The coronation of Mary in Heaven is depicted in a stained-glass window at Our Lady of Mercy Church, Hicksville, N.Y.
The Catholic Church celebrates the Queenship of Mary on Aug. 22. The feast was established by Pope Pius XII with his encyclical Ad Caeli Reginam in 1954. The encyclical focuses on Mary, mother of Jesus as queen of Heaven and earth, and stresses both her unique role in our lives and her powerful intercession. The Diocese is under the patronage of the Queenship of Mary.
A recent CARA study has shown that devotion to Mary plays a significant role in discerning and sustain the call to priestly and religious life. Read two interesting articles on the study and its take-aways on pp. 14, 15.
OSV News photo/Gregory A. Shemitz
September holds a special time for youth and the Church
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
We recently had our “Quo Vadis” summer retreat for high school age boys who are discerning God’s will for them. It’s a nice few days away at a camp which our vocation director, seminarians and some young priests organize. Basically, they are days to learn how to pray, enjoy some nice meals, sports and fellowship.
We had over 30 on the retreat this year, which is nice. Please God, it will produce some vocations for our Diocese but it certainly accomplished the goal of teaching the young men to listen to the Lord more attentively.
I was thinking when driving home from the retreat, in just a few short weeks now, on Sept. 7, Pope Leo XIV will canonize his first saints! Two great role models for our young brothers and sisters. These two new saints experienced similar challenges that many of our youth face in our day, and they amazingly persevered in the faith. God touched their lives and they responded in grace!
Although both are amazing, because of space and given our recent Quo Vadis retreat, I will share a bit about one future saint who was closer to their age. The other one, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, is a wonderful example, too, especially for our young adults. You may read about him in this issue, and I encourage you to look up information about him on the Internet, too! He only lived to 24, but had a deep faith and love of the poor and marginalized. He made a great difference in the world!
Blessed Carlo Acutis lived in Italy in the 1990’s and 2000’s, making him the first millennial saint. He only lived 15 years but lived an extraordinary life. Although he was born in London where his father was working, the family moved to Milan, Italy, shortly after his birth. Although his parents did not practice the faith, they did have him baptized, but that was about all they did to bring him up in the faith.
Gratefully for Carlo, the grace of the sacrament took deep root in him as he was infused with the supernatural gifts of faith, hope and charity at Baptism. Also, fortunately for him, there was a Polish woman who was his babysitter and, when taking him for walks in the city, would stop by churches for visits and pray before the Blessed Sacrament. She was a woman of faith, and introduced him to the Eucharist as well as the Blessed Mother. Carlo fell in love! At the young age of five, he asked his parents to begin praying the Rosary with him each day and also asked to be taken to Mass, every day!
At such a young age, he realized the awesomeness of God and that we all are each made for something great, too. He asked deep questions of his mother about the faith, and she had to get help to answer the questions. Young Carlo knew that the mystery of the Eucharist was important in keeping him close to God and let him share in the infiniteness of God. He realized at his young age that the Eucharist was the thing closest to heaven on earth, and would lead him to Heaven.
He was much like the youth of his generation and spent a good amount of time on the computer, especially gaming. However, he tried to limit his time and use the Internet and technology to further the faith. He found it a great way to try to evangelize other young people and teach them about Jesus and especially about the Eucharist.
After having drawn so close to God in the Eucharist and through the sacraments, especially Confession, Carlo was diagnosed with leukemia. He didn’t get bitter or question why but, rather, immediately said; ‘‘I offer what I will have to suffer for the Pope and for the Church and to skip Purgatory and go straight to Heaven.”
He is buried in Assisi, the same city as the young Francis and St. Claire, too. Carlo is not buried in a religious habit, as he never even had the chance to join a religious community, rather he is buried in what he wore most days, jeans and a sweatshirt. The soon-to-be Saint Carlo is a wonderful example for us. God can work in any situation to bring grace and redemption, raising up new saints!
For our young, read about Carlo
and learn about his life; he has much to offer us. Indeed God awaits us, and Carlo shows us how to grow closer to God. For all of us, how about that babysitter who introduced Carlo to the Eucharist and the Blessed Mother. Is there anyone we need to introduce to the Eucharist and our Blessed Mother?
We will be having a special Mass on Sept. 7 at noon at St. Augustine of Canterbury Church, Kendall Park. We will spiritually join at the altar with all those gathering in Rome for the canonization. Everyone is invited, but especially our youth!
I am so grateful for our youth. The young men on Quo Vadis were impressive. There is also a gathering coming up for young women, as well.
“Fiat Day,” organized for high school age girls by Sister Anna Nguyen, our Delegate for Religious, is designed to help young women learn to discern God’s will for them. It will be held at Immaculate Conception Church, Spotswood, on Aug. 30. You can get more information here: https://diometuchen.org/fiatday.
Other great tools to assist our youth
are our wonderful Catholic Schools; they are a treasure. You can learn more about them here: https://diometuchen.org/ schoolfinder.
Also, each parish has a religious education program which you can learn about by calling your parish, and many youth groups and young adults groups, including at St. Peter’s University and Community Parish (at Rutgers). You can find out more about youth and young adult groups here: https://diometuchen.org/yyam.
Know of my love, prayers and gratitude for you all, especially our youth who I am remembering especially as we prepare for Sept. 7! Please pray for me, too.
God bless you all.
Yours in Christ,
Blesseds Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati are pictured in a combination photo. The Vatican announced June 13, 2025, that the canonization ceremony for Blessed Acutis and Blessed Frassati will take place Sept. 7. —OSV News photo/courtesy Sainthood Cause of Carlo Acutis and CNS files
How to report abuse If you were sexually abused by a member of the clergy or anyone representing the Catholic Church, or you know of someone who was, you are encouraged to report that abuse to local law enforcement, the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency at 1-877-NJ ABUSE (652-2873) or 1-800-835-5510 (TTY/TDD for the deaf), and also the Diocesan Response Officer at (908) 930-4558 (24 hours/7 days a week).
Most Reverend James F. Checchio, JCD, MBA Bishop of Metuchen
Bishop Checchio greets parishioners following Mass in 4. St. John the Baptist Church, New Brunswick, and accepts the gifts of bread and wine from young parishioners in 5. Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, New Brunswick.
During a recent pastoral visit to 6. St. Joseph Parish, Bound Brook, Bishop Checchio was gifted with a portrait of himself with Pope Francis. The portrait, created from a photo in The Catholic Spirit which showed the two in a warm greeting, had served as the parish’s official portrait hung in the church narthex. Upon the death of Pope Francis it was decided to gift the portrait to the Bishop as a remembrance. The artist, Pavol Olsavsky, who is a parishioner in the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi, Metuchen, has created church art for Msgr. Joseph Kerrigan, pastor, at his last two parishes.
—John Batkowski photos
Bishop James F. Checchio made some pastoral visits to parishes in the Diocese recently, celebrating Mass, greeting members of various ministries at 1. St. Ann Parish, Hampton 2. St. Jude Parish, Blairstown, and welcoming the faithful to Mass in 3. St. Patrick Parish, Belvidere. —Ed Koskey photos
Girl Scouts experience the beauty of Byzantine Divine Liturgy
Four girl scouts from the Diocese of Metuchen, and their families, attended the June 24 Divine Liturgy at St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church, Hillsborough. The girls are involved in the Catholic religious awards program designed for those participating in girl scouting; three of the girls are senior girl scouts who are working on the “Spirit Alive” program and one cadette scout is nearing completion of the “Mary, the First Disciple” program.
The scouts and their families were welcomed by Father James Badeaux, pastor, and all participated in a lively Q&A session following Divine Liturgy. All were awed by the beauty of the icons, the rich symbolism in the Byzantine architecture and the deeply meaningful actions performed as part of the liturgy itself.
Religious recognition programs are
Pope: Church unity, mission must be at heart of all Catholic groups, including Scouting
By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – With their specific forms of prayer, outreach or emphasis, both the long-established groups of Catholic laypeople as well as the newer movements and communities are called to contribute to the unity and mission of the Church, Pope Leo XIV said. “Unity and mission are two essential aspects of the Church’s life and two priorities of the Petrine ministry,” the Pope said. “For this reason, I ask all ecclesial associations and movements to cooperate faithfully and generously with the Pope, above all in these two areas.” The Pope met June 6 with about 250 leaders of 115 international associations of the faithful, ecclesial movements and new communities recognized and supported by the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life. The groups included, for example, the Legion of Mary, the Neocatechumenal Way, Communion and Liberation, a variety of charismatic communities and various Catholic scouting groups.
available to Catholic girl scouts. The programs reinforce formal religious instruction provided by parishes and informal instruction provided by their families.
Catholic Girl Scout Medals are offered at each level of scouting; they provide the opportunity for girls to learn more about themselves, their Church and their faith.
The scouts, their families and their medal advisor were grateful for the warm welcome by the pastor and church community of St. Mary. All of them were enriched by the opportunity to participate in the Divine Liturgy.
A Gathering Day that includes workshops for senior, cadette and junior girl scouts is held each fall. Contact domgirlscouts@gmail.com for more information.
Contributed by Doreen Sekora, Diocese of Metuchen Catholic Committee on Scouting.
Annual Diocesan Scout Mass
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux Church, 500 Route 22, Bridgewater, NJ Thursday, August 28, 2025, 7 p.m.
• All Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cubs, Webelos, and Brownies are welcome with their leaders and families.
• Those who earned Catholic Scouting Merit Badges, medals, pins, and awards will be recognized.
• A great time for prayer and fellowship with other Scouts and their families.
• Questions about earning Catholic Scouting Badges and Medals can be directed to sjvrectory@sjvs.net, or by calling St. John Vianney Parish Office at 732-574-0150.
Saint John Vianney, TCS 1/8 page ad, 4.71 x 2.85” July 2025
Pictured in St Mary Byzantine Catholic Church, Hillsborough, June 24, are, left to right, Malaika DeSaulniers; Doreen Sekora; Emma Stanbro; Anna Nagle; Father James Badeaux, pastor, and Gabriella DeSaulniers. —Courtesy photo
Pope Leo XIV speaks to leaders of 115 international Catholic associations, ecclesial movements and new communities in the Vatican’s Clementine Hall June 6, 2025. —CNS photo/Vatican Media
New Catholic scouting patch honors Pope Leo XIV
By Gina Christian, OSV News
Catholic scouts have several new achievements to aim for, including a Pope Leo XIV patch.
The Religious Activities Committee of the National Catholic Committee on Scouting has announced five new religious activity programs, which enable scouts to learn more about and deepen their faith.
The new activities, unveiled by the committee in a July 13 Facebook post, include the Pope Leo XIV patch, part of the NCCS’s Faith Series.
The requirements for the patch will offer the chance to learn more about “our first American born Pope,” said the NCCS in its post. “In addition, they will learn what the papacy means and its history.”
to Scouting America (formerly known as the Boy Scouts of America).
The patch, an image of which the NCCS included in its post, depicts Pope Leo wearing a stole and the papal mozzetta, or cape, as he did when he first appeared on St. Peter’s Basilica’s balcony after his election May 8. Framing the figure are the words “Pope – Vicar of Christ,” with the date of his election “ghost stitched” – or stitched in a color blending into the lavender background. The NCCS noted that the original version “will only be available for a year and then changed to remove the ‘ghost’ stitching.”
The patch also features gold stitching of the two key elements of the NCCS logo – a crozier, the staff symbolizing a bishop’s authority, and the fleur-de-lis, the central element of the BSA’s crest and a longtime symbol of purity.
The NCCS is officially related to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, led by the USCCB’s Secretariat on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth. It also serves as an advisory committee
The NCCS also partners with the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry and other Catholic organizations to “provide faithful and useful Church-sanctioned programming and guidance to Catholic Scouting units,” according to the NCCS website.
Along with the Pope Leo patch, NCCS has also announced a new activity series on Religious Trails, designed to spark pilgrimages “to the important religious sites in our country.”
Four sites in Washington have so far been designated for the patch: the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the St. John Paul II National Shrine, The Catholic University of America and the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America.
In addition, the NCCS has added two new activities to its American Saints series, which now includes just under 20 men and women, spanning the various stages of the canonization cause process, who lived and served in the U.S.
The latest additions include Catholic army chaplain Venerable Emil Kapaun,
whose heroic offering of life during the Korean War was recognized by Pope Francis, and Venerable Augustus Tolton, the first recognized U.S. Black Catholic priest, born into slavery in 1854 and –following his 1886 ordination in Rome – a pastor in Quincy, Illinois, and later Chicago.
In its International series, the NCCS has also issued a new “Be Not Afraid” patch, named for St. John Paul II’s repeated exhortation, notably stressed in his Oct. 22, 1978, homily at his papal inauguration, to exchange fear for a total surrender to Christ.
The NCCS noted that the phrase forms the theme for the 2027 World Scout Jamboree in Poland. Patch activities will focus on three modern saints from that nation – St. John Paul II and two saints he canonized: St. Maximilian Kolbe, the Franciscan priest who offered his life for a fellow Auschwitz prisoner and was ultimately killed by lethal injection, and St. Faustina Kowalska, the Polish religious sister and mystic to whom Christ revealed the Divine Mercy devotion. The limited edition patch will be available until 2028.
Boy Scouts of America rebranding in 2025 not expected to impact Catholic scouts
By OSV News
IRVING, Texas (OSV News) – A change in name for the Boy Scouts of America –which will become “Scouting America” in February 2025 – will not affect affiliated Catholic scout troops, the executive director of the U.S. Catholic Church’s scouting committee told OSV News. “It doesn’t really impact us at all,” said John Anthony, who heads up the National Catholic Committee on Scouting, which sponsors Catholic Scouting, the official Catholic organization that uses all BSA
programs and activities in line with Catholic teaching and aims to form youth into both good citizens and “committed disciples of Jesus Christ.”
The BSA’s announcement came on the fifth anniversary of allowing girls into the Scouts BSA program, while maintaining boys and girls in separate single-gender troops. According to the BSA, Scouting America currently serves more than 176,000 girls and young women across all programs, including over 6,000 who have earned the rank of Eagle Scout. BSA President and CEO Roger
A. Krone said in the May 7 news release about the organization’s name change to Scouting America that “though our name will be new, our mission remains unchanged.”
Anthony told OSV News that the same is true of Catholic Scouting, which counts more than 97,650 Scouts from over 5,000 Catholic units across the country, representing separate boy and girl Scouting formations. The BSA rebranding as Scouting America takes effect Feb. 8, 2025, when the organization marks its 115th anniversary.
Left, Cub Scout Jotham Andres, 9, poses with a lantern using a flame transferred from the International Peace Light during a welcoming ceremony following the Peace Light’s arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Jamaica, N.Y., from Vienna Dec. 11, 2021. On May 7, 2024, the Boy Scouts of America announced that it would rebrand itself as Scouting America effective Feb. 8, 2025, when the organization marks its 115th anniversary. —OSV News photo/Gregory A. Shemitz
—OSV News photo/courtesy of National Catholic Committee on Scouting
Words of faith, forgiveness mark fifth anniversary of faithful servant’s death
By Christina Leslie Contributing Editor
The grieving yet faith-filled mother addressed the congregation of St. Augustine of Canterbury exactly, to the moment, five years after her son was violently taken from her. Yet, her message was of love, not of hate.
“I can’t think of a better place to be than here in the house of Our Lord,” stated U.S. District Judge Esther Salas, the mother of Daniel Anderl, during his July 19 Mass of Remembrance in the Kendall Park church. “Without faith, we could not have endured the last five years.”
St. Augustine pastor, Father Robert G. Lynam, was principal celebrant of the Mass that drew scores of family, friends and members of the parish and school communities to honor the life of
the 20-year-old son of the judge and her husband, Mark Anderl, as he protected his father from a crazed armed intruder. Photos and memorabilia of his short life were on display in the sanctuary, including his 2014 graduation from the parish school; his 2018 St. Joseph High School, Metuchen, graduation picture, baseball uniform and medals; and the jacket he wore as an usher at the parish’s noon Mass. St. Augustine School’s principal, Edward Modzelewski, read a letter from Bishop James F. Checchio addressed to the congregation. “It is most appropriate that you are gathered around the altar at St. Augustine’s where the family drew spiritual strength,” the Bishop wrote. Invoking the prayers of New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan, he continued, “While neither he nor I can begin to imagine the grief your family has experienced, both
1. Father Robert G. Lynam, pastor of St. Augustine of Canterbury Parish, Kendall Park, delivers a moving homily during the July 19 Mass of Remembrance for Daniel Anderl, killed five years earlier as he fought to protect his parents from an intruder.
2, 3. Daniel’s mother, Judge Esther Salas, speaks words of faith, love, peace and forgiveness to those present, and prays together with her husband, Mark Anderl, during Mass.
4. Bobby Beaton and his son, Austin, present prayer petitions before Daniel’s photo. Beaton came to know Daniel as a former police officer who worked with the federal marshals for Daniel’s funeral. At right, waiting to leave petitions, is St. Augustine School Principal Edward Modzelewski, who also taught Daniel. —Hal Brown photos
he and I are amazed and grateful how you have turned this tragedy into so many examples of goodness and hope.”
Scholarships supported in Daniel’s name, Bishop Checchio wrote, fund students of the Law and Criminal Justice, and food pantries feed the needy and the rehabilitated incarcerated. Additionally, Judge Salas’ efforts led to the passage of “Daniel’s Law,” legislation which enables members of law enforcement and the judiciary to remove residential information from Internet searches for their safety.
Bishop Checchio’s letter concluded, “Esther and Mark’s continued message of peace and forgiveness reinforces the words of the hymn ‘Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.’”
In his homily, Father Lynam reminded the congregation that “God speaks to us in the ordinary events of our
lives,” and recounted the tragic events of the evening Daniel was shot. Meeting Judge Salas at the hospital, he had counselled her, “You are not alone. There is a woman present in this room who is holding you close to her heart: the mother of Jesus, who knows your pain at the death of her only son … I am pleased to share that, to this day, Esther has great love and devotion to Mother Mary who brings her comfort and the grace of her only son.”
The Gospel in which Jesus forgave Peter for his betrayal moved the sorrowing mother to speak the words of forgiveness for the actions of her son’s killer, the pastor said, and added, “Since then, Mark and Esther have become the beacons of forgiveness, for hate is heavy, but love is light.”
Father Lynam recalled the young man’s funeral Mass, during which he
Pick up an encyclical and be captivated by what you read
I was a nerd–as my mother said–always with my nose in a book.
And so, whenever I went into the local soda-fountain hangout, I stopped at the carousel that was loaded with paperbacks, though most of them were cheap fiction that didn’t interest me.
Yet, on one of my visits, I found an outlier: The Papal Encyclicals, edited by the prolific journalist and Catholic convert, Anne Freemantle.
I was about 13 or 14, an altar server, and fascinated with the Church–so much so, in fact, that I probably made a nuisance of myself by hanging around the parish.
Still, I snapped up that book and read it over and over. I kept it until it literally fell apart.
I couldn’t get enough, for instance, of Mitt brennender Sorge, an encyclical in which Pope Pius XI denounced the Nazi regime in Germany. The letter was smuggled into Germany and read at every Catholic church on Palm Sunday, 1937.
But the encyclical that captivated me most was Rerum Novarum, the letter
by Pope Leo XIII that has been so much in the news since the election of his namesake. Leo XIII, Gioacchino Pecci, was born into a privileged family and progressed, while still young, through prominent positions in the Church. And yet, in this letter he expressed an empathy for working-class people that touched me even when I was a nerdy teenager:
“(The) employer must never tax his work people beyond their strength, or employ them in work unsuited to their sex and age. His great and principal duty is to give every one what is just. Doubtless, before deciding whether wages are fair, many things have to be considered; but wealthy owners and all masters of labor should be mindful of this – that to exercise pressure upon the indigent and the destitute for the sake of gain, and to gather one’s profit out of the need of another, is condemned by all laws, human and divine. To defraud any one of wages that are his due is a great crime which cries to the avenging anger of Heaven.”
Reading it today, as I recently did,
moves me even more profoundly. The letter, of course, reflects the era in which it was written, and so the pope devoted a lot of attention to condemning socialist ideology that would eliminate private property.
But by making working people the focus of his attention, from the perspective of his exalted and, in those days, remote position, Leo XIII set a path for the Church’s social teaching down to the present day.
Pope Francis once made a whimsical remark to the effect that no one reads papal documents. In fact, some of his encyclicals and other papers attracted more public attention than is usual–especially Laudato Si’ and Evangelii Gaudium
Perhaps the combination of Francis’ down-to-earth personality and accessible style of communicating has attracted more readers. That would be a good thing. The teaching of the popes should not be considered fodder only for scholars and nerds. Francis’ letters, Fratelli Tutti, urging all people to consider themselves brothers and sisters, and Amoris
Reclaiming and restoring our homes as sacred places
Lately, I have been thinking a lot about home, what it means, what it is, and the power imbued in the experience that is home. The poet T. S. Eliot wrote often of home, speaking of it as “the place from where we start.”
In his poem, East Coker, he writes, “In my beginning is my end. In succession, houses rise and fall, crumble, are extended, are removed, destroyed, restored, or in their place is an open field, or a factory, or a by-pass. … Houses live and die: there is a time for building and a time for living and for generation.” And, over time, “the houses are all gone under the sea.”
Since Superstorm Sandy ravaged New Jersey shore towns in 2012, Eliot’s poem reminds me of the devastation in my Ortley Beach neighborhood. My neighbors’ houses swept off their foundations into the ocean, others thrust into the street, half of one house perched precariously on the bottom of another. When we were allowed back into the town, we wandered like nomads up and down the streets, stunned into silence. These were not just our houses gone. They were our homes.
Our Ortley home was not among those lifted from its foundation and washed into the ocean or ripped apart like a house of cards. But five feet of water in-
side caused us to lose all our possessions, many which held significant meaning.
Among them was an oil painting of a ship, sails unfurled, coming into harbor.
A gift from my father, it represented the sacredness of home – a harbor where love brought refuge, respite and peace of mind. I grew up believing that’s what home should be. And it starts with a house.
So, it’s no surprise that among my passions is a love of old houses. An old, abandoned house is like a siren of Greek mythology, enticing me to stop and investigate.
It took me years to understand that it’s never just the age of the house that calls to me, or imagining the beauty of what once was, or the chance of finding left-behind antiques.
It is always the mystery of the house. What happened there? What memories are held within its walls from times past when it served as a home, a place made sacred by the love that lived there.
It was a hard lesson for me to learn that not every home is built with love.
A loving home, even when it’s not ours, can be a place of comfort, hospitality, joy and safety as we journey through life. An open door may be a refuge for someone who has wandered far from home or a life-line for those who have no home, and there are many.
Joyce Kilmer’s moving poem, “The House With Nobody In It,” is a lament for those houses that have done what houses are meant to do, to “have sheltered life” and are now empty, abandoned with no one to care for and no people to care for them.
What makes a house a home if not
Laetitia, on love, marriage, and family life, would complement the spiritual and practical life of any Catholic.
That’s a good place to start, and I encourage Catholics to experience other encyclicals, easily found on the website of the Holy See (vatican.va) to mine the richness of the Church’s teaching over history and in our own time.
Charles Paolino is a permanent deacon in the Diocese of Metuchen, retired from active ministry at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Whitehouse Station. He is managing editor of RENEW International, a Catholic association providing faith-sharing resources and leadership training for small Christian communities.
the people who live within its walls? Certainly, family relationships can get messy, but when home is a place where love dwells it becomes a haven, where each person is known and respected for who they are, even in cluttered, noisy spaces that might not be selected for an HGTV special.
But some homes are not the place where love dwells, where forgiveness finds a room. They are not the places from which we embark on the adventures of life and return to rest, safe and embraced by peace of mind.
Building a home can only be done with intention. Sometimes, we may get caught up in the niceties of our houses and let nurturing our homes fall by the wayside. Sometimes, we need reminding that our homes are sacred ground and need adequate tending.
The Jewish faith teaches that the essence of every Jewish home is to serve as a sanctuary and dwelling place for the divine presence of God, and that every Jewish person is a sanctuary and dwelling place for God’s divine presence, as well. It is a beautiful image for every family to hold on to, and one that gives rise to this Jewish blessing for a home:
“May this home be a place of happiness and health, of contentment, generosity and hope, a home of creativity and kindness. May those who visit and those who live here know only blessing and peace.”
Shalom.
—Tobias
“BUILDING A HOME CAN ONLY BE DONE WITH INTENTION. … SOMETIMES, WE NEED REMINDING THAT OUR HOMES ARE SACRED GROUND AND NEED ADEQUATE TENDING.”
Schafer photo/Unsplash
By Father Michael Fragoso Special Contributor
This year we have heard of two “unexpected” cures of serious illness due to the Intercession of Our Lady, Mary Immaculate, at her Sanctuary at Lourdes. The 71st miracle, on which I reported in these pages, was of John “Jack” Traynor. The most remarkable aspect of that cure, which was remarkable in itself, was that it took 100 years to proclaim it a miracle. Here I would like to report on the 72nd miracle, which came soon after, and consider the rigorous investigation that goes into such a declaration of Divine intervention.
Antonietta Raco, 67 years of age, started having severe headaches diagnosed as migraines. She was treated by the Faculty of Neurosciences at Turin University. Her symptoms worsened in 2004 with muscle cramping, abnormal weakness and difficulty walking. Her condition worsened within a year, she had difficult painful swallowing, and joint pains. At that point, she was diagnosed with Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS), a condition which affects the nerves in the brain that control motor function. It is slower in progression than Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Individuals with PLS have problems with balance, general weakness, weakness of muscles, weakness of the tongue and swallowing mechanism, and, rarely, difficulty with breathing.
Within a year she had significant, documented decrease in her breathing capacity as well as generalized weakness and severe weakness in all extremities, but more pronounced on the left. She was basically confined to a wheelchair.
In 2009, Antonietta went on a pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Our Lady at Lourdes sponsored by UNITALIS. I should say a word about this. There are national foundations that transport the sick to Lourdes and care for them during the pilgrimage. UNITALIS is organization in Italy that sponsors and organizes pilgrimage of the sick to Lourdes. While I was at Lourdes as Anglophone Confessor, a pilgrimage from Italy, sponsored by UNITALIS, brought the sick and their caretakers, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, priests, etc., some 5000 in total. There was another pilgrimage from Spain, a different national organization, of about 2000 pilgrims. There was a group from the US with about 200. It’s much easier for the Europeans who can take a train. Whatever part of the world they come from, the groups are mostly young people who volunteer to care for the sick and all are filled with joy and hope.
There are hospital accommodations for the sick at Lourdes and the sick are able to participate in all the devotions: daily Mass, confessions, the baths, the candle-light processions, the Eucharistic procession and the places in town where St. Bernadette lived. Antonietta partook in all of this and she went to the baths.
During the pandemic the baths were suspended and the “Washing gesture”
The 72nd LOURDES miracle and the rigorous investigation for declaring Divine intervention
Antonietta Raco, who suffered from primary lateral sclerosis, was cured in 2009 during her pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, France, after bathing in the shrine’s pools. In a joyful moment after the rosary on April 16, 2025, the shrine’s rector, Father Michel Daubanes, announced that her healing became the 72nd miracle officially recognized by Lourdes’ medical team as medically unexplained. —OSV News photo/courtesy Lourdes Sanctuary Medical Association
instituted. Our Lady told Bernadette to drink from the spring and wash her face and hands. The gesture is just that: water is poured onto the pilgrim’s hands and she washes her hands and face. Also, there are 18 spigots adjacent to the grotto which draw water from the source, recalling the 18 apparitions of Mary at Lourdes, where anyone may drink and wash their faces and hands, as well as take water home. There is nothing extraordinary about the water. It is more alkaline and so some make unsubstantiated claims that alkaline water will have beneficial effects. I have never heard of people confined to wheelchairs stand up and start walking by simply drinking alkaline water. It is about faith and grace,
factors including the present state of the person’s health, they take a history of the illness and alleged cure, they make a judgement as to the possibility of “trickery, acting, illusion, possible hysterical or delirious pathology.” All this must be considered.
All information is gathered and an international committee of heath professionals then meets and discusses the medical record. The Bishop of the person’s home diocese is advised and he can appoint a physician to be part of the committee. It takes time and effort before the committee of physicians say that it is an “unexpected” cure of “exceptional character.” The committee follows the rules set forth by Cardinal Prospero Lambertini (later Benedict XIV) in the 18th century stating that basically the cure is immediate and lasting and no scientific explanation can be found for the cure.
Then the report is sent by the Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes to the bishop of the diocese where the cured person is from. After that bishop’s own investigation, he may declare it a miracle. He doesn’t have to.
In 2013 Antonietta’s condition was re-evaluated by the Department of Neurology at the University of Milan. The diagnosis was confirmed and the unexpected improvement documented, a sort of “second opinion.” In 2017 the 5th and final meeting of the Bureau de Constatations considered the following question: “Is Mrs. Antonietta Raco cured of Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS), in accordance with the 2020 consensus, validated in 2024, in an unexpected, complete, lasting and unexplained manner according to medical knowledge?”
The vote was in the affirmative.
not about the pH of the water.
She did indeed take the baths. She felt a strange feeling of wellness and strength returning to her but she said nothing. Back in her room she was able to move her limbs as when she was well. Once home she reported to her doctor who confirmed the diagnosis of PLS and ran a series of tests and examinations showing that Antonietta was completely symptom free.
In July 2010 she returned to Lourdes and reported her cure to the Office of Medical Observations, The Bureau des Constatations was convened, and the doctors present voted unanimously to open a file and investigate.
The committee looks at several
On Nov. 15, 2024, the Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes, Jean Marc Micas, informed the Bishop of the Diocese of Tursi-Lagonegro, Antonietta’s home diocese, of this decision. Bishop Vincenzo Carmine Orofino appointed a medical-theological commission which agreed with the Bureau and Bishop Orofino decreed the cure to be of divine origin on April 16, 2025 in a solemn ceremony at the Cathedral of Maria Ss Annunziata in Tursi: “We praise God that with this divine sign he has once more manifested his presence in the midst of His people and has granted this through the mediation of the grace of his Most Holy Mother, Mary Immaculate.”
That is the most important thing. Yes, by the cure of Antonietta Raco, God has shown his mercy and, through the intercession of Mary Immaculate, has healed her. Yet it is a sign of hope for all of us and a sign that God loves and cares for all of us. He is with us, in the Most Holy Eucharist every day at Mass and the Paraclete stands beside us in times of trial and leads us to the Way, the Truth and the Life, Jesus Christ.
Father Michael Fragoso, a former pediatrician, serves as pastor, Parish of the Visitation, New Brunswick.
A new youth and young adult podcast launches in the Diocese of Metuchen
The Diocese of Metuchen is launch ing a new podcast entitled “No Half Saints” from the Office of Communica tions and Public Relations and the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry.
‘NO
The podcast will go live in August and is hosted by Jay Donofrio, diocesan director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry.
The name, “No Half Saints,” comes from a St. Thérèse of Lisieux quote: “You cannot be half a saint. You must be a whole saint or no saint at all.”
It is no coincidence that the Diocese is launching the “No Half Saints” Podcast during the Jubilee of Hope. As Pope Leo XIV recently told more than a million Catholic youths at the conclusion of the Jubilee of Youth, being a “digital missionary” is not just about generating content, “but of creating an encounter between hearts.”
Donofrio explained the inspiration for the title and theme of the podcast, saying, “We are all called to be saints. When I was searching for a podcast theme and came across that quote from St. Thérèse, I instantly knew that this podcast would revolve around our mission of trying to become saints.”
The Office of Communications and Public Relations is thrilled that Donofrio
HALF SAINTS’
“YOU CANNOT BE HALF A SAINT. YOU MUST BE A WHOLE SAINT OR NO SAINT AT ALL.”
ST.
THÉRÈSE OF LISIEUX
““WE
ARE ALL CALLED TO BE SAINTS. WHEN I WAS SEARCHING FOR A PODCAST THEME AND CAME ACROSS THAT QUOTE FROM ST. THÉRÈSE, I INSTANTLY KNEW THAT THIS PODCAST WOULD REVOLVE AROUND OUR MISSION OF TRYING TO BECOME SAINTS.”
Jay Donofrio, diocesan director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry
will, in the words of the Holy Father, break ‘down the logic of division and polarization, of individualism and egocentrism,’ fostering, instead, ‘a culture of Christian humanism,’” said Adam Carlisle, diocesan Secretary for Evangelization and Communication, stressing there is hope for the future. “After a decades-long decline in religious affiliation, particularly in the West, we are witnessing a religious resurgence in this country and Gen Z is leading the way,” he said, adding, “As Bishop Checchio wrote in his pastoral newsletter, ‘Lighting a fire in the heart of our world,’ ‘The time is ripe for renewal.’”
The main goals of this youth and young adult centered podcast is to first help bring viewers closer to Jesus Christ. The vision is to highlight the youth and young adult ministry leaders throughout the Diocese while providing value to listeners interested in the landscape of youth ministry. “No Half Saints” will put the viewer into the world of what youth and young adult ministry looks like, hopefully inspiring faith-filled young adults to get involved within their parishes and communities.
The hope is that this podcast can become an evangelization tool while actively building trust between parishioners and the great youth leaders within their parishes.
Although “No Half Saints” is a new podcast, the Diocese of Metuchen is not new to the podcast scene, having offered, “Am I Not Here?” a podcast spanning more than two years and providing 86 episodes worth of faith-filled content before it came to a close. The hope is that this new podcast will help our audience members discover and nurture their personal missions and feel more connected to their Diocese.
In a culture where technology and social media are front and center in the lives of youth, this podcast will make an effort to go where youth spend the most time – online.
Tiffany Workman, diocesan Communications Specialist, affirmed the importance of outreach to youth, saying, “Podcasts have become a vital lifeline for today’s youth, offering more than just passive entertainment. They are a personal guide and a trusted companion, transforming every commute and quiet moment into a chance for discovery.” noting that podcasts allow the youth to “find their voice, explore new worlds,
and feel understood in a world that often demands their constant attention.”
Who will be the guests on “No Half Saints”?
Guests will include youth and young adult ministers, priests, religious, music ministers, speakers, and more. Each episode will work to answer a question or focus on a major topic within the world of youth and young adult ministry. For example, episode one features Maria Agnese, youth minister and social ministry outreach coordinator at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Bernardsville, who offers great insight into why young adults need to get involved in their parishes.
New episodes will be released every other week on the “No Half Saints” YouTube channel, which can be found at https://www.youtube.com/@NoHalfSaints. Episodes will also be released on the Diocesan YouTube page which can be found at https://www.youtube.com/@ DioceseMetuchen.
Be sure to subscribe to both YouTube channels to not miss any episode releases!
The entirety of the “No Half Saints” podcast is consecrated to Our Lady, as anything put into Mary’s hands will always yield great fruit.
Contemplating the mystery of suffering through faith
In his 2007 book “The Shack,” author William Young convincingly explains why it is absurd to believe that God causes or “orchestrates” suffering. In the book, Mack’s youngest daughter Missy is brutally slain in a shack deep in the woods. Mack’s family is plunged into a suffocating cloak of painful sadness and estrangement from God. Later, God says to Mack:
“... just because I work incredible good out of unspeakable tragedies doesn’t mean I orchestrate the tragedies. Don’t ever assume that my using something means I caused it or that I need it to accomplish my purposes. That will only lead you to false notions about me. Grace doesn’t depend on suffering to exist, but where there is suffering you will find grace.”
Jesus Himself puts an end to any interpretation suggesting that God causes suffering in the Gospel passage concerning Bartimaeus, the man born blind:
As he passed by he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him.” (John 9:1-3)
This is reaffirmed in St. Luke’s account of a tragedy in Jerusalem when several people died when the tower at Siloam collapsed. Jesus states:
“...those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them – do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!” (Luke 13:4-5)
Jesus makes it clear that the victims of the tower disaster were not killed due to sin or guilt on their part. It was an unfortunate accident!
If God is so loving, why does suffering exist? The quick answer…because of original sin. Sin entered the world through our first parents and because of their sin, the entire natural order of things as intended by God, became disturbed or tainted. “Therefore, just as through one person sin entered the world, and through sin, death,…thus death came to all, inasmuch as all sinned...” (Romans 5:12). Therefore, we continue to suffer the
penalty of the fall of our first parents, Adam and Eve. Chaos inflicted upon creation from original sin has caused havoc upon humanity and the entire cosmos, resulting in natural disasters, as well as disorders within human genetics or DNA profiles marked by disease and other anomalies.
Additionally, much of the suffering experienced in our world is the result of poor choices related to war, violence, deceit, alcohol abuse and drug addiction, as well as other evils that surface when God’s commandments are ignored. But, the Cre-
would do such a thing? Only be a God who loves!
Suffering is of course a mystery to be contemplated and not to be fully understood. The case of tennis star Arthur Ashe, who contracted AIDS through a blood transfusion, is one fine example. In a 1992 New York Times article the tennis star explained:
“I’ve had a religious faith, growing up in the South and black and having the church…And I was reminded of something Jesus said on the cross, ‘My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?’… Jesus asked the question, in effect, why must the innocent suffer. I’m not so innocent, I mean I’m hardly a perfect human being. But you ask yourself about it, ‘Why me? ’ and then I think, ‘Why not me?’
Why should I be spared what some others have been afflicted with? And I have to think of all the good things in my life: of having a great wife and daughter and family and friends, of winning at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, and playing for and coaching the Davis Cup team, getting a free scholarship to UCLA – all kinds of good things…‘Why me?’ Sometimes there are no explanations for things, especially things that are bad.”
Ashe’s faith was challenged but not crushed. He did not stop believing and trusting in the ways of divine providence. He approached personal suffering in a manner similar to that of Job in the Old Testament.
In fact, it is the Book of Job that remains the classic text that explores the mystery of suffering. Job is a good man, but his goodness does not protect him from horrible suffering. He suffers the loss of everything including his family, possessions, and health. Finally, with nothing left, he stands before God and asks the heart-wrenching question: “Why?” God does not answer the question. Instead, God asks Job:
ator of the universe does not ordinarily interfere with our choices or the natural course of events. Does this mean that God is somehow unconcerned or indifferent to our plight in life? … Absolutely not!
On the contrary, the fact that God does not ordinarily interfere illustrates His deep and abiding respect and love for us as persons, for our proper autonomy as human beings, and for the natural course of things. More than this, God took our human nature upon Himself and became flesh. He suffered and died for us and for our salvation! What kind of a God
“Where were you when I founded the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its size; do you know? Who stretched out the measuring line for it? …Who laid the cornerstone?…Was it you who directed me?” (Job 38:4-6).
The Book of Job ends on a valuable note with Job at peace, a peace that comes by moving to a more valuable approach or question – the preoccupation with external events giving way to the internal depth of the human spirit. Job chooses to have a different attitude and learns how not to be afraid. He learns to ask, “How do I deal with suffering?” rather than “Why me?”
A stained-glass window depicts Job at Sacred Heart Church in Dubuque, Iowa. —OSV News file photo/Crosiers
Anniversary Prayer Service with Bishop James F. Checchio
SURVIVING DIVORCE
“Respect needs to be shown especially for the sufferings of those who have unjustly endured separation, divorce or abandonment” - Pope Francis FOR MEN AND WOMEN SEEKING HEALING FROM SEPARATION OR DIVORCE
8 WEEK PROGRAM, WEDNESDAYS, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
October 1 - November 19, 2025 at the St. John Neumann Pastoral Center 146 Metlars Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854
This program, while based on the teachings of the Catholic Church, is open to anyone who needs comfort, counsel and clarity after a divorce.
“Surviving Divorce” is an 8 week program, featuring a thirty-minute video session each week, which covers the topics of:
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2025
3 P.M.
The diocesan church cordially invites couples celebrating their 5th or 25th or 50th or 50+ wedding anniversaries in 2025 to attend the Silver and Gold Anniversary Prayer Service with Bishop James F. Checchio at the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi, 548 Main Street, Metuchen, New Jersey.
Although no fee is required, in the past many Jubilarian couples have given a free-will donation of gratitude to the Church in memory of this special occasion.
If you have any questions, please email Angela Marshall at amarshall@diometuchen.org or call 732-562-1543.
Registration is required to attend the prayer service. Registration will close on October 10, 2025. Registration available at www.diometuchen.org/familylife. Scan QR code to register now.
The Surviving Divorce program is sponsored by the Diocese of Metuchen’s Office of Family Life
By Rev. Msgr. Joseph J. Kerrigan Special Contributor
For preachers who have either been in their same pulpits for several years, and/or are of a certain advanced age – and I would be both – avoiding homiletical repetition becomes a greater challenge with each passing liturgical cycle.
A few weeks ago, faced with the very short and well-known Sunday Gospel passage of Jesus’ visit to the home of his friends Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38-42), I tried something altogether different, both in form and content.
Contrasting – as Jesus did – Martha’s famous distractedness (“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things” (Luke 10:41)) with Mary’s attentiveness, I invited the congregation to consider remedying our own distractedness with actual methods of awareness. So, instead of preaching per se, I led the assembly in various practices that featured awareness: breathing exercises and modified forms of Christian meditation.
The reaction was surprisingly positive. Churchgoers wanted to share how their similar practices help them sleep or stay focused or enrich their prayer, and were glad to hear that there is kind of a continuum from secular meditative exercises to ones that are part of our wider world of Catholic contemplative tradition.
So, at the end of the Gospel passage, when Jesus states that “Mary has chosen the better part (Luke 10:42)” – the path of awareness – we have a whole gamut of practical and proven practices to help us gain greater awareness in general, or of God’s presence specifically.
Better yet, thanks to a growing body of scientific advances that tout the many health benefits of forms of meditation in areas such as sleep, blood pressure, stress
Awakening TO OUR SPIRITUAL HARDWIRING
“better part” of Mary but the best of two worlds: gains in physical health as well as a greater spiritual capacity to love God with all our heart, mind and strength.
At a broader level, the news only
spiritual life. For example, Dr. Lisa Miller, a research scholar in spirituality and psychology, and author of the best-selling book “The Awakened Brain,” has offered neuroscientific data that we are all built
And, if we engage in these deeper forces, the research says that our lives will be more resilient, purposeful, happier and hope-filled, to name a few fruits, because we have demonstrably healthier brains.
I reached out to Cistercian Father Guerric Heckel, who directs the St. Francis Retreat Center at Mepkin Abbey in South Carolina. He observed: “Neuroscience is showing us, more and more, that we are created as spiritual beings. Our spiritual self is not something we have to acquire in a transactional way, (e.g. like a bubble gum machine), it is a given. All we need to do is become aware, and feel connected to the source of life.”
The Catholic Church, of course, sits on a treasure trove of spiritual riches to capitalize on these scientific insights. The various religious orders, for example, have developed an array of spiritualities and practices over the centuries, many of which feature silence or listening.
Could a new, fruitful wave of Catholic evangelization start to ripple by inviting people to deeper levels of inward experience and innate spirituality? Evangelization is often associated with outer, external interactions (e.g., Jesus’ commission, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15)), but maybe that “whole world” can include inner worlds, as well.
“Perhaps, for too long, the Church has focused on the God outside of us rather than the God within us,” notes Father Heckel. Ever since Jesus’ simple affirmation of Mary’s awareness along with his gentle admonition of Martha’s distraction, we’ve had a Gospel green light to develop our awareness in a faith-filled way. Science’s ongoing findings may be the boost that finally gets us going.
Msgr. Kerrigan is pastor of St. Joseph Church, Bound Brook, and an instructor
PHOENIX (OSV News) – The Vatican Observatory attests that “science is not against God” – and the nexus of science and spirituality invites humankind to contemplate the Lord’s wondrous works, said a Jesuit astrophysicist.
Father Pavel Gabor, vice director of the Vatican Observatory Research Group in Tucson, shared his insights in a June 25 keynote address during the Catholic Media Conference June 24-27 in Phoenix. At a luncheon sponsored by the Pontifical Mission Societies USA, Father Gabor addressed the question, “Why Does the Pope Have an Astrophysics Research Institute?”
Science and the stars a call to the spiritual, says Vatican astrophysicist
Father Gabor said many are actually unaware of the Vatican Observatory’s existence, even though it’s one of the oldest astronomical institutes in the world. Father Gabor said that Scripture and nature – what theologians have traditionally called “God’s two books” – invite humankind to contemplate the Lord’s wondrous works. He echoed the insights of French astronomer Catherine Cesarski, who said UNESCO’s International Year of Astronomy in 2009 was a call to behold the universe and recognize humanity’s place in it.
“If we manage to get every individual to gaze at the stars at least once this year and realize how wonderful, how magnificent this Earth is and how petty our earthly squabbles are,” said Father Gabor.
—Johannes Vermeer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Popular Pier Giorgio Frassati: A saint for ordinary Catholics
By David Dry, OSV News
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati died almost 100 years ago, but he would have fit in perfectly with many Catholics’ groups of friends. He was born in Turin, Italy, in 1901, among the political upheavals, war and social strife of the opening years of the 20th century. Against this challenging backdrop, Pier Giorgio exemplified a life of devout faith, strong friendships, social activism and rugged adventure.
Frassati was a bro. He climbed rocks, threw parties, experienced heartbreak and punched fascists.
Frassati was also holy. He had a deep interior life of prayer, an intense devotion to the Eucharist, and a selfless heart for serving the poor in Turin. He is expected to be canonized Sept. 7, alongside a fellow young Italian, Blessed Carlo Acutis.
Too often, we see the different aspects of Pier Giorgio’s life as incompatible. Sometimes, we think it’s impossible to have an exciting life of adventure with friends if we want to be prayerful and serve the poor. Other times, we compartmentalize these activities, living one life on Saturday night and an entirely different one on Sunday morning.
Pier Giorgio Frassati’s life challenges us to think differently. His ability to weave his faith into every aspect of his life, from the peaks he climbed with friends to the streets he walked to serve the poor, illustrates a seamless integration of faith and ordinary life.
At Pier Giorgio’s beatification in 1990, St. John Paul II said, “The secret of his apostolic zeal and holiness is to be sought in the ascetical and spiritual journey which he traveled; in prayer, in persevering adoration, even at night, of the Blessed Sacrament, in his thirst for the Word of God, which he sought in biblical texts; in the peaceful acceptance of life’s difficulties, in family life as well; in chastity lived as a cheerful, uncompromising discipline; in his daily love of silence and life’s ‘ordinariness.’”
The most iconic photos of Pier Giorgio are of him smoking a pipe on top of a mountain. This is where he felt most fully alive. He often led groups of friends on climbing expeditions through the Alps, viewing these adventures as pilgrimages in addition to physical challenges. Before leaving for one of these adventures, Pier Giorgio would spend the early hours of the morning in Adoration. Then, as they ascended a mountain, he would lead his friends in praying the Rosary, transforming the mountain paths into spiritual avenues leading to the heavens. The motto “Verso l’alto” (“To the heights”), which became synonymous with his approach to life, encapsulated Pier Giorgio’s desire to strive for spiritual peaks as he conquered physical ones.
Pier Giorgio was also known for his immense generosity. He would often give his bus money away to someone in need,
opting instead to run home across the city to make it back in time for family dinner. One winter, in an act of profound selflessness, he gave his shoes to a homeless man, walking home barefoot through the cold streets of Turin. His acts of kindness extended beyond mere charity. They were expressions of his profound faith, as he viewed service to the less fortunate in his community as both a duty and a privilege. He often refused to join his family on vacation, remarking, “If everybody leaves Turin, who will take care of the poor?”
In a time of growing political turmoil and the rise of fascism and anti-Catholic persecution in Italy, Pier Giorgio’s faith was his moral compass. He was deeply involved in Catholic youth groups and anti-fascist movements, such as the Cath
you fearless and good young people, do not be afraid because of this small problem. Bear in mind the fact that the Church is a divine institution that cannot end and will endure until the end of the world, and ‘the gates of hell will not prevail against her.’”
Pier Giorgio’s life is a testament to the fact that we can live an “ordinary” Catholic life yet have a profound impact. His integration of faith, charity and activism offers a powerful blueprint for our lives. He shows us that living a holy life requires a steadfast dedication to the principles of the Gospel and a willingness to act on behalf of those principles, even in the face of significant personal risk.
Today, as we navigate our complex world, Pier Giorgio’s life invites us to
Pier Giorgio Frassati, pictured in an undated photo, was a struggling student who excelled in mountain climbing. He had complete faith in God and persevered through college, dedicating himself to helping the poor and supporting Church social teaching. He died at age 24 and was beatified by St. John Paul II in 1990. —OSV News photo/Catholic Press Photo
olic Student Foundation and Catholic Action. These groups not only fostered his spiritual growth but also became platforms for his anti-fascist activism. He did not shy away from confrontations when it came to defending his beliefs.
Pier Giorgio’s participation in pro-Catholic and anti-fascist protests sometimes led to physical altercations and even his arrest, underscoring his commitment to his faith and his courage in the face of oppression.
In a letter to the Catholic youth of Pollone, Italy, Pier Giorgio expressed his unwavering faith and encouraged perseverance when surrounded by adversity: “The times which we are going through are difficult, because persecution against the Church rages as cruelly as ever. But
to live out the Gospel’s call to love and serve his community.
In a letter to fellow young Catholics, he wrote: “I urge you with all the strength of my soul to approach the Eucharistic Table as often as possible. Feed on this Bread of the Angels from which you will draw the strength to fight inner struggles, the struggles against passions and against all adversities, because Jesus Christ has promised to those who feed themselves with the most Holy Eucharist, eternal life and the necessary graces to obtain it.”
Pier Giorgio’s Eucharistic devotion extended beyond the Mass. He spent countless hours, often entire nights, in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Such deep, sustained periods of prayer are more commonly associated with the cloistered lives of monks and nuns, but Pier Giorgio shows us how to seamlessly integrate this spiritual practice into ordinary, lay life.
His devotion to daily Mass and frequent adoration highlights how profound and personal receiving and adoring Christ in the Eucharist was for him. Pier Giorgio’s life shows us that intense spiritual devotion and a vibrant secular life are not mutually exclusive.
It’s easy to be intimidated by the lives of great saints of our tradition. The profound intellect of St. Thomas Aquinas, the deep humility of St. Francis of Assisi, and the radical selflessness of St. Teresa of Calcutta can make us question our own capacity for sainthood. It seems a relief to discover a man who was both wholly ordinary and remarkably holy. He seemed to say to us, “If I can be a saint, why not you?”
Pier Giorgio’s example shows us that sanctity doesn’t require extraordinary circumstances. Most of us navigate the demands of 9-to-5 jobs and daily chores, yet these routines are not barriers to holiness but the very pathway to it.
Pier Giorgio found divine joy and holiness in the ordinariness of life, climbing mountains, spending time with friends and serving those in need.
reflect on how we, too, can embody such courage and generosity. Whether through small acts of kindness within our community or broader activism for social justice, we are called to carry forward the torch of faith and service that Pier Giorgio held so high.
Pier Giorgio’s devotion to the Eucharist was the central aspect of his spiritual life, deeply influencing his actions and approach to service. He understood the Eucharist as the vital source of spiritual strength and communion with Christ.
His days began with Mass, where he drew the courage and fortitude to face the challenges of his active life devoted to social justice and charity. This daily communion was, for him, a wellspring of divine grace, reinforcing his resolve
As we examine our own lives, it’s important to remember that being an “ordinary” Catholic does not mean settling for mediocrity. Each one of us is called to be a saint! Pier Giorgio seamlessly wove his joy for life with deep faith and a dedicated prayer life, leading by example that to be holy is to be fully alive! His life is a beacon for our own journeys, demonstrating that integrating our spiritual life with ordinary life is not only possible but necessary.
Inspired by Pier Giorgio Frassati’s upcoming canonization, let us cultivate a friendship with him and ask for his intercession to help us boldly answer the call to holiness in our everyday lives.
Together, let’s raise a glass and toast to Pier Giorgio Frassati, our soon-to-be patron saint of ordinary Catholics.
David Dry, a Los Angeles native living in Rome, converted to Catholicism in 2016.
Blessed
STUDY:
Devotion to Mary has significant impact on discerning, sustaining vocations
By Gina Christian, OSV News
Devotion to Mary is a significant factor in discerning and sustaining the call to priestly and religious life, according to a new study.
“As a religious, Mary has played a big role in our religious life, and I am just excited to see the report as a kind of confirmation that Mary indeed is our model,” said Sister Thu T. Do, a Sister of the Lovers of the Holy Cross and a research associate at the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University.
On July 16, CARA made public a report titled “Impact of Mary, Mother of the Church, on Ecclesial Vocations,” which Sister Thu and fellow CARA researcher Jonathon L. Wiggins prepared in response to a request from the Diocese of Saginaw, Michigan.
Spearheading that request was the diocese’s theologian and permanent diaconate formation coordinator, Daniel Osborn. He told OSV News the “main genesis” for the project was Pope Francis’ November 2023 call to members of the International Theological Commission for greater study on the Marian dimension of the Church.
“On a personal level,” he added, “I owe my own ecclesial vocation as a lay theologian to the Blessed Mother’s intercession.” So the study, Osborn explained, was also “a way to honor and thank her personally for how she intervened in my own life,” which saw him return to his childhood Catholic faith after a period of drifting away.
The survey, conducted between
“Most respondents described Mary’s presence in their lives using terms such as companion, friend, guide, comforter, model, intercessor, mother, and vocation-inspirer.”
March and May through mailed paper forms and emailed questionnaires, represented responses from 1,091 respondents, a mix of U.S. Catholic bishops, diocesan priests, permanent deacons, deacon directors, and major superiors of men and women religious.
Among those six groups polled, an average of 59% said Marian devotion had either a “meaningful” or “great” impact on their discernment of a vocation to serve Jesus Christ and the Church. Of the groups, religious priests (71%) were most likely to cite Marian devotion, while deacon directors (49%) were the least likely.
Most respondents (92%) said they had first learned of Marian devotion as children, with family (79%) the primary means of introduction, followed by parishes (44%) and Catholic schools (44%).
The rosary topped the list of common Marian devotional practices during one’s discernment of a vocation, with 71% reporting private recitation and 52% saying they prayed the rosary with others. Praying before images of Mary –whether icons, statues or paintings – was cited by 40% of the respondents.
Among the participants, the home (80%) was the prime location for such devotion during their vocational discernment, followed by the parish (77%).
Survey respondents also said that they “often” or “always” wear the Miraculous Medal (32%), associated with Mary’s 19th-century appearances to St. Catherine Labouré; the Brown Scapular (29%); or another Marian medal (18%).
Pilgrimages to Marian apparition sites ahead of coming to their vocation in
the Church were also noted by 44% of all respondents, with Guadalupe (29%) and Lourdes (28%) as the most popular sites visited.
A majority of survey participants (74%) said devotion to Mary has either “strengthened” or “very much strengthened” the living out of their respective vocations. Bishops (89%) were most likely to highlight Mary’s role in this regard.
Marian devotion also enhances respondents’ current devotion to the Eucharist, with a total of 80% saying that Mary has had either a “meaningful” or “great” impact.
The survey’s open-ended question on the Marian dogma or doctrine that has been most significant in sustaining respondents’ vocations elicited 31 specific examples, with the Immaculate Conception, the Mother of God or Theotokos, the Assumption and perpetual virginity of Mary most commonly cited.
Another open-ended question on the most meaningful Marian titles yielded a high response rate, with 84% of participants listing a combined 128 distinct Marian titles. Most popular was “Mary, Mother of God,” followed by “Our Lady of Perpetual Help,” “Mary, Mother of the Church,” “Undoer of Knots,” “Our Lady of Guadalupe,” “Our Lady/Mother of Sorrows,” “Theotokos” (“God-bearer”), “Queen of Peace,” “Our Lady of Good Counsel,” and “Immaculate Heart.”
Ranking first among Marian authors noted by survey participants was the French priest St. Louis-Marie de Montfort, followed by St. John Paul II, St. Maximilian Kolbe, Venerable Fulton
J. Sheen, Father Michael E. Gaitley, a member of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, and St. Alphonsus Liguori.
Among the report’s other findings:
-St. John Paul II was named as the saint who had most inspired respondents’ Marian devotion, followed by St. Louis de Montfort, St. Joseph, St. Bernadette of Lourdes, St. Alphonsus Liguori, St. Dominic, and St. Thérèse of Lisieux.
-The Gospels of Luke and John were the most popular sources of Marian-related Scriptures.
-Marian art such as the Pieta, St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin’s tilma imprinted with the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and depictions of the Annunciation and Our Lady of Perpetual Help received “a high volume of mentions” among survey participants.
“Most respondents described Mary’s presence in their lives using terms such as companion, friend, guide, comforter, model, intercessor, mother, and vocation-inspirer,” said the report. “Many also spoke of experiencing her role through Marian devotional practices and through being consecrated to Mary.”
Mary “meets us everywhere,” Sister Thu told OSV News. “Even in the place or in the moment that we do not find anyone, Our Lady, Mary, is there.”
Gina Christian is a multimedia reporter for OSV News. Follow her on X @ GinaJesseReina.
“Impact of Mary, Mother of the Church, on Ecclesial Vocations” can be downloaded from the website of the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at cara.georgetown.edu
Pope Leo XIV swings a censer near a painting of Mary and the Christ Child as he celebrates his inauguration Mass at the Vatican May 18, 2025. —OSV News photo/Yara Nardi, Reuters
photo/ Lola Gomez
12 takeaways from new survey on Mary’s impact on vocations
By Daniel Osborn, OSV News
In coming years, some Roman pilgrims will undoubtedly search for Pope Francis’ tomb at St. Peter’s Basilica only to learn that, in accord with the pontiff’s wishes, his mortal remains are actually located at St. Mary Major Basilica. It’s a place he prayed many times over the course of his papacy, especially before the icon of Mary, Salus Populi Romani, the protectress of the Roman people.
His directive on his final resting place was the concluding note of a Marian leitmotif that ran throughout Pope Francis’ pontificate. Building especially on the theological legacy of Hans Urs von Balthasar, Pope Francis deeply embraced the Swiss theologian’s view that the Marian/feminine/contemplative dimension of the Church is primary, when compared to the Petrine/masculine dimension, which focuses on structures and governance.
The last pope to be buried at Rome’s chief Marian basilica was Pope Clement IX, who died in 1669. Pope Francis’ unusual decision to choose a Marian worship site for his entombment speaks to his conviction that Mary’s spirit of prayerful, contemplative receptivity is more fundamental to the life of the Church than St. Peter’s role of active governance. “Ecclesia,” after all, is a feminine word.
On July 16, the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate released a report on a first-of-its-kind survey entitled, “Impact of Mary, Mother of the Church, on Ecclesial Vocations.”
Published on the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the groundbreaking report provides the findings of a Marian survey of bishops, priests, deacons, diaconal directors and major superiors in the United States. Father Thomas Gaunt, CARA’s director, shared that this is likely the first time a Marian study has social science supporting it. And I’m grateful to have played a role in its creation and fruition.
The idea for this project is something that came to me in prayer after
and Guadalupe (31%).
And even though the reported apparitions of Mary at Medjugorje only date back to 1981, the impact of “the spiritual experience of Medjugorje” on ecclesial vocations is also evident. Of the respondents, 14% report that Medjugorje had a great or meaningful impact on their original sense of an ecclesial vocation.
4. Given how the Catholic Church in the United States has recently prioritized a Eucharistic revival, it is noteworthy that 80% of respondents indicate that Marian devotion has strengthened their Eucharistic devotion – a finding that reinforces the traditional Catholic mantra, “to Jesus through Mary.”
the United States, with 87% of bishops reporting that they pray the rosary privately, followed by 77% of diocesan priests.
10. The domestic Church is the most powerful place to cultivate Marian devotion. When asked where their devotion to Mary was fostered, 79% of respondents state that it was in their home, 44% say their parish, and 44% indicate a Catholic school.
11. In discerning a vocation to a particular religious community or diocese, religious priests (47%) and women major superiors (36%) top the list of those who say that the Marian dimension of the community they joined was “significant” or “very significant.”
Pope Francis made a plea to theologians on Nov. 30, 2023. That day, the late Holy Father asked theologians to explore with fresh vigor the Marian/feminine dimension of the Church – which happened to be the focus of my thesis work at the Angelicum in Rome.
Along with answering Pope Francis’ call, I also consider this project to be a way to honor and thank the Blessed Mother for her key role in leading me to my own ecclesial vocation.
The aim of this research project is to better understand Mary’s impact on the church, specifically with regard to those who have embraced priestly, diaconal and religious vocations.
In practical terms, the study provides church leaders, vocation directors, seminaries, religious institutes and laity with concrete data on the significance of “the Marian principle” in the Church, particularly at a time when fostering ecclesial vocations is a top priority in most dioceses and religious institutes.
Below are my top twelve takeaways from the responses to CARA’s national Marian survey:
1. Mary’s role as “Mother of the Church” is borne out by the fact that a combined 89% of respondents report having a strong devotion (58%) or some devotion (31%) to Mary. Furthermore, 74% report that their devotion to Mary has “strengthened” them (34%) or “very much strengthened” them (41%) in living out their ecclesial vocations.
2. Mary clearly has an important role in fostering vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and religious life, with 71% of respondents reporting that they prayed the rosary privately while discerning an ecclesial vocation.
3. The impact of Marian apparitions on ecclesial vocations is noteworthy. Clergy and major superiors report that the following approved apparitions had a great or meaningful impact on their original sense of an ecclesial vocation: Fatima (44%), Lourdes (43%)
5. St. John Paul II’s promotion of the Marian consecration according to St. Louis de Montfort appears to have had a significant impact, with 44% of all respondents reporting that they have made this kind of Marian consecration.
St. John Paul II and St. Louis de Montfort top the list of saints who have most inspired Marian devotion in respondents’ lives. And these same two saints also finished as the most influential Marian authors among those responding, with St. Louis de Montfort finishing in first place, followed by St. John Paul II.
6. Just as Mary’s presence in the Upper Room during the nine days before Pentecost was of great importance to the first bishops of the Church (the apostles), so today the bishops of the United States rely greatly on Mary’s maternal presence in their lives.
Of those bishops surveyed, 96% report that they have either a strong devotion or some devotion to Mary, and 68% of bishops report that their devotion to Mary had a great or meaningful impact on their original sense of a vocation to serve Christ and the Church. Of the bishops who responded, 84% report turning to Mary for spiritual assistance very often or often in their ministry.
7. Mary has an important role in fostering either conversions to the Catholic Church or “reversions” – that is, individuals who grow up Catholic, fall away, and then return to the Church. Among those reporting a conversion or reversion to Catholicism, 71% report that devotion to Mary had an impact on their experience of conversion or reversion.
8. The results of this Marian survey make it clear that there is a need for stronger Mariological formation in seminaries, in religious institutes and in permanent deacon formation programs. Almost half of respondents report that their Mariological studies were weak (46%). Deacon directors (64%) and permanent deacons (54%) top the list of those who consider their studies in Mariology to be weak.
9. The rosary continues to hold a place of great importance in the devotional life of Catholic leadership in
12. Whereas the Petrine dimension of the Church (focused, like St. Peter, on action and governance) understandably involves the maintenance of ecclesial unity and, in some cases, uniformity, this survey highlights that the Marian dimension is more about cultural and devotional diversity, with a vast array of Marian titles, Marian works of art and Marian devotions mentioned by respondents.
Hopefully, the results of this Marian research project will be fruitfully received – not just by clergy, religious and laity in the U.S, but by the universal Church.
The Marian dimension and “fruitful receptivity” are closely interwoven, as the future Pope Benedict XVI observes in the book he co-authored with von Balthasar, his friend, titled “Mary: the Church at the Source”: “In today’s intellectual climate, only the masculine principle counts. And that means doing, achieving results, actively planning and producing the world oneself, refusing to wait for anything upon which one would thereby become dependent, relying rather, solely on one’s own abilities. It is, I believe, no coincidence, given our Western, masculine mentality, that we have increasingly separated Christ from his Mother, without grasping that Mary’s motherhood might have some significance for theology and faith. This attitude characterizes our whole approach to the Church.”
Then-Cardinal Ratzinger concludes with a prophetic plea that the Church would prioritize “the Marian principle” and follow Mary’s example of being “holy soil”: “The Church is not a manufactured item; she is, rather, the living seed of God that must be allowed to grow and ripen. This is why the Church needs the Marian mystery; this is why the Church herself is a Marian mystery. There can be fruitfulness in the Church only when she has this character, when she becomes holy soil for the Word. We must retrieve the symbol of the fruitful soil; we must once more become waiting, inwardly recollected people who, in the depth of prayer, longing and faith, give the Word room to grow.”
Daniel Osborn serves as diocesan theologian for the Diocese of Saginaw, Michigan.
Pope Leo XIV incenses a statue of Mary and the child Jesus at the start of Mass for the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican June 29, 2025.
—CNS
On-going faith formation, what is this?
Does “adult enrichment” ring a bell?
In October of 2023, Bishop Checchio appointed me coordinator of On-going Faith Formation. This is another way of appointing me to teach courses in adult faith enrichment. This program has attracted 65-70 adults per semester, from Clinton to Lakewood. The setting is the dining room of the pastoral center and the format is laid back, lecture, Q & A as well as Power Point slides. There are no exams, grades or pre-requisites. Most of those in attendance are seniors, however, we draw from all age groups of adulthood.
In the first course, we explored the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of St. Matthew. Following this course, we took us into class on World Religions, and in fact, that is what we studied: Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism and Christianity.
In the fall of 2024, we examined the four constitutions of the Second Vatican Council: Dogmatic Constitution on Revelation, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Dogmatic Constitution on Liturgy and Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World.
In the spring semester of 2025, keeping with the Jubilee Year theme of hope, we tackled a course on escha-
tology, and all the themes of the “end times,” heaven, hell, purgatory, limbo, particular judgment and final judgment. We concluded the spring semester by an exegesis of the book of Revelation or the Apocalypse.
This fall, we will begin a six-month study of the Prophetic corpus of the Old Testament. In this course, we will read, pray and study the fourteen minor prophets and the three major prophets. This course will begin on September 4. I do hope that those who are interested in deepening their faith, without the pressure of exams or grades, might take advantage of this opportunity.
Classes meet every Thursday from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the St. John Neumann Pastoral Center. For more information or to register, please call Angela Marshall, administrative assistant for the Secretariat of Family and Pastoral Life, (732) 562-1543 or email her at amarshall@diometuchen.org.
As Catholic Christians, our pursuit of the truth should never end. Our quest of knowing, loving and serving God is a life-long mission. If you would like to join us, please set aside an hour a week for on-going faith formation. Excuse me, an hour for adult faith enrichment.
Mass is not a duty but an embrace
“Do I gotta?” The phrasing is inelegant, with a decidedly juvenile ring. At 75, and with some reputation as a writer, I hope that I will never succumb to using such a sentence, but while the phrasing is regrettable, it accurately describes the attitude. “Do I gotta?” “Must I?” “Is it obligatory?”
The reluctance to comply with outside demands is innate in human nature. With some of us, it is more deeply rooted than in others. With some of us – and I am one of them – being pressured into anything is guaranteed to make me dig my heels in. And coming as I do from Gold Rush country, I wear metaphorical cowboy boots, with heels that are made for digging in and resisting pressure.
So we humans naturally object to obligations. We can be made to acquiesce, we can be forced to submit, but, as Samuel Butler wrote in “Hudibras,” “He that complies against his will is of his own opinion still.” Pressure can produce compliance, and even acquiescence, but it cannot produce whole-hearted agreement.
Advertising agencies are masters at
convincing us to do what their employers want: buy this brand, sign up for that activity. This is simply a more insidious form of manipulation, one that Tom Sawyer understood instinctively when he convinced his friends that it was a privilege to paint a wall, a privilege reserved only for the elite. The desire to belong to that elite was a magnet that few could resist and the children lined up and even paid for the privilege of doing Tom’s work for him.
How do we decide if something is worth doing? Attending Mass on Sunday is obligatory unless one has a valid reason for absenting oneself. The number of Catholics in the United States who attend Sunday Mass is estimated to be around 24%. The obligation aspect doesn’t seem to carry much weight with the other 76%.
Of the 24% who do go to Sunday Mass, how many go because it is obligatory?
In Nigeria, the weekly Mass attendance of the 30 million Catholics is 94%. Cardinal Peter Ebere Okpaleke, 59, attributes this high attendance at Mass to a traditional awareness of God’s presence “in life and society. Nigerians have not lost sight of how the spiritual world imbues everyday life.” This relationship with God flows out from the encounter with God in Mass to the family where the “faith is handed over to the next generation,” and because of this, “people feel a sense of community in the Church,” Okpaleke said.
Father Comandini serves as diocesan coordinator of the Office for Ongoing Faith Formation.
This vibrant, sharing of the faith takes place in a country where some 54,000 Christians have been killed for their faith over a period of 14 years. It is not safe to be a Christian in Nigeria. It is not safe to go to Mass. People there would have a very good reason to stay away from Mass. Instead, they flock to it weekly and even daily. They do not go because of some Church law. They go because they want to find God and they know that they find him in the Mass. Relationship with God in the Eucharist, relationship with God in the family, relationship with God in the parish. It is a sharing of the faith spreading outward that shines forth as a glorious witness in the midst of violence to the power of God
A sanctuary lamp is foreground and lighted, indicating that within the tabernacle resides the consecrated Body of Christ.
—(OSV News photo/ Gregory L. Tracy/The Pilot)
to unite us. And it all starts with a few minutes of communion with him once a week at Mass.
St. Teresa of Jesus said that “prayer is a conversation with one who we know loves us.” Mother Janet Stuart reminds us that, when we enter a Church and see the red lamp glowing in front of the tabernacle, “a real human heart thrills with pleasure and welcome to you as you come in.” We want to be loved. Even more, we want to be welcomed. How often does someone thrill with joy at the sight of us? It happens every time we enter a church. Sister Gabriela of the Incarnation is a member of the Discalced Carmelites order in Flemington. Learn more at www. flemingtoncarmel.org.
It is with great joy that Bishop James F. Checchio invites the faithful of our Diocese, especially the youth,
TO CELEBRATE THE CANONIZATION OF
September 7, 2025 at the noon Mass in St. Augustine of Canterbury Church, Kendall Park. Bishop Checchio will serve as celebrant.
• Left, OSV News photo/courtesy Sainthood Cause of Carlo Acutis. • Center, CNS photo/Justin McLellan.
• Right, stained-glass window of Blessed Carlo Acutis in St. Anne’s Chapel, St. Louis Church, Foreston, Minn. OSV News photo/Dianne Towalski, The Central Minnesota Catholic
Saint Peter’s University Hospital Earns 7th Consecutive Magnet® Designation for Nursing Excellence
Saint Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick, a member of Saint Peter’s Healthcare System, attained Magnet® designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) for the seventh consecutive time, this time receiving Magnet with DistinctionTM designation, a testament to its continued dedication to high-quality nursing practice. The ANCC’s Magnet with Distinction designation was only introduced in January 2025 and celebrates hospitals and healthcare organizations that exceed the scoring thresholds required to attain Magnet designation. It raises the bar to recognize top-tier organizations that have achieved the highest level of nursing excellence while addressing emerging challenges. These hospitals serve as exemplary role models for nursing excellence and for creating an environment of care that improves patient outcomes.
The ANCC’s Magnet Recognition Program® distinguishes healthcare organizations that meet rigorous standards for nursing excellence. This credential is the highest national honor for professional nursing practice. Magnet recognition is the gold standard for nursing excellence. The Magnet Model provides a framework for nursing practice, research, and measurement of outcomes. Through this framework, ANCC evaluates applicants across a number of components and dimensions to gauge an organization’s nursing excellence.
The foundation of this model comprises various elements deemed essential to delivering superior patient care. These include the quality of nursing leadership and coordination and collaboration across specialties, as well as processes for measuring and improving the quality and delivery of care.
“Magnet designation not only highlights the dedication of our nurses but also reflects our hospital-wide culture of excellence, collaboration, and compassion. We are proud of our Saint Peter’s nurses and everyone who played a role in this achievement. It is a powerful example of our commitment to the highest standards of care for the patients we serve,” said Leslie D. Hirsch, FACHE, president and CEO of Saint Peter’s Healthcare System.
Receiving Magnet recognition for the seventh time is a great achievement for Saint Peter’s University Hospital as it continues to proudly belong to the global Magnet community. In receiving its seventh consecutive Magnet designation, Saint Peter’s became only the fifth hospital in the world to do so. Research demonstrates that Magnet recognition provides specific benefits to health care organizations and their communities, such as:
• Higher patient satisfaction with nurse communication, availability
of help and receipt of discharge information
• Lower risk of 30-day mortality
• Higher job satisfaction among nurses
• Lower nurse reports of intentions to leave their positions
“Achieving Magnet designation for the seventh time, and this time with distinction, means that Saint Peter’s not only met the rigorous standards set by the ANCC but also exceeded expectations in key areas of nursing leadership, patient outcomes, professional development, and collaboration across departments,” said Linda Carroll, vice president of Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer at Saint Peter’s Healthcare System.
“This recognition was made possible by our nurses’ commitment, innovation, and passion for delivering exceptional patient care, and all those at Saint Peter’s who support a culture of service excellence.”
To achieve initial Magnet recognition, organizations must pass a rigorous and lengthy process that demands widespread participation from leadership and staff. This process includes an electronic application, written patient care documentation, an on-site visit, and a review by the Commission on Magnet Recognition.
Healthcare organizations must reapply for Magnet recognition every four years based on adherence to Magnet concepts and demonstrated improvements in patient care and quality. An organization reapplying for Magnet recognition must provide documented evidence to demonstrate how staff members sustained and improved Magnet concepts, performance and quality over the four-year period since the organization received its most recent recognition.
To learn more about Saint Peter’s awards and recognitions, visit saintpetershcs.com/award.
For more information about nursing opportunities at Saint Peter’s, visit saintpetershcs.com/careers.
from left, are Linda Carroll, vice president of President Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer, Saint Peter’s Healthcare System; Deptina Johnson, director, Magnet Program and Nursing Quality, Saint Peter’s University Hospital, and Leslie D. Hirsch, FACHE, president and CEO, Saint Peter’s Healthcare System, along with staff, responding to their recognition for earning Magnet® Designation for Nursing Excellence. —Saint Peter’s University Hospital photo
FEMININE GENIUS BRUNCH
JUBILEE CELEBRATION OF WOMEN
Come discover God’s plan for your ultimate flourishing!
OCTOBER 11, 2025 9:30 AM TO 12:30 PM
Pictured,
Meet 88-year-old scooter-riding catechist from Singapore who has brought 2,000 people into church
Andrew Goh, an 88-year-old catechist, poses for a photo at his home in Singapore July 2, 2025.
Goh uses children’s books to teach the Catholic catechism to the elderly who want to join the Church.
—OSV News photo/Christopher Khoo
By Christopher Khoo, OSV News
SINGAPORE (OSV News) – In light of the World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly July 27, meet 88-year-old Andrew Goh – a scooter-riding catechist in Singapore who has spent 34 years bringing the faith to the elderly and housebound and has helped more than 2,000 people enter the Church.
Goh was in the insurance line for many years but decided to do this special ministry full time after he was baptized in 1991. “God is so kind, so good,” he said of his faith experience, adding that he felt he had to “repay” God’s goodness.
After his Baptism, he began to hear stories about how some adults who were Catholic had elderly parents who were not. Furthermore, these children were somehow uncomfortable to ask for religious instruction for their parents.
Goh noted that the RCIA – or the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, aimed chiefly at preparing and initiating unbaptized men and women who wish to enter the Catholic Church – conducted in majority-Chinese Singapore is mainly
in English and Mandarin, catering largely to adults and youth who speak these languages. However, for the elderly who speak only dialect, “they are neglected,” he told OSV News.
He then decided to start a ministry catering to them, such as praying for elderly people in hospitals, visiting those who are housebound, and holding catechism classes in parishes.
Goh speaks English, Mandarin, the Chinese dialects of Hokkien, Teochew, Cantonese and Hainanese, as well as Peranakan. Peranakans are descendants of the early Chinese settlers in Southeast Asia who intermarried with the local people. These unions resulted in a unique fusion of Chinese and local cultures.
Goh comes from a Hokkien-Peranakan background, which makes speaking certain Chinese dialects easy for him. For other dialects such as Cantonese and Hainanese, he took the trouble to learn from others.
Catechism lessons for his elderly catechumens, most of whom are in their 70s and 80s, are simple affairs, focusing on the main tenets of the faith.
Goh uses children’s books with their large colorful pictures to make certain religious concepts easy to understand, such as the sacraments of the Church, the story of Adam and Eve and Jesus’ miracles. He has also come up with his own set of printed materials which contain instructions in Mandarin and English and easy-to-understand diagrams.
The octogenarian has been performing his ministry in as many as five parishes over the years. He currently teaches catechism weekly at the Church of the Holy Family and the Church of St. Alphonsus, called the Novena Church. A total of about 30 people attend these classes, including some who were previously baptized through his instructions.
In addition to this, he makes eight house visits weekly to teach those housebound.
Over the decades, Goh has helped more than 2,000 people get baptized and has more than 560 godchildren.
However, this ministry is not without its challenges. Goh shared with OSV News that some people leave after two or three lessons. There were also others who later
Pope Francis’ preface to book on aging encourages elders
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Growing old isn’t something to be feared, but rather something to embrace as a time of grace in one’s life, Pope Francis wrote in a preface for a book that was not released before he died. “Waiting for a New Beginning: Reflections on Old Age.” was written by Cardinal Angelo Scola, retired archbishop of Milan, and released April 24 by the Vatican publishing house. Pope Francis, who had written the preface in early February, died April 21 at the age of 88.
The Pope writes, in part, “Yes, we
must not be afraid of old age, we must not fear embracing becoming old, because life is life, and sugarcoating reality means betraying the truth of things. Restoring pride to a term too often considered unhealthy is a gesture for which we should be grateful to Cardinal Scola.
“Because to say ‘old’ does not mean ‘to be discarded,’ as a degraded culture of waste sometimes leads us to think. Saying ‘old”’ instead means saying experience, wisdom, knowledge, discernment, thoughtfulness, listening, slowness … Values of which we are in great need!
“It is true, one becomes old, but this is not the problem: the problem is how one becomes old. If we live this time of life as a grace, and not with resentment; if we accept the time (even a long one) in which we experience diminished strength, the increasing fatigue of the body, the reflexes no longer what they were in our youth – with a sense of gratitude and thankfulness – well then, old age too becomes an age of life which … is truly fruitful and capable of radiating goodness.”
decided to join other Christian churches.
Goh, who still enjoys robust health, zips around Singapore on his trusty scooter to perform his unique ministry. He now has a few assistants helping him in his weekly classes but he acknowledges that help can be hard to come by.
Asked what will happen if one day he becomes too weak to continue this ministry, he said that “there are already people who can speak dialects,” adding that they can be attracted to join this ministry if the church pays them a regular allowance. “They will come in, those who are retired,” he said.
In the meantime, Goh’s catechumens shared that they are learning much from the sessions.
Betty Tan, 76, who attends the classes at Novena Church with her 85-yearold sister, said she is “learning how to pray, how to make the sign of the cross and how Jesus helped others.”
Simon Low, 75, who attends the sessions at the Church of the Holy Family, said he looks forward to “going deeper” into learning the faith, and, also to being baptized.
Pope Francis greets 100-year-old Lucilla Macelli before celebrating Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, marking World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly July 23, 2023. —CNS photo/Vatican Media
Seniors heralded as messengers of faith at workshop
By Christina Leslie Contributing Editor
SAt right, keynote speaker Keaton Douglas leads the audience in song and reminds them, “Every Catholic is an apostle and called to be a messenger of the Good News.”
cores of seasoned Catholics from throughout the Diocese of Metuchen heard a soul-affirming message at the fifth annual ‘Celebrate Life – Morning for Grandparents and Seniors’ held July 24 in the St. John Neumann Pastoral Center, Piscataway: their contributions matter.
“The spiritual gifts of aging – wisdom, patience, grace, not losing hope – are not often celebrated in youth-obsessed culture,” asserted keynote speaker Keaton Douglas. “In the eyes of the Church and God, these gifts are treasures beyond price.”
Sponsored by the diocesan Office of Human Life and Dignity, the event was slated near the feast day of Sts. Anne and Joachim, grandparents of Jesus, and included breakfast and fellowship, a keynote presentation and reflection followed by Mass.
Bishop James F. Checchio addressed the assembly with gratitude, saying, “Grandparents always have a special place in their grandchildren’s hearts. Thank you for all you do, not just for your families but for your parish and the Church.” Relating that a good number of the seminarians he had encountered in Rome credited their grandparents with
nurturing their faith, he added, “You have great influence on them by example. Continue to be good examples and not despair.”
Douglas’ high-energy presentation began with an invitation to the audience to join her with a heartfelt sung rendition of “Amazing Grace,” hearkening back to her history as a singer and entertainer in Las Vegas. She went on to earn a bachelor of science degree from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.; a master’s degree in theology at the Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology, Seton Hall, South Orange, then began work in the field of addiction and recovery. Douglas is the creator and director of the iTHIRST Initiative, and a frequent contributor to Relevant Radio, St. Paul’s Inside the Walls, Diocese of Paterson, and the Shrine of St. Joseph, Stirling.
The spiritual gifts of aging, Douglas maintained, “allow the soul to see things the way God sees them: from an eternal perspective. Navigate your life with divine clarity. Give your witness to the Church by your presence, perseverance, and prayer.”
The Gift ofWisdom
Wisdom forms the basis of our understanding of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, Douglas said. Quoting the
Book of Job, she continued, “‘Wisdom is with the aged and understanding in the length of days.’ The world says you are wise because you are book learned, but true wisdom is borne from experience steeped in prayer.”
Douglas shared her earliest childhood memories of family visits to her Italian great grandmother. Though the woman had slipped into dementia and forgotten how to speak in English, the youngster would watch her fervently praying the Rosary “so often that she had worn down the beads to look like she was praying on lentils.” The elderly woman implored her to “always remember the Holy Virgin.”
“The wisdom she imparted to me as a child stayed with me through life’s journey,” said Douglas. “I have a deep and abiding Marian spirituality.” Addressing the seniors, she continued, “You have lived through trials, seen the hand of God throughout your lives. You are essential to the Church… Our task is to guide younger generations by your presence and example.”
Relating another family anecdote, she lovingly referred to her 98-year-old widowed father as “Jack the Evangelist” since he continually shared his strong faith with his medical caretakers, taught them to pray the Rosary, and brought them back to the sacramental life. “By
Above, Jennifer Ruggiero, Secretariat for Family and Pastoral Life, speaks at the July 24 fifth annual Celebrate Life – Morning for Grandparents and Seniors in the Piscataway diocesan pastoral center.
—John Batkowski photos
Bottom center, Bishop James F. Checchio greets the assembly, informing them their faith is crucial in the parish and the Church.
Right, the Bishop shares his gratitude with two of the nearly 180 people in attendance.
his experience, steeped in prayer, he has a lot more to share,” Douglas declared. “Every Catholic is an apostle and called to be a messenger of the good news. Ask yourself: what wisdom have I been taught about God? How can I use my experience steeped in prayer to bring hope to others?”
The Gift of Patience
Citing Romans 5:3-4, Douglas said, “Affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, proven character produces hope. It sustains us, reframes us as a transformative journey with purpose.”
She continued, “Afflictions can be a sacred teacher… Through our trials and discomfort and pain, we are refined. We must have a steady trust in God’s providence, humility, compassion and resilience. From this, hope emerges.”
Our afflictions are not wasted, Douglas asserted, and suffering is only suffering if it has no meaning. “Remember when we would fall down and skin our knee and say we had to kiss it up to God? If we unite our afflictions, they will always bear fruit,” she said. “Our bodies may slow down, and tasks take longer, while patience becomes not just a virtue, but a spiritual necessity which grounds
us in times of trial.”
Patience is not passive endurance but instead an active trust in God’s faithfulness, Douglas said. “We pray for our children and grandchildren to come back to the Church, physical healing for a loved one… We are not in control; it can be frustrating or liberating when we begin to really trust in God. Ask yourself: How is God inviting me to grow in patience today?”
The Gift of Grace
“Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16),” Douglas quoted. “Aging in Christ makes us more radiant, more transparent to grace and God’s love in each of us.” The speaker chuckled as she coined a slogan for a new bumper sticker: “The world sees wrinkles, heaven sees radiance.”
“St. Augustine says we should love without measure. Be a sacrament of God’s grace, be a gentle witness to say, especially now, I belong to God,” Douglas advised. “We are a baptismal sign. Embody God’s presence through words, actions, compassion. Extend forgiveness, offer consolation, act with selfless love, become living instruments so others can encounter the grace of God.”
We are not here by our own power, the speaker reminded her audience, but instead it is God’s grace flowing through us. “There is tangible evidence of God’s grace and love,” Douglas said. “The world is thirsting for the sacred. Ask yourself: how am I being invited to radiate grace, even in tiny ways?”
The Gift of Hope
Hope urges us as believers not to be paralyzed by disappointment, Douglas said, and in times of great challenge and despair, it is more important than ever to hope in Christ with a deep trust rooted in divine mercy.
“When I pray the Rosary, I never understood how to fit it into the mysteries,” she confided. “Now, when I pray the Rosary, I am sitting next to the Blessed Mother, and she is showing me the moments of her son’s life. Now I hold Mary’s hand every day in all that I do.”
Douglas concluded her presentation with a reminder for the seniors: regardless of their age, they are needed and valued by the Church.
“You have much more work to do,” she said. “Your experience is steeped in prayer, and there is grace that flows through you. Be inspired; our work is never done, and the Lord is still calling us.”
AGING IN CHRIST MAKES US MORE RADIANT… THE WORLD SEES WRINKLES, HEAVEN SEES RADIANCE.
St. John Vianney School, Colonia, was blessed with a new eighth grade religion teacher this 2024-2025 school year: Patrick James Rasimowicz, a seminarian for the Diocese of Metuchen.
The students so embraced his insights, they dedicated their yearbook to him, stating, “We have grown in our Catholic faith, strengthened our relationships with God, and learned how to live more holy lives.”
Pictured at left accompanying the seminarian are SJVS graduates David Napoli and Aidan Ostrander (in gown).
photos
Saint John Vianney School dedicates yearbook to Seminarian
By Christina Leslie Contributing Editor
What kind of impact can one novice teacher have upon a school’s entire eighth grade class? If that teacher is diocesan seminarian Patrick James Rasimowicz, and that school is St. John Vianney in Colonia, well, take a look at the dedication page of the 2025 class yearbook.
“During this past year, Mr. R. has kept our religion class interesting, entertaining and positive, teaching us theology in a way that we have never been taught before,” the tribute begins. “Always willing to help us and answer all of our questions, he gives us support and confidence while making us laugh. Mr. R. encourages us to participate in class, especially in Friday discussions where he goes deeper into topics, sharing how much he knows and teaching us to be better people by living our lives through Christ … We have grown in our Catholic faith, strengthened our relationships with God, and learned how to live more holy lives. Mr. R. has been a great role model
for us, and we believe he will make a great priest. He is truly a witness to God and wants us to be too.”
“I suspected I had a gift for teaching, but I never had much opportunity to develop it,” said Rasimowicz, an Old Bridge native who attended the town’s St. Ambrose Parish school and St. Joseph High School, Metuchen, before studying civil engineering in the New Jersey Institute of Technology for five years.
“The way I viewed my role was not primarily a teacher, but a spiritual father,” he said. “That’s what I thought our class should be; unlike any other class, where we learn knowledge for the sake of knowledge, religion is different. Its purpose is to build a relationship with God where the knowledge will carry over into eternity.”
Rasimowicz’s own relationship with God prompted him to discern a vocation to the priesthood in 2016, first contemplating life as an order priest, then choosing the priestly formation program for the Diocese of Metuchen in the summer of 2020 at age 30. He entered Immacu-
September
For our relationship with all of creation Let us pray that, inspired by Saint Francis, we might experience our interdependence with all creatures who are loved by God and worthy of love and respect. Pope’s Monthly Prayer Intentions
late Conception Seminary of Seton Hall in South Orange that same autumn.
The St. John Vianney students’ words of dedication proved to be a great affirmation of his vocation, Rasimowicz mused. “Just as our calling always comes from outside ourselves, so too does the confirmation of that calling. When God calls us to serve others, he confirms for us that we are answering his call by speaking to us through those we serve.”
Respect – fostered in both directions – also is crucial, he maintained. “I think at that age when kids are beginning the transition into adulthood, they develop a desire to be treated with a greater level of maturity… I didn’t simply seek to pass on information but tried to lead them into greater knowledge. I listened to their ideas, pushed them to not just receive answers but think through questions, and engaged them in debate. I think this approach helped them to not just know the truths of our Faith but understand them and see the great reasonableness of our Faith.”
“As with any ministry, the love that we have for God must extend to those we serve. Love is a natural prerequisite to service,” Rasimowicz continued. “Those people will be most receptive to your service when they are convicted that your chief desire is to see them thrive as the men and women whom God has truly made them to be … If your heart is cold you cannot hope to set hearts on fire for Christ. But if you allow God’s love to burn within your heart, then, as with a real fire, those who stand near will not be able to help but feel its warmth.”
Parents, school staff, and the students themselves felt that warmth. St.
John Vianney School principal, Nancy Tannucilli, expressed her gratitude towards the seminarian’s ministry, calling his presence “such a pleasure.” She continued, “His ability to reach our eighth-grade students went far beyond their religion class and allowed them to understand their faith in action and their responsibilities as Catholic Christians.”
The principal stated the students “were so fortunate to build a relationship with ‘Mr. R.’ that afforded them a look into religious life! We were so lucky to have him, and we are so sorry to say goodbye. Patrick had such a wonderful impact here in such a short time. We were all truly sorry to see him move on but wish him the best. He’ll be a great priest!!”
Rasimowicz will continue his seminarian education and, with God’s grace, anticipates his ordination to the transitional deaconate next May, followed by his ordination to the priesthood in 2027. His experience as a teacher of the faith actualized the course of his own vocation, he maintained.
“When I first began to discern a vocation to the priesthood, I often got the question ‘What do you see yourself doing as a priest?’ and I never had a good answer,” he said. Contemplating this during a Holy Hour, he discovered that answer.
“I realized what I wanted: to grow in my relationship with God, to know him better, love him more, and serve him with my whole being, and then help others do the same,” Rasimowicz declared. “I believe that this past year God has used me, and the fruits of my relationship with him, to do just that. And that has been the greatest blessing of all.”
—Courtesy
JUBILEE 2025
Diocesan Jubilee Pilgrimages
Friday, September 12, 2025
Radio icon Kevin Matthews shares the inspiring story behind his book “Mary’s Roadie” and how a broken statue of Mary changed his life.
Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi
548 Main Street, Metuchen, NJ 08840
7:00 PM: Praise and worship, Eucharistic Adoration, talk and book signing with Kevin Matthews
Saturday, September 13, 2025
108th Anniversary of the Fourth Apparition of Our Lady of Fatima
National Blue Army Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima 674 Mountain View Road E, Asbury, NJ 08802
12:30 PM: Talk by Kevin Matthews
1:15 PM: Holy Mass with celebrant, Most Rev. James F. Checchio
Saturday, September 20, 2025
Diocesan Jubilee Pilgrimage to Washington, D.C.
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
400 Michigan Avenue, Northeast. Washington, DC 20017 with Most Rev. James F. Checchio, JCD, MBA Bishop of Diocese of Metuchen, NJ
Parish Bus Trips
Diocesan Jubilee Pilgrimage
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Washington DC, September 20, 2025 City - Parish
Baptistown - Our Lady of Victories* Garry Lacey gllacey339@gmail.com
Warren - Our Lady of the Mount** Nancy Stoll parish@stmaryswatchung.org 908-756-6524 x10
Watchung - St. Mary-Stony Hill** Nancy Stoll parish@stmaryswatchung.org 908-756-6524 x10
QIn watching “The Chosen,” I find I have real sympathy for Judas, who seemed to misunderstand Jesus and was merely trying to force him to accept the role of king. How accurate is this, though, and either way do you think Jesus forgave Judas? (Indiana)
AI haven’t watched “The Chosen,” so I can’t comment on the show writers’ artistic choices and interpretations. But based just on what you have written here, this does not seem like an accurate reflection of Scripture, and the Gospels themselves certainly do not paint Judas as a sympathetic character.
The Gospels never mention Judas having a misguided but well-intentioned desire for Jesus to take up a role as an earthly king. Although interestingly, the Acts of the Apostles does describe the remaining faithful Apostles as being somewhat confused about whether or not Jesus intended an earthly kingship at the time of his Ascension. As we read: “When they [the Apostles] had gathered together they asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel’” (Acts 1:6)?
One motive that the Gospels do ascribe to Judas is simple human greed. For example, in Chapter 26 of Matthew’s Gospel, we read how Judas: “… went to the chief priests and said, ‘What are you willing to give me if I hand [Jesus] over to you?’ They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over” (Mt 26:14-16).
John’s Gospel gives us some more background on Judas’ corrupt and greedy character. In Chapter 12, shortly before Jesus’ Passion, his friend Mary of Bethany anoints his feet with expensive perfume as a sign of her love. However, Judas loudly
the
series on Jesus Christ “The
complains: “Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages and given to the poor?” St. John fills in the detail that Judas said this “… not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief and held the money bag and used to steal the contributions” (Jn 12:5-6).
Direct Satanic or demonic influence is another motive the Gospels attribute to Judas. In setting the scene for its description of the Last Supper, John 13:2 notes that “The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand [Jesus] over.”
The Gospel of Matthew does mention that Judas regretted his betrayal of Jesus, though he was not able to undo what he had started. As St. Matthew tells us: “He returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, ‘I have sinned in betraying innocent blood.’ They said, ‘What is that to us? Look to it yourself.’” In despair, Judas “… departed and went off and hanged himself” (Mt 27:4-5).
It does not seem that Judas was forgiven, since as Jesus laments during the Last Supper “… woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born” (Mt 26:24).
But I think that Judas remaining unforgiven was not because Jesus would
have refused to pardon him, but rather because Judas took his own life without even attempting to seek forgiveness.
We know that God is infinitely loving and merciful, so I believe that Jesus would have readily and joyfully forgiven Judas if he had only turned back to God and sought reconciliation.
My own thought is that, insofar as we might have any sympathetic feelings toward Judas, it should be sorrow at the loss not only of Judas’ own soul, but also at the loss of what could have been a great saint for the Church.
We can apply what Jesus once said of a penitent woman: “her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love” (Lk 7:47). Imagine the love a contrite and forgiven Judas might have shown or what a great witness he could have been to the mercy of God.
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.
The Chosen’s ‘endgame’ is to point people to Jesus, series’ creator says
By Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service
Just as “The Chosen” wrapped up the release of Season 5 in the U.S., the hit series about Jesus and those who knew him was set to stream internationally in select countries, including Italy, starting in July.
The Vatican hosted a news conference and a premiere of one of the new season’s episodes in its film theater June 23 before select cast and crew members hit the red carpet at a Rome theater for a special screening of the episode, “The Last Supper,” with members of the public, including numerous seminarians, priests and nuns living in the Italian capital.
The goal of the series is “for people
to get a deeper connection to Christ and to have a more intimate relationship with him,” Jonathan Roumie, who portrays Christ in the series, told Catholic News Service at the red-carpet event.
Series’ creator and director, Dallas Jenkins, said its “secret sauce” is portraying Jesus and those who knew him in a way that is less formal or stiff, noting that the “endgame” of the show is not popularity or profit, but “to remind people that these events were real” and that biblical figures are more than literary characters or subjects depicted in art.
“The show is to point you towards the real person of Jesus and to point people towards people like yourself,” he said.
Actor Giavani Cairo, far right, and other cast members are pictured in a scene from
hit
Chosen.” Cairo portrays Judas Thaddeus, one of the Twelve Apostles in the show. —OSV News photo/The Chosen
WORLD & NATION
Pope
paves
way for St. John Henry Newman to be formally named doctor of the church
St. John Henry Newman, a British-born scholar who dedicated much of his life to the combination of faith and intellect at universities, is pictured in an undated portrait. The Vatican announced July 31, 2025, that Pope Leo XIV has paved the way for St. John Henry Newman to become the newest doctor of the Church.
—OSV News photo/courtesy of the Catholic Church of England and Wales
ROME (OSV News) – St. John Henry Newman – the 19th-century theologian, intellectual and preacher who journeyed from Anglicanism to Catholicism, powerfully shaping religious thought in both faith traditions – will be named a doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIV. The news was announced by the Vatican shortly after Pope Leo’s July 31 audience with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. The Vatican press bulletin stated that the Pope had “confirmed the affirmative opinion of the plenary session of cardinals and bishops, members of the dicastery” for sainthood causes, on conferring the title, which since the early Church has been bestowed on saints whose doctrinal writing and teachings are held to have special authority. St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, St. Gregory the Great and St. Jerome were the first four doctors of the Church, and excluding today’s announcement, there have been 37 saints so named. The move had been supported by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, who at their November 2023 plenary assembly voted almost unanimously to support a request by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales that Newman be named a doctor of the Church by Pope Francis.
Don’t settle for less; God is waiting to transform your life, Pope tells youth
ROME (CNS) – The fullness of life depends on how much one joyfully welcomes and shares in life while also living with a constant yearning for those things that only come from God, Pope Leo XIV told young people. “Aspire to great things, to holiness, wherever you are. Do not settle for less. You will then see the light of the Gospel growing every day, in you and around you,” he said in his homily during Mass concluding the Jubilee of Youth Aug. 3. The outdoor Mass, held in Rome’s Tor Vergata neighborhood on the outskirts of the city, marked the culmination of a week-long series of events for the Jubilee of Youth and was attended by more than 1 million people. Speaking briefly in English, the Pope said, “There is a burning question in our hearts, a need for truth that we cannot ignore, which leads us to ask ourselves: what is true happiness? What is the true meaning of life? What can free us from being trapped in meaninglessness, boredom and mediocrity?” “Buying, hoarding and consuming are not enough,” he said. The fullness of existence “has to do with what we joyfully welcome and share.” “We need to lift our eyes, to look upwards, to the ‘things that are above,’ to realize that everything in the world has meaning only insofar as it serves to unite us to God and to our brothers and sisters in charity, helping us to grow in ‘compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience,’ forgiveness and peace, all in imitation of Christ,” he said.
USCCB international policy chair urges Trump to expand humanitarian assistance in Gaza
WASHINGTON (OSV News) – Amid growing concern from humanitarian organizations and Catholic leaders, including from Pope Leo XIV, about a hunger crisis in Gaza, President Donald Trump acknowledged the crisis and said the U.S. would be “going to be even more involved” in the response. Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace, issued a statement July 31 commending Trump “for acknowledging that starvation is happening in Gaza, especially affecting children, and I urge him to demand the immediate expansion of humanitarian assistance through all channels in Gaza.” Trump said July 28 during a meeting with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland that children in Gaza are suffering “real starvation.” In his statement, Bishop Zaidan, who heads the St. Louis-based Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles, added his voice to that of the Pope, who has “reiterated his ‘heartfelt appeal for a ceasefire, for the release of hostages, and for the full respect for humanitarian law’ in Gaza.”
Experts
see US UNESCO exit as blow to historic preservation for churches, other sites
SAN ANTONIO (OSV News) – The Trump administration’s decision, announced July 22, to withdraw the U.S. from the United Nations’ cultural agency comes just weeks ahead of a Catholic UNESCO World Heritage site anniversary celebration – and the exit stands to erode historic preservation efforts more broadly, experts told OSV News. “I don’t know exactly what message it’s intended to send, but to me, it sends a disregard for the importance of preservation,” said Rebecca Simmons, executive director of Las Misiones, the nonprofit organization that under the Archdiocese of San Antonio safeguards four of the five historic colonial Spanish missions in San Antonio. The missions – which include Mission Valero, the Alamo – comprise a single UNESCO World Heritage Site, and will mark the 10th anniversary of that designation Sept. 3-7. Four of the missions are active parishes. UNESCO’s World Heritage program is central to the organization’s commitment to identify and preserve cultural and natural heritage deemed to be “of outstanding value to humanity,” according to the agency’s website. But Simmons and University of Notre Dame archaeologist Ian Kuijt told OSV News that UNESCO World Heritage standards – which must be upheld in order to maintain a given site’s designation, upon penalty of revocation – help to standardize historic preservation globally.
Below, Pope Leo XIV waves to the crowd from the popemobile as he departs after celebrating Mass, concluding the Jubilee of Youth in Rome’s Tor Vergata neighborhood Aug. 3, 2025.
—CNS photo/Lola Gomez
A Palestinian woman and Palestinian children react as they wait to receive food from a charity in Gaza City July 26, 2025, kitchen amid a hunger crisis. A United Nations-affiliated organization that tracks food security worldwide has issued a dire alert confirming that a “worst-case” famine scenario is unfolding across the Gaza Strip.
—OSV News photo/Mahmoud Issa, Reuters
Right, Mission San José y San Miguel de Aguayo in San Antonio is seen in this undated photo.
A UNESCO World Heritage site, the mission is an active parish in the Archdiocese of San Antonio.
—OSV News photo/ Rebecca Simmons, courtesy Las Misiones
God’s mercy, our response lead to the Kingdom of God
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)
“Endure your trials as discipline [for then] God treats you as sons … At the time all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings forth the peaceful fruit of righteousness for those who are trained by it” (Hebrews 12:7a,11). The Letter to the Hebrews advises its hearers to consider the strains and difficulties of Christian life as part of the process of molding and maturation intended by God to prepare us for eternal glory. The letter further advises us to learn from our difficulties so
that we may endeavor to hasten the coming full manifestation of God’s Kingdom.
Jesus himself warns the assembled crowd that the path to eternal glory will not always be easy. In this Sunday’s reading from St. Luke’s Gospel, Jesus teaches his followers to “strive to come in [to the Kingdom] through the narrow door” (Luke 13:24). His advice is to work hard at following his teaching – entry into the Kingdom does have its price– a price, Jesus laments, that some will be unwilling to pay.
Jesus also stresses the sense of urgency with which his followers must put his teaching into practice. He warns that there will come a moment when the Master will close the door to salvation, leaving those outside wailing and grinding their teeth. Their cries, “We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets,” (Luke 13:26), will be met with the Master’s firm denunciation, “I do not know where you are from!” (Luke 13:27). In this, Jesus
SCRIPTURE SEARCH®
Gospel for August 24, 2025
Luke 13:22-30
Following is a word search based on the Gospel reading for the Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C: Be careful. The words can be found in all directions in the puzzle.
TEACHING LORD BE SAVED TRY TO ENTER NARROW I TELL YOU HOUSE KNOCKING OUTSIDE IN REPLY WE ATE DRANK OUR STREETS EVILDOERS TEETH ISAAC PROPHETS THE EAST NORTH SOUTH BE FIRST
AT THE DOOR
teaches his disciples that following him is much more than a casual commitment – those who feel that a superficial relationship with Jesus is sufficient will find themselves closed out of the fullness of the Kingdom’s glory. He was also reminding the people of his day that heaven is no one’s birthright-- it is only through God’s mercy and our proper response that entry is had into God’s Kingdom.
But this does not mean that entry into the Kingdom is impossible either. For those who are faithful, for those who endure life’s difficulties and still manage to adhere to Christ’s teaching, Jesus promises entrance into eternal splendor. Those who have followed Christ’s example and lived out his teaching will find themselves ushered into the radiance of the New Jerusalem. Jesus tells his listeners, “People will come from the east and west, north and south, and will recline at table in the Kingdom of God” (Luke 13:29). Salvation is offered to all who steadfastly follow Jesus.
Jesus realizes that his teaching will upset many who thought their salvation assured simply by the circumstances of their birth without regard to the way they lived out their faith. He comments on the reversal of fortune he has just proclaimed, “some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last” (Luke 13:30); this
recalls the words that Simeon had spoken to Mary many years before, “This child is destined to be [both] the rise and the downfall of many in Israel” (Luke 2:34).
The People of Israel conceived of the anticipated fullness of God’s Kingdom as a great Messianic Banquet; they longed for the time when they would all recline at the table of the Messiah and feast forever free of famine and want in his presence. A festal banquet was the most joyful experience known to these people, and they looked forward with fervent hope for admission to the heavenly banquet that would last forever. This is the reward for those who remain faithful despite the trials and temptations of this life. The Prophet Isaiah promised such a feast for all the faithful, “the Lord of hosts will provide for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines; juicy, rich food and pure, choice wine … ” (Isaiah 25:6).
This Sunday’ readings offer the hopeful message that God uses every moment and circumstance of our lives, the triumphant and the difficult, to extend his offer of salvation to us, as well as the challenging reminder that we must respond properly to this most gracious offer. We must all “strive to enter through the narrow gate” (Luke 13:24a).
Msgr. John N. Fell serves as Episcopal Vicar for the Vicariate for Clergy.
Senior Care at Home
—Keith
Mobile Family Success Center connects police and youth
By Tiffany Workman Special Contributor
Police involvement in community events is essential for building a foundation of trust and mutual respect between law enforcement and the residents they serve. By participating in local gatherings, festivals, and school functions, officers can be seen not just as figures of authority, but as approachable and valued members of the community.
These positive, informal interactions break down barriers and foster a sense of partnership, which is crucial for public safety. When community members feel comfortable approaching officers, they are more likely to share information, report suspicious activity, and collaborate on solving local issues. Ultimately, a strong police presence at these events transforms the perception of law enforcement, creating a more connected, safer, and collaborative community for everyone.
In July, Mobile Family Success Center held an event called “Ice Cream with a Cop,” in collaboration with the North Brunswick Police Department in hopes to connect police officers and the youth in the community.
“The purpose of Ice Cream with a Cop was to highlight community engagement between our local law officers and its residents to foster trust, build positive relationships, and create a sense of community where everyone is welcome,” said Rosela Roman, director, Mobile Family Success Center.
To help the children get to know the officers in North Brunswick, children participated in an icebreaker called “Who Am I,” an interactive game in which participants asked their fellow law officers, volunteers, and community members questions about themselves to help them win prizes throughout the evening.
The NBTPD got involved with Mobile Family success center when Retired Sergeant Michael Braun made the connection at a community event while assigned to the Community Policing Unit.
The partnership with the NBTPD and Mobile Family Success Center has grown tremendously and they are thankful to collaborate with MFSC during the course of the year.
“The NBTPD recognizes the need for community engagement. Therefore, we strive to connect in a positive manner with each and every interaction we have with the public,” said Detective Adrian Ailey, North Brunswick Township Police Department Community Policing Unit. He continued, “I am hopeful we can continue to bridge the gap with the NBTPD, our youth, and the community through various initiatives.”
North Brunswick isn’t the only police department that MFSC partners with. In addition, they also partner with Edison PD, Sayreville PD, and East Brunswick PD, to host their annual Community Bike Rodeos, Walk Your Child to School Day, National Night Out and, their newest program, Bocce Tournament with North Brunswick.
Started in 2013, the Mobile Family
Top, North Brunswick Police Officers pose with a family who attended Ice Cream with a cop. • Below left, Officer Ryan Macmillan participates in a scavenger hunt with children at Ice Cream with a Cop. • Center, Detective Adrian Ailey (left) and Officer Jeff Dominguez (right) pose with children during Ice Cream with a Cop. • Right, Tangie Cobb, North Brunswick Township Police Dept and Rosela Roman (right) Director Mobile Family Success Center of Middlesex County pose for a photo together during a successful event. —All photos are courtesy of Mobile Family Success Center of Middlesex County
Success Center seeks to strengthen individual and family functioning and empower people to acquire the knowledge, skills and resources they need to succeed and to provide an optimal environment for children’s development throughout Middlesex County.
Family-friendly workshops such as resume writing, family budgeting, or family fun activities are held in places such as schools, libraries, community centers, so they are accessible to everyone. Other services include information and referrals, as well as family success planning and case management.
The Mobile Family Success Center
of Middlesex County is operated by Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen, and administered by the Middlesex County Human Services Advisory Committee with funding from the New Jersey Department of Children and Families. Events are free and RSVPs are appreciated, but walkins are always welcome.
Like and Follow Catholic Charities on Facebook, Instagram, and X @ccdom1 to stay updated on upcoming events and ways CCDOM helps clients get the services and assistance they need.
Tiffany Workman is the Communications Specialist in the Office of Communications and Public Relations.
SCHOOL YEAR 2025-2026 PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT
The O&ice of Schools announced today that low cost, nutritious school lunches and/or breakfasts and/or milk are available to all students enrolled in the school listed below. Meals, snacks and/or milk will be provided free or at a reduced price to children living in households whose gross incomes are at or below those shown for their household size on the income scale below. The School Meals and Summer EBT Application is available to households of all children enrolled in the school.
E"ective from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 (As announced by the United States Department of Agriculture)
Israa Abu Haleeb and Ahmed Abu Haleeb, the parents of Palestinian baby Zainab Abu Haleeb, who died due to malnutrition, according to health officials, mourn their daughter, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, July 26, 2025.
—OSV News photo/ Ramadan Abed, Reuters
The atrocity against humanity in Gaza must end
By OSV Editorial Board, OSV News
Application forms are available on the school’s website and at your child’s school. Applications can be submitted at any time during the school year. If a household member becomes unemployed or the household size or income changes during the school year, parents are encouraged to contact the school so that all children receive the proper benefits. For the school o&icials to determine eligibility, the household must provide the following information listed on the application: names of all household members; household income received by each household member; type of income; frequency of income such as weekly, every two weeks, twice a month or monthly; and the signature and last four digits of the social security number of an adult household member certifying that the information provided is correct. The information provided by parents on the application will be kept confidential and will be used only for determining eligibility.
Foster children, Head Start enrollees, homeless, migrant and runaway children, as defined in 7 CFR 245.2, are categorically eligible for free meals or free milk. Households receiving assistance under NJ SNAP, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Medicaid for their children will be notified of their eligibility for free benefits unless the household notifies the school that it chooses to decline benefits. Households receiving assistance under NJ SNAP or TANF should only submit an application if they are not notified of their eligibility by a specified date determined by the school. Households with children that are certified participants in SNAP or TANF may submit school meal applications for their children using the abbreviated information as indicated on the school meal application and instructions. WIC participants may also be eligible for free and reduced price meals. Parents/guardians should contact their child’s school for more information.
The school will advise parents of their child’s eligibility within 10 working days of receipt of the application. Any parent dissatisfied with the eligibility determination may contact the school to request an informal conference or may appeal the decision by requesting a formal hearing.
War always brings unimaginable human suffering. But the images coming out of the besieged Gaza Strip as the war between Israel and Hamas inches toward October’s two-year mark urge us to exclaim in the loudest possible voice: Enough! Men, women and children in Gaza are starving to death, and this atrocity against humanity must end.
Rights, said July 28 that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Reports issued by both groups detail intentional targeting of Palestinians as a group, and systemic destruction of Palestinian society, actions that stand in accordance to Raphael Lemkin’s 1946 genocide definition.
Finally, on July 27, Israel’s government announced a “tactical pause” in fighting in areas of Gaza amid global outrage over starvation. Some aid was airdropped, and Israel said other deliveries will be permitted through newly established corridors on the ground. It is not enough.
For up to 30 operating days into the new school year (or until a new eligibility determination is made, whichever comes first) an individual child who was determined as free or reduced price eligible during the previous year will continue with this determination. When children move to a new LEA, either at the beginning of the new school year or during the summer months, the new LEA is encouraged to use the former LEA’s eligibility determination from the previous school year and carryover the child’s eligibility status. Once determinations are completed, school o&icials are required to verify three percent of the approved School Meals and Summer EBT Applications on file. For additional information, contact your child’s school.
The Palestinian health ministry July 22 said 86 people, including 76 children, had died of malnutrition since October 2023. Only four days later, on July 26, the total stood at 127. And on July 28, the health ministry said an additional 14 people had starved to death in the past 24 hours.
Form #276 June 2025
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/ files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA o&ice, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in su&icient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
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U.S. Department of Agriculture
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This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
The following school districts and charter schools participate in these programs: Name of school district(s) participating in one or more of the School Nutrition Programs, such as the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, After School Snack Program or Special Milk Program Perth Amboy Catholic School, Perth Amboy
Six-month-old Zainab Abu Haleeb took his last breath July 26 in the arms of his father, Ahmed, as his mother wept at his side. Parents and siblings trying to get food for the young children in their care are dying as they wait in lines in front of aid distribution points. Teenagers are crying over the bodies of their schoolmates. Living ghosts, packed in a crowd, hold bowls and pots in their thin, outstretched hands.
Pope Leo XIV said during his Angelus prayer July 27 that he is following with “great concern” the “dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, where the civilian population is suffering from severe hunger and remains exposed to violence and death.”
“I renew my heartfelt appeal for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the full respect of humanitarian law,” the Pope said.
Just a few days before the Pope’s most recent appeal, more than 100 international humanitarian organizations called on Israel July 23 to end its blockade of humanitarian aid and restore food deliveries amid the situation becoming “untenable.”
“As the Israeli government’s siege starves the people of Gaza, aid workers are now joining the same food lines, risking being shot just to feed their families,” said the statement, whose signatories include Médecins Sans Frontières, Amnesty International, and the Norwegian Refugee Council.
What’s more, two leading human rights organizations based in Israel, B’Tselem and Physicians for Human
At bilateral meetings in Scotland July 28, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with President Donald Trump to discuss what the British called “appalling scenes” in Gaza, and President Trump pledged to “get rid of those lines” that are blocking food from those who need it most. “We want to get the children fed,” Trump said.
As the international community attempts to find a way forward, Catholics must also find and strengthen our voices. We must make it clear that providing humanitarian aid to the starving is a moral imperative. But more than that, we must denounce war, work for peace, and uphold the common good for all of God’s people. We must be the voice for the voiceless.
And so may our words join the recent appeal of Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, when he said, “Today we raise our voices in an appeal to the leaders of this region and the world: there can be no future based on captivity, displacement of Palestinians or revenge. There must be a way that restores life, dignity and all lost humanity. It is time to end this nonsense, end the war and put the common good of people as the top priority. We pray – and call – for the release of all those deprived of freedom, for the return of the missing, the hostages and for the healing of long-suffering families on all sides.”
Amen.
The members of the OSV Editorial Board include Father Patrick Briscoe, OP; Gretchen R. Crowe; Paulina Guzik; Matthew Kirby; Peter Jesserer Smith and Scott P. Richert.
I recently attended a beautiful Mass of dedication to St. Rita of Cascia on her feast day, May 22, at St. John Vianney Church in Colonia. Father Gregory Zannetti, parochial vicar, celebrated the sung Ordinary Form Mass in Latin, which consisted of a children’s procession with roses, blessings with St. Rita oil, veneration of her sacred relic and distribution of blessed roses that had elegantly adorned the altar and the Church.
Known as the patron saint of impossible causes, St. Rita is invoked for help with difficult marriages, widows, infertility, parenthood and the sick. I wish I had known of St. Rita during a time in my life when I may have been inspired by her courageous example, but I now consider her a model of virtue and pray to her often. If you are experiencing one of the aforementioned impossible causes, I encourage you to call upon St. Rita. She is known for numerous miracles, including healing of the blind and gravely ill.
Born in 1381, Rita was drawn to the Augustinian convent from a young age, but her parents, being concerned for her safety and security, encouraged her to marry. Out of obedience to her parents, who were well-respected peacemakers, Rita married Paulo Mancini with whom she had twin sons.
Conflicts between the Mancini and Chiqui families were notorious throughout the region. Rita endured ongoing discord between the families along with an ill-tempered, violent husband who was involved in criminal activity, including
St. Rita of Cascia: a saint
whose intercession we need today
murder. Rita sought guidance from the nuns at the convent who encouraged her to honor her marital vows and remain dedicated to Paulo. Her patience, per sistence and prayer eventually led to his repentance and conversion. For a number of years, after moving away, the family of four lived peacefully together.
After refusing to partake in familial retribution for murder, Paulo himself was murdered. Rita forgave his killer but feared that her sons, having been influenced by their uncles, would seek retaliation. Praying fervently she begged God to prevent them from committing such an egregious sin. One year later they were stricken with bubonic plague that took their lives before any offense was committed, which she believed to be an answered prayer.
Rita attempted to enter the convent,
however, the Mother Abbess said that she should first reconcile the families. At that time vengeance was their way of life, and it is said that the fighting had extended to over seventy families. Forgiveness was very abnormal for them, but Rita made it possible. Her first miracle was the forgiveness and reconciliation of the families.
Oral tradition says that while praying at night, high up on a mountain at the Roccaporena, Rita appealed to three patron saints, Augustine of Hippo, John the Baptist and Nicholas of Tolentino, and was transported through levitation to the monastery and discovered them already inside. As a practice of humility, she was given the task of watering a dead vine daily, which miraculously grew into a grape vine and still produces fruit today. She lived in the monastery for 40 years and bore a wound of Christ – a thorn on her forehead – for the
A Retreat House Sponsored by the Religious Teachers Filippini overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and Barnegat Bay. Offering days of prayer, retreat weekends, spiritual programs, meetings and staff days.
last 15 years until she died at age 76.
St. Rita’s incorrupt body is in a glass casket at her Shrine in Cascia, Italy, where pilgrims may hear the Augustinian Sisters chanting. The Prince of Portugal attributed the healing of his cancerous tumor to St. Rita, and to show his gratitude he gave her the casket.
St. Rita put her husband and sons’ salvation before her own happiness. She not only kept her family together, she united the whole region. Unity begets unity, whereas division begets division. In this time of division in our families and in the world, we need St. Rita now more than ever before.
“In our families today it is not that easy to forgive,” says Sister Maricar Buenaobra, OSA, an Augustinian nun who resides at St. Mary Magdalene Convent in Cascia, “but if you are a true devotee of St. Rita you will learn how to forgive like her and perhaps there will be many miracles in your life and in your families, because forgiveness is what is most important.”
It seems in many marriages we have lost the faith and staying power of the saints we are called to be. We must call upon St. Rita’s help who, through devoted prayer, received God’s grace to sustain her through difficult times and to be his obedient steward.
“We should forgive ourselves, we should forgive others, we should forgive everyone,” says Sister Buenaobra. “That will make us peaceful, serene and also happy because it is what Jesus also teaches us: to forgive many times. We should forgive every time. There is no limit to forgiveness because forgiveness with love is united together. If you love, you should forgive, if you forgive, you love. It’s always united.”
Anna M. Githens is a freelance writer with a career background in finance, teaching and journalism. She holds an MA in Theology, a BA in Economics and a Certification in Theology of the Body.
The Loyola Jesuit Center is a very special place that has been used for retreats since 1927. Since then thousands of people have walked through its doors, seeking peace, restoration and God’s presence. Rooted in our Catholic and Jesuit identity, we will fulfill this welcoming mission by:
• sponsoring a variety of retreats and days of prayer, offering the experiences of discernment and contemplation at the heart of lgnatian spirituality and the Spiritual Exercises
• providing spiritual direction, contemporary programming, and other resources for growing in a personal, mature relationship with God in a place of peace and serenity.
161 James Street, Morristown, NJ 07960 973-539-0740 • www.loyola.org
VILLA PAULINE RETREAT AND SPIRITUAL CENTER
352 Bernardsville Road, Mendham, NJ 07945
Sr. Theresa Marie Tran, SCC 973-543-9058 • villapauline@scceast.org
To join this retreat guide, email mgregory@diometuchen.org
This month’s featured retreat house
—Gina Ross photo
By David Karas, Correspondent
While many schools might be understandably quiet and empty during the summer months, the halls of Perth Amboy Catholic were buzzing this summer. On a toasty mid-July day, students could be found working diligently to prepare for the school’s production of Beauty and the Beast Jr., slated to hit the stage in late August.
Besides current students who were participating in rehearsals, even some recent graduates were on hand to help work on props and sets – all while in the process of preparing for high school.
For teachers and administrators like principal Anacelis Diaz, this flurry of activity is routine.
“There is an atmosphere of love, care, community and history that is very present,” said Diaz. “Teachers are alums or parents of students, or have served Perth Amboy Catholic for many years – (even) teaching the parents of current students.”
On a regular school day at Perth Amboy, students are greeted by peers and teachers when they arrive, and some spend extra time on campus through the before care program.
“The little ones are quick to hug and happily help teachers bring their gear up to their classrooms,” said Diaz. “Our school is a home away from home.”
Faith is part of the daily routine, as well. Morning prayer kicks off each day, and the entire school attends Mass every Friday. Middle schoolers attend daily 8 a.m. Mass at St. Stephen Church, and students serve and lector during the Masses. Students participate in weekly Adoration on Mondays in the school’s chapel.
In the classroom, teachers instruct multiple grade levels in their subjects, which helps provide continuity and consistency for students as they rise through the grader levels. Music, art, gym and Spanish are incorporated into the curriculum, and there is an accelerated math program for students in grades six through eight.
Students often stick around after the end of the school day, with after care as well as a range of extracurricular activities like liturgical dance, board games, basketball, student council, safety patrol and theater.
Diaz said that students at Perth Amboy Catholic are seen, and known by name.
“Even though we house so many different ages, from three to fourteen, it functions rather like a family with many siblings, as our older ones care for the younger ones and serve as role models, and as our little ones serve as a constant reminder that we must remain like children to enter heaven,” she said. “Perth
‘a home away from home’ for students
Amboy Catholic School is most certainly a hidden gem, a safe haven, a refuge, a house of miracles.”
The school community has likewise become a second home for teachers, like seventh grade homeroom and middle school social studies teacher Aprille Reynolds.
“I’ve been at PACS for two years, and in that time, this place has become so much more than just where I work, it’s become a second home,” she said. “My favorite part of our school is the deep sense of togetherness. It’s a rare and beautiful thing to be part of a place where love and faith guide every connection.”
Reynolds said that there is a sense of love, faith and belonging that is felt as soon as one enters the school – and that is reinforced through the strong relationships that are built between teachers, students and their families.
“We pray together, grow side by side, and walk with one another through every joy and challenge,” she said. “There’s a quiet, beautiful purpose behind all we do, and the mark this school leaves on your heart is one you carry with you forever.”
Student Emma Hernandez, 9, is in the fifth grade this fall, and is a veteran of the school’s theater program. She shared that she loves the many activities that Perth Amboy Catholic offers, especially liturgical dance.
Fellow nine-year-old Nabila DeJesus came to the school along with her older brother last year, and she shared that she is “inspired” by all of the activities and events that are offered throughout the year.
For third grade teacher Janice Hernandez, the students are what helps make their school special.
“What truly sets PACS apart is the heart and dedication of our students. They rise to every challenge with enthusiasm and grace, embodying the values we stand for,” she said. “I want prospective parents to know that our teachers are just as passionate about this school as our students are.”
Fellow teacher Michelle Diaz, who teaches middle school language arts, Spanish and serves as the theater director, has been with the school for five years. Like so many others, she pointed to the sense of family as something that sets their school apart.
“Not only do I have the opportunity to teach at PACS, but I also have the privilege of having my daughter learn and grow here,” she said. “It’s a school that teaches through faith and love, and one that truly values and appreciates each family. My students and their families are not just part of the school community – they are an extension of my own.”
Continued from page 6
quoted the words of St. Theresa, the Little Flower, who died at age 26: I will do more good in heaven than here on this earth. “I challenged Danny that you have much work to do and he lives on for all of us.”
Signifying that heavenly toil, four of Daniel’s friends brought forth prayers of petition alongside the usual gifts of bread and wine during the Offertory. The basket of paper supplications to the young man were placed carefully at the foot of his portrait in the sanctuary; calling to mind the self-sacrificing manner in which Daniel had died, the congregation sang, “There is no greater love, says the Lord, than to lay down your life for a friend.”
Judge Salas’ reflection at the conclusion of Mass drew both tears and smiles from the congregation. She began with the frank observation that “some wounds will never heal, but thanks to the “f’s” – faith, forgiveness, family and friends – the agonizing, bone-chilling pain we used to feel is just a little more bearable.”
She continued, “Without faith, we could not have endured the last five years. Our faith in God and his divine presence in our lives is what Mark and I credit to be able to get up in the morning. When you look at the hate in the world now, keep saying ‘with God all things are possible…’”
Forgiveness, too, is crucial, Judge Salas asserted. “We have so many barriers that keep us from love and peace and joy. Thanks to [her husband] Mark and his willingness to forgive the killer, while
he was still in the ICU, we are able to remove the many barriers that keep us from the light of God,” she said. “We don’t spend much time thinking about the killer, but instead about Daniel, God, Jesus and Mother Mary.
“When you hold onto anger, to rage, it closes that space in your heart for new things,” she said. “Forgiveness cannot change what is happening, but can change you. Mark and I have chosen to live in God’s light, walk forward and figure out a new normal.”
Family and friends were important to Daniel, his mother stated, and she had a message for them: “Have faith in God, trust him, love each other and love life… God gives us so many gifts… We have decided we are going to love life as it is and not as we would want it to be because every day is a blessing every moment with your loved ones a gift, and every day you put your head on the pillow at night and wake up in the morning is a miracle.”
To place your ad in the directory please call Mary at 732-529-7934
Above left, Dora and Carlson Goodwill, friends of Daniel, bring up the gifts of bread and wine. Their son, Casley, died suddenly two years after Daniel. They are buried side-by-side at Holy Spirit Mausoleum, Resurrection Cemetery, Piscataway.
Above right, from left, Joseph Mauro, friend, classmate and next-door neighbor of Daniel’s, and Saúl Gomez, friend and classmate in both St. Augustine School and Catholic University, carry prayer petitions.
At left, Mary Williams, who served as lector for the Mass, is moved with emotion during the homily, and with Judge Salas’ words. —Hal Brown photos
St. Joe’s football gears up for potentially special season with strong bond
By Will Kwiatkowski, Correspondent
“Special.” The Saint Joseph High School football players hustled to their spots as summer workouts rolled on. Across the field, there was a sense of possibility. Many felt the team might have something special this year.
When asked about breaking the huddle to “special,” senior captain Brody Picariello chuckled and said, “It was probably just us breaking down for special teams, but I must agree this year there’s something more. This team is and our connection across the field make us special. We come together like one family, supporting each other on and off the field. That bond sets us apart.”
Despite the summer sun beating down on the turf, players persevered. They have worked hard all summer to get ready, pushing themselves to improve.
For Picariello, who recently made his official commitment to Bates College and has been a starter on the offensive line since his sophomore year, this summer has had a different energy.
“Out of my four years, this is the most excited I’ve been for a team,” he
said. “Everyone wants to be here. Attendance isn’t an issue. Everyone’s working their butt off.”
Picariello leads the team along with fellow senior captain Tommy Kwiatkowski. Together, they help protect senior quarterback Justin Scaramuzzo. Scaramuzzo already holds the school’s single-season passing record and is on track to break the career record.
Head coach Bill Tracy, one of the school’s five Hall of Fame coaches, talked about the team’s strength on the offensive front.
“We’ve got a very good quarterback coming back, and he can run it well, too.
He’s going to be the feature, and we’ll work off him up front,” Tracy said. “We bring back three-year varsity starters
Kwiatkowski and Picariello, plus Jason Gross, who started for us last year. That gives us a solid unit up front. We believe everything in football starts up front. If we control the line of scrimmage, it makes everything else easier: running the ball, protecting the quarterback, opening passing lanes.”
Aside from a handful of returning impact players, the Falcons welcome
several transfers who have brought a real boost to the team. They come with high praise from Picariello.
“They’re all great kids and hard workers,” Picariello said. “CJ (Edwards), University of Tennessee commit, is an amazing player and teammate; and Mike (Wellet), University of Rochester commit, and Ant (Anthony Walker) are solid contributors, too.”
Picariello noted the transfers haven’t disrupted team chemistry but instead added healthy competition and leadership, especially for the younger players.
“It feels like the extra push St. Joseph’s football needed,” Picariello said.
Tracy emphasized that this mix of returning experience and fresh talent gives the Falcons flexibility on offense.
“I like to have balance,” Tracy explained. “It doesn’t matter if it’s 60 percent run, 40 percent pass or 50-50. We want to keep the defense guessing and do what’s needed to win each game.”
With a mix of seasoned veterans, talented newcomers and depth across multiple positions, there’s a belief inside the locker room that St. Joe’s can make some noise this season.
Players and coaches alike see the once again challenging schedule as a chance to prove themselves against tough competition.
“We know the schedule’s tough,” Tracy said. “But if we work hard every day and take care of the little things, we’ll give ourselves a chance to win every time we step on the field.”
As the Falcons prepare for their season opener Sept. 5 at Ridge, confidence is high.
“A lot of this comes from the hard work over the summer,” Tracy said. “Football is a short season. If you start strong, it makes a huge difference.”
The Falcons hope to carry that momentum into the fall, aiming not only for wins but to build on the special bond that has made this team unique.
For players like Picariello, it’s about more than just football.
“We’re not just teammates; we’re family,” Picariello said. “And that’s what’s going to carry us through the season.”
Will Kwiatkowski is a student at Indiana University and serves as an intern with The Catholic Spirit.
Aug. 11
Top, St. Joe’s players push sleds during football practice on
at Saint Joseph High School.
Far left, Head coach Bill Tracy interacts with players during football practice.
Left, Brody Picariello, left, works with assistant coach Mike Alleman during football practice.
—Hal Brown photos
New coach Shamir Bearfield instills faith, family values in St. Thomas Aquinas football team
By Greg Johnson, Correspondent
As a first-time head coach, Shamir Bearfield is bringing traditional values –faith and family – to St. Thomas Aquinas, Edison. Those were important to instill when he became the school’s new football coach and assistant athletic director in May.
It had been a turbulent time for the team’s players and parents, who for a while didn’t know who would be coaching in 2025. The previous coaches were dismissed in January, and then the next head coach stepped down in May before ever running a single practice.
Bearfield, a former defensive back at St. Peter’s Prep and Temple University, reassured the families in meetings and phone conversations that the kids were in good hands.
“The mantra that we have is, ‘We over Me,’” Bearfield says. “It’s not going to just be one guy or two people that’s going to be able to keep this thing going or get it going. It’s going to take the entire coaching staff, it’s going to take all 40 or so kids that we have on the roster to keep this train moving and keep everything in place. The kids have been buying in, they’ve been doing a great job, and we have a great group of seniors as well.”
Bearfield was the defensive coordinator at St. Peter’s for the last two seasons. He also had assistant coaching stints at Lehigh University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Seton Hall Prep and Columbia High School.
“I just really enjoy developing young men from the high school phase and getting them to that next level,” Bearfield said.
In an effort to really integrate faith into the program, Bearfield told the players in their first meeting that they must keep God first, followed by their immediate family. They pray before every
practice for health, safety and being able to stay together.
That’s been easy to implement because the players have strong backgrounds in Catholicism or Christianity in general.
“That’s always something I’ve been into,” said senior middle linebacker and team captain Anwar Witherspoon. “My grandfather has taught me a lot through it. I always ask questions to him and I read, so for me it was always something that was instilled in me.”
On the football field, Witherspoon believes Bearfield’s staff will take the team to the next level because everyone is being held accountable and working together.
The team began working out in the weight room in May and started outdoor workouts in June. Practices with helmets and shoulder pads commenced the week of Aug. 11 as they geared up for the preseason.
“Defensively we’re very gap sound and definitely more disciplined,” Witherspoon said. “We’re definitely a disciplined team. It’s not about one person making a play, it’s about everybody doing their jobs. So if the one person makes a play, let’s just say we call a stunt and then somebody gets a sack, it’s the whole d-line’s sack – not just his.”
Bearfield retained two coaches from the previous regime – receivers coach Edwin De La Cruz and offensive line coach Vincent Gioffre – but most of the staff is new.
There is a wealth of experience including defensive coordinator Myles Hartsfield, who played for four years in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers. Meanwhile, offensive coordinator CJ Rawls was an assistant at St. Joe’s (Metuchen) last year and previously coached at Rutgers University.
“Coach Bearfield and Coach Hartsfield, when they both came in, they reassured us that they’re gonna be here and that they’re gonna do everything in their power to make sure that we turn out as great men first, as well as great football players,” Witherspoon said.
Hartsfield is running similar defensive schemes to what St. Thomas Aquinas deployed last year with a few wrinkles. Witherspoon, who is committed to the University of Buffalo, relays signals from Hartfield for the defensive plays.
“We ask him about his experience all the time,” Witherspoon said. “He went to Ole Miss, so he played in the SEC, played the Big Ten schools and all that. We always ask him how was it, and what do we have to do in order to get there? He relays his experiences that he had and he tries to make us better.”
St. Thomas Aquinas’ top players include Witherspoon, senior offensive/ defensive lineman Channon Johnson, sophomore quarterback Zymere Weaver, junior receiver/defensive back Anthony Perez and senior receiver/defensive back Tyler Montgomery.
The team played a tri-scrimmage Aug. 18 against Orange and Barringer, then scrimmaged Aug. 23 against Ewing. They have 10 regular season games, starting with the home opener Aug. 29 against Montclair.
With the Trojans coming off of four straight seasons with at least eight wins, and featuring strong offensive and defensive lines this year, Bearfield anticipates a strong campaign and is excited to hit the ground running as a head coach.
“I always knew I wanted to be a head coach,” Bearfield said. “I tell our players, when opportunity comes knocking, you’ve got to open the door. So if that’s something that you want, you’ve just got to attack it, and then you just learn as you go.”
1. From left: offensive coordinator CJ Rawls, head coach Shamir Bearfield and defensive coordinator Myles Hartsfield look on during football practice on Aug. 11 at St. Thomas Aquinas High School.
2. Anwar Witherspoon, left, and Ian Roberts talk during football practice.
3 & 4. Zymere Weaver, left, hands the ball off to Aiden Morse.
KOC drive rallies community
As a result of its semi-annual “Drive for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities” fundraiser, Knights of Columbus Council #15540 raised $2,300, with $800 being distributed to the ARC of Somerset County, and $500 to Special Olympics of New Jersey. The remaining $1,000 will be allocated to local schools providing education and training to those with special needs.
The DIID campaign has been a core charitable endeavor of the KOC for some 35 years. Originally intended to support the Special Olympics, the campaign has broadened its scope.
In some previous years, the New Jersey councils alone have collectively raised more than $600,000.
This year, Council #15540 held its
drive with the enthusiastic support of Kings Food Markets, Whitehouse Station; St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Three Bridges; and the many generous residents who made the donations possible.
The ARC of Somerset County provides services to more than 1,600 children, adults and their families as they deal with various intellectual disabilities.
To learn more about KOC Council #15540 visit www.KoC15540.org.
To learn more about the Special Olympics of New Jersey visit www.sonj.org.
To learn more about ARC of Somerset County visit https://www.thearcofsomerset.org/
Contributed by Ron Foster, public relations director, Mother Seton Council #1554.
Knights of Columbus called to be ‘heralds of hope’ as order’s 143rd Supreme Convention opens
WASHINGTON (OSV News) – The 143rd Supreme Convention of the Knights of Columbus opened Aug. 5 in Washington with a strong call to charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism. Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly urged the more than two million members worldwide to be “heralds of hope” in a world longing for meaning. Delegates from across the U.S. and nations including Canada, Mexico, Ukraine, and the Philippines gathered in person and virtually through networks like EWTN and CatholicTV. The opening session began with prayer from Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, who asked God to make the Knights “heralds of hope” rooted in Christ’s love. Pope Leo XIV addressed the gathering in a video message, tying the convention’s theme of “Heralds of Hope” to the upcoming Jubilee Year of Hope. In his annual report, Kelly affirmed the Knights’ mission aligns closely with the Pope’s vision, emphasizing unity, fraternity and a renewed spirit of missionary outreach across the globe. “We don’t merely volunteer,” Kelly said. “We see the face of Christ in those we serve, and we sacrifice for them because that’s what Jesus did for us.”
Members of the Knights of Columbus honor guard stand at attention during an Aug. 5, 2025, Mass celebrated at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington to open the fraternal organization’s 143rd Supreme Convention.
Serving those in need
The Knights of Columbus Council 6930, Whitehouse Station, recently presented a $2,700 donation for the Midland School, North Branch, to Shawn McInerney, president and chief executive officer of the school. The Midland School provides a lifelong continuum of services to children, teenagers and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and their families. In April, the Knights held their annual fund-raising drive, collecting donations in front of stores like Bagel Junction, Kings (Whitehouse) and Bishops. They also collect funds from parishioners at Our Lady of Lourdes. One hundred percent of funds collected go to children teenagers and adults with intellectual disabilities and to the Special Olympics. Pictured, from left, are Past Grand Knight Chris Virgo, Grand Knight, Gary Drzewiecki, Shawn McInerney, Midland School president and chief executive officer, and Past Grand Knight Bill Fitzsimmons. —Courtesy photo
Pictured is Knight Phil Di Betta soliciting donations at Kings Food Markets, Whitehouse Station.
Crossword Puzzle
opus, for short
Pungent bulb
British guns
Idealized family (with “the”)
Son of David
“So be it!”
In danger of falling off
Unit of weight
Number of New Testament letters that bear the name of a person
Sing to
11 Alien god of the Exodus
12 Aide (abbr.)
13 “O Mary! we crown ___ with blossoms today”
21 Spanish pot
22 “Let it stand”
25 Patron saint of beer brewers
27 “O, star of ___”
29 Flightless birds
30 One of the seven deadly sins
31 Spotted
32 French clergyman
33 Bend
34 Transport for Peter and Andrew
36 “ER” area
39 Retreat
43 French-speaking Canadian diocese
44 Diocese in New Jersey
45 Beyond help
48 Register
50 Prayer book
52 Online sales
54 Steer
55 Italian archdiocese with the Ambrosian rite
56 Tiny particles
57 IRS experts
58 “What God ___ joined together…”
59 Musical instrument
61 Certain something
63 HBO competitor
Books of the Month
A battle is being waged for children’s hearts and minds. Every day, they are bombarded with lies contrary to their God-given goodness. All too often these lies our children believe become the lens through which they see themselves and the world around them. We must be prepared to battle for the minds and hearts of our children, grounding young boys in the deep knowledge of their identity. Each of the scriptural affirmations in this book is more than words to read, they are powerful proclamations to bless the little boys in your life, deeply rooting them in the truth of his primary identity as beloved son.
Every little girl longs to know the delight of the Father and the truth of her God-given goodness. Yet often as parents we lack adequate words to express the necessary affirmations our daughters’ hearts need to hear. This beautiful little book is your invitation to curl up close to her and proclaim the truth of her identity, as a precious and beloved daughter.
Beloved Son is a new release—it was published on August 1, 2025. Beloved Daughter was published in 2024. For more information about these books or to order a copy, visit heartoftheholyfamilypublishing.com.
“Not I, But God” Interview with “Carlo Acutis: Roadmap to Reality” director Tim Moriarty
By Deacon Steven D. Greydanus
Last July I interviewed filmmaker Tim Moriarty for The Catholic Spirit in connection with his documentary “Jesus Thirsts: The Miracle of the Eucharist.” His latest nonfiction film, “Carlo Acutis: Roadmap to Reality,” blends Eucharistic themes with concerns about digital technology as these motifs converge in the life and spirituality of Millennial saintto-be Carlo Acutis. Acutis died in 2006 at the age of 15; his canonization is set for September 7. I recently caught up with Moriarty via phone. Our discussion has been edited for length and clarity.
Anytime I write about anything, even reviewing a movie, it’s always a learning process, so making a movie has to be at least as much a learning process. I’m curious what you learned about Carlo Acutis that most surprised you.
Early on, I didn’t know a ton about him. The narrative, at least on the outside, was that Carlo was this young Millennial, and he was online, using the internet, and isn’t that great? But very early on, when we met his mother, she was pretty strong that his use of the internet and of digital technology was very moderate–that he was very aware of the dangers.
I think the idea that Carlo was simply just this digital online saint is a disservice to who he was. His life was spent off screens, really encountering the world and loving the world and loving Christ. The digital stuff was really just a means of sharing that love.
Why do you think there is that tendency to simplify the complexities of a person’s life around one idea?
That’s a great question. In a way, human beings do that with all our saints–we try to box them in. This is just conjecture, but one impulse would be to take away the challenge that Carlo poses. Carlo exhibited the virtue of temperance, especially with regard to digital technology. This is one of the things that we’re starting to become aware of, with books like [The Anxious Generation by] Jonathan Haidt and some of the work being done regarding the way we’re all addicted to screens. I think we’ll probably look back at the way we look at screens today the way we look at how people were smoking cigarettes back in the ’50s, and say: ‘How could we have done that? What were we thinking?’
One of the priests we interviewed quoted G.K. Chesterton, who says that each generation gets, not the saint that it wants, but the saint that it needs. In many ways the saint is an antidote to the ills of the age. And Carlo has really universally been hailed as the saint of our age. So we wanted to take an examination of what are the ills of our age, and what might he be an antidote to?
So let’s talk about that. The film explores deleterious psychological and social effects of digital technology, but there’s also a larger exploration of the role of science and technology from its roots, and its relationship to alchemy and magic and the philosophy of Francis Bacon. Obviously you don’t want to condemn science and technology root and branch. How do you thread that needle in terms of the good and the bad in science and technology?
We wanted to take a look at where it is when science goes awry. And we felt like we needed to go back to the roots of this severing of a sort of scientism, or science as worldview, from a whole theological vision of life. At the root is a desire to exert one’s will over reality. That’s at the root of magical thinking, where we’re no longer receiving reality as a gift. And that’s really at the heart of the Eucharist. We receive the Eucharist as a gift. “Eucharist” means “thanksgiving.”
Part of a scientistic point of view is that reality is just stuff for us to manipulate, and we exert our will over reality without any sense that reality has a structure to it. Now we have technologies where we can literally create anything we want–where the body and the material world, that used to be an object of contemplation and wonder now dissolves entirely into a virtual domain where we can become avatars and attempt to defeat death itself.
The digital revolution didn’t happen overnight. There’s something that happened centuries ago, and at the root of it is this move away from a sacramental worldview. And this is why a recovery of a deep sense of the Eucharist as the source and summit of life is the only antidote we have to a scientism run amok.
Have you gotten any pushback or responses from, let’s say, people who are not fans either of Carlo himself or of his canonization cause?
You know, there were some folks who felt like it was maybe pushed too quickly, or who had a superficial understanding of Carlo. One commentator did a whole video about how he didn’t understand why Carlo is a saint–he felt the Church is just trying to throw a bone to young people. I shared the film with him, and he did a second video about why he felt a much deeper appreciation for Carlo. So there have been fruitful conversations with those who maybe aren’t big fans.
On the one hand, there are traditionally-minded Catholics inclined to resist the iconography of a saint in jeans and sneakers…
There are actually two sides that are unhappy with Carlo! On the one hand you have some critiquing Carlo’s Eucharistic theology, and on the other hand you have those who find the saint in sneakers and jeans offensive. There’s
something jarring about that because of the way we see our saints as almost superhuman–they seem so far away from us. We take ourselves off the hook when the saints become totally separate from our experience. When somebody looks similar to us, wearing the same clothes, it makes one a little uneasy, because we’re called to be saints as well!
So let’s look at the other side of the equation! You also have progressive-minded Catholics inclined to resist a teenaged saint from a wealthy background significantly known for his devotion to Eucharistic miracles.
Carlo had a deep mystical connection with Christ in the Eucharist, but he was also deeply moved by passion for the poor and the homeless in his hometown of Milan. Very similar to the way Mother Teresa and her sisters spent time in Eucharistic adoration in order to then go out and find Christ in the poor. He did the same in the streets of Milan, giving sleeping bags to homeless people and sharing his lunch with them. He worked in a soup kitchen. He was doing the things that traditional saints of the past have done.
Any real saint transcends the petty political categories that those of us who aren’t as holy love to muck around in. It wasn’t as if he was just into Eucharistic miracles simply for their novelty or the bizarre quality–it was because he saw the
effect that they had on his own classmates who were totally numb to the theology of the Church. He found Eucharistic miracles to be tremendous tools for evangelization among his peers as conversation starters. He was in a post-Christian European setting where scientism had totally taken over. It was still the early 2000s; the New Atheists had taken quite a hold in the collective psyche.
There’s no getting around the serious divisions of our day both in the church and in the larger world. Pope Leo XIV has emphasized working for unity as a priority for his papacy. Does a saint like Carlo have significance for Christian unity?
One of Carlo’s mottos was “Not I, but God.” You can create a superficial unity by saying, “Let’s talk about our common points of agreement and let’s forget about our differences.” And there may be value in that. But the mystical body of Christ really being the place where all unity ultimately converges and is going to come about through being connected to Christ.
Carlo’s whole life was centered on Christ. In the ordinary circumstances of his life, he tried to be a light for others, to act as Christ to his friends and those he encountered. If we all did that, I think a lot of the divisions in the world would dissolve. I hope his canonization will help bring some healing to these divisions.
Filmmaker Tim Moriarty
By Deacon Steven D. Greydanus
I have long been proud of my kids for having spontaneously decided, many years ago, to give up all video games every Lent, except on Sunday afternoons and on any solemnities. Carlo Acutis, though, was next level. At eight years old, he was given a PlayStation console – and he resolved to limit himself to one hour a week. “The GOAT,” as my kids approvingly say (i.e., “the Greatest Of All Time”).
Blessed Carlo Acutis – soon to be the first Millennial saint – died at age 15 in 2006. “Carlo Actis: Roadmap to Reality,” from documentarian Tim Moriarty (“Jesus Thirsts”), weaves together three narrative strands. There are standard biographical elements featuring interviews with Carlos’s family and loved ones as well as talking-head commentary over archival images and dramatized segments. We also follow students of North Dakota Catholic high schools on an Italian pilgrimage organized by Bismarck’s University of Mary, with destinations including Rome, Siena, and Assisi, where Carlo’s body is displayed in a glass tomb at the Shrine of the Renunciation. Finally, linking the first two, and providing much of the sense of topical urgency, is an indictment of the dark side of the digital revolution and its social, psychological, and spiritual implications.
An early segment features pilgrimage students still in North Dakota comparing screentime metrics, which can be comparable to the time they spend in class. Given the significance for this pilgrimage of a technologically savvy saintto-be known for playing video games and designing websites, it may strike some viewers as ironic that the young pilgrims are not permitted to bring phones or gaming devices (no technology beyond a digital camera). A significant part of the documentary’s burden, though, is that Carlo is far from an apostle of unrestrained techno-optimism, and that his emphasis on Eucharistic spirituality is as much an antidote to the dangers of digital technology as a cause to be championed in the digital Areopagus of the internet.
Evidence is indeed mounting that Generation Z, the “most connected generation,” suffers elevated rates of depression, anxiety, and loneliness, linked to factors including the addictive design elements of social media and the resulting decline of real-world social interactions.
To build their case that the ubiquity of digital media, and the many hours a day that young people devote to it, is a multifaceted crisis – not only a mental health threat and a social concern, but also ultimately a spiritual danger – the
An antidote to the digital revolution: “Carlo Acutis: Roadmap to Reality”
filmmakers turn to commentators of various stripes. Some are clergy, including University of Mary president Msgr. James Shea and National Eucharistic Congress chair Bishop Andrew Cozzens of Crookston, Minnesota. Others, such as Chris Stefanick and Rod Dreher, are popular religious writers. Still others are academics, including Harvard neuroscience researcher Sophia Carozza, John Paul II Institute philosopher D.C. Schindler, Duquesne ethicist John P. Slattery, and Timothy O’Malley, director of Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute for Church Life.
The film’s case is that Carlo is quintessentially a saint for our troubled times, for at least two reasons. First is his moderation regarding digital media, a salutary example to screen-addicted young people (and older people). Over the days of the pilgrimage, as we see the students emerge from withdrawal from the phones left behind, they begin to connect with one another in new ways – “becoming more human as they become less digital,” in the words of one commentator. Toward the end there is even some unease about returning to their phones.
us mystically not only with Christ, but also with one another. The Eucharist, the Mass, is thus proposed as the ultimate antidote to digital unreality and isolation.
of modern science in the 16th century and of digital technology in the 20th. Schindler, Dreher, and Slattery appear to interpret the birth of science fundamentally as a break with the sacramental medieval worldview and the advent of a control-based approach to nature. Dreher, in particular, paints a dark view of the scientific revolution, emphasizing its kinship to alchemy and Francis Bacon’s alleged philosophy of “torturing nature to make her give up her secrets” (an interpretation of Bacon disputed, incidentally, by many scholars).
No one here links the birth of modern science to the Christian worldview, as historians of science have done (see, e.g., Thomas Woods’s “How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization”). Crucially, McGrath and Carozza do emphasize the positive contributions of modern science, with Carozza in particular highlighting with precision that it is when the scientific method becomes “the dominant, exclusive way of relating to the world” that problems arise.
In my review of “Jesus Thirsts” I noted that I wished the film had developed the relationship between the Eucharist and active concern for the poor. “Carlo Acutis” fleetingly describes Carlo as “a great friend of the poor and downtrodden of society,” but omits specific anecdotes about Carlo, for example, volunteering at a soup kitchen and buying a sleeping bag for a homeless man. Whatever role corporal works of mercy and Catholic social teaching may play in the antidote to digital disembodiment, they aren’t explored here.
Second is the specifically Eucharistic dimension of Carlo’s spiritual life as well as his web development efforts. While the most famous of Carlo’s websites focuses on extraordinary Eucharistic miracles such as bleeding hosts, more important is Carlo’s commitment to daily Mass and Eucharistic adoration.
For the filmmakers, the essentially disembodied quality of digital experience is fundamental to the threat it poses to real-world well-being. The infinite plasticity of digital reality – a realm that can become whatever we want, in which we can become whatever we want – can be seductive, reshaping our sense of self and how we relate to the world and to one another. This is the antithesis, the filmmakers argue, of the corporeality of Holy Communion: the bodily reception of the flesh and blood of God incarnate, uniting
In an inspired choice, the film dramatizes its critique with Apple’s roundly pilloried 2024 “Crush!” advertisement for the iPad Pro. With typical Apple bravado but shocking tone-deafness, this ad placed an assortment of musical instruments, art supplies, electronic devices, and other artifacts in a hydraulic press and proceeded to slowly, relentlessly demolish them, symbolically replacing the wreckage with an iPad Pro. The effective message: The world no longer needs physical trumpets and pianos, paints and clay, arcade games, plush toys, or perhaps much of anything at all; you can do it all, live your entire life, on a screen. (Is it worth noting that the ad’s failure and Apple’s apology suggest that the worst pitfalls of the digital revolution still face significant mainstream resistance?)
At times it may be unclear to what extent the contributors are or aren’t on the same page. In exploring the historical roots of technological revolution, the filmmakers look at the emergence both
“Carlo Acutis” does underscore the edifying effects that Carlo had on his initially nonobservant parents and on a Hindu man, Rajesh Mohur, hired to help care for Carlos, whom Carlos helped to lead to Catholic faith and Baptism. Just as importantly, we see the debt owed by Carlos, and therefore the world, to the Polish nanny of his youngest years, Beata Sperczynska, his first instructor in the faith. We never know the far-reaching effects of the good (or the evil) that we do to others. Kindness and care – or their absence – can change the world, for good or for ill. Perhaps this is the most important message of Carlo Acutis’s life, and of this documentary.
Steven D. Greydanus, a deacon for the Archdiocese of Newark, has been writing about film since 2000, when he created Decent Films, for film appreciation and criticism informed by Catholic faith. For 10 years he co-hosted the Gabriel Award–winning cable TV show “Reel Faith” for New Evangelization Television, has appeared frequently on Catholic radio and written for a number of Catholic outlets.
Diocesan Events
Life-Giving Wounds Retreat for healing for adult children of divorce or separation. Arrive on Aug. 22 by 6 p.m. and depart Aug. 24. by 1 p.m. Cost is $315 per person which includes meals and two nights’ accommodations at the San Alfonso Retreat House, 755 Ocean Avenue, Long Branch. Contact cdaverso@diometuchen.org or amarshall@diometuchen.org with any questions. Register at https:// diometuchen.org/adult-children-of-divorce.
The Catechetical Accompaniment Process, with Dr. Joseph White, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the St. John Neumann Pastoral Center, 146 Metlars Lane, Piscataway. Join fellow PCLs and catechists as Dr. White from OSV explains the latest catechetical standards promulgated by the Institute on the Catechism of the USCCB. Coffee/light breakfast/lunch provided. Mass at 11:45 a.m. To register: https:// diometuchen.org/homeschool-ministry.
Catechist Training: Alive in Christ from Our Sunday Visitor, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., doors open at 9:30 a.m. Join Fellow PCLs and catechists as Norma Rothschadl, OSV senior account executive leads practical nuts and bolts training sessions. Coffee/light breakfast/lunch provided. Alive in Christ, 1-8, 10 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.; Alive in Christ Young Adolescents and Faith Fusion, 12:15 p.m. – 2 p.m. To register: https://diometuchen.org/resources.
Diocesan Pilgrimage, Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in celebration of Jubilee 2025. The faithful will join Bishop James F. Checchio as they travel to Washington, D.C., to celebrate the 2,025th anniversary of the Incarnation of Our Lord. For parish bus trips please email Angela Marshall at amarshall@diometuchen.org or call 732-562-1643.
Four Days for Our Lady: A Rosary Pilgrimage, a special four day series of events honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary during the Month of the Holy Rosary. This rare alignment of First Saturday, Rosary Sunday, and the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary offers a unique spiritual opportunity for the faithful. Events include public rosaries, Traditional Latin Masses, a theological lecture, a Men’s Rosary Rally, relic veneration, and the traditional blessing of roses. All events will take place in Raritan and Somerville, including at the Shrine Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, Church of St. Joseph Parish Hall, and an outdoor Men’s Rosary Rally in downtown Somerville. Visit https://www.blessedsacramentshrine.com/october-rosary-pilgrimage for the full schedule and details. Also, for more information call 908-361-3483 or visit njrosary@protonmail.com
Women’s Cursillo Weekend. The Metuchen Cursillo Movement will conduct the Women’s Cursillo Weekend at the Blue Army Shrine in Asbury. For information about the Cursillo experience please visit metcursillo.org.
DIOCESAN PROGRAMS
Adoration at Pastoral Center – The faithful are invited to Eucharistic Adoration at the St. John Neumann Pastoral Center, Monday through Friday, from 9 -11:45 a.m. As Pope St. John Paul II noted. “The Church and the world have a great need of Eucharistic adoration.” Anyone interested in signing up should contact Angela Marshall at amarshall@diometuchen.org.
Perpetual Adoration - Shrine Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament The Shrine Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, Raritan, is looking for adorers to sit with the Blessed Sacrament Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is also being offered the first Saturday of each month (Night Vigil) from 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. Anyone interested in signing up should visit https://blessedsacramentshrine.com.
SELLING YOUR HOME?
Willing to buy your home or townhouse in as-is condition. Quick 30 day cash closing. I’m a Licensed realtor in the State of NJ. Eugene “George” Pantozzi 908-392-2677 (call or text) georgepantozzi@hotmail.com
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY - PARISH CATECHETICAL ASSISTANT OUR LADY OF LOURDES CHURCH, WHITEHOUSE STATION, NJ
The Faith Formation Ministry of Our Lady of Lourdes in Whitehouse Station, N.J. is looking for an individual to fill the Parish Catechetical Assistant position. This administrative position works closely with the Parish Catechetical Leader in planning, organizing, and executing all Youth Faith Formation and Sacramental Programs. The Parish Catechetical Assistant is a part-time, long-term position with some flexibility in work hours. Please click the link on the homepage of our parish website at www.ollwhs.org, to see the full job description and application procedures. Email your resume to Nina Forestiere at faithformation@ollwhs.org. Thank you for your interest.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY - FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
The Diocese of Metuchen is seeking a freelance photographer to cover important events throughout the Diocese, particularly the Bishop’s pastoral visits. The ideal candidate will have knowledge of how to appropriately photograph liturgical events in the Diocese and assist the Office of Communications and Public Relations, as well as The Catholic Spirit. Interested candidates should contact Adam Carlisle at acarlisle@diometuchen.org.
