national movement to bring back “Holy cow,” or “Judas priest” (my dad’s favorite) or “golly” (my uncle’s). Even the use of the word “frickin” could be a transitional step back, as could be “shoot.”

We need a verbal equivalent of the “#@%&*!” that one finds on the comics page. In the movie “The Christmas Story,” Ralphie’s dad muttered a string of unintelligible syllables signifying his deep displeasure and was the funnier for it.

This Advent, as we barrel toward Christmas, let’s make an early resolution to dial back the potty mouth. If you don’t suffer from this disease, you are blessed. For the rest of us, well, good golly, what better time to start?

Greg Erlandson is an award-winning Catholic publisher, editor and journalist whose column appears monthly at OSV News.

Proclaiming the Gospel includes welcoming migrants, Pope says at Jubilee

BY CINDY WOODEN  Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY • The joint celebration of the Jubilee of Migrants and the Jubilee of the Missions is an opportunity to remind all Catholics that the duty to welcome and assist migrants is also part of each person’s obligation to share God’s love, Pope Leo XIV said.

“Brothers and sisters, today a new missionary age opens up in the history of the Church,” the Pope said during a Jubilee Mass in St. Peter’s Square with tens of thousands of migrants and of missionaries from around the world.



“Human dignity must always come first.”

For centuries Catholics have thought of missionaries as people who leave their homelands and set off for distant lands to minister with people who live in poverty and do not know Jesus, said the U.S.-born Pope who served for decades as a missionary in Peru.

“Today the frontiers of the missions are no longer geographical, because poverty, suffering and the desire for a greater hope have made their way to us,” Pope Leo said.

“The story of so many of our migrant brothers and sisters bears witness to this: the tragedy of their flight from violence, the suffering which accompanies it, the fear of not succeeding, the perilous risk of traveling along the coastline, their cry of sorrow and desperation,” he said. “Those boats which hope to catch sight of a safe port, and those eyes filled with anguish and hope seeking to reach the shore, cannot and must not find the coldness of indifference or the stigma of

A few days earlier, speaking to reporters, Pope Leo said, “Someone who says that I am against abortion, but I am in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants who are in the United States, I don’t know if that’s prolife,” he said.

Leading the recitation of the Angelus

after Mass, Pope Leo said that “no one should be forced to flee, nor exploited or mistreated because of their situation as foreigners or people in need! Human dignity must always come first.”

Today, the Pope had said in his homily, “mission is not so much about ‘departing,’ but instead ‘remaining’ in order to

Continued on 79

POPE CALLS FOR GREATER RESPECT FOR MIGRANTS, SUPPORTS U.S. BISHOPS ON IMMIGRATION

VATICAN CITY • Insisting that the dignity of all people, including immigrants, must be respected, Pope Leo XIV asked U.S. Catholics and “people of goodwill” to read and listen to the U.S. bishops’ recent pastoral message on the topic.

“When people are living good lives –and many of them (in the United States) for 10, 15, 20 years – to treat them in a way that is extremely disrespectful, to say the least,” is not acceptable, the Pope said Nov. 18.

“No one has said that the United States should have open borders,” the Pope discrimination!”

said. “I think every country has a right to determine who and how and when people enter.”

However, he said, in enforcing immigration policy “we have to look for ways of treating people humanely, treating people with the dignity that they have.”

“If people are in the United States illegally, there are ways to treat that,” he said. “There are courts. There’s a system of justice,” but the system has “a lot of problems” that should be addressed.

– By Catholic News Service

Pope Leo XIV greets people as he rides in the Popemobile around St. Peter’s Square following Mass for the Jubilee of Migrants and the Jubilee of the Missions in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican in October. CNS photo/Lola Gomez

Welcome the stranger with hope

OA message on immigration from BISHOP DAVID M. O’CONNELL, C.M.

ur faith calls us to see in every person the image of God, and to welcome the stranger as we would welcome Christ Himself. In these times, when so many families and individuals are displaced by war, poverty, or persecution, the Church must be a beacon of compassion and justice.

The Scriptures speak with clarity and urgency about our responsibility toward immigrants and sojourners. In Leviticus 19:33–34, the Lord commands: “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” This is not a suggestion but a divine mandate. We are reminded that our own history as a nation is marked by migration, and that God’s people have always been called to extend hospitality.

Similarly, Deuteronomy 10:18-19 proclaims: “He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.” God Himself models care for the immigrant, and we, as His Church, must imitate His love.

Our Lord Jesus Christ deepens this teaching in the Gospel. In Matthew 25:35, He identifies Himself with the stranger: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” To welcome the immigrant is to welcome Christ. To turn away the immigrant is to turn away Christ. This is the

radical challenge of the Gospel.

The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us of the blessings that come with hospitality: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2). Welcoming immigrants is not only a duty but a grace, opening us to God’s presence in unexpected ways.

 Welcoming immigrants is not only a duty but a grace ...

Finally, Saint Paul offers us a vision of unity in Christ that transcends all boundaries: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).

In Christ, divisions of nationality, culture, and status are overcome. We are one family, reconciled in His love.

I share these thoughts not only as your bishop but as a fellow disciple of the Lord Jesus, deeply moved by the suffering of so many in our midst who

are now living in fear, uncertainty and separation due to the current state of immigration enforcement in our country. True enough, the United States, like every sovereign nation, has the right and responsibility to regulate its borders and to protect its own citizens. This duty, however, must be exercised in a manner that respects our God-given human dignity and upholds the principles of justice and mercy that lie at the heart of the Gospel, our Catholic faith and Catholic Church teaching.

As a Diocese, we must embody the call of the Gospel which means:

• Welcoming immigrants into our parishes and communities with dignity and respect.

• Advocating for just policies that protect families and uphold human rights.

• Offering practical support – food, clothing, shelter, and friendship– to those who arrive in our midst.

• Seeing immigrants not as outsiders, but as brothers and sisters in Christ.

There must be a way that respects our nation’s rights and responsibilities while at the same time creates a legitimate path to citizenship for honest, hardworking,

“Be Welcoming,” a bronze sculpture of a traveler by Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz, is seen in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican April 15, 2025. CNS photo/Justin McLellan

tax paying immigrants whose legal status in our country has become subject to widespread and hurtful scrutiny.

The situation that now confronts immigrants in our nation was addressed in great detail at the recent plenary meeting of the United States Conference of Bishops in Baltimore (November 10-13, 2025) as it has been by Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pope, in the summer. “The Church cannot be silent” in the face of suffering and injustice.

As a Diocese, we need to pray for migrants and refugees, for families separated by detention and deportation and for our leaders to act with wisdom and compassion. Our prayers should accompanied by advocacy and action to protect families, to uphold due process of law and to respect religious liberty. We are all children of a loving and just Creator.

The Church is at her most radiant when she opens her doors wide to the stranger. Let us be a Diocese known for our hospitality, our justice, and our love. In welcoming immigrants, we welcome Christ Himself. May the Lord give us the courage to live this Gospel truth with joy, conviction and a “hope that does not disappoint (Romans 5:5).”

and

US bishops approve ‘special pastoral message’ on immigration

BALTIMORE • The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops approved a “special pastoral message on immigration” Nov. 12, voicing “our concern here for immigrants” at their annual fall plenary assembly in Baltimore.

The statement came as a growing number of bishops have acknowledged that some of the Trump administration’s immigration policies risk presenting the Church with both practical challenges in administering pastoral support and charitable endeavors, as well as religious liberty challenges.

Archbishop Richard G. Henning of Boston told OSV News in an interview that the feeling “we have to say something” on the subject of showing solidarity with immigrants has been “kind of bubbling up from the bishops.”

“Obviously, the beliefs of the Church have political consequences, but they’re not political in the usual sense of the word,” he said. “And so there was a real effort to make sure that this would be a pastoral address to our people rather than an attempt to lobby.”

Despite differences in age, geography or other viewpoints, Archbishop Henning said, the U.S. bishops have almost universally heard from parishioners or pastors about “suffering the effects of this.”

“We’re pastors,” he said. “We care about the people we serve, and what we’re hearing from them is fear and suffering. So it’s hard not to want to respond to that.”

The statement, released in the late afternoon, said, “As pastors, we the bishops of the United States are bound to our people by ties of communion and compassion in Our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“We are disturbed when we see among our people a climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement,” it said. “We are saddened by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants. We are concerned about the conditions in detention centers and the lack of access to pastoral care. We lament that some immigrants in the United States have arbitrarily lost their legal status.

U.S. Immigration

Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and federal officers detain a migrant as he walks out from a hearing during targeted detainment at a U.S. immigration court in the Manhattan borough of New York City in late October. OSV News photo/David ‘Dee’ Delgado, Reuters

Bishops seeking ‘meaningful reform’ of immigration laws

“We are troubled by threats against the sanctity of houses of worship and the special nature of hospitals and schools,” it continued. “We are grieved when we meet parents who fear being detained when taking their children to school and when we try to console family members who have already been separated from their loved ones. Despite obstacles and prejudices, generations of immigrants have made enormous contributions to the well-being of our nation.

“We as Catholic bishops love our country and pray for its peace and prosperity. For this very reason, we feel compelled now in this environment to raise our voices in defense of God-given human dignity.”

 The Church’s teaching “rests on the foundational concern for the human person ...”

The statement also refers to Catholic social teaching on immigration, which seeks to balance three interrelated principles: the right of persons to migrate in order to sustain themselves and their families; the right of a country to regulate its borders and immigration; and a nation’s duty to conduct that regulation with justice and mercy.

For example, Archbishop Henning told OSV News that “Catholic teaching doesn’t like chaos, because chaos often produces great injustice for the most vulnerable.”

“But it’s possible to go too far the other way too,” he said.

Catholic teaching “exhorts nations to recognize the fundamental dignity of all persons, including immigrants,” the statement said. “We bishops advocate for a meaningful reform of our nation’s immigration laws and procedures. Human dignity and national security are not in conflict.

A woman bows her head in prayer during a Nov. 13, 2025, prayer vigil and Eucharistic procession for immigrants outside of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office in Philadelphia. OSV

To download a copy of the U.S. Bishops’ message, visit www.usccb.org/ resources/special-pastoral-message-immigration-november-12-2025

“Both are possible if people of good will work together. We recognize that nations have a responsibility to regulate their borders and establish a just and orderly immigration system for the sake of the common good. Without such processes, immigrants face the risk of trafficking and other forms of exploitation. Safe and legal pathways serve as an antidote to such risks.”

The Church’s teaching, it noted, “rests on the foundational concern for the human person, as created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27).”

“As pastors, we look to Sacred Scripture and the example of the Lord Himself, where we find the wisdom of God’s compassion,” it continued. “The priority of the Lord, as the Prophets remind us, is for those who are most vulnerable: the widow, the orphan, the poor, and the stranger (Zachariah 7:10). In the Lord Jesus, we see the One who became poor for our sake (2 Corinthians 8:9), we see the Good Samaritan who lifts us from the dust (Luke 10:30–37), and we see the One who is found in the least of these (Matthew 25).

“The Church’s concern for neighbor and our concern here for immigrants is a

response to the Lord’s command to love as he has loved us (John 13:34),” it said. The message was approved by the vast majority of voting bishops and was met with a standing ovation. Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, newly elected president of the USCCB, spoke in favor of the statement from the floor, saying, “I’m strongly in support of it for the good of our immigrant brothers and sisters,” adding that the statement sought “balance” in “protecting the rights of immigrants, but also securing and calling upon our lawmakers and our administration to offer us a meaningful path of reform for our immigration system.”

According to a USCCB news release issued with the text of the statement, this “marked the first time” in 12 years the bishops’ conference “invoked this particularly urgent way of speaking as a body of bishops. The last one issued in 2013 was in response to the federal government’s contraceptive mandate.”

Details of the statement were a matter of some debate at the public session Nov. 12, with Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago suggesting the addition of language opposing “indiscriminate mass

Continued on 79

News photo/Gina Christian

Msgr. Sean P. Flynn remembered with love by family, friends following his death in Ireland

BY MARY STADNYK  Associate Editor and RAYANNE BENNETT  Associate Publisher

In early November, Msgr. Sean Patrick Flynn boarded a plane bound for his family home in Ireland. It was a trip he had made many times before, allowing him to be part of weddings, Baptisms and other key celebrations.

But this would be the last time to return home for the 75-year-old priest of the Diocese of Trenton, who had been battling serious illness. Just a few weeks after his arrival, Msgr. Flynn died, surrounded by his family and in the presence of the Lord whom Msgr. Flynn had served so faithfully for 50 years.

“[He] was always a great example of priestly zeal ...”

The long-time pastor of St. Mark Parish, Sea Girt, died Nov. 24 in Ireland’s Cavan General Hospital. Msgr. Flynn was remembered during three days of funeral services beginning with visitation in the home of his brother, Martin Flynn, in Drumslavog, Scotstown, Nov. 26 and concluding with a Mass of Christian Burial Nov. 28 in St. Mary Church, Urbleshanny.

BISHOPS’ COMMENDATIONS

Bishop Lawrence Duffy of the Diocese of Clogher in Ireland remembered his good friend and brother priest as a man with a deep faith and a great sense of generosity and support. And when things needed to be done, he was one of the first to volunteer, Bishop Duffy shared.

“For a priest to say the words of Christ” during the Consecration, when the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus, “we’re dealing with a wonderful mystery, a mystery that Sean engaged in daily,” said Bishop Duffy. “The Eucharist was the center of Father Sean’s life.”

prayerful condolences to the family and friends of Reverend Monsignor Sean Flynn at his recent passing.”

“Monsignor Flynn was a wonderful member of the presbyterate of the Diocese of Trenton and a great priest and pastor here for the past 50 years,” Bishop O’Connell wrote. “We all enjoyed his warmth, kindness, sense of humor and ‘Irish charm’ in the many pastoral assignments he faithfully served throughout the Diocese. Although he suffered from poor health in more recent months, Msgr. Flynn was always a great example of priestly zeal to his fellow priests and parishioners where he served.”

“. . . Please know that the clergy and faithful of the Diocese of Trenton will join you in prayer for his eternal rest,” wrote Bishop O’Connell.

HIS PRIESTLY JOURNEY

Continued on 75 

As part of his homily, Bishop Duffy read a letter from Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., who said, “I write on behalf of the clergy, religious and lay faithful of the Diocese of Trenton to express heartfelt sympathy and

As reported by The Monitor in prior coverage, Msgr. Flynn was born in September 1950 on a small farm in Monaghan, Ireland. He was in elementary school when he first thought about the priesthood. At that time, vocations were plentiful in Ireland, so he considered serving as a missionary priest in a foreign land. When an Irish priest from the Diocese of Trenton visited young Sean’s school, he turned his attention to the possibility of a priestly vocation in the central New Jersey diocese.

Msgr. Flynn studied for the priesthood in St. Patrick College, County Carlow, Ireland, and

Msgr. Sean P. Flynn speaks to the congregation in St. Mark Church, Sea Girt, during his June 25, 2023 retirement Mass. Mike Ehrmann photos

Parishioners of St. Mark, Sea Girt, congratulate Msgr. Flynn after his June 25, 2023 retirement Mass.

Clergy Appointment:

Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., has announced the following clergy appointment:

 Rev. Sudheesh Arogyadas, parochial vicar, Holy Apostles Parish, Colorado Springs, Colorado, to parochial vicar, St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish, Bradley Beach, effective Dec. 1, 2025. Father Arogyadas is a priest of the Latin Archdiocese of Trivandrum, India.

CATECHIST FORMATION DAY IN SPANISH JAN. 10

The diocesan Department of Catechesis will hold a catechist formation day in Spanish Jan. 10 from 9 a.m.-noon in St. Anthony of Padua Parish, 251 Franklin St., Hightstown.

The day’s theme is “Serve: Living Our Baptismal Call as Priest, Prophet & King” and presenter will be Oscar Cruz, associate director of adult faith formation and family catechesis for the Archdiocese of Newark.

Through his presentations, participants will explore how their Baptism calls them to share in Christ’s mission and what it means for them as catechists.

Fee is $10. To register, visit dioceseoftrenton.org/formacion-de-catequistas.

CORRECTION

In The Monitor’s special coverage of the Bishop’s Anniversary Blessings (November issue), Giovanna and Giacomo Alessi were listed with the incorrect parish. The Alessis, who are celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary, are members of Incarnation-St. James Parish, Ewing. The Monitor regrets the error.

Catechetical leaders focus on need to teach variety of learners during formation day

BY JESSICA DONOHUE  Correspondent

When it comes to faith formation, leaders in Catholic schools and parish religious education programs in the Diocese of Trenton share the same mission: to help children grow closer in relationship to Jesus.

On Nov. 21, principals and parish catechetical leaders, along with school religion coordinators and catechists, came together in the St. Catherine of Sienna Parish complex, Farmingdale, for a day focused on their own formation for this shared mission.

“When we look at how God teaches us, we can extract some principles for teaching others,” said Dr. Joseph White, presenter.

An author, professor, and nationally known and popular speaker on the subject of faith formation, Dr. White’s presentation, titled “Training in God’s Pedagogy: Nurturing the Learner’s Growth,” focused on how educators and catechists can look to Jesus’ example when seeking out new and effective ways of handing on the faith.

 “By coming together, we strengthen our vision for Catholic education ...”

Describing this way of teaching as “invitational and person-centered,” he explained that this perspective takes into consideration the unique needs of each individual by utilizing a multisensory approach, embracing the spectrum of multiple intelligences with which people understand and learn about the world around them.

Cecilia Chludzinski, religion coordinator and campus minister for St. Raphael School, Hamilton, was reminded

of “just how powerful multisensory learning can be; the more senses we invite into a lesson, the more deeply children connect with and retain what we teach.”

The value of experiencing the day together with colleagues from parochial schools and parishes was a common theme. Mariyam Francis, director of religious education in Our Lady of Sorrows-St. Anthony Parish, Hamilton, also appreciated the opportunity to gather with other leaders.

“By coming together,” Francis said, “we strengthen our vision for Catholic education and ensure that our students encounter Christ not only in religious lessons but in the life and culture of the entire school community and religious education community.”

“Catholic school leaders have much to gain from the experience and perspective of their counterparts in parish catechetical ministry,” Milecki said. “When these two groups collaborate, each is strengthened – and our students benefit most.”

Bonnie Milecki, assistant superintendent, welcomes attendees to the Nov. 21 formation day in St. Catherine of Sienna Parish, Farmingdale. Courtesy photo

Ministrare Non Ministrari

Honoring Our Lady: Guadalupe Torches complete their journey

Diocese unites in prayer as collected intentions head to the Basilica

in Mexico

On Oct. 25, the faithful gathered in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, to mark the beginning of the 2025 traveling torches in celebration of the Dec. 12 feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The 23 torches were displayed in parishes and schools within and beyond the four counties of the Diocese throughout the month of November.

Although the closing Mass in Lakewood was cancelled, all petitions collected from parishioners during the parish torch visits will be taken to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico for the feast day of St. Juan Diego and the second annual Guadalupe Torch Congress, Dec. 9.

Closing prayers to mark the end of the six-week Our Lady of Guadalupe Torches observance were recited in participating parishes across the Diocese on the Second Sunday of Advent.

Parishioners from St. Raphael–Holy Angels Parish, Hamilton add written petitions that will be carried to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico. The parish received the Empress Torch Nov. 15. Facebook photos

Father Walter Quiceno, parochial vicar of St. Mary Parish in Barnegat, gathers with parishioners around the Flower Torch following the Nov. 2 Mass.

Father John K. Butler, pastor, St. Michael Parish, Long Branch, blesses the petitions as the Tepeyac Torch arrives at Mother of Mercy Parish, Asbury Park Nov. 16. The torch had been hosted by St. Michael Parish the previous week.

Prayer to conclude the Procession of Torches 2025

Heavenly Father, We come before You at the close of this blessed procession of torches, united with other parishes of the Diocese of Trenton, carrying the light of faith that has guided our steps.

Through the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of the Americas, we thank You for the gift of her presence among us. She is our star of evangelization, our comfort in trials, and our mother who draws us ever closer to Your Son, Jesus Christ.

Lord, bless every parish that has joined in this pilgrimage of light. May the torches we carried be a symbol of the fire of Your love burning in our hearts, and may that flame never be extinguished.

Grant that, inspired by Our Lady’s tenderness and courage, we may continue to walk together as one family of faith—defending life, serving the poor, and proclaiming the Gospel with joy.

We entrust our diocese, our parish, our families, and our communities to the loving care of Our Lady of Guadalupe. May she wrap us in her mantle, protect us from harm, and lead us always to Christ.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.

Students from St. Joseph School, Toms River, welcomed the Star Torch Nov. 10. After learning about Our Lady of Guadalupe, the students led a schoolwide procession and prayed the Rosary.

Father Michael McClane, pastor of Holy Eucharist Parish, Tabernacle, welcomes the Tilma Torch Nov. 22 as it makes its final stop in the diocesan pilgrimage.

Program encourages Hispanic ministers to use God-given talents in service to Church

BY ANGELICA CHICAIZA  Correspondent

Every Catholic is called to use their God-given talents in service to others, particularly in ministry. That was the premise of a national formation program brought to the Diocese of Trenton for Hispanic ministers in mid-November.

The pastoral and liturgical formation program presented by Oregon Catholic Press was offered in response to requests from clergy for ministerial development of their community members, according to Jossie Ramos, diocesan coordinator of Hispanic initiatives. The formation day, titled “Called to Serve,” took place Nov. 15 in Our Lady of the Angels Parish, Trenton, and included specific talks for choirs, lectors and Eucharistic ministers. In all, the workshop drew 256 attendees who represented 11 of the Diocese’s 18 Hispanic Centers.

 “Some talents are very visible, and others are more discreet.”

“We are not the owners of absolutely anything in our lives; everything is entrusted to us by God. And with all the gifts we have, there is an expectation that we will manage them and share them according to a plan or a mission that he has for us,” said Koren Ruiz, director of Hispanic Initiatives

for Instituto OCP.

“Some talents are very visible, and others are more discreet. But sometimes those more discreet talents are used to do the most beautiful and good things for their owner,” Ruiz said in his keynote address.

Ramos explained that several priests spoke of the need for such a formation day during a discussion in 2024 on the National Plan for Hispanic Ministry.

“As a Diocese, we can offer solid formation that leaders can trust, and this is also an invitation for future leaders who want to serve but don’t know which ministry yet,” Ramos said.

Many of the participants were invited so that they could begin to serve a particular ministry in their parish.

Maria Avila from St. Anthony of Padua in Hightstown, who recently be-

St. Joseph Parish, Toms River, marks 20th anniversary of celebrating Spanish Mass. See TrentonMonitor.com for story.

gan serving as an extraordinary minister of Communion, shared her experience. She said at first, she was afraid and thought she wasn’t worthy to serve.

“I think the whole talk was very interesting, especially the commitment one makes not just in general, but commitment to God and others, serving with love and dedication,” she said after hearing speakers. “Always making time available for God.”

Martín Tavares, who serves in the music ministry of Jesus the Good Shepherd Parish, Beverly, said the training taught him to differentiate between liturgical moments and moments of praise.

“In the liturgy, we should be more solemn and reverent,” he said. “In praise, we can be more joyful. Understanding these differences is important so we can serve God properly in each moment.”

“There’s always a lot to learn,” he added. “In serving the Lord, we should do our best. The guidance we receive here helps us grow and improve . . . so we can give our best to God, who is the owner of everything.”

Koren Ruiz, director of Hispanic Initiatives for Instituto OCP, was the keynoter of a Nov. 15 formation day that focused on service to the Church. Hector Macario photos

Seeing everyone as a brother or sister is part of Christianity

BY CINDY WOODEN  Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY • Being a Christian means recognizing every person as a brother or sister and always being ready to lend a helping hand, Pope Leo XIV said.

“Brothers and sisters support each other in hardship, they do not turn their back on those who are in need, and they weep and rejoice together in the active pursuit of unity, trust and mutual reliance,” the Pope said Nov. 12 at his weekly general audience.

 “God’s saving love is for everyone, no exceptions.”

Continuing his series of audience talks on “Jesus our hope,” the Pope said he wanted to look specifically at Jesus’ command to his followers that they love one another.

Relationships support and enrich human life and make it possible to survive, grow and learn, he said. They are an antidote to “loneliness and even a narcissism that is concerned with others only out of self-interest.”

But even more, the Pope said, fraternity is “an essential feature of Christianity, which ever since the beginning has been the proclamation of the Good News destined for the salvation of all, never in an exclusive or private form.”

As sons and daughters of God, he said, it is clear that all people are brothers and sisters to each other.

In a world torn by war and division, he said, it is “more urgent today than ever, to reflect on the greeting with which St. Francis of Assisi addressed everyone, regardless of their geographical, cultural, religious and doctrinal origins: ‘omnes fratres’ (brothers and sisters all).”

St. Francis “placed all human beings on the same level, precisely because he recognized them in their common destiny of dignity, dialogue, welcome and salvation,” the Pope said.

Summarizing his talk in English, Pope Leo said that St. Francis of Assisi “knew that everyone has the same needs: to be respected, welcomed, heard and saved. Indeed,

this is the Good News and a core tenet of our Christian faith: God’s saving love is for everyone, no exceptions.”

Addressing Portuguese speakers, the Pope said Jesus calls his followers to live fraternity “through concrete gestures, words and actions.”

Christians, he added, are called to “a continual striving to outdo one another in mutual respect and reciprocal care.”

“May the Lord free us from all selfishness and division and renew us in hope that we may faithfully imitate his generous love for all people,” he prayed.

MORE FROM POPE LEO ON TRENTONMONITOR.COM:

 Mysticism is a spiritual gift that always bears good fruit

 Churches should be joyful places of sharing gift of faith

Pope Leo XIV receives an Italian children’s book about diabetes and a teddy bear named Lino, the star of the book, after his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Nov. 12, 2025. CNS photo/ Vatican Media

Bishop Checchio bids warm farewell to Diocese of Metuchen

Based on an article by CHRISTINA LESLIE 

Contributing Editor to The Catholic Spirit

Archbishop James F. Checchio smiled as he stood, gazing upon the congregation in the sanctuary of St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral in Metuchen.

“Mamma Mia, what a beautiful sight,” he said, taking in the Cathedral packed with people eager to bid farewell to the man who had been their bishop for more than nine years.

Archbishop Checchio, named coadjutor archbishop of New Orleans Sept. 24, began his formal ministry there with a Mass of Welcome Nov. 18. But before that, he celebrated with the people of the Metuchen Diocese, where he was installed as bishop in 2016.

“I would be perfectly happy to spend the rest of my life here, but it is not in God’s plan, hmm? I need your prayers in order to live God’s plan. That’s what the saints do, that’s what we all strive to do,” he said at the farewell Mass Nov. 1, the feast of All Saints.

FOLLOWING THE SAINTS

In his final homily to his diocesan family, Archbishop Checchio expressed his gratitude for their prayers and left them with words attributed to St. John Chrysostom: “When God calls, we must not resist, for the one who goes forth in obedience will find Christ in those before him.”

He said he had thought his decade as rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome “would probably be the highlight of my priesthood,” but leadership of the Metuchen Diocese, with more than half a million Catholics, proved to be inspiring and uplifting in a different way.

Injecting a bit of humor into his address, Archbishop Checchio reminded the congregation: “Today is the day that we are reminded each one of us is called to be a saint. For me, that has many meanings. There is a new saint I have to get used to. As a matter of fact, I just got a shirt on the way in here …” he said over the sound of laughter and applause, holding up a white football

jersey of the New Orleans Saints.

He shared a story from his early days as a priest, when he asked a South Jersey school’s youngest students, “Who are the saints?”

One boy “pointed up to the stained-glass windows and said, ‘The saints are the people in the windows that the light shines through.’ He was right on target. That is what you and I have to do, brothers and sisters: Let the light of Christ shine through us. That is how we build God’s kingdom on earth.”

“Keep on allowing the light of God to shine through you, stay close to the Lord in the Eucharist, and pray for me that, even 1,200 miles south of here, that same light of Christ is what I will strive to share,” the Archbishop said.

SPREADING THE WORD OF GOD

Spiritual leaders of the Diocese spoke on behalf of the people who held Archbishop Checchio close in their hearts.

Father Jay Toborowsky, the diocesan vicar general who since has been named the Metuchen Diocese’s administrator, until Pope Leo XIV names a new bishop, noted that the Archbishop had ordained 22 men and presided over nearly

 “Keep on allowing the light of God to shine through you.”

Coadjutor Archbishop Checchio smiles and waves to the congregants gathered for his farewell Mass in St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral, Metuchen. Mark Lee photo

1,000 Confirmation services during his time in the Diocese.

“From Carteret to Lambertville, from Blairstown to Monroe, you have brought the word of God into parish visits, carnivals, festivals and all kinds of events,” said Father Toborowsky. Chuckling, he continued, “Has there been a week in our diocese that social media has not shown you shaking hands of someone in a pew in some parish somewhere? Greeting people in front of a parish? Taking group shots? And this is besides that little job on the side: managing the Diocese of Metuchen … Thank God for you. Thank you, and we will pray for you.”

The Church needs quality Catholic journalism now more than ever.

Father Jonathan S. Toborowsky to serve as Diocese of Metuchen’s new Administrator

On Nov. 20, 2025, the Diocese of Metuchen’s College of Consultors, in fulfillment of the Code of Canon Law, elected its Vicar General, Father Jonathan S. Toborowsky, to serve as Diocesan Administrator until Pope Leo XIV names a new Bishop of Metuchen.

The transition follows the September appointment of Bishop James Checchio by Pope Leo as Coadjutor Archbishop of New Orleans. When Bishop Checchio was formally installed during a Mass in that See city’s St. Louis Cathedral Nov. 18, the Diocese of Metuchen became a Sede Vacante (Vacant See). The College of Consultors, an ecclesial advisory body that exists in every diocese/archdiocese, appointed to advise their bishop in various temporal and pastoral matters, then had eight days to gather and elect a priest to serve as Administrator. They held that election two days later.

in Basking Ridge, St. Mary in Alpha, St. Thomas in Old Bridge, St. Lawrence in Laurence Harbor, and Immaculate Conception in Annandale, and had served as Vicar General since 2022.

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Thank you for your support.

Father Toborowsky, a priest of the Diocese of Metuchen, was ordained to the priesthood in 1998. A native of Port Reading, he has served in the parishes of St. James

In a published column by The Catholic Spirit, Father Toborowsky asked the faithful for their prayers as he assumes this new role, and as they continue to pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance in the Holy Father’s selection of the next Bishop of Metuchen.

BISHOP EXTENDS PRAYERFUL BEST WISHES TO METUCHEN DIOCESE’S NEW ADMINISTRATOR

AA Message from BISHOP DAVID M. O’CONNELL, C.M.

s Bishop of the Diocese of Trenton, I extend the congratulations and prayerful good

wishes of the clergy, religious and faithful of the Diocese to Father Jonathan S. Toborowsky, vicar general of the Diocese of Metuchen, as he assumes the role and responsibilities of Administrator of the Diocese of Metuchen. May God bless your service.

Father Jonathan S. Toborowsky

Photo courtesy of St. Peter’s University Hospital

Bishop O’Connell issues decree on ethical, religious directives for Catholic health care

Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., issued a General Decree Nov. 19, 2025 establishing the Seventh Edition of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services as particular law in the Diocese of Trenton. The decree follows:

General Decree establishing the Seventh Edition of the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services as Particular Law in the Diocese of Trenton

Mindful of my responsibility as a di-

ocesan bishop to safeguard the integrity and unity of the truths of the faith, moral principles, and ecclesiastical discipline in the works of the apostolate pertaining to health care in the Diocese of Trenton (cf. canons 392, 394, 678, and 747)...

I, Most Reverend David M. O’Con-

QUARTERLY MEETING BRINGS NEW JERSEY BISHOPS TO LAWRENCEVILLE

New Jersey’s Catholic bishops gathered in the Diocese of Trenton Chancery, Lawrenceville, Dec. 2 for their quarterly meeting.

Shown, from left, are Auxiliary Bishops Pedro Bismarck Chau and Manuel Cruz, Archdiocese of Newark; Father Jonathan S. Toborowsky, administrator, Diocese of Metuchen; Auxiliary Bishop Elias R. Lorenzo, O.S.B., Archdiocese of Newark; Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, Diocese of Paterson; Bishop Kurt Burnette, Eparch of Passaic; Bishop Joseph A. Williams, Diocese of Camden; Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., Diocese of Trenton; Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archdiocese of Newark; Bishop Emeritus Gregory J. Studerus, Archdiocese of Newark, and Auxiliary Bishop Michael A. Saporito, Archdiocese of Newark. Rose O’Connor photo

nell, C.M. J.C.D., Bishop of Trenton, by the grace of God and the Apostolic See, hereby issue this General Decree in accord with Canon 29 establishing the Seventh Edition of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services as particular law in the Diocese of Trenton.

 “[It is my responsibility] to safeguard the integrity and unity of the truths of the faith....”

The Seventh Edition of the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services is to be promulgated in accord with Canon 8, §2 by publication of the text on the Internet Website for the Diocese of Trenton (www.DioceseofTrenton.org) and by delivering a copy of the same and a copy of this decree to the chief executive officer and the sponsors of all Catholic health care institutions located in the Diocese. The provisions of the Seventh Edition of the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services shall become effective and binding within the Diocese of Trenton on November 24, 2025, any particular legislation, directives, or institutions to the contrary notwithstanding.

Given at the Chancery this 19th day of November, 2025.

Most Reverend David M. O’Connell, C.M., J.C.D., Bishop of Trenton

Getty image

‘A Question of Faith’

Cardinal

Sarah, Peter Carter discuss music’s role in elevating liturgy

BY EMMALEE ITALIA  Contributing Editor

Sacred music is a liturgical vehicle for praising “as beautifully as we possibly can … for sacred music is not a nice addition to the liturgy. It is an essential component of it,” said Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah, former head of the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments.

Students of the Aquinas Institute, Princeton University’s Catholic campus ministry, and others from New Jersey

and beyond gathered on campus Nov. 22 to hear Cardinal Sarah speak on his newly released book, “The Song of the Lamb: Sacred Music and the Heavenly Liturgy,” which he co-authored with Peter Carter, Aquinas’ director of sacred music.

FROM CONVERSATION TO PRINT

The 80-year-old cardinal, who headed the worship congregation from 2014 to 2021, spoke of his personal experience of the state of liturgy around the globe. He then joined Carter for a conversation that included questions explored in their book and some submitted by audience members.

“Music is a way to speak to God without words,” Cardinal Sarah said. “Sometimes before God, we have no words, and we chant.”

During the Cardinal’s visit, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., welcomed him and shared lunch with him and attending clergy at St. Paul Parish, Princeton. The following day, the Cardinal celebrated Mass in the university chapel and led a procession with the Blessed Sacrament throughout the campus.

Carter said he approached the Cardinal in January 2023 with an idea: a conversation-style book interview on sacred music. Their mutual interest in music and liturgy came after Carter first met the Cardinal in 2017 at a liturgical conference in Milan.

“He had been encouraging in my work in sacred music,” Carter said. “I had interviewed him in 2019 for ‘Square Notes: The Sacred Music Podcast.’” Cardinal Sarah is a patron of Carter’s Catholic Sacred Music Project, which he founded in 2021 “to help train church musicians in their craft so that they might develop and use their artistic gifts for the praise of God and the good

Continued on 62

Cardinal Robert Sarah speaks Nov. 22 at Princeton University about the importance of sacred music in the beauty of the liturgy. The cardinal and Peter Carter, seated, also discussed the contents of their recently published book on sacred music. EmmaLee Italia photo

From left, Father Michael Hall, pastor, St. Gregory the Great Parish, Hamilton Square; Father Brian Woodrow, pastor, St. Dominic Parish, Brick; Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M.; Cardinal Sarah; Peter Carter, and Father Christopher Dayton, pastor, St. Paul Parish, Princeton, gather for a photo Nov. 23 in St. Paul Parish rectory. Staff photo

Unity, dialogue, respect: On first trip, Pope highlights paths to peace

BY CINDY WOODEN  Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY • Visiting two countries over six days on his first foreign papal trip, Pope Leo XIV preached unity, dialogue and respect for differences as the only paths to peace.

Spending time with Catholics, other Christian leaders and top Muslim clerics in Turkey Nov. 27-Nov. 30 and Lebanon Nov. 30-Dec. 2, the Pope made formal speeches about how believing in God as the father of all means recognizing one another as brothers and sisters.

But he also set aside time in a packed schedule for private talks, lunches and late evening meetings with the leaders.

 [The world] “is crying out for reconciliation.”

“The more we can promote authentic unity and understanding, respect and human relationships of friendship and dialogue in the world, the greater possibility there is that we will put aside the arms of war, that we will leave aside the distrust, the hatred, the animosity that has so often been built up and that we will find ways to come together and be able to promote authentic peace and justice throughout the world,” he told reporters flying back to Rome with him Dec. 2.

The three iconic moments of the trip were his prayer with top Christian leaders Nov. 28 at the site of the Council of Nicaea, his visit to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul Nov. 29 and his prayer Dec. 2 amid the rubble of the Beirut port explosion in 2020.

The whole trip was planned to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea and its drafting of the Creed that mainline Christian communities still recite today.

Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch

Bartholomew of Constantinople hosted the ecumenical prayer service and the common recitation of the Creed on a platform overlooking the ruins of a Christian basilica in Iznik, site of the ancient Nicaea, about 80 miles southeast of Istanbul.

With the Greek Orthodox patriarchs of Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem or their representatives and with representatives of other Orthodox, Anglican and Protestant Churches, Pope Leo said that at a time when humanity is “afflicted by violence and conflict,” the world “is crying out for reconciliation.”

“The desire for full communion among all believers in Jesus Christ is always accompanied by the search for fraternity among all human beings,” he said. “In the Nicene Creed, we profess our faith ‘in one God, the Father.’ Yet, it would not be possible to invoke God as Father if we refused to recognize as brothers and sisters all other men and women, who are created in the image of God.”

Pope Leo, like his two immediate predecessors, removed his shoes and entered the so-called Blue Mosque in Turkey’s capital; he spent about 20 minutes inside but did not appear to pause for prayer as Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis had done. Instead, he listened to Askin Musa Tunca, the mosque’s muezzin who calls people to prayer five times a day, explain the building, its construction and how Muslims pray. And the Pope asked questions.

The Vatican press office said afterward that Pope Leo visited the mosque “in a spirit of reflection and attentive listening, with deep respect for the place and for the faith of those who gather there in prayer.”

On his last morning in Beirut, he laid a wreath, lighted a candle and prayed silently at a memorial to the more than 200 people killed when improperly stored chemicals exploded at the port; the blast also injured some 7,000 people

MORE STORIES AT TRENTONMONITOR.COM:

Pope Leo is first pontiff to go to St. Charbel’s tomb; visit is source of ‘great joy’ for Lebanon

A little leaven can do great things, Pope tells Turkey’s Catholics

Pope visits famous Istanbul mosque but does not pause to pray

Pope gives Catholics in Turkey Advent ‘resolutions’ – building bridges

Pope: Christians should work on joint Jubilee in Jerusalem in 2033

and left an estimated 300,000 people without homes.

Standing amid mountains of rubble, piles of burnt-out cars and heaps of tattered clothing and cloth, the Pope was joined by family members of those killed and by people still bearing the scars of injuries they suffered that day. A young woman, crying, asked Pope Leo for a hug, which the Pope gave, then put his hand on her head and blessed her.

At Mass afterward, he said, “I prayed for all the victims, and I carry with me the pain, and the thirst for truth and justice, of so many families, of an entire country.”

And after Mass, before heading to the airport, he told the people, “During these days of my first apostolic journey, undertaken during this Jubilee Year, I wanted to come as a pilgrim of hope to the Middle East, imploring God for the gift of peace for this beloved land, marked by instability, wars and suffering.”

Even when it seems peace is far off, Pope Leo said, “I invite you to lift your gaze to the Lord who is coming! Let us look to him with hope and courage, inviting everyone to set out on the path of coexistence, fraternity and peace. Be artisans of peace, heralds of peace, witnesses of peace!”

Pope Leo XIV gives his homily during Mass in Beirut Dec. 2, 2025, the final day of his first apostolic journey. CNS photo/Lola Gomez

perform a musical number for Pope Leo

welcome ceremony with Lebanese

Nov.

visits the

Nov.

Pope Leo XIV greets the faithful as he walks after presiding over Mass at Istanbul’s Volkswagen Arena Nov.29, 2025. OSV News photo/Umit Bektas, Reuters

Pope Leo XIV processes alongside Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew following an ecumenical prayer service in Iznik, Turkey, Nov. 28, 2025. The ceremony commemorated the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. CNS photo/Lola Gomez

Pope Leo XIV

Sultanahmet Mosque, known as the Blue Mosque, during his first apostolic journey, in Istanbul, Turkey,

29, 2025. OSV News/Yara Nardi, Reuters

Children

XIV during a

President Joseph Aoun at the presidential palace in Beirut

30, 2025. CNS photo/Lola Gomez

Bishops will consecrate U.S. to Sacred Heart of Jesus for 250th anniversary of its founding

BY GINA CHRISTIAN  OSV News

BALTIMORE • As the U.S. marks its 250th anniversary next year, the U.S. bishops will consecrate the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The decision was taken during a Nov. 11 session of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ fall plenary assembly in Baltimore.

Ahead of the vote, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, chair of the USCCB’s Committee for Religious Liberty, said the consecration would take place at the USCCB’s spring assembly in June 2026, which concludes on the solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

 “Consecration [is] a way to recognize the kingship of Christ.”

“To help Catholics prepare for the consecration, we would develop prayer resources, including a novena that will lead up to the solemnity of the Sacred Heart,” said Bishop Rhoades.

Devotion to the Sacred of Heart of Jesus, which traces its roots to at least the second century, grew during the Middle Ages and was later extended to the universal Church following Christ’s revelations of his Sacred Heart to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a 17th-century French woman religious.

Bishop Rhoades said USCCB staff are assembling resources for “dioceses, parishes and other groups to engage Catholics” during the 250th anniversary of the July 4, 1776, signing of the Declaration of Independence, through which the 13 American colonies formally separated themselves from Britain.

Bishops from around the country gather at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore Nov. 10, 2025, for the opening Mass of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ fall plenary assembly. Shown among the concelebrants (left side of aisle) are Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., and diocesan priests Father Christopher Dayton and Father Jean Felicien. OSV News photo/Kevin J. Parks, Catholic Review

In preparation, a diocese might for example “invite the faithful to participate in 250 hours of adoration, or 250 works of mercy,” said Bishop Rhoades.

He pointed to the tradition behind, and aim of, such a consecration.

“One hundred years ago, in 1925, in his encyclical instituting the feast of Christ the King, Pope Pius XI  –drawing on the teaching of Pope Leo XIII  – referred to the pious custom of consecrating oneself, families and even nations to the Sacred Heart of Jesus as a way to recognize the kingship of Christ,” said Bishop Rhoades.

Through his final encyclical, “Dilexit Nos” (“He Loved Us”), Pope Francis “brought devotion to the Sacred Heart to the forefront of Catholic life as the ultimate symbol of both human and divine love, calling it a wellspring of peace and unity,” said Bishop Rhoades.

Pope Francis “wrote of how the Sacred Heart teaches us to build up in this world God’s kingdom of love and justice,” Bishop Rhoades said.

Pope Leo XIV, writing in his first apostolic exhortation, “Dilexi Te” (“I Have Loved You”), carried forward his predecessor’s teaching, inviting the faithful “to contemplate Christ’s love, the love that moves us to mission in our suffering world today.”

“To entrust our nation to the love and care of the Sacred Heart of Jesus as we celebrate its 250th anniversary is an opportunity to promote the beautiful devotion to the Sacred Heart among our people  – and also to remind everyone of our task to serve our nation by perfecting the temporal order with the spirit of the Gospel, as taught by the Second Vatican Council,” said Bishop Rhoades.

Prelates attend a Nov. 11, 2025, session of the fall general assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Baltimore. OSV

Archbishop Coakley, Bishop Flores elected president and vice president of USCCB

BY OSV NEWS

BALTIMORE • Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City and Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville, Texas, were elected Nov. 11 as president and vice president, respectively, of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The 2025 elections were notable because they marked the first leadership change at the conference since Pope Leo XIV, the U.S.-born pontiff, began his pontificate in May.

Archbishop Coakley, 70, has led the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City since 2011. He was born to John and Mary Coakley

in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1955, but the family moved to Kansas 10 years later. He began seminary studies for the Diocese of Wichita in 1978. He has been serving as the USCCB’s secretary.

Bishop Flores, 64, was born to Fernando Javier Flores and Lydia Dilley Flores in 1961 in Palacios, Texas.

Archbishop Coakley was elected president on the third round of voting, and Bishop Flores on the first round for the vice presidential election. He entered Holy Trinity Seminary, an institution associated with the University of Dallas, in 1981. He has led the Brownsville Diocese since 2010.

The new president and vice president succeed the current USCCB president and vice president, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services and Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, who will complete their terms at the end of the plenary assembly.

LOOK FOR THESE ADDITIONAL STORIES FROM THE U.S. BISHOPS’ FALL PLENARY SESSION ON TRENTONMONITOR.COM.

 Bishops approve new National Eucharistic Congress for summer 2029

 New English version of Bible to be called The Catholic American Bible

 USCCB president warns against partisanship; nuncio urges bishops to follow Pope’s ‘maps of hope’

 Unity in teaching, mission and concern for immigrants resound at bishops’ fall assembly

 U.S. bishops name head of racial justice committee

News photo/Bob Roller

Bishop O’Connell greets Archbishop Coakley, the newly appointed president of the USCCB. Staff photo

PAPAL COMMISSION VOTES AGAINST ORDAINING WOMEN DEACONS

VATICAN CITY • A commission set up by Pope Francis to study women deacons has voted against the possibility of ordaining women deacons while also supporting more study on the issue. It also expressed hope that women’s access to other ministries would be expanded. Pope Francis established the “Study Commission on the Female Diaconate” in 2020 as a follow-up to a previous group that studied the history of women deacons in the New Testament and the early Christian communities. The Vatican published the synthesis, including the results of votes the commission members took on eight different statements or “theses.”

One proposition that showed members split exactly down the middle was: “The masculinity of Christ, and therefore the masculinity of those who receive Holy Orders, is not accidental but is an integral part of sacramental identity, preserving the divine order of salvation in Christ. To alter this reality would not be a simple adjustment of ministry but a rupture of the nuptial meaning of salvation.”

When this statement was put to a vote among 10 members in February, it received five votes in favor, confirming its current form, while the other five members voted to remove it. A statement that received six votes against, two for and two abstaining was: “The undersigned is

in favor of the institution in the Church of the female diaconate as understood as the third degree of holy orders.”

–Catholic News Service

MARRIAGE IS AN EXCLUSIVE UNION REQUIRING ‘TENDER CARE,’ VATICAN SAYS

VATICAN CITY • The foundation of sacramental marriage is the unity of the spouses, a bond so intense and grace-filled that it is exclusive and indissoluble, said a document from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.

The document, “’Una Caro’ (One Flesh): In Praise of Monogamy. Doctrinal Note on the Value of Marriage as an Exclusive Union and Mutual Belonging,” was released only in Italian by the Vatican Nov. 25. Pope Leo XIV approved its contents Nov. 21 and authorized its publication.

“Although each marital union is a unique reality, embodied within human limitations, every authentic marriage is a unity composed of two individuals, requiring a relationship so intimate and all-encompassing that it cannot be shared with others,” the document said.

Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the doctrinal dicastery, wrote in the document’s introduction that the dicastery wanted to draw from Scripture, theology, philosophy and “even poetry” to explain why it is best to choose “a unique and exclusive union of love, a reciprocal belonging that is rich and all-embracing.”

–Catholic News Service

SACRED MUSIC

Continued from 57

of the Church.”

The book combines many topics regarding liturgy and sung praise, and the Church’s teaching on both.

Preservation and Renewal

Cardinal Sarah told the audience: “For some decades now, the Church has been [facing] a serious crisis in respect of her liturgy.”

“We must both seek to be ever more faithful to the intentions of the fathers of the Second Vatican Council in respect of the reform of the liturgy,” Cardinal Sarah said. “What earlier generations held as sacred remains sacred and great for us, too.”

Pointing to his African heritage and the centrality of music in his culture, he shared that French missionaries in his Guinean village introduced him to the faith – and a new type of music.

“We were proud to learn and to pray in the way that Catholics had sung and prayed for centuries all over the world,” he said. “Singing this chant was – and is – a beautiful expression of our catholicity.”

That catholicity, the Cardinal said, can be expressed despite not knowing the language. Ancient hymns in Latin, for example, can promote unity by their recognition across cultures and geographic boundaries.

“We sometimes insist on intellect – but the heart can understand what intellect cannot.” Cardinal Sarah said. Understanding, while important, “is not sufficient; we must believe … I understand the words, but the miracle [of the consecration] – it’s a question of faith.”

Pope Leo XIV blesses a newlywed couple at the end of his general audience Aug. 6, 2025, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. CNS photo/Vatican Media

Father Richard Osborn, pastor of St. Catherine Laboure Parish, Middletown, was among the attendees who came from throughout the region to hear the Cardinal speak. Father Osborn shared his belief that “the quality and type of music within the liturgy can either make or break it in the sense of people’s ability to really be open and experience the presence of God.”

He pointed to sacred music as something that, like a work of art, “is meant to be beautiful and dispose us to God … because God is present in beauty.”

youth kneels in worship facing toward the Blessed Sacrament in a monstrance on an altar in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Nov. 21, 2025, during Eucharistic adoration at the National Catholic Youth Conference. OSV

NCYC

Continued from 38

words are spirit and life. They challenge us to grow. They invite us into communion with him and with each other.”

Among the many speakers who addressed the NCYC crowd of 16,000 was Nolan McCracken, a senior at Cathedral High School in Indianapolis, who tied thanking God, his mother, his sister, his grandmother and his friends to the three laws of motion of Sir Isaac Newton, a 17th-century mathematician and physicist.

“My journey with God so far can be understood by using Newton’s three laws of motion,” Nolan said: “an object at rest will remain at rest unless acted upon by an external force”; “force equals mass times acceleration”; and for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.”

In middle school and his freshman year of high school, he was “an object at rest – not physically or mentally, but spiritually,” because he was focused on grades.

He switched to Cathedral High School for his sophomore year, where his “acceleration” was to increase his success, he said, letting go of “ friends, family and a relationship with a God whose face I no longer recognized.”

But then he began to attend Church with his mom and sister and also found that at every allschool Mass he “could be a part of a community, a part of a collective witness to love.”

During a junior retreat that Cathedral held at the University of Notre Dame in northern Indiana, “I became open to hearing about the external force God had in their lives, I began to see that I could rely on God.” In accepting, “God’s loving and powerful external force,” Nolan saw Newton’s third law of motion come into play in his life.

Sean Gallagher is a reporter and columnist at The Criterion, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. Contributing to this story were reporter Natalie Hoefer and assistant editor John Shaughnessy. This story was originally published by The Criterion and distributed through a partnership with OSV News.

A

News photo/Natalie Hoefer, The Criterion

Rescuers evacuate children from a kindergarten hit by a Russian drone strike in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Oct. 22, 2025. Metropolitan Archbishop Borys A. Gudziak of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia spoke out after Russian forces struck the kindergarten in Ukraine’s second largest city. OSV News photo/Press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine via Reuters

HOLY SEE AT UN CALLS FOR END TO RUSSIA’S WAR IN UKRAINE ‘RIGHT NOW’

NEW YORK • The Holy See’s diplomatic mission to the United Nations called for an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine – initiated in 2014, and accelerated in 2022 – “not at some undefined moment in the future, but right now.”

Msgr. Robert Murphy, chargé d’affaires of the Holy See’s U.N. permanent observer mission, spoke at a Dec. 3 emergency session of the international assembly. “Nothing is lost with peace. Everything can be lost with war,” he said, quoting a 1939 radio message by Pope Pius XII ahead of European invasions by Germany and the Soviet Union that launched the Second World War. Msgr. Murphy pointed to Russia’s “protracted war in Ukraine,” initiated in 2014 and accelerated in 2022, “with its profound and painful consequences.”

The war – declared a genocide in two joint reports from the New Lines Institute and the Raoul Wallenberg Center for Human Rights – “has resulted in the devastation of once-vibrant cities and the disruption of the lives of children, who should be growing up in a peaceful environment, not one afflicted by conflicts,” said Msgr. Murphy.

The emergency U.N. session also included the passage of a resolution demanding the safe return of thousands of abducted Ukrainian children, who have systematically been deported by Russia since 2014.

MILITARY ARCHBISHOP URGES RESPECT FOR RULE OF LAW

AFTER FOLLOW-UP STRIKE ON ALLEGED DRUG BOAT

WASHINGTON • The head of the U.S. military archdiocese Dec. 3 urged respect for the human person and the rule of law amid new questions about the legality of a deadly U.S. military attack on a boat in the Caribbean on Sept. 2. The Trump administration has carried out multiple deadly strikes on what it alleged were suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean in what it said was an effort to combat drug trafficking into the U.S. One of those strikes has come under newfound scrutiny after an alleged order to leave no survivors and a second strike to carry it out.

Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services said in a statement, “In the fight against drugs, the end never justifies the means, which must be moral, in accord with the principles of the just war theory, and always respectful of the dignity of each human person.”

“No one can ever be ordered to commit an immoral act, and even those suspected of committing a crime are entitled to due process under the law,” he said. “As the moral principle forbidding the intentional killing of noncombatants is inviolable, it would be an illegal and immoral order to kill deliberately survivors on a vessel who pose no immediate lethal threat to our armed forces.”

RECORD NUMBERS OF WOMEN ARE VISITING PREGNANCY CENTERS, STUDY SHOWS

WASHINGTON • In 2024, pregnancy centers saw more new clients, provided more medical care and distributed more material goods than ever before, according to a new report from the Charlotte Lozier Institute. Between free medical care, education services such as childbirth classes, and items such as diapers, baby clothes and car seats, pregnancy centers provided an estimated $452 million to families in need. Centers also are increasingly upping the number of services they offer, including abortion pill reversals, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, or STIs, childbirth classes and after-abortion support.

“As permissive abortion policies continue to deprioritize women’s health, CLI’s results demonstrate that pregnancy centers found in communities across the country stand ready to provide focused, quality, wide-ranging, life-affirming care,” said Moira Gaul, a Charlotte Lozier Institute associate scholar and the project manager of the report.

Since the original national study was published in 2017, new clients have steadily increased from 883,700 in 2017 to now over 1 million; the number of pregnancy center locations has increased from 2,600 in 2017 to 2,775 in 2024; and the number of ultrasound exams performed went from 400,100 in 2017 to 636,000 in 2024, a 60% increase.

–Source: OSV News

A pregnant pro-life demonstrator is pictured in a file photo outside the Supreme Court in Washington. OSV News photo/Kevin Lamarque, Reuters

Pope Leo XIV’s childhood home in Dolton, Ill., a suburb of Chicago, is pictured May 9, 2025. Dolton’s board of trustees on Dec. 1 approved a motion to officially declare the house a historic landmark. OSV News photo/ Carlos Osorio, Reuters

POPE LEO’S CHILDHOOD HOME IN CHICAGO SUBURB NOW A HISTORIC LANDMARK

DOLTON, Ill. • Pope Leo XIV’s childhood home just outside of Chicago has been declared a historic landmark. The village of Dolton’s board of trustees approved a motion for the designation during a regular meeting Dec. 1 that began with a recitation of the Lord’s Prayer.

Mayor Jason House described the property as one of the “most culturally and spiritually significant locations in the United States,” according to ABC-7 Chicago.

The modest, one-story brick residence, located at 212 E. 141st Pl., was purchased by the village’s board in July for $375,000, an amount that included all applicable realtor and auction fees. Weeks after the election of the first U.S.-born pope, the board had moved to acquire the 75-year-old home where the former Robert Prevost and his family lived until 1969. The site immediately became a tourist attraction and even a place of pilgrimage after Pope Leo’s papal election.

Speaking during the board meeting ahead of the vote, House said the move represented “a very big moment for residents” of the village, noting the “target timeline” for developing the site is spring 2027 – but adding, “Hopefully it’s faster.”

USCCB’S RACIAL JUSTICE CHAIR

DISCOURAGES

‘DEHUMANIZING LANGUAGE’ AFTER SOMALI COMMENTS

WASHINGTON • The chair of the U.S. bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation Dec 5. praised “the rich gifts that neighbors from diverse cultures bring to our communities.”

While Bishop Garcia’s statement did not name President Donald Trump, it came after the President took aim at Somali immigrants during comments at a Cabinet meeting at the White House on Dec. 2, calling them “garbage.” President Trump’s comments sparked controversy and were met with criticism by those who argued the language was dehumanizing or that his use of a vulgar term was unbecoming for a president, but were met with praise by some of his allies who support his hardline immigration policies.

In his statement, Bishop Daniel E. Garcia of Austin, Texas said,

“As Catholics, we believe that every person is beloved by God and created in his image. Each child of God has value and dignity.”

“Language that denigrates a person or community based on his or her ethnicity or country of origin is incompatible with this truth,” he continued. “I call on all – public officials, community leaders and individuals – to refrain from denigrating and dehumanizing language. May we recognize the rich gifts that neighbors from diverse cultures bring to our communities.”

The faithful gather with Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis and other clergy in front of the main doors to Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis Dec. 6, 2025. OSV News photo/Joe Ruff, The Catholic Spirit

THREE MONTHS AFTER FATAL SHOOTING, MINNEAPOLIS CHURCH IS RESTORED FOR WORSHIP

MINNEAPOLIS • On a cold, wintery day, with the congregation gathered around Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis and other clergy leaders outside the main doors of Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, a Rite of Reparation After the Desecration of a Church began Dec. 6 that restored the space for worship.

The special Mass was held more than three months after an Aug. 27 shooting during an all-school Mass killed two students – 8-yearold Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski – and injured 18 students and three adults. The suspected shooter died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the scene, police said.

Accompanied by chanting of the Litany of the Saints, servers entered the church carrying incense, the cross and candles, followed by the bishops, vested in purple, deacons, and priests of the archdiocese in white vestments, other liturgical ministers and all the assembly.

The parish asked that the media not be allowed inside for the Mass. Materials prepared for the rite said that Archbishop Hebda and Father Dennis Zehren, pastor of Annunciation, sprinkled the altar and sanctuary, the church walls and the congregation with the holy water. After the readings and Archbishop Hebda’s homily, the altar was prepared for the celebration of the Eucharist, and the Mass proceeded. – Reports by OSV News

‘God Is With Us’

THE WORD

Father Garry Koch

DEC.

7

 THE CHURCH IS AT HOME IN THE WILDERNESS

Is 11: 1-10; Rom 15: 4-9; Mt 3: 1-12

The prophet Isaiah has a great vision of the entire world converging upon the city of Jerusalem to encounter the living God. In the framework of the restoration of the Jewish people after the Babylonian Captivity, his image lived on in the imagination of Matthew as he placed John the Baptizer into a theological context. Instead of making a path in the wilderness, though, Matthew sees John as a voice in the wilderness preparing the way for the Lord. This is a reminder to us that it is always in the wilderness that the Church finds its truest home and fulfills its mission.

DEC. 14  THE WORK OF THE CHURCH CONTINUES THE MINISTRY

OF JESUS

Is 35: 1-6A; Jas 5: 7-10; Mt 11: 2-11

John the Baptizer sent two disciples to Jesus to ask him if he is the “one who

is to come” or whether they should “wait for another.” Jesus responds by citing the prophet Isaiah: “the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.” Now as the work of Christ through the Church continues to transform lives, the skeptics still ask the same question, though they find this answer less compelling. We have become so used to the miraculous that we take it for granted.

DEC. 21  THE EUCHARIST IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE INCARNATION

Is 7: 10-14; Rom 1: 1-7; Mt 1: 18-24

While we often focus on the redemptive ministry of Jesus accomplished through the Cross, the message of Joseph’s dream points us towards the Incarnation. The Isaiah prophecy cited by Matthew does not focus on redemption but rather emphasizes the presence of Emmanuel – “God is with us.” This is the great mystery and gift of

the Incarnation – that God is truly with us. No longer can God be experienced solely in abstract or distant ways, rather God is made known in the person of Jesus and even now, in the Eucharistic miracle that flows from the Incarnation.

DEC. 28  JESUS IS THE MANIFESTATION OF ISRAEL

Sir 3: 2-6, 12-14; Col 3: 12-21; Mt 2: 13-15

Just as Israel was called out of bondage in Egypt by God, the “true Son” (Jesus) is called out of Egypt, prefiguring a “greater exodus” from sin and death. Jesus relives the experience of his people, succeeding where Israel failed. He goes into Egypt, comes out, is tempted in the wilderness, and gives the new law, embodying and completing the story of Israel. Egypt serves as a paradox: a place of slavery in the Old Testament, but a sanctuary and safe haven in the New Testament narrative, where the family finds protection from Herod’s wrath.  Father Garry Koch is pastor of St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel.

 To read extended versions of Father Koch’s columns, visit TRENTONMONITOR.COM>FAITH & CULTURE>YOUR FAITH

Freepik image

Mary’s journeys teach us to embrace ‘the day before’

Through all the years of moving through the Advent season toward Christmas I have thought often of Mary’s journeys from the time of the Annunciation. Those moments of reflection have taught me something extraordinary.

THINGS MY FATHER TAUGHT ME

Mary Morrell

There is something quietly powerful about the day before – before the arrival, before the change, before the celebration, before the moment that will reshape us in small or significant ways.

It is a time we often overlook, rushing toward what tomorrow promises. Yet the day before carries its own kind of wisdom, inviting us to slow down and notice the subtle tension between anticipation and presence. I believe that is how Mary lived the day before, as she planned to visit her cousin Elizabeth; as she, accompanied by Joseph, took the long and arduous journey to Bethlehem in the days before the Birth of Jesus; as she embarked on a journey to Egypt with Joseph and Jesus hoping to arrive safely at a place of refuge.

 The day before ... is a moment suspended between familiarity and the unknown.

Like the Holy Family, in the day before, we stand at the edge of what we know and what we hope for. It is a moment suspended between familiarity and the unknown. Instead of resisting this uncertainty, embracing it allows us to grow more comfortable with life’s unpredictability. It teaches us that not every part of life can be planned or perfected, and that sometimes our greatest strength lies in simply showing up with openness, showing up with faith in God.

This in-between time also reminds us to appreciate how far we’ve come. I imagine Mary and Joseph stopping to rest along the roads they traveled, offering prayers to God for the moments and the grace that moved them forward, step-by-step, and after Jesus’ Birth, for the incredible gift of their child.

Every milestone is built on countless small steps – efforts that were once invisible or uncelebrated. The day before gives us a chance to recognize that quiet progress, to honor the work, patience and resilience that brought us here, and the work of God who makes all things possible.

There is beauty in these thresholds. They offer moments to breathe, to reflect, and to gather ourselves before moving for-

ward. They encourage us to feel our emotions fully – excitement, fear, hope – without judgment. In doing so, we learn to meet what’s ahead with faith instead of fear.

As we travel toward Christmas, it’s good to remember that embracing the day before is to respect the journey as much as the destination. It is to acknowledge that meaning doesn’t arrive only with the event itself, but also with the preparation, the waiting, and the intentional pause that gives tomorrow its weight.

When we learn to embrace the day before, we discover that the moments before change are not empty – they are essential. They are where we find our grounding, our gratitude, and the quiet courage to face whatever comes next. As they proved for Mary and Joseph, they are moments when we learn the truth of Scripture: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Mary Morrell is editor-in-chief of The Catholic Spirit, the Metuchen Diocesan newspaper.

By Henry Ossawa Tanner, Flight into Egypt, Metropolitan Museum of Art, online collection. Public domain

Why does the Church still have indulgences?

Q. From what I learned in history class, indulgences caused major issues for the Church in the 16th century and was one of the main reasons why the Protestant Reformation happened. If indulgences were that much of a problem, then why does the Church still have them?

A. I think a traditional Latin maxim applies here: “abusus non tollit usum,” or “abuse does not take away the proper use.” Or, in other words, just because a thing may have been abused in the past or may have the potential to be misused, it does not logically follow that the very same thing can never have its legitimate uses.

For some background, indulgences are a special favor granted by the Church on the occasion of completing some pious work – like saying a certain prayer or visiting a particular shrine, etc. – which brings about “remission in the sight of God of the temporal punishment due for sins, the guilt of which has already been forgiven” (See Canon 992 of the Code of Canon Law).

This means that a person’s soul is eased in their sufferings in purgatory or, in the case of a plenary indulgence, a soul is freed from purgatory. A faithful Catholic may earn an indulgence for themselves, or they may apply it to a person who has already died.

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QUESTION CORNER Jenna Marie Cooper

The causes of the Protestant Reformation are complicated, involving various social, political and religious influences. But relevant to our discussion here, although historians debate some of the details, the general story is that in the 1500s money was being collected for indulgences, in part to fund the construction of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

In theory it was possible to defend this as the indulgence being attached to the pious work of almsgiving, but in practice the promotion of indulgences in this way took on a dangerously commercial tone.

The then-Catholic monk Martin Luther was scandalized by what he saw as the sale of indulgences, and famously criticized the practice in his “95 theses.” Yet even if indulgences were used badly at previous points of history, when understood properly they still have value for the Church even today. And in fact, indulgences are tied in to many key Catholic doctrines such as the nature of purgatory and the communion of saints.

 Indulgences ... still have value for the Church even today.

We believe that purgatory is a state a soul enters after death when that soul is ultimately destined for heaven but is not yet prepared to enter into the full presence of God. The so-called “temporal punishment due to sin” that happens in purgatory is not so much “punishment” as it is a process of purification and the healing of spiritual wounds, which even repented and forgiven sins can leave behind.

Those of us still on earth can actively strive for a deeper sense of conversion and detachment from sin, but the souls in purgatory can no longer help themselves in this way and are dependent on our prayers and penances. But because many of the saints were holy beyond what was needed for their own salvation, the Church sees their “extra” holiness as being “stored up” in what we call the Church’s treasury of grace.

Because Jesus gave the Church, through St. Peter, the power to “bind and loose” spiritual things in both earth and heaven, (Mt 16:19) the Church is able to apply this “stored up” grace to souls more in need. This distribution of grace is what happens when an indulgence is granted. See Paragraphs 1471-1479 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for a fuller explanation.

However, indulgences can only be earned, never sold; and today the Church avoids any association of indulgences with the exchange of money.

Jenna Marie Cooper, who holds a licentiate in canon law, is a consecrated virgin and a canonist whose column appears weekly at OSV News. Send your questions to CatholicQA@osv.com.

Choosing the better part: Prioritizing what really matters this Christmas

BY KERRY WYROVSKY  Special Contributor

Let’s be honest. December can be exhausting. It’s the time of year when we find ourselves juggling our already busy lives with a whirlwind of never-ending lists, social obligations and the pressure to make the Christmas season picture-perfect. By the time Dec. 25 arrives, we’re often too drained to truly enjoy it. Amid all the hustle and bustle, it’s important that we do not lose sight of the true reason for the season.

In Luke 10:38-42, we are introduced to two sisters who could easily live in our modern world. Martha welcomes Jesus into her home but quickly becomes overwhelmed by all the chores that need to be done. Mary, on the other hand, simply sits at Jesus’ feet and listens. When Martha complains, Jesus gently reminds her that “Mary has chosen the better part.”

 Advent isn’t a race to Christmas.

AT

FA I T H HOM E

Making Faith Come Alive for Your Family

Luke 1: 28-38

F E

That’s not to say Martha was doing anything wrong. Her service was good, and it was necessary. But in her haste to get things done, she lost sight of what mattered most. Like Martha, we can become so busy preparing our homes for Christmas that we forget to prepare our hearts for the arrival of the guest of honor – Jesus.

CA SA

 When you’re decorating your home… Take a moment to pray as you place each piece of the Nativity set. Leave the manger empty until Christmas morning to help your children experience the anticipation of Jesus’ arrival. When they wake up, have them prayerfully place Jesus in the manger before opening gifts.

Haciendo que la fe se mantenga viva en tu familia EN

According to Busted Halo, “If you’re sick of Christmas by December 25, you haven’t done Advent correctly.” Their video, “Advent in 2 Minutes,” (bustedhalo.com/video/watch-adventtwo-minutes) reminds us that Advent isn’t a race to Christmas. Rather, it’s a sacred season of joyful anticipation, preparation and hope. Advent invites us to focus not just on doing, like Martha, but also on being with Jesus, like Mary.

SOME SIMPLE WAYS FAMILIES CAN MAKE THE WEEKS LEADING UP TO CHRISTMAS MORE MEANINGFUL:

 When you’re Christmas shopping… Buy an extra gift for a local toy drive, parish giving tree or family in need.

 When you’re writing Christmas cards… Have your family make or sign a few extra to send to nursing homes, hospitals or military men and women serving overseas.

 When you’re baking holiday treats… Double the recipe and deliver cookies or bread to a neighbor, parish staff or local charity.

 When you’re wrapping gifts… Pray for the person who will receive each one. Talk as a family about the importance of giving and the joy of generosity.

 When you’re counting down the days to Christmas… Use an Advent calendar that focuses on daily acts of kindness or prayer instead of candy. Read from the Gospel of Luke in the days leading up to Christmas to help your family better understand the importance of the day.

These simple activities help us shift our focus from getting things done to sharing Christ’s love. As parents, it’s easy to feel like Martha during the Christmas season, pulled in a million different directions, trying to make everything perfect for our families. But Jesus gently reminds us, as He reminded Martha “only one thing is necessary.”

Like Mary, we are called to pause and choose what matters most. Advent is not about doing more; it’s about doing what we already do with greater intention, love, and faith. That’s the greatest gift you can give yourself and those around you. Merry Christmas and God bless!

Kerry Wyrovsky is the religion coordinator in St. Leo the Great School, Lincroft.

Father Wharff urges players to ‘be honest with your talent’ at CYO opening-day Mass

BY RICH FISHER 

Contributing Editor

Father Arian Wharff made two requests of the young athletes who attended the 73rd annual Basketball and Cheerleading Opening Day Mass.

First, he asked that they each think about their specific talent. Second, he urged them to remember that the talent God has given them “is important.”

“If you are honest with your talent and your gift, you are on the right path to being a saint,” Father Wharff, parochial vicar of St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Hightstown, said during the Mass he celebrated Nov. 8 at the CYO site in Yardville.

“Use your talent to be good,” Father Wharff said. “My prayer for you this season is to use the talent God has provided. [CYO basketball], is a beautiful experience to build strong minds and bodies.”

Along with marking the start of the CYO’s 2025-2026 season, the Mass also provided the occasion for the CYO staff to recognize those athletes who received awards at the end of the 2024-2025 season.

Three major award winners hailed from Our Lady of Sorrows School, Hamilton, with Olivia Scharibone named Female Athlete of the Year, Max Grimm honored as Male Athlete of the Year, and Tom Carella recognized as Volunteer Coach of the Year.

“This means a lot; I was really thankful I was able to win it and win a championship with my team,” said Scharibone.

Now a freshman in Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville, where she plays basketball, she reflected on what it meant to participate on the CYO Scholar-Athlete Team. “It’s hard being a

asks athletes to ‘use your talent to be good’ during the

student-athlete. You have to make sure studying is a big priority.”

Of her time with the CYO, she added, “we would pray before every game and do a lot of team bonding.”

Grimm, also a freshman basketball player at Notre Dame, said, “I’m proud all my hard work and dedication that got me this result,” adding that the CYO “had a big impact on me.”

“I got to play with all my friends … It helped my faith. CYO was a great experience. It wasn’t crazy like a travel team,” he said. “It was just fun.”

“It’s an organizational thing,” Carella said of his award, noting that the team’s success is based on the parents and coaching staff working together, “and it takes the students themselves to have the tenacity on and off the court and be the best person they can be.”

Father Arian Wharff of St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Hightstown,

CYO Opening Day Mass Nov. 8.

Award winners from Our Lady of Sorrows-St. Anthony Parish, Hamilton, display their plaques –from left: Olivia Scharibone, Tom Carella and Max Grimm. Rich Fisher photos

Notre Dame freshman honors deceased veterans for Christmas season

BY DAVID KARAS Correspondent

For the second year in a row, one young man is making sure that local veterans who have died continue to be honored and recognized during the Christmas season.

Ewing resident J.R. Dziminski is a parishioner, altar server and lector in St. Ann Parish, Lawrenceville, and a freshman at nearby Notre Dame High School. He is also a cadet staff sergeant in the Civil Air Patrol’s Twin Pine Composite Squadron.

It was through his service with the Civil Air Patrol that he learned about Wreaths Across America, a national nonprofit that works to honor veterans and remember their sacrifices – with an annual wreath-laying campaign each December. Dziminski answered the call to volunteer and even took things a step further by organizing fundraisers to support the laying of more wreaths.

“Wreaths Across America is important to me because I feel like at the Christmas season, families of

deceased veterans can see and hopefully feel…that a loved one is being remembered not by just them, but others as well,” he said. “I enjoy being a part of that and bringing them all some joy.”

Last year, Dziminski was able to raise $1,375 – resulting in the placement of 75 wreaths – and this year has collected $1,020, enough for 60 wreaths. Along with fellow members of his Civil Air Patrol squadron, he will be placing the wreaths at Brigadier General William C. Doyle Memorial Cemetery, North Hanover, on Dec. 13. He will also place wreaths on the graves of Civil War veterans buried in Morris Hall Cemetery, Lawrenceville.

Dziminski joined the Civil Air Patrol in 2024, following in the footsteps of his uncle who served in the same squadron. He has also been inspired to serve his community by his grandfather, a retired police officer, an uncle who is a firefighter and another uncle who is in the United States Army.

“Together, they have shown me the value of service to the community,” said Dziminski, who was also named Cadet of the Month last December for his support of Wreaths Across America.

His commitment to service also carries through to his involvement at

school. Dziminski began his Catholic education in kindergarten at St. Ann School, Lawrenceville, and now as a freshman at Notre Dame.

“Along with going to Mass weekly, it has taught me the importance of my faith and to serve in as many various ministries as I can in school and my parish,” he said.

 “... it has taught me the importance of my faith ...”

Dziminski has also been an altar server since he was in the fourth grade, has trained new altar servers and has had the opportunity to serve a Mass celebrated by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M.

“I plan to be just as involved in service projects and the many activities that Notre Dame is involved with,” said Dziminski, who is already a member of the school’s Madrigal Choir.

“I believe my faith has been a big part of why I enjoy helping others,” he said, “and this just helps blend into my Civil Air Patrol volunteering.”

J.R. Dziminski, a student in Notre Dame High School and a member of St. Ann Parish, both Lawrenceville, participated in the Wreaths Across America campaign. This year he raised funds to purchase wreaths for the Brigadier General William C. Doyle Memorial Cemetery and to be placed on the graves of Civil War veterans buried in Morris Hall Cemetery. Courtesy photo

EWING PARISH STRIVES TO KNOCK HUNGER DOWN

In November, parishioners of Incarnation–St. James Parish, Ewing once again turned a simple act of charity into a joyful community celebration as they collected 444 boxes of cereal for the food pantry at Mount Carmel Guild in Trenton.

Now in its third year, the parish’s cereal drive has become an eagerly anticipated outreach tradition. Families spent several weeks bringing in boxes of all shapes and sizes, knowing their donations would help feed neighbors in need throughout Mercer County.

Before the cereal was delivered, the director of religious education, Brenda Hanuschik, and volunteer, Agustin Massa, arranged the boxes in an impressive domino-style design, filling the parish auditorium with bright colors, excited chatter and plenty of anticipation. The grand “knock down” – now something of a parish hallmark – served as both a celebration of the community’s generosity and a visual reminder of how small acts of kindness can set off a chain reaction of hope.

Parish leaders expressed gratitude for the enthusiastic participation and noted that the creativity and spirit behind the project help keep attention focused on the ongoing needs of the local community, according to Hanuschik.

The cereal was delivered to Mount Carmel Guild, where it will support families experiencing food insecurity. Courtesy photo

KNIGHTS CONTINUE TRADITION OF APPRECIATION BREAKFAST FOR VETERANS

Members of the Bishop John C. Reiss Council, Knights of Columbus, Marlboro, and the Monsignor Kivelitz Assembly of the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus in Freehold have had a longstanding collaboration to honor those serving in the armed forces on Veterans Day with an Appreciation Breakfast. This year’s breakfast held Nov. 9 in the gym of St. Gabriel Parish, Marlboro, drew 75 veterans from all branches of the armed forces, along with 50 of their family members to an “all you can eat” buffet.

According to Chris Oliver, past Grand Knight and former District Deputy from the Bishop Reiss council, this year’s event included a procession of the American flag by the Color Corps of the Fourth Degree Knights, the singing of the National Anthem, an invocation and blessing led by Deacon Richard Morris and a presentation on the service of veterans. The gathering was honored by the presence of 98-year-old World War II Army veteran John Heege.

Oliver noted that this year’s attendance exceeded last year’s number which drew 56 veterans and 39 family members and the

REMEMBERING OTHERS ON THANKSGIVING

Epiphany Parish has a longstanding tradition of reaching out to those in need on Thanksgiving Day. This year, parishioners of all ages gathered at the Brick parish to prepare and deliver turkey dinners with all the trimmings to hundreds of homebound. The volunteers’ work included soup to nuts service including roasting the turkeys, prepping mashed potatoes and even coming out the evening before to prep vegetables. Other volunteers assisted with delivering the dinners and helping with the clean-up. Facebook photo

council looks forward to hosting the 2026 breakfast on Nov. 8.

“Honoring the veterans ensures their contributions will never be forgotten,” Oliver said. “Future generations need to know the courage, strength and sacrifice our veterans made so that we can live in freedom.” Courtesy photo

THANKSGIVING DAY IN MARLTON PARISH

In St. Joan of Arc Parish, Marlton, Thanksgiving Day 2025 began with the celebration of Mass followed by dozens of folks gathering for a Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings, served by volunteer parishioners. In addition, dozens more received the meal delivered to their homes by parishioner servers, packers and drivers and with the help of the Scouts. One grateful guest said, “My heart is as full as my stomach!” Facebook photo

GIVING OF SELVES

On Nov. 23, the students, parents and catechists in the religious education program of Resurrection Parish, Delran, participated in a family project where they made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for those in need. In all 319 sandwiches were delivered to the Cathedral Kitchen in Camden by Resurrection’s parish catechetical leader, Pier Magno. Courtesy photo

Don’t miss The Monitor’s Sports coverage online

BY RICH FISHER  Contributing Editor:

 Wins at MOC, Northeast Regionals precede CBA cross country’s goal for national title

 SJV’s Beltra a two-time gymnast state champ while girls volleyball makes history

 Mercer County CYO welcomes 12 new members into its Basketball Hall of Fame

 Father Wharff urges players to ‘be honest with your talent’ at CYO opening-day Mass

 Notre Dame boys soccer team works overtime to win CVC Tournament title

New story every Friday!

Go to TrentonMonitor.com and click on NEWS>SPORTS.

SPORTS SPORTS SPORTS SPORTS SPORTS SPORTS SPORTS SPORTS SPORTS SPORTS SPORTS SPORTS

The CBA cross country runners head out to the Holmdel Park course at the start of the Meet of Champions Nov. 15. Photo by Larry Levanti, https://larrylevanti.com

‘Sacré Coeur’ blockbuster will come to the U.S. in time for consecration of the country to Sacred Heart

PARIS • The hit French film “Sacré Coeur” (“Sacred Heart”) is set to reach American audiences next spring, with a U.S. release planned for June 12, the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The date may even move earlier to help prepare for the U.S. bishops’ planned consecration of the nation to the Sacred Heart, also set to take place on the solemnity, according to distributor SAJE. The American debut comes as “Sacré Coeur” continues its unexpected box-office surge in France nearly two months after opening.

The docufiction, which portrays Christ’s apparitions to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in 17th-century France, has sold out theaters across the country and is frequently being added back into cinema lineups to meet demand. SAJE founder Hubert de Torcy calls the film’s performance “unprecedented,” saying ticket sales are on track to hit 500,000 admissions by early December and possibly 600,000 by year’s end – far beyond the typical reach of Christian films in France. He says viewers are responding on a personal level, with some returning to Confession for the first time in decades.

The film’s visibility has also stirred debate over French secularism, following a briefly canceled Marseille screening – later reinstated by a court. International rollouts continue, with releases scheduled across Europe, Africa, Canada and Latin America before the U.S. debut. –OSV News

A screenshot of the film “Sacré Coeur” is seen, picturing St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, to whom Jesus was showing his heart between 1673 and 1675 in Paray-le-Monial, in the French region of Burgundy. OSV News/ courtesy SAJE

MSGR. FLYNN

Continued from 48 was ordained in 1975. Soon after, he arrived in the Diocese of Trenton where he served as parochial vicar in Sacred Heart Parish, Mount Holly, 1976-1981; Blessed Sacrament Parish, Trenton (now part of Sacred Heart Parish, Trenton), 1981-1984, and St. Denis Parish, Manasquan, 1984-1989. In 1989, he became parochial vicar of St. Dorothea Parish, Eatontown, before being named pastor there in 1990.

Msgr. Flynn went on to serve pastorates in St. Joseph Parish, Toms River, from 1996 to 2008, and St. Mark Parish, from 2008 until he retired in 2023. In retirement he assisted in several area parishes including St. Denis Parish, Manasquan. He held leadership roles and board memberships for such agencies as Catholic Charities, Trenton, and Morris Hall/St. Lawrence Rehabilitation Center, Lawrenceville. He also served as the Bishop’s representative for Catholic hospitals; as an Engaged Encounter Team priest, and as diocesan coordinator for ministry to those with AIDS. In November 1993 he was appointed by Pope John Paul II as a Chaplain to His Holiness with the title of monsignor.

Fondly Remembered

In an announcement to all priests about Msgr. Flynn’s death, Bishop O’Connell asked for prayers for Monsignor’s eternal rest. Several priests responded, sharing warm sentiments about him.

“What a great brother priest!” exclaimed Father Edward Griswold, a retired priest of the Diocese, adding, “One of many Irish gifts to our Diocese. RIP.”

Father Stephen Piga, pastor of St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish, Toms

River, remembered his brother priest as being “just a wonderful guy,” and Father Carlos Castilla, parochial vicar, said, “I thank God for giving me the gift of knowing him. May his soul rest in the peace of the Lord.”

Additional messages from priests and other well-wishers were posted online.

“Our prayers and condolences to Msgr. Flynn’s family. Monsignor blessed us with his friendship over the many years at St. Mark’s. We are heartbroken,” wrote Maureen and Rick Heilmann. “We will miss his inspirational homilies, his stories about Ireland and his love of family.”

On behalf of the community of St. Denis Parish, Manasquan, Father Bill Lago, pastor, wrote, “Please accept our heartfelt condolences and parish family prayers on the death of Monsignor. He was a deeply respected and beloved presence in our parish of St. Denis, Manasquan … whose kindness, wisdom and unwavering service touched the lives of so many. May you find comfort in the knowledge that his legacy of faith and compassion will continue to guide and inspire the community he served so faithfully.”

“I saw for myself that Msgr. Sean was a priest who gave his total self to the people,” Bishop Duffy said.

Bishop Duffy shared that Msgr. Flynn enjoyed making visits back to Ireland. “Sean loved his own family and home was important to him,” Bishop Duffy said.

In addition to his brother, Martin, Msgr. Flynn was survived by his sister Maureen Sheridan and her

husband Arthur; three other brothers, Michael and his wife, Mena; Jimmy and his wife, Margaret, and Stephen and his wife Margaret, as well as nieces and nephews.

In the Diocese of Trenton, Memorial Masses for Msgr. Flynn will be celebrated Dec. 18 at 5 p.m. in St. Mark Church, and another in St. Joseph Church, Toms River, on Jan. 6 at 6 p.m.

FATHER DeANGELO, SERVED IN RIVERSIDE AND SEASIDE HEIGHTS PARISHES

Conventual Franciscan Father Jude Thad deus DeAngelo, a Franciscan Friar of the Our Lady of the Angels Province, who formerly served in the Diocese of Trenton, died Nov. 18 in Syracuse, N.Y.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Nov. 22 in Assumption Church, Syracuse, where

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Chris Raimann of St. Joseph Parish, Toms River, recalled Msgr. Flynn’s pastorate there, during which “he did so much for our parish community – helping the poor, feeding the hungry and just giving the best homilies of anyone.”

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Bishop Duffy recalled during his homily first meeting Msgr. Flynn in September, 1970 when the two were in St. Patrick College. During their first 20 years of priesthood, Bishop Duffy said, the two rarely met given their geographical distance.

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However, in the last 20-25 years, “it was very different,” Bishop Duffy said. He recounted the two visits he made to the Diocese of Trenton.

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In Memoriam

Continued from 75

he had served as pastor at the time of his death.

Born in Binghamton, N.Y., in 1957, he began his formation with the Conventual Franciscan Friars, entering the novitiate in 1976 and professing simple vows Aug. 14, 1977. He studied in St. Hyacinth College Seminary, Granby, Mass., before making his solemn profession of vows Aug. 10, 1980. After earning a master of divinity degree from St. Anthony-on-Hudson Seminary, Rensselaer, N.Y., he was ordained a priest May 26, 1984 in Albany, N.Y.

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Father DeAngelo spent his first few months of ministry in St. Peter Parish, Riverside, before joining the faculty at the former McCorristin Catholic High School, Hamilton, where he ministered until 1991. He then returned to Riverside as pastor where he served until 1994 when he was elected vicar provincial and secretary of the former Immaculate Conception Province. After completing his term in provincial administration, he returned to the Diocese of Trenton to serve for a year as pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Seaside Heights. In 1997, Father DeAngelo began his 25 years of service as a campus minister first at Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, N.C., 1997-2010, and then The Catholic University of America, Washington, from 2010-2022. His last assignment was serving as pastor of Assumption Parish.

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SEARCH

Gospel for December 14, 2025  Matthew 11:2-11

Following is a word search based on the Gospel reading for the Third Sunday of Advent, Cycle A: signs of the one who is to come. The words can be found in all directions in the puzzle.

OF THE CHRIST DISCIPLES LOOK

HEAR AND SEE BLIND SIGHT LEPERS DEAF DEAD

RAISED POOR GOOD NEWS

BLESSED SPEAK THE WIND

MY MESSENGER BORN GREATER THE BAPTIST LEAST KINGDOM

TEST YOUR CATHOLIC KNOWLEDGE

ACROSS

1 Monk cover

3 His name was changed to Israel

6 First murder victim

8 This describes Sarah when she gave birth to Isaac

9 Adjective for 35A

11 Pilate washed his in front of the crowd

12 Paul refers to these animals in 1 Corinthians

13 Merton’s The ___ of Jonas

14 Nordic Saint

15 Canonical hour 17 Nevada diocese

19 Catholic comedian/ actor who started on SNL

22 Day dedicated to Marian devotions (abbr.)

23 Jonah was thrown into this

24 It was thought to be the abode of unbaptized but innocent

27 First place

29 The ___ Army of Our Lady of Fatima

30 Grandson of Abraham

33 Catholic performer Falana

34 Jubilee entry

35 Non-ordained members of the Church

36 The Gospel is read from here

37 A parish position (abbr.)

38 They take solemn vows 39 “___ Regina” 40 It returned to Noah with an olive branch

An

Jesus turned water into wine

5 Archdiocese in Massachusetts

6 We praise you, we bless you, we ___ you”

7 “Pange ___”

10 Bk. before Jer

15 “…the kingdom of heaven is like a ___” (Mt 13:47)

16 Prize won by Mother Teresa

17 Symbol of St. Benedict, because this animal saved him

18 Lenten foliage

20 “Urbi et ___”

21 Bit of biblical “writing on the wall”

23 Jurisdiction of a bishop

25 The Diocese of Kerry is here

26 Jesus was baptized here

28 A Washington airport is named after the father of this cardinal

29 “…the ___ of the air and the fish of the sea…” (Ps 8:9)

31 1 and 2 are after Ruth (abbr.)

32 What we are forbidden to do by the fifth commandment

33 Biblical instrument

Continued from 43

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POPE ON IMMIGRANTS

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proclaim Christ through hospitality and welcome, compassion and solidarity.”

Being missionaries at home, he said, means not hiding in the comforts of one’s own life and turning a blind eye to “those who arrive from lands that are distant and violent,” but rather opening “our arms and hearts to them, welcoming them as brothers and sisters, and being for them a presence of consolation and hope.”

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Pope Leo praised the “many missionary men and women, but also believers and people of good will, who work in the service of migrants, and promote a new culture of fraternity on the theme of migration, beyond stereotypes and prejudices.”

However, he said, Catholics cannot leave the work to others. “This precious service involves each one of us, within the limits of our own means.”

IMMIGRATION LAW REFORM

Continued from 46

deportation.” Others voiced concurrence but raised qualifications, like also adding “without due process,” or questioned the conference’s procedures for making an amendment at the assembly. The added phrase was ultimately approved, and is found in the final paragraph of the message: “We oppose the indiscriminate mass deportation of people. We pray for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement. We pray that the Lord may guide the leaders of our nation, and we are grateful for past and present opportunities to dialogue with public and elected officials. In this dialogue, we will continue to advocate for meaningful immigration reform.”

The bishops’ concern has a reference point in existing magisterial teaching. St. John Paul II’s

1993 encyclical “Veritatis Splendor” (“Splendor of Truth”) and 1995 encyclical “Evangelium Vitae” (“The Gospel of Life”) both quote the Second Vatican Council’s teaching in “Gaudium et Spes,” that names “deportation” among various specific acts “offensive to human dignity” that “are a disgrace, and so long as they infect human civilization they contaminate those who inflict them more than those who suffer injustice, and they are a negation of the honor due to the Creator.”

St. John Paul underscored that these acts were examples of “intrinsic evil” incapable of being ordered to God or the good of the human person.

When the U.S. bishops ultimately approved the language after some debate, Archbishop Henning quipped, “The amended amendment passes.”

In his interview with OSV News after the vote, Archbishop Henning said, “It’s not an easy thing to kind of get us all moving completely in the same direction.” But he said the overwhelming support for the message showed “a fundamental unity among us.”

APOSTOLATE

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“I think there was a pretty powerful sense among all the bishops that what we’re experiencing on the ground in our dioceses is that there’s a great deal of suffering and confusion, and I would say even chaos,” he said. “There’s kind of arbitrariness right now, in the experience of the people, that generates pretty significant fear.”

Contributing to this story were OSV News’ Kate Scanlon, Gina Christian, Peter Jesserer Smith and Gretchen Crowe.

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THE DIOCESE OF TRENTON is committed to the initiatives outlined in the U.S. Bishops’ Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People and to its own policies and guidelines in regard to the reporting and investigation of sexual abuse allegations involving minors.

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RESTAURANT • DINING

If you have been sexually abused as a minor by a member of the clergy or anyone representing the Catholic Church, or if you know of someone who was, you can report that abuse through the diocesan ABUSE HOTLINE: 1-888-296-2965 or via e-mail at abuseline@dioceseoftrenton.org.

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