November 20, 2025

Spirit atholic C See our Special Feature for World Mission Sunday on pp 4-5.

THE

THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF METUCHEN

NOVEMBER 20, 2025 • VOL. 30 NO.10

Vocations: A mother’s

With more than 1,000 faithful in attendance, Helen Checchio, mother of Coadjutor Archbishop James F. Checchio, is applauded during his Mass of Thanksgiving for her “Yes” to God’s calling of her son to the priesthood. Archbishop Checchio’s parents, James, deceased, and Helen, were recognized for the important role they played in supporting his vocation which has led him to now serve in the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

Read more in the Farewell Supplement for Archbishop Checchio pp 15-46.

—Hal Brown photo

INSIDE Our Faith

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Perspectives

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Special supplement

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Diocesan Events

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Blue Mass

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Honoring those who sacrifice and serve

2 UP FRONT

Unraveling the mysteries of an episcopal change in leadership

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, I lost my job. I used to be Vicar General.

That sounds odd, and I hope it doesn’t lead you to believe that this column is going to be about getting fired or quitting.

That’s certainly not the case. I was not let go from my assignment; quite the opposite, the role of Vicar General disappeared from me (and the rest of our diocese).

All of this can be traced back to the announcement made last Sept. 24, when the official announcement was made that Pope Leo XIV nominated Bishop Checchio to become the Coadjutor Archbishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. With that announcement also came another, less-known, appointment: Bishop Checchio went from being our “Ordinary” (what you think of when you think of the Bishop of a diocese) to the “Administrator” of our diocese, until the time of his Mass of Welcome in New Orleans.

This is nothing new. In 1997, our late Bishop Hughes became the Administrator of the diocese when his retirement was accepted and Msgr. Vincent Breen was announced to be the next bishop. More recently, in 2016, Bishop Paul Bootkoski became the Administrator of the diocese when it was announced that his retirement was accepted and then- Msgr. James Checchio was named the next Bishop of Metuchen.

This move also carries with it a “ripple effect.” Without an Ordinary, the diocesan governance (the “Curia”) changes. The appointed councils meant to give advice to the bishop of a diocese, with no bishop to advise, technically cease to exist.

Boards such as the Presbyteral Council (made up of priests) and the Diocesan Pastoral Council (made up of laity and religious) have essentially gone dormant until such time that the new bishop calls

them back into being. They will be, then, his advisors and counsellors.

In addition, those priests who represented the Bishop in the liaison-role positions of Episcopal Vicars and Vicars Forane (also called “Deans”) lost their ecclesial offices and await a new bishop to reappoint them. Finally, as I wrote above, even the office of Vicar General ceased to exist as of that September appointment date.

Now, lest you fear I had been sacked, shown the door and left with nothing to do, what happened is that Bishop Checchio (now as Administrator) simply reappointed me to the same duties and responsibilities as I previously had. Interestingly, Canon Law says that some positions remain unchanged, even without an Ordinary.

This ensures certain functions deemed necessary continue to take place.

The Judicial Vicar of the diocese (essentially the chief Canon Lawyer after the Bishop) continues his role, as do positions such as the Chancellor and Finance Officer (along with the Diocesan Finance Council).

With a “Vacant See,” that is, a diocese or archdiocese without an appointed bishop in charge, a key role is played by a core group who have been chosen from among the priests of the Presbyteral Council. The “College of Consultors” is a consultative body established by Canon Law to serve as advisors to the Bishop for various financial and pastoral issues.

They continue to function, serving almost as caretakers of the diocese (not unlike the role played by the Cardinals of the world after the death of a Pope). The most significant role Canon Law tasks them with is to elect a priest to serve as Administrator of our diocese, who will serve until such time that the announcement is made that the holy Father has appointed either someone already a Bishop to lead us (who would then be “installed,” as were Bishops Hughes and Bootkoski), or a priest to become our new Bishop (who would then be ordained a Bishop and installed, as were Bishops Breen and Checchio).

When in the future that occurs, and the chosen new Bishop is ceremonially seated in the Cathedra (bishop’s chair), the

role of Administrator, too, ceases to exist, and our diocese once again has a Bishop in charge.

Let’s all make a covenant to pray together to the Holy Spirit at this time.

Not only for Archbishop Checchio as he assumes his new duties, but within

our own diocese for the members of the College of Consultors, the Administrator they will elect, and the priest out there in the world who at the moment has no idea he will be chosen as the next Bishop of Metuchen.

Serving as Bishop Checchio’s priest-secretary for over four years has been both a privilege and a profound honor. It has allowed me to witness, up close, Bishop Checchio’s unwavering dedication to the mission of the Church and to the people entrusted to his care.

I still remember our very first drive together. Early in the journey, Bishop Checchio mentioned that he did not find pleasure in talking about his priests – that is, in gossip – and so we did not. From that moment on, our conversations on the road were always meaningful: reflecting on ministry, planning pastoral visits, or sharing insights about life and faith. That first encounter revealed to me his deep respect for his priests and his commitment to fostering unity within the presbyterate.

Bishop Checchio’s concern for others extends far beyond his priests.

Every time we travel, his first call is invariably to his mother, followed by bishops, priests, friends, and benefactors – sometimes to greet them on their birthdays, other times to check on someone recovering from or preparing for surgery. And more than once, after ending a call, he has gently asked me, “How is your mother?” or “When was the last time you spoke with her?” That simple question, asked with genuine care, spoke volumes about the kind of shepherd and spiritual father he is – one who never forgets the people closest to those who serve with him.

We remain deeply grateful for his fatherly care, steady guidance, and pastoral presence, which we will dearly miss here in the Diocese of Metuchen.

As Bishop James F. Checchio prepares to embark on his new mission as Coadjutor Archbishop of New Orleans, we take comfort in knowing that he will only ever be a phone call, text, or email away. Though distance may soon separate us, I am confident that his warmth, care, friendship, love, and of course, prayers will continue to bridge any gap – just as they always have.

~ Father Roy Quesea, Vice-Chancellor and Priest Secretary to the Bishop

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).

Catholic Spirit THE

THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF METUCHEN

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Bishop Checchio bids farewell to diocesan religious at Jubilarian Mass, reception

OUR DIOCESE

Religious Sisters Filippini sing a hymn for Bishop Checchio who will be welcomed and installed as Coadjutor Archbishop for the Archdiocese of New Orleans during a Mass on Nov. 18.

By Deacon Patrick Cline, Correspondent

Pictured first row, left to right, Sister of Christian Charity, Anna Nguyen, diocesan Delegate; Father Antonio Da Silva, guest priest, Diocese of Trenton; Sister of Mercy of the Americas Christine Triggs, School Sister of St. Francis and 50th Jubilarian Roseann Velas; Religious Sister Filippini and 70th Jubilarian Frances Gervasio; Religious Sister Filippini and 65th Jubilarian Marianne McCann; Little Sister of the Immaculate Conception Mother Elizieta Lopatka, Provincial Superior; Brother of the Sacred Heart and Jubilarian Richard Leven, Brother of the Sacred Heart Barry Landry.

Second row, left to right, clergy of the parish of Our Lady of Fatima, including Deacon William Rider; Father Robert Pinnisi, parochial vicar; Pastor Father Arlindo Paul Da Silva; Bishop James F. Checchio; Deacon Jacinto Fernandes, and Father Robert V. Meyers, parochial vicar.

—Mark Lee photos

to say farewell, as a whole, to Bishop Checchio who was recently appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of New Orleans.

Bishop Checchio, speaking of all consecrated women and men, especially those in the Diocese, said, “Your witness and love enrich us all and we continue to count on your prayers, especially me.

Know of my love, my prayers and my gratitude for you.”

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

my ministry all these years, especially at St. Joseph High School in Metuchen.”

The newly elected Provincial of the Religious Teachers Filippini, Sister Marianne McCann, acknowleged, “My 65 years have passed by in a flash. Being together like this with all the other Sisters and Brothers reminds us that we are all doing our part in something bigger than any one of us. A day like this revives all of us, religious, Jubilarian or not.”

Sister Roseann Velas, a School Sister of St. Francis reflected, “Today’s celebration of my 50 years of religious life is a major stop on my life’s journey.

These years have been so blessed. It calls to mind all the people I have touched and who have touched me through the years.“ Although not celebrating an anniversary, Sister Fabriana Gomes has been a Vocationist Sister for 26 years. She said, “I am grateful for the testimony of all the Jubilarians and their years of service. It gives me great encouragement to continue the most important aspect of my vocation, to bring others to the Lord.”

During the reception, the Jubilarians were recognized and presented with a gift and a letter from Bishop Checchio.

Before cutting a cake recognizing their years of service to the Church, they recognized Bishop Checchio with a gift to thank him for his years as shepherd of the Diocese and his support of consecrated life, and used the celebration as a time

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Each year the Diocese of Metuchen recognizes and celebrates religious women and men who have reached significant milestones in their years of service to our Church and Diocese. This year thirteen women and one man who together have served God for over 885 years were celebrated with a Mass and reception at Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Piscataway. Bishop James F. Checchio served as principal celebrant and homilist.

Addressing the congregation of religious and guests, Bishop Checchio said, “We gather this morning to celebrate our great joy in the ministry that has been accomplished by so many, many years of service dedicated to this life by our Jubilarians. Your faith commitment and dedication to your vows have made a huge difference in our lives and the life of the Church. We are grateful beyond measure for your gift of self….

“You and I prepare people to encounter Jesus. It’s a great reminder for us that Jesus himself does the heavy lifting.

We just prepare the way through our own acts of charity and mercy, through our teaching, helping to administer different institutions for our Church in service of God’s people. …

“We pray that as you look back on your ministry and all the good things that you’ve accomplished, you clearly see it

was the hand of God who sustained you throughout these years. Most of all, you will never doubt that through you, God has touched many souls. Through you, God has done much work in our world.”

After the homily Bishop Checchio invited the Jubiliarians present to come forward to “renew the dedication to your vows, the vows that consecrate you to the poor, chaste and obedient Christ. Your witness and love enrich all of us and we continue to count on your prayers.”

Before the final blessing, Sister Anna Nguyen, delegate for religious in the Diocese, thanked Bishop Checchio for celebrating the Mass and for his guidance, leadership and generosity, particularly towards consecrated life. She thanked the parish of Our Lady of Fatima and all who worked so hard to make the day a success and invited everyone to a reception in the parish hall.

The 14 Jubiliarians honored this year have worked in the vineyard of the Lord for periods of time from 50 years to 75 years.

While a number of Jubilarians could not be in attendance due to illness, each of those present expressed similar themes as they reflected on their years of service “I cannot believe how quickly the 65 years have passed!” was the reaction of Sacred Heart Brother Richard Levin to his anniversary “I have always believed that when you are doing what you love time just goes quickly and I have loved

4 WORLD MISSION SUNDAY

THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE FAITH

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A PONTIFICAL MISSION SOCIET Y

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celebrates ‘Missionaries of Hope Among the Peoples’

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

By Mary Morrell, Editor-in-Chief

Father Justin Akkara, CMI, Cathedral parochial vicar, offers a mission presentation to children and youth of the Diocese in the CYO building, Metuchen, prior to World Mission Sunday Mass Oct. 19. —Hal Brown photos

“In every age, young people are God’s gift to the Church and to the world.

In the missionary world, the vital energy and enthusiasm that our youth provide is contagious,” reflected Father John G. Hillier, diocesan director, Pontifical Mission Societies, in his letter for World Mission Sunday 2025.

It was youth of the Diocese of Metuchen who led the opening of the annual Mass honoring world missions, celebrated in the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi, Metuchen, Oct. 19. The World Mission Sunday Mass was celebrated by Bishop James F. Checchio. Father Hillier served as homilist. Also present were Father Timothy Christy, Cathedral rector; Father Justin Akkara, CMI, parochial vicar, and Reverend Mr. Enoch Berlucher, visiting clergy.

The morning began with a missionary presentation by Father Akkara and a Rosary, led by children and youth of the Diocese, followed by a procession to the steps of the Cathedral where Bishop Checchio led the youth in praying the Hail Holy Queen.

In his message for World Mission Sunday, Bishop Checchio pointed out that, with the election of Pope Leo XIV, “a priest who served as a missionary has become our chief Shepherd!” adding, “We are all called and instructed by Jesus to proclaim the Gospel to all nations.

This day becomes our opportunity, united with Catholics around the world, to unite in prayer and solidarity to support the missionary work of the Church, ultimately overseen by our missionary Pope.

This year’s theme, ‘Missionaries of Hope Among the Peoples,’ is particularly moving because, even though it was chosen

by Pope Francis, it reflects both the heart of our faith and the vision of our new Holy Father, Pope Leo.” Referring to the many contributions that provide resources for the Church’s mission world-wide, Father Hillier stressed, “Our prayers and sacrifices today ensure that the light of Christ reaches the ends of the earth. The Church’s mission is not the responsibility only of those who serve in distant lands; it belongs to all of us by Baptism. Each time we support the missions, we affirm that we are one Church, one family in Christ, united

5 WORLD MISSION SUNDAY 3

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Archbishop Checchio joins, front center, Father John Hillier, director, Office of Pontifical Missionary Societies; Tess Kint, administrative assistant, and Mila Dionisio, assistant director, along with volunteers and missions support staff following the WMS Mass, photo 5.

Student and teacher representatives from some of the schools and parish religious education programs, recognized for their generosity and commitment, accept their Missionary Childhood Association awards from Archbishop Checchio and Father John Hillier, photos 6-9.

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NOVEMBER 20, 2025

—Hal Brown photos

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THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

in bringing hope and love to all people.”

Following Communion, presentations were made of the Pontifical Mission Societies Missionary Childhood Association Awards, for outstanding commitment, generosity and sacrifice to the Church’s missionary activity: Schools – St. Helena, Edison, St. Matthew, Edison, and St. Thomas the Apostle, Old Bridge.

Religious Education Programs – St. Elizabeth-St. Brigid, Peapack; Our Lady of Mount Virgin, Middlesex; Annunciation, Bloomsbury.

In addition, the artwork of Anthony Latorre from Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Whitehouse Station, was selected as one of the 24 winners in the 20242025 Missionary Childhood Association Christmas Artwork Contest. His faithfilled artwork will be available as shareable digital greetings beginning the first week of Advent 2025.

6 OUR DIOCESE

Prayer Service celebrates long-lasting marriages

—Hal Brown photos

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

By Christina Leslie Contributing Editor “This gathering is one of my favorite gatherings of the year because love is so present,” declared Bishop James F. Checchio, principal celebrant of the diocesan Silver and Gold and Five-Year Anniversary Evening Prayer Service held Oct. 19 in the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi, Metuchen. “Thank God for you and your good witness. We ask you to bless [the couples] abundantly.”

Some 120 couples served as living examples of faith-filled married love as they filled the front pews of the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi to celebrate five, 25, 50 or more years of sacramental marriage. The fruits of their long unions – their children and grandchildren – sat just behind, cellphone cameras held aloft and flashing to capture the milestone moment of faith and joy.

“Your faithful witness of married love is so needed in our world today,” said Bishop Checchio in his homily.

“God himself placed the love you have for each other in your hearts; he blessed you on your wedding day, and what

started as a natural attraction was turned into a supernatural thing when you asked God to bless your love. It turned your wedding into a sacrament.”

Marriage, the Bishop continued, is a visible sign of God’s love for us, and we are meant to witness that to the world.

“God chooses to reveal himself to us, and there is a bit of him in the love you have for one another,” he said. “You, our dear married couples, are called to make Christ present in the world.”

The Bishop admitted, “Love of God is not an easy thing to show sometimes.

Faith doesn’t make marriage easy, nor does it take away struggles, difficulties or challenges, but it does help us work through the challenges we face.” Couples learn after their wedding that the secret to a happy and healthy marriage is to become connected with others’ happiness, to become faithful and forgiving, caring, correcting and encouraging.

He concluded, “We join you today in prayer. May the love God has placed in our hearts for one another continue to strengthen you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love and honor every day until God calls us home

to himself. The world and the Church need that. Thank you for witnessing your wedding vows, and may the best years still be ahead.”

Cristina D’Averso-Collins, director of the diocesan Office of Family Life, welcomed the anniversary couples, honoring their marital commitment which “celebrates your initial decision to enter into this great sacrament, and become a profound witness to the sacrificial love of Christ.”

Echoing the joyful faith, selfless love and God-centered witness about which the Bishop spoke, the couples then faced one another, clasped their hands and expressed their gratitude to the Lord for their marriage commitment, praying:

“Blessed are you, Lord, for in the good and the bad times of our life, you have stood lovingly by our side.

Help us, we pray, to remain faithful in our love for one another, so that we may be true witnesses to the covenant you have made with humankind.”

7 OUR DIOCESE

Mass for the annual Priest Convocation is celebrated by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, along with Bishop James F. Checchio and concelebrated by honored Jubilarians.

Pictured, from left, are: Father Timothy Eck, Master of Ceremonies; Father Lauro Sedlmayer (40); Father Leonard Rusay (40); Father Charles Cicerale (50) (behind candle); Msgr. Randall Vashon (25); Father Chester Carina (40), Cardinal Dolan; Father John Grimes (25) (behind Bishop); Bishop Checchio; Msgr. John Gordon (40); Father Sean Broderick, CSSp (60); Father Jose Lorente, SJCP, (60); Father Ryan Muldoon, aide to Cardinal Dolan. Kneeling is Deacon James Prumos.

Photos below, Cardinal Dolan shares his hopes for the Church during two presentations to some 120 priests during the three-day convocation.

—Hal Brown photos

Cardinal Dolan joins Diocesan clergy for annual convocation

By David Karas, Correspondent Some 120 priests from parish communities across the Diocese of Metuchen gathered recently for the annual diocesan convocation – with a program that included prayer, speakers and camaraderie among brother priests.

In addition to Bishop James F. Checchio, this year’s gathering also featured a very special guest in Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, who joined for Mass, multiple presentations, meals and conversation.

“It was wonderful to hear the wisdom of Cardinal Dolan, who so freely shared about this hopes for the Church,” said Msgr. Joseph Curry, director of the diocesan Office of Ministry to Priests.

“Using his great knowledge of Church history, the Cardinal spoke about the great hope that is offered to the Church of today through what we have learned from the past.”

Msgr. Curry said that diocesan priests enjoyed asking Cardinal Dolan questions and engaging in conversation with him.

“The questions were very heartfelt and he responded with loving care,” said Msgr. Curry. “One of them was about the

history of immigration in New York and how it has been captured in the new mural at the entrance to the cathedral.”

The annual convocation is designed to offer priests a chance to gather together and enjoy each other’s company, while also hearing from speakers and discussing various topics. This year’s program included Dr. Joseph Clemente from St. Peter’s University Hospital, as well as the medical center’s mobile health unit which offered flu shots, health screenings and other services to attendees.

“Some of the hopes are to just give our priests a chance to take a break and enjoy the beautiful setting and each other,” said Msgr. Curry. “It was also a chance, this year, for the priests to have one more time enjoy the Bishop’s company. In the midst of his busy schedule, he was present for the whole time with us.”

Such a gathering takes on added importance as an opportunity for parish priests to be among each other, Msgr. Curry added.

“More than half of the priests in our Diocese live alone,” he explained, “and although many are not far apart from each other, it gives us all a time to be together and to share experiences, to give and get advice and to know that we have

brothers to support us, beginning with the Bishop.”

Father Gregory Zannetti, parochial vicar in St. John Vianney Parish, Colonia, was attending the annual convocation for the fourth time.

“The convocation is a great time for us to all pray together and spend more time with each other,” said Father Zannetti. “As we see each other throughout the year, such as different diocesan Masses and events, often we can be off to the next thing, and not everyone can make each Mass or event.

(This) gives us a chance to see other priests we haven’t seen during the year and to spend more time with them.”

He said that hearing from brother priests about challenges and opportunities in their ministries can also be uplifting and encouraging.

“It’s helpful to hear from others and see how blessed we are to be given such a beautiful and challenging vocation,” he said. “Especially being one of the younger priests, I can often look around and see how many of them have had an impact on my life in some way, whether it was one of my assignments, or they heard my confession, or I heard them preaching, or some advice along the way. I’ve been blessed to

be surrounded by good priests.”

Another attendee was Father Jose Lim, parochial vicar in Immaculate Conception Parish, Annandale, who was attending the gathering for the second year in a row.

“I always come back from convocation with a sense of gratitude to God for the gift that is the calling to the priesthood and the brotherhood of priests that exists here in the Diocese of Metuchen,” said Father Lim. “Because I am one of the younger priests in the Diocese, having only been ordained two years ago, I find this time an incredibly fruitful experience of spending time catching up with older brothers in this divine call, learning from them, and hearing their stories. It’s a great time for growing in brotherhood and appreciation for one another and the shared calling that we all have received from Jesus Christ.”

Father Lim described hearing from Cardinal Dolan as “truly a blessing for us as a presbyterate.”

“His ability to speak about the history of the Church, his own experiences of priestly life, and his sense of priestly brotherhood and care was incredibly moving,” he said, “and many other priests also appreciated the talks that he presented.”

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT NOVEMBER 20, 2025

8 OUR DIOCESE

Diocesan

blends faith and service The small town of Metuchen was alive with sound and color and a magnified sense of dignity and patriotism Oct. 29 as hundreds of police personnel gathered at the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi for the 23rd annual Blue Mass which honors active, retired and deceased law enforcement personnel serving in the four counties of the Metuchen Diocese.

The borough of Metuchen was awash in duty and patriotism Oct. 29 during the 23rd annual Blue Mass which honors active, retired and deceased law enforcement personnel serving in the four counties of the Metuchen Diocese.

Hundreds filled the Cathedral to show appreciation, commemorate the fallen, and, in the words of homilist Deacon (and retired NYC policeman) Vincent Brigande, “look for calm over chaos.” At top, Bishop Checchio blesses members of the South Brunswick Police Dept. which served as this year’s host agency.

Bottom left, members of the Middlesex County Pipes and Drums provided a military yet joyful musical accent to the proceedings. Bottom right, Bishop Checchio offers a kind word to families of two fallen law enforcement officers, and presented each with small statuettes of St. Michael the Archangel, the patron saint of police officers.

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

—Hal Brown photos.

9 OUR DIOCESE Following the liturgy, Bishop Checchio posed with representatives of the various police departments in attendance, including (left) the Perth Amboy Police Dept. and (right) members of the N.J. State Police. —Hal Brown photos.

By Christina Leslie Contributing Editor A long row of police motorcycles lined Main Street in front of the Cathedral, and dozens of police cars, their red and blue roof lights flashing, were scattered along the road in front of the Diocese’s Mother Church. A mammoth American flag, suspended from a fire truck, fluttered in the breeze above scores of officers pacing the sidewalks and greeting comrades, all clad in their immaculately pressed uniforms and spitshined dress shoes. Bagpipers and drummers added to the cheerful cacophony, tuning their instruments in preparation for the annual spectacle: a beautiful blend of form and faith designed to express pride in duty and quicken the hearts and souls of all who strode through the doors of the Cathedral for Mass.

An honor guard bearing flags led the procession, each of their steps in harmony with their leader’s staccato count, followed closely by tartan-clad musicians of the Middlesex County Police and Fire Pipes and Drums. The singing of the National Anthem was followed by the traditional clergy-led procession to begin

the liturgy. Local and state dignitaries, grateful citizens and students filled the pews; members of the South Brunswick Police Department, this year’s host agency, served as honor guard members, readers and gift bearers at the liturgy.

Bishop James F. Checchio, principal celebrant, was accompanied by priests who serve as police departmental chaplains. The Bishop noted, “This is a day of mixed emotions: we are happy to be here to thank you for what you do to promote the common good and serve and protect us, but we have sadness, too, for those who have fallen.”

Deacon Vincent Brigande, who ministers at St. John Vianney Parish, Colonia, served as homilist at the Mass. He shared anecdotes and insights earned during his 20-year career as a (now retired) member of the New York Police Dept.

Admitting that he and his fellow officers had to walk on streets in neighborhoods known for violence, Brigande recalled the words of the prophet Isaiah: “Judgment will dwell in the wilderness and justice abide in the garden land. The work of justice will be peace; the effect of justice, calm and security forever. (Isaiah 32:15 – 17).”

“We have a great responsibility, we were not just flashing lights and handcuffs and arrests,” he maintained. “We needed to be present for someone who needs guidance or reassurance.” His precinct unofficially cared for Ryan, a homeless war veteran, who lived on the street with his dog and kept watch over his area. When he was beaten to death by drug dealers, the police honored him with a full inspector’s funeral.

“Each time you look for calm over chaos … you make that vision of peace and justice a reality of what Isaiah said,” Brigande said. “Having a [police] shield gives us power to take action, but we, too, rely on God’s mercy. Looking back at my 20 years, the thing that matter most was quiet service given to those in need.”

At the conclusion of the liturgy, the bagpipers and drum corps strode down the center and side aisles of the cathedral, then stood at attention as North Brunswick Police Ptl. Calvin Hibbits read the Police Officers’ Prayer beseeching St. Michael for “protection from all mental, physical and spiritual harm” and wisdom to “be courageous but not reckless in carrying out my duties.”

South Brunswick’s Det. Brian Luck

read the names of those officers who had died in the line of duty since the inception of the diocesan Blue Mass, while South Brunswick Capt. John Penny tolled a bell after each name. Bishop Checchio bestowed small statues of St. Michael the Archangel to families of two most recently lost: Capt. William Gawron, Sr., of the Sayreville Police Department, and Inspector Robert Noble, Jr., of the N.J. Transit Police.

A tartan-clad solitary bagpiper squeezed out the strains of “Amazing Grace” in the hushed church, the rest of his corps joining him on the second verse in a thunderous, uplifting yet somber window-rattling profession of faith. Perth Amboy Police Dept. officers fired a 21gun salute outside on the patio, and Edison Firefighter Gavin Kasperski played the mournful “Taps” in honor of the fallen.

Following the liturgy, Bishop Checchio surveyed the troops lining the streets in front of the Cathedral, greeting them warmly and sprinkling them with holy water. Some school children giggled as they petted a mounted police horse clip-clopping along the sidewalk or craned their necks to catch a glimpse of a helicopter flyover.

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

—Hal Brown photos.

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Left, South Brunswick’s Detective Brian Luck read the names of those officers who had died in the line of duty since the inception of the diocesan Blue Mass, a bell tolling after each name. Right, area dignitaries were present in support of their beloved men and women in blue, including from left, Director of the Board of County Commissioners Ronald Rios; Middlesex County Undersheriff David Irizarry; Middlesex County Sheriff Millie Scott; Deputy Executive Director New Jersey Attorney General’s Office of Strategy and Innovation James Haggerty, and Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin.

10 OUR DIOCESE

Father Abraham Orapankal installed as pastor of Fords parish

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

By Deacon Patrick Cline, Correspondent The parish family of Our Lady of Peace, Fords, formally welcomed their new pastor Oct. 12 as Archbishop James F. Checchio installed Father Abraham Orapankal during a Mass of Installation.

Archbishop Checchio served as principal celebrant and homilist.

Father Orapankal, who had been serving as pastor since August, explained to the parish, “Although I had already begun my assignment here as pastor, we celebrate the Rite of Installation liturgically not only to ask God’s blessings on me but also because it reminds all of us of an essential part of being disciples, to follow Christ where he leads.”

In his homily, Archbishop Checchio echoed the words of the Gospel for that Sunday from St. Luke, “Your faith has saved you.” Those are the words that Christ proclaimed to the only leper of the ten cured of the disease who came back to express his gratitude.

“That’s a pretty powerful statement.

Don’t we all aspire to hear those words directed to us?” the Archbishop asked.

“In his Gospel St. Luke wants to show us what that type faith looks like so that

we too may a have faith like the man who returned to thank Jesus.”

Archbishop Checchio told the parishioners, “A pastor’s first role is to help you grow in your faith. Your new pastor, Father Abraham, is happy to lead you as you progress in faith; to walk with you on your journey. I want to thank him for his ministry to this parish and our Diocese.”

Archbishop Checchio then formally presented the parish clergy, staff and trustees to Father Orapankal, who acknowledged his need to rely upon their help and promised to work with them as pastor. He then led his parishioners in praying the Creed and proclaiming his Oath of Fidelity.

Alan Nygrad, president of the Holy Name Society, said, “Father Orapankal is what we need at the parish. He is a wonderful listener. He has met with all the societies to see where he can help and has pledged to support them.”

Father Orapankal was initially drawn to the priesthood in Kerala, India, the state referred to as “the Cradle of Christianity” in that country. “I watched our pastor leading his people. The pastoral care shown to the people of the parish sparked my interest in the priesthood,” he said.

He entered seminary in Assam and

received a bachelor’s degree from Christ King College in Shillong. After completing his theological studies at the Papal Seminary in Pune, he was ordained for the missionary Diocese of Kohima in Nagaland on Dec.17, 1983. “Working as a missionary was a most fulfilling experience, struggling with the people and becoming one with them in their villages,” he said.

In 1994, Father Orapankal’s Archbishop sent him to study at Fordham University to prepare for his return to India as a professor of theology. The discovery of a serious medical condition strongly indicated a need for him to remain in this country for his health. After earning a doctorate in leadership from Fordham, he disregarded medical advice and returned to India to teach and serve as spiritual director for the seminarians. However his health continued to be an issue and eventually he returned to the United States.

After working with RENEW International which is headquartered in Plainfield, Father Orapankal incardinated into the Diocese of Metuchen in 2010. Prior to his current assignment, he served as parochial vicar in St. Bartholomew Parish, East Brunswick; pastor of St. John Neumann Parish, Califon, and pastor of

Father Abraham Orapankal was installed Oct. 12 as pastor of Our Lady of Peace Parish, Fords by Archbishop James F. Checchio, who told the congregation that “a pastor’s first goal is to help you grow in your faith… walk with you on your journey.” The Archbishop formally presented the parish clergy, staff and trustees to the new pastor, who pledged to “help people experience the power of God through the sacraments.”

—Marlo Williamson photos

St. Matthias, Somerset.

Ogechi Nwinyi, a parishioner for four years, who attended the Installation Mass with her daughters Alexis and Michelle, commented, “Father Orapankal is very approachable and has a good personal touch with everyone. He brings a new level of action to our parish.”

Reflecting on his ministry as a priest and a pastor, Father Orapankal said, “I strive to help people experience the power of God through the sacraments, and to show that everyone is welcome here. I hope to never put obstacles in the way of those who are coming to the Church for help.”

He strongly believes, “People will come back if we have a welcoming attitude.”

Only you, Lord, understand his heart, his mind and the depths of his soul.

Only you can comprehend the intensity of the cross he bears.

I bow before you and beg your intercession: Help with his release and bring him home safely to his family,

In the prior installments we considered two very different persons, one a self-indulgent Jewish musician, the second a disciplined Lutheran scientist. Each was changed to the core of his being by an unexpected encounter with the Holy Eucharist. Today let’s look at someone who is still with us but has as compelling a story as the others. I actually met him and got the story directly from him.

As a young man, Peter led a dissolute life, getting into all sorts of trouble. He has said that he knows what it’s like to wake up behind a dumpster.

He did not give me details and I did not ask. He told me he dug himself a hole so deep that he could not get out of it. Eventually the Mormons helped him out of that life. He cleaned up and made a living in computers and broadcasting and was active as a high priest in the Mormon Church. Once I asked him, “Peter, were you like a Bishop with the Mormons?” “No,” he replied, “more like a Cardinal.” Impressive.

What happened to my friend?

One day Peter went to a Catholic bookstore run by the Sisters of St. Paul, looking for a certain book. He asked the sister at the counter and she told him which shelf to look. “If you want, there’s also Adoration in our chapel behind that door,” she added. He had no clue what she meant. After finding the book and paying for it, the Sister reminded him of Adoration and invited him once more.

Wanting to be a good neighbor or just to humor her, he walked to the door and went into the chapel.

What he saw changed his life. There on the altar in the monstrance was Jesus Himself. He realized this in an instant: he was in the Holy Presence of God. He immediately threw himself on the ground in adoration. In that instant, like Blessed Nicholà Steno, he knew he was encountering the Living God. He didn’t have to go back like Servant of God Hermann Cohen. What a great grace!

Soon afterwards he was accepted into the Catholic Church. He left the Mormons in good faith and remains friends with them, grateful for their help on his road to Jesus Christ. Father Peter is now serving as a priest in Massachusetts.

Jesus is here for us in the Blessed Sacrament. All we have to do is be present to Him. He is waiting for us to shower us with graces and gifts beyond our imagining. Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age … and eternal life in the age to come. But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first” (Mk 10:29-31). It doesn’t matter our place in line so long as we are on the right line.

That means recognizing Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and giving Him the honor and glory that is due Him.

Give Jimmy the strength of character to accept what he cannot change and to surrender fully to your providential care.

Father Hillier serves as diocesan director, Office of Pontifical Mission Societies, the Office for Persons with Disabilities and Censor Luborum.

This prayer we offer through Christ, Our Lord, Amen © Reverend John G. Hillier, PhD

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

Sorrow remains his best friend, which includes among its attributes: loneliness, mental anguish, heartache and hints of despair.

Lukasz Danczak photo/Unsplash

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

God of infinite mercy, look upon Jimmy Wilgus, your faithful child, on this day which seems like every other day.

OUR FAITH

On Nov. 7, 2016, Jimmy Wilgus, a son of the Diocese of Metuchen, was abruptly arrested in Moscow, Russia, on false charges. At that time, Jimmy was pressured to sign a document which he was told would ensure his release. Written in Russian, however, the document he signed indicated instead that he was guilty of crimes he did not commit. As of November 2025, Jimmy will begin his 10th year of unjust detention in a Russian labor camp.

Throughout these years, Jimmy Wilgus has paid a tremendous price for crimes he did not commit. In addition to suffering a stroke and becoming physically debilitated, he has served the longest sentence of any American in a Russian prison during the 21st century.

In recent years, a handful of priests in our Diocese have come to know Jimmy’s parents, James and Bella, as well as his sister Wendy. His family has endured only pain and heartache as they work tirelessly for his release. As Jimmy’s elderly parents put it: “The ongoing heartbreak of having our son deprived of his freedom and incarcerated in the worst situation is a constant nightmare. As he suffers, so do those who love him.”

The Wilgus family were parishioners where I serve at St. Elizabeth-St. Brigid Parish in Peapack-Gladstone for many years. They have since moved to St. Ambrose Parish in Old Bridge.

In past years, I had the privilege of speaking with Jimmy and praying with him by telephone from his prison. I remain in contact with his dear family, and they need to know that both myself and the parishioners at our parish will not cease praying for Jimmy’s release from his current nightmare. I know that the parish community of St. Ambrose also pray for him.

One of the most recent communications from Jimmy came in July 2025. It appears that Russia is gradually closing penal colonies and prisons because most prisoners, both Russian and foreigners, have “volunteered” to fight in the Russia-Ukraine War. Jimmy was moved from IK-17 to Penal Colony IK7, Since arriving there, contact with Jimmy has been severely restricted. During a visit by a lawyer on July 24, Jimmy was able to relay a crucial message.

Jimmy reports that upon arrival at

IK-7, personal belongings were stolen during an illegal search. Conditions are dire, with inadequate facilities and constant unavailability of medical care.

Moreover, there are consistent attempts to coerce prisoners into involuntary transfers or military service.

In a troubling development, prison authorities announced the upcoming closure of IK-7 between October and November, with inmates threatened with transfers to harsh Siberian colonies unless they agree to move to the notoriously punitive Colony 19.

Jimmy further describes the harsh realities of the prison work environment, lack of medical attention, and deliberate communication obstructions, culminating in a dire plea for advocacy at the diplomatic level to facilitate his safe transfer. Jimmy insists that both he and a fellow prisoner, Thomas Stwalley, be moved together due to their shared circumstances and Thomas’ deteriorating health.

The already precarious conditions have been compounded by failed diplomatic efforts, and without timely intervention, the situation may further endanger their wellbeing. Their plea for humanitarian assistance is earnest and urgent. Consular and diplomatic channels are critically needed to address this crisis and safeguard the rights and lives of these American citizens abroad.

Following a Nov. 14 phone call with their son, Jimmy’s parents shared, “Hearing Jimmy on the phone this morning was heart wrenching. Besides the filth and poor diet, now he does not have drinking water. The privileged few extort Jimmy and the other Americans for drinking water.”

Please join me in the following prayer which I composed for Jimmy.

Monsignor Puleo (before his death) and myself prayed this often. St. Elizabeth-St. Brigid parishioners continue to do so.

Now we need as many more people as possible to pray even more fervently!

‘Peter’ and Adoration

11

Prayers by diocesan family only hope for Jimmy Wilgus, 10 years a Russian prisoner

EUCHARISTIC CONVERSIONS ——————————— Stories to inspire others to greater devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.

By Father Michael Fragoso, Special Contributor, Pastor, Parish of the Visitation, New Brunswick.

12 BISHOP’S ANNUAL APPEAL

2025 Bishop’s Annual Appeal Pilgrims of Hope:

Journeying Together in Faith, Hope and Charity

$7.4 Million Goal, $8.4 Million Raised, 17,000 Donors Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Thanks to your overwhelming support, this is the ninth consecutive year that our Bishop’s Annual Appeal has exceeded goal! Time and again, you’ve demonstrated your unwavering commitment to your faith and to the mission of our Church; I am humbled and truly grateful.

With a 2025 Bishop’s Annual Appeal goal of $7.4 million, together we raised over $8.4 million from more than 17,000 households. After distributing over $385,923 in parish rebates, we had approximately $645,458 of additional funds to help offset some of the rising costs for our ministries.

You know well that the formation of our seminarians has been one of my priorities. Your steadfast support has been instrumental in providing tuition, healthcare and other costs that allowed these dedicated men to focus on preparing for their future role as shepherds of our parishes without the distraction of financial burden. Thanks be to God, we’ve made great strides in promoting priestly vocations, bringing a record number of men through the formation process.

Likewise, we can celebrate the innovative ways we are reaching out to our youth and young adults, and our significant efforts on behalf of the poor and vulnerable. Yet, we know the needs are ever growing and will require ongoing care and attention. Having personally met so many of you and seen firsthand your loving commitment as missionary disciples, I am confident that you will maintain the momentum of our success by your ongoing prayers and generosity.

None of this would have been possible without the enthusiastic support of our clergy, lay leaders and all the generous parishioners whose contributions of both their time and treasure have led to the most successful Bishop’s Annual Appeal campaigns in the history of the diocese, even throughout the pandemic.

It has been a privilege and honor to serve as your bishop these past nine years; I am so grateful to God for bringing me here. I have been blessed by your loving encouragement of me and your prayerful, generous support. Please be assured of my love and prayers for you. This beautiful Diocese of Metuchen will always hold a special place in my heart. I ask your prayers for me, too, as I move on to my new assignment in New Orleans. Your prayers are appreciated and needed!

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

With renewed best wishes, I remain Yours in Christ,

Most Reverend James F. Checchio, JCD, MBA Diocesan Administrator, Diocese of Metuchen Coadjutor Archbishop-designate of New Orleans

13

Special Parish Recognition Top 5 – Percent to Goal

Our Lady of Victories, Baptistown Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Three Bridges Nativity of Our Lord, Monroe Township Church of the Annunciation, Bloomsbury Ss. Peter & Paul, Great Meadows

Top 5 – Highest Rebate

Saint Mary-Stony Hill, Watchung Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Three Bridges Saint John the Evangelist, Lambertville Saint Magdalen de Pazzi, Flemington Our Lady of Victories, Baptistown

Top 5 – Dollars Raised

Saint Mary-Stony Hill, Watchung Our Lady of the Mount, Warren Saint James, Basking Ridge Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi, Metuchen Saint Magdalen de Pazzi, Flemington

Top 5 – Number of Donors

Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi, Metuchen Saint Thomas the Apostle, Old Bridge Saint James, Basking Ridge Saint Magdalen de Pazzi, Flemington Saint Bartholomew, East Brunswick

Top 5 – Increase in Donors over Prior Year

Immaculate Conception, Somerville Saint Thomas the Apostle, Old Bridge Our Lady of Mount Virgin, Middlesex Immaculate Conception, Spotswood Nativity of Our Lord, Monroe Township

Top 5 – Increase in Dollars Raised over Prior Year

TOTALS $7,400,000 $8,431,381 113.94% 17,453 $385,923

Note: Totals include non-parish affiliated gifts

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

Amount % Collected Parish Parish Name Parish City Pastor Goal Raised to Goal Donors Rebate ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— Our Lady of Victories Parish Baptistown Father Kim $ 59,000 $ 103,279 175.05% 106 $ 22,139 St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish Three Bridges Father Serafin 140,000 232,957 166.40% 353 46,479 Nativity of Our Lord Parish Monroe Twp. Father Silva 88,000 123,983 140.89% 411 17,991 Church of Annunciation Bloomsbury Father McGuffey 14,000 19,517 139.41% 57 2,759 Ss. Peter & Paul Parish Great Meadows Father Podsiadlo 15,000 20,910 139.40% 81 2,955 St. John the Evangelist Parish Lambertville Father Kolakowski 160,000 218,621 136.64% 190 29,311 St. Magdalen de Pazzi Parish Flemington Father De Fillipps 178,000 236,020 132.60% 449 29,010 St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish Sayreville Father Michalowski 55,000 72,293 131.44% 150 8,646 St. Ambrose Parish Old Bridge Father Grimes 90,000 114,837 127.60% 354 12,419 St. Bernard of Clairvaux Parish Bridgewater Msgr. Vashon 152,000 191,235 125.81% 362 19,617 Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish South Plainfield Father Luciano 110,000 136,457 124.05% 365 13,229 St. Mary-Stony Hill Parish Watchung Msgr. Benwell 430,000 526,591 122.46% 140 48,295 St. Mary, Star of the Sea Parish South Amboy Father Selvester 54,000 65,544 121.38% 208 5,772 St. Ann Parish Raritan Father Odorizzi 68,000 81,196 119.41% 175 6,598 Blessed Sacrament Parish Martinsville Father Nolan 155,000 184,692 119.16% 358 14,846 St. Thomas the Apostle Parish Old Bridge Father Johnson 90,000 107,216 119.13% 487 8,608 St. Frances Cabrini Parish Piscataway Father Considine 40,000 47,383 118.46% 138 3,692 Most Holy Name of Jesus Parish Perth Amboy Father Machado 19,000 22,483 118.33% 255 1,742 Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish South Plainfield Father Tran 35,000 40,687 116.25% 131 2,843 St. Ann Parish Hampton Father Saharic 33,000 38,154 115.62% 159 2,577 St. Mary of Czestochowa Parish Bound Brook Father Stec 33,000 38,000 115.15% 82 2,500 Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish New Brunswick Father Nacarino 38,000 43,211 113.71% 328 2,605 St. Matthias Parish Somerset Father Lanza 175,000 198,928 113.67% 256 11,964 St. Theodore Parish Port Murray Father Tomiczek 7,000 7,764 110.91% 40 382 Our Lady of Fatima Parish Piscataway Father Da Silva 89,000 98,689 110.89% 326 4,844 Our Lady of Fatima Parish Perth Amboy Father Njobam 19,000 21,039 110.73% 48 1,019 St. Bartholomew Parish East Brunswick Father Walsh 177,000 194,693 110.00% 419 8,846 Sacred Heart Parish South Amboy Father Gromadzki 58,000 63,481 109.45% 197 2,741 St. Joseph Parish Hillsborough Father Hilton 155,000 169,185 109.15% 347 7,093 Our Lady of the Mount Parish Warren Father Kenney 395,000 423,296 107.16% 223 14,148 St. James Parish Woodbridge Father Naduviledathu 63,000 67,302 106.83% 232 2,151 Most Holy Redeemer Parish Matawan Father Carina 60,000 63,997 106.66% 208 1,999 Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish Hackettstown Father Salvania 45,000 47,912 106.47% 175 1,456 Holy Trinity Parish Bridgewater Father Calia 50,000 53,186 106.37% 164 1,593 St. John Paul II Parish Perth Amboy Father Romanowski 23,000 24,431 106.22% 186 715 St. Mary of Ostrabrama Parish South River Father Gromadzki 44,000 46,361 105.37% 121 1,180 St. Charles Borromeo Parish Skillman Msgr. Malovetz 133,000 138,691 104.28% 224 2,845 Holy Family Parish New Brunswick Father Ryan 14,000 14,588 104.20% 113 294 Immaculate Conception Parish Somerville Msgr. Celano 181,000 187,956 103.84% 392 3,478 St. Stephen Protomartyr Parish South River Father Szczepanik 19,000 19,588 103.09% 24 294 Queenship of Mary Parish Plainsboro Father Paderon 120,000 123,408 102.84% 173 1,704 St. James Parish Basking Ridge Msgr. Cronin 346,000 355,446 102.73% 462 4,723 St. John the Evangelist Parish Dunellen Father Kariuki 32,000 32,861 102.69% 150 431 Our Lady of Victories Parish Sayreville Father Pekola 91,000 93,437 102.68% 291 1,218 Immaculate Conception Parish Annandale Father Cervine 170,000 174,141 102.44% 380 2,070 St. Lawrence Parish Laurence Harbor Father Kehoe 32,000 32,710 102.22% 83 355 Our Lady of Mount Virgin Parish Middlesex Father Skoblow 74,000 75,527 102.06% 314 764 Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi Parish Metuchen Father Christy 325,000 330,957 101.83% 528 2,978 St. Joseph Parish Raritan Father Kelly 25,000 25,011 100.04% 87 5 St. Joseph Parish Bound Brook Msgr. Kerrigan 36,000 36,000 100.00% 12 St. John Vianney Parish Colonia Father Barbella 120,000 120,000 100.00% 12 St. Cecelia Parish Iselin Father Nwagwu 64,000 64,000 100.00% 13 St. Peter the Apostle Parish New Brunswick Father Tabernero 55,000 54,798 99.63% 81 St. Helena Parish Edison Father Sirianni 150,000 149,073 99.38% 288 St. Joseph Parish Carteret Msgr. Gordon 33,000 32,785 99.35% 156 St. Jude Parish Blairstown Father Jandernoa 43,000 42,641 99.16% 108 St. Elizabeth - St. Brigid Parish Peapack Father Hillier 230,000 227,683 98.99% 222 St. Anthony of Padua Parish Port Reading Father Offiong 24,000 23,642 98.51% 136 Our Lady of Mercy Parish South Bound Brook Father Lee 39,000 38,377 98.40% 119 St. Cecilia Parish Monmouth Junction Father O’Connor 72,000 70,600 98.06% 183 St. Matthew the Apostle Parish Edison Father Targonski 60,000 58,632 97.72% 239 St. Augustine of Canterbury Parish Kendall Park Father Lynam 149,000 142,544 95.67% 335 St. Luke Parish North Plainfield Father Tabera-Vasques 38,000 36,324 95.59% 59 Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish Bernardsville Father Siceloff 188,000 177,637 94.49% 145 St. Bernadette Parish Parlin Father Hagerman 58,000 51,493 88.78% 151 Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Whitehouse Station Father Pavich 110,000 97,101 88.27% 267 Our Lady of Peace Parish North Brunswick Father Krull 124,000 108,903 87.83% 176 St. John Neumann Parish Califon Father Kaczynski 38,000 33,358 87.78% 67 Mary, Mother of God Parish Hillsborough Msgr. Curry 145,000 126,346 87.14% 357 St. Andrew Parish Avenel Father Kosmoski 41,000 34,782 84.83% 167 St. Rose of Lima Parish Belvidere Father Sabella 11,000 9,170 83.36% 28 Immaculate Conception Parish Spotswood Father O’Kane 85,000 70,101 82.47% 294 St. Catherine of Siena Parish Pittstown Father Zalubski 40,000 32,988 82.47% 112 Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Milltown Father Czarcinski 58,000 47,177 81.34% 172 St. Edward the Confessor Parish Milford Father Kim 27,000 21,915 81.17% 87 Corpus Christi Parish South River Father Breen 33,000 26,754 81.07% 166 Parish of the Visitation New Brunswick Father Fragoso 46,000 36,736 79.86% 96 Divine Mercy Parish Carteret Father Shallow 25,000 19,893 79.57% 97 St. Joseph Parish North Plainfield Father Tabera-Vasques 33,000 26,144 79.23% 89 St. Patrick Parish Belvidere Father Sabella 29,000 22,693 78.25% 93 Christ the Redeemer Parish Manville Father Slaby 52,000 37,250 71.63% 190 St. Joseph Parish High Bridge Father Kaczynski 37,000 26,220 70.86% 69 St. Philip & St. James Parish Phillipsburg Father Arockiadoss 78,000 54,617 70.02% 218 St. James the Less Parish Jamesburg Father Gaviria 70,000 48,942 69.92% 171 Transfiguration of the Lord Parish Highland Park Father Lotha 48,000 31,495 65.62% 129 Good Shepherd Parish Hopelawn Father Indrias 24,000 15,500 64.58% 93 Our Lady of Peace Parish Fords Father Orapankal 64,000 41,261 64.47% 174 St. Joseph Parish Washington Father Kyrpczak 28,000 16,545 59.09% 84 St. Mary Parish Alpha Father Madarang 54,000 31,356 58.07% 157 Holy Trinity Parish Helmetta Father Wieliczko 15,000 7,989 53.26% 62

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Saint Mary-Stony Hill, Watchung Saint John the Evangelist, Lambertville Nativity of Our Lord, Monroe Township Our Lady of Victories, Baptistown Saint Matthias, Somerset

Final Report

BISHOP’S ANNUAL APPEAL

2025 Bishop’s Annual Appeal Parish Results Thank you for your extraordinary effort

14 PERSPECTIVES

Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Once upon a time, we had a young President, First Lady and two children who occupied the White House. Theirs was a dream come true –a family that had everything – good looks, youth, children, money, a nation which adored them.

The Kennedys were probably the closest we’ve come to having a King and his royal family at the helm of these United States. If John F. Kennedy was our King, and his wife, Jacqueline Bouvier was our Queen, and their daughter, Caroline was our Princess and their youngest, affectionately called John-John was our Prince – as often portrayed by the media, then, they were living the Camelot that was the apex of the American Dream often associated with this particular first family.

Sadly, “Camelot” ended suddenly on November 22, 1963, while our “King” and his “Queen” were riding in an openconvertible Lincoln through the streets of Dallas. There, a sniper, Lee Harvey Oswald, having fired three bullets, succeeded in fatally wounding the only Catholic President of the United States.

We, who are over 55, can remember vividly the day JFK was shot, and what we were doing when we received word that our King had been killed at the age of 46, the pinnacle of such a promising life layered by one accolade over another, as he was awarded the Purple Heart for being

wounded while serving in the Navy during World War II, a graduate of Harvard, a Senator from Massachusetts and a member of one of the most influential clans in New England. This was the man who rose up the ranks to succeed Dwight D. Eisenhower as President of these great United States.

All of us, of a certain age, can remember the mourning and the tears that followed – the somber funeral procession as the caisson of this “King” was drawn by horses down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Cathedral of St. Matthew for a funeral Mass, and then to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia where he was laid to rest, near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. All of us can remember the stoic face of Jackie Kennedy veiled in black, and the salute of baby John-John as the cortege passed the First Family. Our hearts were broken – our spirit crushed. “What would we do, now that our “King” was no more?”

Well, that sentiment is exactly what the disciples experienced as Jesus, “King of the Jews,” exhaled for the last time from the throne of the Cross. While the Good Thief was comforted by the promise of spending eternity with Jesus in heaven, the Apostles and the Blessed Mother, the small band of disciples, both men and women, who surrounded them, were feeling lost, forsaken, inconsolable, and wondering what life would be like now

that their King was gone.

Well, three days later, their sorrow turned to joy as Jesus appeared to Simon, to Mary Magdalene, to the disciples on the road to Emmaus. The King was alive— risen from the dead—what joy, what hope, what love flowed through their veins at the possibility that all was not lost. But how could this be? Well, God the Father accepted his Son’s sacrifice of expiation for our sins – which, once and for all, made the atonement which we could not do ourselves. After all, no matter what sacrifices were offered, God was somehow involved in them.

How could we offer a sacrifice or anything efficacious without God’s grace?

Enter Jesus! He alone could offer that perfect oblation of love because he was a divine person as well as a human being, in all ways but sin. He alone could make satisfaction for the bond of communion with our God that had been severed by original sin – leaving an abyss between the wholly transcendent, infinite and holy God and we, earthly, finite and sinful creatures.

Yes, our Father accepted the New Covenant of human-divine communion and, in so doing, declared a new monarchy by declaring Jesus as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords – giving him supreme dominion over all powers and principalities here and throughout the universe.

On November 22, we will observe a sad remembrance of the day, 62 years ago, when President John. F. Kennedy was assassinated and Camelot came tumbling down like the walls of Jericho. We draw comfort from Jesus, however, the Universal King who was with JFK when he died – and, just as the Father raised Jesus to new life, so we pray Jesus summoned John Fitzgerald Kennedy to that same life enjoyed by the new humanity of the redeemed in Heaven.

What more can we ask? What more can we wish for those who followed in his wake, including our loved ones, many of whose names are inscribed on the envelopes which have graced our altar through this November? On this solemnity, we ratify our conviction that Jesus Christ, is King of the Universe – and, as such, is alive among us, in us and for us!

So, too, we pray, are all who believed in him as their personal Lord and Savior, forever and ever. Thanks to Jesus, everyone can hope to live happily ever after. Amen!

Father Comandini serves as diocesan coordinator of the Office for Ongoing Faith Formation.

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

The French have a saying, “why make it simple if you can make it complicated?”

Admittedly, the French have an ability to multiply details. After all, they invented encyclopedias, those thick volumes that inundate you with details about something you hoped would be easily understood.

Still, details are important; they give you a better grasp and a deeper appreciation of the subject. Without details, one has only a superficial view, which is usually inadequate for what one wants to do with it.

It’s the doing part that can become problematic about details. As the saying goes, you can take a clock apart and study its gears, but you also need to put it back together again so that it works. Details by themselves are seldom practical. In fact, one can drown in them.

This is very true when you are talking about theology, and even more so about prayer. People who believe in God are naturally drawn to prayer. After all, if you are attracted to someone, you want to go up to them, get to know them and talk with them. If you are attracted by God, you instinctively want to know more about him and you want to have a conversation with him. Prayer is that conversation. As St.

Teresa of Jesus wrote, prayer “is a close sharing between friends.” Think of how you share with your own friends. Nothing complicated. Each of you usually just say what comes into your head. Not a lot of preparation, no list of steps to go through before you can get to the real exchange.

Simply sharing with one another what you think and where you are at in your life.

Peacefully. Comfortably.

But when it comes to prayer, somehow it seems like it must be complicated.

A search for “methods of prayer” lists various articles like “The Three Forms of Prayer,” “10 New Ways to Pray,” “7 Ways to Pray: Time-Tested Practices for Encountering God.” God have mercy! Can prayer ever be simple??

St. Teresa herself writes that early on in her religious life she was given a book that taught the prayer of recollection. She admits that at that time, “I did not know how to proceed in prayer, nor how to recollect myself. And so, I was very glad to have this book and decided to follow this way with all my strength.”

The book was “The Third Spiritual Alphabet” by Fray Francisco de Osuna, and it taught, not a method of prayer, but how to live a life of prayer, and it did it with three basic steps: 1) Do whatever you are doing with all of your mind, heart, body and will, and do it as God’s will for you; 2) Give thanks to God in all circumstances, both comfortable circumstances and painful ones; and finally 3) Take off

your mask, set aside your defenses, and lean totally on God. Not easy. Not easy at all, but definitely simple. Focus, trust and be carried.

Each step is simple in itself. Challenging, even very challenging, as is anything worth doing, but not complicated.

Each step leads into the next step, and the more totally one practices each step, the easier it is to understand the next one.

Doing it may be challenging, but it is not difficult to understand, and that, I think, is the essence of simplicity. I can quickly and easily grasp what I am called to do. I don’t need to strain my brain to see what is involved. Just like having a comfortable conversation with a friend.

According to one eminent Teresian scholar, Father Silverio de Santa Teresa, Osuna’s “Third Alphabet” is “the book that had the strongest influence over her mysticism.” If one wants to follow the path of prayer that Teresa walked, an understanding of Osuna’s teaching is a good place to begin. Dominic de Souza and I recorded a series of videos called “Walking With Teresa,” which are available on our Carmel’s website, www.flemingtoncarmel.org . If you find prayer complicated, you may find them helpful!

Sister Gabriela of the Incarnation is a member of the Discalced Carmelites order in Flemington. Learn more at www. flemingtoncarmel.org.

—Karolina Grabowska photo/Unsplash

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Can something spiritual actually be simple?

15 OUR DIOCESE

Coadjutor Archbishop James F. Checchio

—Mark Lee photo

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

A special supplement of the Catholic Spirit • November 20, 2025

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

“I will carry the diocese in my heart and in my prayers.”

16 OUR DIOCESE

Tribute to Bishop Checchio as a pro-life leader

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

By Jennifer Ruggiero Secretary, Secretariat for Family and Pastoral Life During his tenure as Shepherd of the Diocese of Metuchen, Bishop Checchio has been a staunch defender of the pro-life cause. Through his leadership, presence and strong support in the areas of education, outreach, public policy and prayer, he has been a witness to God’s truth that all human life is sacred from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death.

To promote education on the life issues, Bishop Checchio celebrated the opening Mass each year for the Choices Matter – Critical Life Issues Conference.

He has also been a strong voice with regards to Church teaching reminding us in his homilies, video messages and written statements: “We believe that all life is a gift from God and that every person has inherent and inalienable dignity because we are made in God’s image and likeness – young or old, healthy or sick, all human life is precious.” And calling us “to always anchor ourselves in an uncon-

ditional respect for all human life.”

Recognizing the essential and heroic outreach work of the pregnancy help centers across the Diocese, Bishop Checchio often visited them, blessing new ultrasound equipment and encouraging their staffs and volunteers. He has been a proponent of the U.S. Bishops’ “Walking with Moms in Need” initiative, a nationwide, parish-based effort to increase support for pregnant and parenting moms in need. He has also been a strong advocate of the Gianna Center at St. Peter’s University Hospital which provides general gynecological care, prenatal care, natural family planning education, and infertility services – all with a deep commitment to honoring a woman’s dignity and the sanctity of human life.

In addition to being a voice for babies in the womb and their mothers, Bishop Checchio has emphasized the need to be present to those at the other end of life’s spectrum. By hosting an annual celebration of Grandparents and Seniors, he has honored them as bearers of hope and wisdom and has expressed appreciation for their important role in

Bishop James F. Checchio, center, and Jennifer Ruggiero, fifth from right, secretary, diocesan Secretariat for Family and Pastoral Life, and others from the diocese pose at the Rally for Life at the State House in Trenton Jan. 14, 2022. In his keynote address, Bishop Checchio said, “My heart breaks that people can be so blind and not respect and protect innocent human life. The New Jersey bill just passed basically declares the children in the womb have no rights at all…and allows for abortion up until birth for any reason.” —John Batkowski photo the family, the Church and society.

In an effort to influence public policy and promote “faithful citizenship,” Bishop Checchio has hosted several Legislative Breakfasts in order to personally meet, speak with and challenge our elected officials about issues that are important to us as Catholics. Through private meetings, phone calls and letter writing, he has advocated for life-affirming laws and has opposed policies to expand abortion access and to legalize physician-assisted suicide.

Underscoring his devotion to prayer and in a spirit of solidarity with parishioners from across the Diocese, Bishop Checchio has led the annual Rosary for Life to pray for an end to abortion and all other attacks on human life. He frequently traveled to Washington, D.C., for the March for Life, and in recent years to Trenton for the N.J.

Rally for Life where he often was invited to lead the opening prayer.

These are just a few examples of how our Bishop has witnessed to the sanctity of human life for nearly a decade. Much of Bishop Checchio’s work, however, is done quietly behind the scenes. Whether it is ministering to the sick or dying, visiting the women religious or consoling someone who has lost a loved one, his steady presence has been a been a gift to us all. It has truly been an honor to serve him in this work. As he embarks on a new chapter in his priestly ministry as Coadjutor Archbishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, may he continue to be an unwavering pro-life leader defending the unborn, the elderly and all vulnerable human life at every stage and in every condition.

“My 2015 diaconate ordination class welcomed Bishop Checchio as he was ordained and installed in 2016, so we grew up as deacons under his leadership. Immediately I saw he was a man of the people, often gone missing from the sacristy before Mass, to be found walking the pews, fist bumping and taking selfies. Over these nine and a half years I have grown to respect and love him as a shepherd, priest and person. Prayers for him as he goes forth to lead the faithful of NOLA!

“My fondest memory of Bishop Checchio is the inspiring pilgrimage I was privileged to make with him to Guadalupe, Mexico, in 2019. He prayed with us and for us, joined us in song, walked in the sun and rain, and witnessed with us the ‘miracle of Guadalupe.’ I wish as many good memories for the faithful of the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

You will be missed, Bishop Checchio.”

~ Deacon Rick Fortune, Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi, Metuchen

~ Susan Odenthal, Church of the Immaculate Conception, Somerville

Thank you is the best and most succinct way to express the gratitude of the Hispanic community for the nine years of your pastoral ministry in the Diocese of Metuchen. From the beginning, in your pastoral letter, the call to Lighting a Fire in the Heart of Our World translated into concrete actions: the recognition of the Hispanic community’s presence as a treasure that has enriched the diocesan faith through the knowledge of diverse

cultures and traditions; the challenge of finding effective ways to respond to our needs, especially pastoral ones; and the decision to initiate a Hispanic diaconal formation program, the fruits of which we saw with the group of Hispanic deacons ordained in 2021 after completing their formation in Spanish, and the second group of men who are in their first year of formation. These were decisive steps in Lighting a Fire in the Heart of Our World.

But your pastoral work didn’t end there. Following an invitation from na-

tional Hispanic leaders and the national Episcopal Conference, your support in implementing the Fifth Encuentro at the parish and diocesan levels enabled the Diocese to hear the voice of the Hispanic community, identify its needs, and recognize opportunities for growth in faith.

This has borne significant fruit, such as the creation of regional networks, the establishment of the Office of Hispanic Evangelization, and the Hispanic Leadership Team, which continues to support diocesan programs, celebrations, and activities.

OUR DIOCESE

By Deacon Edgar Chaves Director, Hispanic Evangelization Office

Under your leadership, the Office of Hispanic Evangelization has provided opportunities to strengthen the faith of the Hispanic community. Examples include: the popular devotional process of consecration to Jesus through the Virgin Mary, various workshops, retreats, and courses, and, especially, the Hispanic Bible School. These attest to your commitment to working with and for this community.

Your commitment reflects God’s love for all those who, for various reasons, have chosen to leave their country in search of a better life for themselves and their families, and who have found a home and family in our Diocese. The 27 parishes where you have supported Hispanic ministry welcome Hispanic and Latino faithful, reminding us that, no matter where we are, we are one Church.

New challenges lie ahead for your ministry in New Orleans, but know that you will always be in the hearts of the Hispanic community of the Diocese of Metuchen, who will continue to pray for you.

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Thank you, Bishop Checchio!

Deacon Edgar Chaves and Bishop James F. Checchio, back row center, with priest teachers and coordinators of Hispanic formation, stand with 62 graduates of the Hispanic Bible Course, Oct. 8. Nearly 100 students have graduated from the program since the first class graduated in 2024. —Hal Brown photo

“Bishop Checchio has been an invaluable supporter of Catholic Charities.

The Bishop’s presence has always been evident throughout the years.

Whether he was distributing food at our Unity Square pantry or reading to our preschoolers at our New Brunswick schools, his compassion and love has touched the people we serve.

Although our Agency will miss Bishop Checchio, our sister Catholic Charities in New Orleans will be blessed with his hands-on support and spiritual guidance.” ~ Julio Coto, Executive Director, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen

“Bishop Checchio has always made the celebration of the World Mission Sunday a priority. As the Bishop of the Diocese of Metuchen for the past nine years, he never missed celebrating the World Mission Sunday Mass except in October 2019 when he led a pilgrimage to Guadalupe, Mexico, in preparation for the consecration of the Diocese to Jesus through Our Lady of Guadalupe. His display of affection for the children of the Diocese of Metuchen have always shown in his interaction with them ... always joyful and proud as he hands them award certificates for their performance.

When Bishop Checchio is at the pastoral center, he always managed to drop by the offices to say hello and ask how things were. He was very hands-on and showed a great deal of affection and compassion during hard times such as personal illness or a loss of a loved one. He was a very visible Bishop, and one that I will truly miss.

~ Mila Dionisio, Assistant Director, Office of Pontifical Mission Societies

Congratulations Bishop Checchio on your appointment as Coadjutor Archbishop of New Orleans.

We send our prayers for God’s blessings and guidance as you continue your ministry in New Orleans.

~ Tiffany Workman, Communications Specialist

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

Rev. Steven Bertonazzi, Fr. Hugh Bradley and Saint Teresa of Calcutta Parish: St. John’s Church, Collingswood & Holy Saviour Church, Haddon Township

“When I began working for the Diocese in 2022, I vividly recall seeing Bishop Checchio enter the building and being completely awestruck. I had only seen Bishop Checchio at Diocesan events or at St. Cecilia’s in Monmouth Junction, which is my parish. Being in the communications department, I got to work closely with him on various projects. We had a lot of laughs together filming videos, and I got to learn a lot about our Bishop as a person. I will always cherish our times together.

We will miss him as our Shepherd at the Diocese of Metuchen, and hope that the Archdiocese of New Orleans gets to experience all the wonderful things we have.”

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

I will keep you in my prayers, Bishop Checchio, that grace and peace be with you always as you embark on your new role as the Shepherd of the Archdiocese of New Orleans.”

18 OUR DIOCESE

The Everywhere Shepherd

By Deacon Stephen F. Kern Director, Office of the Diaconate Deacon Stephen F. Kern, Director, Office of the Diaconate, elevates the Book of the Gospels during the Mass of Thanksgiving for Coadjutor Archbishop James F. Checchio Nov. 1 in the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi, Metuchen.

—Hal Brown photo

Since the beginnings of the Church, there has always been a special connection between bishop and deacon. It was said by certain Church Fathers that the deacons were the eyes and ears of the bishop. As the third century theologian Hippolytus wrote: “In the ordaining of a deacon, this is the reason why the bishop alone is to impose his hands upon him: he is not ordained to the priesthood, but

to serve the bishop and to fulfill the bishop’s command.”

I believe that the vast majority of the roughly 175 deacons in our diocese will miss Bishop James because they felt this close connection with their Bishop.

In the formation of deacons, we emphasize to the Candidates what we call the Ministry of Presence. Perhaps even more important than what we say to peo-

ple is being present to them – to be open and attentive to their concerns, to affirm their dignity as a child of God, and to put into action our concern through prayer and attempts to solve their issues.

Bishop Checchio was an extraordinary exemplar of being present to his flock of Metuchen. Many of our deacons were amazed at how often he was able to visit our parishes, whether for Sunday Mass, Confirmations or other important milestones. Throw in the many religious communities and monasteries he visited, St. Peter’s University Hospital and various Catholic Charity ministries, and you wonder if he might have discovered the secret of being in more than one place at a time.

At all these visits, Bishop James offered encouragement, support and prayer.

Not for him the practice of chit-chat with the clergy in the sacristy before Mass.

No, he was present among the congregation, greeting people and shaking hands to the point where he sometimes had to be gently goaded back to the narthex to begin the procession.

This leads to an important point about Bishop’s relationship with his deacons. Because he was “out and about” in the Diocese so much, I believe Bishop James had a keen understanding of many

facets of the deacons’ ministries at their parishes and beyond that which normally would have been overlooked or even taken for granted. He knew that much of the work of the Church’s mission of service was selflessly performed by deacons behind the scenes and without attribution or recognition. He supported us in that work.

For my part, I valued our relationship and learned much from Bishop James.

Just a few examples: I learned very early in his time here that whenever a deacon was seriously ill, he wanted to know about it, and I was to send a phone number so he could make a call to the deacon to offer prayers. Similarly, when a deacon or his wife died, Bishop James viewed it as essential that he contact the widow or widower and offer spiritual support. I also learned that if I drafted a letter for bishop’s signature regarding a change in assignment of a deacon or marking a deacon’s retirement, there was always to be a sentence included that thanked the deacon’s wife (if married, of course) for her support of her husband’s ministry.

A deacon is conformed at Ordination to Christ the Servant. In the aforesaid examples and countless other ways, Bishop James modeled Christ the Servant for his deacons. We are forever grateful.

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Flemington Carmelites bid fond farewell to Archbishop Checchio On March 8, 2016, Pope Francis named Msgr. James F. Checchio as the new bishop of our diocese. You can imagine our joy when he came to Carmel just a few weeks later, on March 24, 2016, Holy Thursday, to celebrate Mass with us as Bishop-Elect. Soon after the community had the honor of meeting his dear parents in the speak room which made us feel like family.

Over the years there were several other meetings we had with Bishop James. He was always ready to extend a helping hand to our community, such as to find a statue or bless an image or consecrate more ground for the cemetery on our property, often assisted by his devoted secretary Father Roy. His warmth and paternal care for us and for the Diocese were clear with every word and gesture.

He, like St John Paul II, knows that the future of the Church of Metuchen lies in the youth! Fostering vocations, especially to the priesthood and religious life, for the Diocese were a priority for him; vocations that were rooted in a meeting with the Living God. This became apparent at one such meeting when he said, “I just want them to meet and have a relationship with Jesus.” He went on to explain how Eucharistic Adoration was key in this meeting. His own relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist was palpable in every warm word, smile and gesture.

Like a good son, he is also very devoted to Our Lady and made sure of her protection over our Diocese when he consecrated the Diocese to Our Lady of Guadalupe in 2019.

One last anecdote. When Msgr.

Bishop James F. Checchio visits with the Carmelites nuns in the Carmelite Monastery, Flemington. —Courtesy photo Checchio was introduced as the next bishop of Metuchen, we heard of an interesting incident: Archbishop Bernard Hebda, a good friend of then Bishop-elect Checchio, congratulated him on his new post, but added, “I only envy you one thing, your contemplatives.”

Every bishop worth his salt wants a house of contemplative men or women in his diocese to pray for him and for the diocese. We Carmelites of the Carmel of

Mary Immaculate and St. Mary Magdalen have been praying for the Diocese of Trenton and, then, that of Metuchen since our foundation in 1949. And if every bishop wants contemplatives, the contemplatives for their part want a bishop who appreciates and supports our hidden life and unseen work.

We have been blessed over the past 75 years with supportive bishops, including Bishop Checchio! If, in his move

south, he finds that there seems to be a dearth of contemplative monks and nuns in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, we assure him that prayer has no boundaries, and we will support him wherever he goes. A bishop can never forget his first diocese! ~ The Discalced Carmelites of Mary Immaculate and St. Mary Magdalen, Flemington

Bishop Checchio establishes commission to investigate sainthood cause of Daniel Anderl

By Mary Morrell, Editor-in-Chief

~ Theresa Bellavia, Our Lady of Peace, North Brunswick

“He had a way of making people feel at ease, and was a good sport.

I still remember the day he went up in a bucket truck to be in front of the new bell tower that Our Lady of Fatima, Piscataway, had built to bless the new bells. It was always a joy to have him celebrate Mass with us at the parish. We definitely will miss him and we’ll keep him in our prayers” ~ Jean Lyons, Our Lady of Fatima music director

“Bishop Checchio’s genuine pastoral care for the people of our Diocese impressed me the most.

His encouragement to lead a good, holy life was demonstrated to us by the example he set himself.

I’m going to miss him tremendously!”

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

~ Christopher M. C. Deibert, director of Sacred Music, Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi; director of Diocesan Liturgical Music

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

With the establishment of a diocesan commission, Bishop James F. Checchio, who had just been appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of New Orleans, initiated a formal study into whether the opening of a cause for canonization seems warranted in the case of Daniel Mark Anderl, the 20-year-old Catholic University of America student who was tragically killed in 2020 while protecting his parents from an armed attacker. The potential cause for sainthood is being explored under a specific category established by Pope Francis: the “free offering of one’s life” (oblatio vitae), which recognizes those who sacrifice their lives out of love for others.

On Aug. 6, Father Robert G. Lynam, pastor, St. Augustine of Canterbury Parish, Kendall Park – where Daniel received his sacraments, attended school, was an usher at the noon Mass, and where his funeral Mass was held – presented Bishop Checchio with hundreds of prayer requests, intentions, and petitions, some

asking for Daniel’s intercession and others requesting that his cause be opened so he might eventually be considered for canonization.

In a Sept. 30 letter to Father Lynam, Bishop Checchio wrote: “After prayerful consideration, I have decided to establish a diocesan commission to explore your request to look into the sainthood cause for Daniel Mark Anderl. I have asked four Canonists to begin the process of research of what is required from the Diocese. … This, of course, being something not ordinarily undertaken, I ask your patience as the commission establishes their tasks and responsibilities.”

Anthony P. Kearns III, who serves as diocesan chancellor, explained with further detail, “In addition to the traditional routes to sainthood, our late Holy Father, Pope Francis, added the ‘offering of one’s life’ as a new, distinct path to sainthood in his 2017 apostolic letter, Maiorem Hac Dilectionem. This path is for individuals who freely and voluntarily offer their lives, accepting a certain

“I will remember his warm smile & how grateful he was when I made him homemade biscotti.

He will be greatly missed.”

OUR DIOCESE

—Mark Anderl photo

19

Daniel Mark Anderl

and coming death for others, showing Christian virtues, and having a reputation for holiness after their death. This new category distinguishes those who die for their faith and are not necessarily martyrs in the traditional sense, broadening the understanding of heroic sacrifice for the good of others.”

Kearns also stressed that establishing a diocesan commission to investigate the procedures and protocols involved is “the first step of a long process … .”

He described Daniel as “a heroic young man, who seemed to live a virtuous life and was certainly active in the practice of his faith.”

In the days to come, said Kearns, “this commission will research the various canonical and ecclesial precedents and formulate a plan for how such an investigation will take place. Bishop has asked for patience with the commission’s work, given the rarity of its occurrence in the life of a diocese and the historical evidence of past investigations.”

In September, a Mass of Remembrance for Daniel was held at St. Augustine of Canterbury Church to mark the fifth anniversary of his death, the point at which the process toward canonization may begin.

Father Lynam recalled that “Daniel encouraged his mother to embrace the Catholic faith. She received the Sacraments of Initiation during the Easter Vigil, and was baptized in the same baptismal font in which Daniel was baptized.”

He also noted that Daniel was involved in Catholic ministry at CUA where he went to Mass often, celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation and attended Eucharistic Holy Hours.

On July 19, 2020, an assailant posing as a FedEx delivery person arrived at the Anderl family home in North Brunswick, intending to target Daniel’s mother, U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas. When Daniel opened the door, he stepped in front of the gunman, shielding his parents and taking the fatal bullets himself. His father, Mark Anderl, was also seriously wounded in the attack, but survived. The assailant was an attorney who had a legal case pending before Judge Salas.

For Father Lynam, who blessed Daniel’s body the night he died, the memory is powerful, painful and, yet, hopeful, recalling that ever since, he has believed, in his core, “that Daniel should be raised to the altar of saints,” he said.

Daniel’s death also sparked significant legislative action. Judge Salas became a tireless advocate for judicial security reform which led to the passage of the Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act in December 2022.

This federal law protects federal judges’ personally identifiable information from public disclosure, ensuring greater safety for public servants and their families.

In his letter, Bishop Checchio also assured Father Lynam, “I join all of you at St. Augustine of Canterbury Parish in commending Daniel’s cause to almighty God, asking that His will be done in all things.”

20 OUR DIOCESE

Coadjutor Archbishop James F. Checchio:

In his own words

By Mary Morrell, Editor-in-Chief

Kindling.

It’s a word that draws up images of warmth, comfort and the power to light a fire.

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

It’s a word Bishop Checchio used in his 2017 pastoral letter “Lighting a Fire in the Heart of the World,” encouraging the faithful to “be kindling.”

Archbishop James F. Checchio, always on the move to be with his people.

—Hal Brown photo

He explained, “I was fascinated to learn when I arrived that the name Metuchen comes from the language of the Lenni Lenape Native Americans. It means firewood. Apparently, there was a rich supply of dry firewood in the region. (This is the reason for the image of a flame in the upper left quadrant of our diocesan coat of arms)” and sharing that it was his desire “to call every Catholic in the Church of Metuchen to be, in a sense, firewood,” recognizing his responsibility to call his flock “to be materially and spiritually ready for God to set us on fire with faith, hope and love.”

This he accomplished with a personal and profound method: presence.

By the time Bishop Checchio wrote his first pastoral letter in 2017, after only being installed in the Diocese for nine months, he had already visited the Diocese’s 90 parishes, made visits to many of our Catholic schools, connected with various ministries and ethnic groups, visited Catholic Charities, two prisons, St. Peter’s University Hospital, the Catholic Center at Rutgers, and met with religious, deacons and priests.

He has continued that pattern throughout his service here, with an

average of 20 pastoral visits a month, celebrating three Masses almost every weekend in different parishes, attending festivals, carnivals and prayer services, standing with parishioners and praying outside abortion clinics, visiting the sick and celebrating life at diocesan events.

The years of formation and varied experiences in this Diocese, and those years prior that prepared him for his first appointment as Bishop, taught him many things.

“Something I learned about myself during my priesthood is that the ministry of the priest is about helping people to grow in their friendship with Jesus through drawing closer to Him in prayer, especially through the Eucharist and other sacraments,” said Archbishop Checchio. “This is not only for my own good, my salvation, but also for my happiness here, as God made us and He knows best what is best for us, truly best.

“Growing in one’s friendship with Christ also leads to greater interest in His Church’s teachings and motivates me to want to help His brothers and sisters, who are all made in His image and likeness. Our growing in friendship with Jesus gets us more involved in building His kingdom here to thank Him and help others to know Him, too.”

Reflecting on the lessons, Archbishop Checchio shared, “I’ve found that it is the same work in some ways, obviously done differently, whether serving in a parish as I did as a young priest, or at the Pontifical North American College in Rome forming priests, or shepherding a Diocese with over 600,000 faithful.”

He recounted that he truly enjoyed visiting the parishes, schools and faithful in other institutions in the Diocese, acknowledging, “It was always so encouraging to pray with our faithful, our religious and clergy.”

There were also memorable moments, he said. “The consecration of the Diocese to Jesus through Our Lady of Guadalupe and the year of spiritual preparation and subsequent sharing of what we had received, was a beautiful experience during my years here, too.” The Mass for the consecration took place on Dec. 12, 2019, the feast day of the Patroness of the Americas, and drew hundreds from across the Diocese. Archbishop Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, presided, with Bishop Checchio and Bishop Emeritus Paul G. Bootkoski concelebrating.

As he formally consecrated the Diocese, Bishop Checchio emphasized, “It is an act of faith to embrace this moment with greater fervor and live our faith even more boldly.”

To be kindling.

On a practical level, Archbishop Checchio recalled, “It’s wonderful that we were able to install renewable energy solar panels in our diocesan center and in many of our parishes,” taking to heart Pope Francis’ environmental encyclical, “Laudato Si, Care for Our Common

Home,” which was released in 2015.

The benefits of this are varied, he said, but all play a part in providing renewable energy as an important initiative to sustain our common home.

“I am also grateful for the increase of vocations for the priesthood to help ensure that we have enough shepherds for our parishes for the future. Everyone has helped in that effort through prayer and, also, encouraging our young brothers to open to their hearts to a possible call,” Archbishop Checchio said.

Another lesson that unfolded over time started at “the ‘Baby Bishops School’ in Rome when we were newly ordained bishops. I learned that one is not ordained a bishop for only a diocese, but for the universal Church. I really didn’t grasp that at first, but came to understand it after a bit, as many requests to assist on different organizations came.”

Archbishop Checchio was elected chairman of the Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and, subsequently, as Treasurer and Chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee, among other positions.

“The full list is very long,” he said, noting, “I always worried that these responsibilities took me away from the Diocese, but our people were understanding and our staff at the pastoral center always accommodated me and my schedule. I have learned a lot about our Church by helping with all these things, especially just how broad her outreach and responsibilities are!”

Looking back far enough to see the foundation upon which his vocation was built, Archbishop Checchio recalled, “I was blessed to grow up around the Church, as our family life, sports, recreation, socials, so many things, revolved around our parish. My parents were ready volunteers especially as we attended the parochial school. It seemed like families of everyone we knew were likewise involved. We also grew up with sisters and priests, some of them relatives, and our interactions were always uplifting.

“My father was a stockbroker who worked on the floor of the exchange in Philadelphia, so there was a comfortableness hearing about financial matters around our house and dinner table.

One of our bishops then sent me to do my Master of Business Administration, which helped me, too, and prepared me for my different roles in the Church where I would serve.”

Now, as he departs the Diocese, takes up residence in New Orleans, and encourages a new flock to “be kindling,” Archbishop Checchio acknowledged, “These were blessed years here in Metuchen. I didn’t know what to expect as I didn’t know much about the Diocese at all when I came. I am so grateful that God brought me here to this wonderful place and beautiful people! I will certainly carry the Diocese in my heart and in my prayers and am counting on everyone here to do the same for me. Your prayers are both appreciated and needed.”

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“ Reconciliamini Deo” (2 Cor 5:20)

Right, the updated personal coat of arms for Archbishop Checchio which will be joined with the Archdiocese of New Orleans coat of arms when he assumes responsibilities as an archbishop there.

OUR DIOCESE

At left, the official coat of arms for Bishop James F. Checchio when he served as Bishop of the Diocese of Metuchen, which joins his personal coat of arms with the diocesan coat of arms.

Some things never change, some things do

By Mary Morrell, Editor-in-Chief A bishop’s coat of arms is a significant symbol of the bishop’s role in the Church, representing both the bishop’s unique identity and the mission, values or traditions of the diocese or archdiocese in which he serves.

This coat of arms is either personally designed or commissioned from a professional heraldic designer when the bishop is appointed. The design is a combination of personal symbols (arms) representing the bishop’s heritage, life, and spiritual journey, along with the coat of arms of the diocese he leads. For a diocesan bishop, his personal arms are joined with the diocese’s arms in a practice called “impaling” which places them side-by-side in one shield.

The bishop chooses symbols for his personal shield that reflect his personal history, such as his hometown, alma mater, or important life events. He also chooses a personal motto, often a quote from Scripture, which is included on a scroll beneath the shield. From these, he creates a coat of arms which remains his throughout his life, even in retirement.

A diocesan bishop’s personal coat of arms is always combined with the coat of arms of the diocese he is assigned to

serve, to create his official coat of arms.

When a bishop becomes an archbishop, his coat of arms usually undergoes a significant change which will reflect his new role.

What changes?

For one thing, the tassels. A bishop’s green galero (wide-brimmed hat) has six green tassels arranged in three rows on either side. An archbishop’s green galero has ten green tassels arranged in four rows on either side.

Also, the processional cross. A bishop’s coat of arms features a processional cross with a single horizontal bar situated behind the shield. An archbishop’s coat of arms features an archiepiscopal (or patriarchal) cross with two horizontal bars behind the shield.

The differences can be seen in the two coats of arms at the top of the page.

The image on the left may be familiar to the faithful of the Diocese who recognize it as then-Bishop Checchio’s official coat of arms, with arms representing both the Diocese of Metuchen, on the left side (facing forward), and the personal arms of the Bishop on the right side.

The image on the right of the page is Archbishop Checchio’s personal coat of arms, updated to reflect his role as archbish-

op. Notice the double bar on top of the gold cross, and the additional row of tassles. .

What doesn’t change?

The arms that were chosen for his personal coat of arms remain the same.

For Archbishop Checchio that includes the azure blue color of the shield which symbolizes the separation from worldly values and the ascent of the soul toward God; the chevron, which looks like an inverted V and signifies the rafter which holds the roof of the church and symbolizes the concept of protection which is the responsibility of the bishop who teaches, governs and sanctifies.

There is also a sheep, with a shepherd’s crook resting across it, representing the ten years of forming men for the priesthood as Rector at the Pontifical North American College in Rome before being entrusted with the flock of the People of God of the Diocese of Metuchen.

Then there is the shell, a symbol of St. James, which recalls the name of the Archbishop and that of his father, who with his mother, Helen, presented their son for Baptism and raised him in the faith.

The crescent moon appears on the coat of arms of the Diocese of Camden, where Archbishop Checchio was born and brought up in the Catholic faith and

for whose service the Bishop was ordained a priest.

The silver crescent also honors Our Blessed Mother in her title of the Immaculate Conception; this emblem also appears on the arms of the Pontifical North American College, Rome, where the Bishop was formed for the priesthood and later served as Rector.

Also, the motto chosen by the Archbishop – Reconciliamini Deo, “Be reconciled to God’ – which reflects his personal spirituality or pastoral philosophy, typically remains the same unless he chooses to change it.

What’s next?

When Archbishop Checchio assumes his responsibilities in New Orleans, his official archdiocesan coat of arms will be created by joining his personal coat of arms with the coat of arms of his new archdiocese. Should he change dioceses again, or retire, he will no longer use his official coat of arms.

His personal coat of arms, however, is his to use in perpetuity, though if he is someday elevated to cardinal it will have to be redesigned again to replace the green galero with a red galero with fifteen red tassels on each side, arranged in five rows.

By Dr. Jay Locquiao, President of St. Francis Cathedral School

faithful of Metuchen to give praise to the Lord reminds us that the divine call to live Christ’s mission and to proclaim the Gospel is much greater than he and any of us. As a father, husband, and educator, Bishop Checchio’s incarnate pastoral love for his people is a great encouragement and reminder to all of us in the Diocese to echo the words of our shepherd: “Praise be Jesus Christ.” In our great love for Bishop Checchio, may all of us do as he asked of us as he leaves for his new ministry in New Orleans.

—Gerald Wutkowski Jr. photo

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

“Praise be Jesus Christ!” These were the last words of Bishop Checchio to the faithful of Metuchen at his farewell mass, and they were his first words to the faithful of New Orleans when he was first introduced to the Archdiocese. This blessed shepherd of ours has left a lasting impact on my family life, our clergy and religious, our churches, our Catholic schools, and our beloved Diocese of Metuchen, namely through his proclama-

tion of the Gospel and his presence among the flock. Bishop Checchio strived to live the ministry of presence, as evidenced by his average of three pastoral visits every weekend to some 90 parishes, 26 Catholic schools, and other Catholic institutions in our Diocese.

His frequent presence among us is why so many of us feel so close to him.

In doing so, God fulfilled his promise to be with us always, through the life and ministry of this holy and gentle Bishop. It’s a great sadness for us that he is leaving, but his exhortation to the

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

In remembering Bishop Checchio, may we remember to praise the Lord!

22 OUR DIOCESE THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT NOVEMBER 20, 2025

Bishop Checchio’s extraordinary leadership has been a blessing for St. Peter’s

By Leslie D. Hirsch, President and CEO, Saint Peter’s Healthcare System It is hard to believe that more than nine years have passed since the Most Reverend James F. Checchio became Bishop of the Diocese of Metuchen. As he begins his new ministry as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, I find myself reflecting on the extraordinary relationship he has had with Saint Peter’s and our community. He served as our organization’s corporate head, and most importantly, our shepherd–roles he constantly carried out with much love for us and constant prayers for Saint Peter’s success.

What stands out is the depth of Archbishop Checchio’s relationship with Saint Peter’s. It is not typical for a bishop to have such a relationship with a hospital, in fact, it is somewhat unique.

Archbishop Checchio was always so engaged and supportive of Saint Peter’s, consistently demonstrating genuine love for our employees, physicians, and patients, and providing guidance in ensuring Saint Peter’s future. His presence at key moments – Mass for the World Day of the Sick, our Nurses Week celebrations, and blessings of new facilities – reminded us that compassion and prayer are central to the healing we offer to all those who come to Saint Peter’s especially those who are most vulnerable. His guidance and support throughout the discernment process in recent years as we considered strategic partnership with others was extraordinary.

New Orleans holds a special place in my heart from my time as CEO of Touro Infirmary during Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. Knowing that Archbishop Checchio will serve that city and its many faithful makes this transition feel especially meaningful. To picture him at the historic St. Louis Cathedral, one of our nation’s oldest and most historic Catholic churches, is inspiring.

Archbishop Checchio has been a blessing to Saint Peter’s and to me. We are grateful for his prayers, his example, and his unwavering commitment to Catholic health care. We will miss him deeply and will always remember his steady leadership during a very critical time in Saint Peter’s history. He will never be forgotten and his legacy here will live on.

I have worked in Catholic health care for more than 20 years, and for the past decade at Saint Peter’s. The opportunity to work closely with Archbishop Checchio has been a gift and one of the great blessings of my professional and personal life. His leadership is extraordinary and is expressed through steady judgment, guidance, listening, and encouragement. He brings a rare blend of pastoral and practical expertise,

informed by his training in canon law and business administration. I learned a lot from Archbishop Checchio and will miss the frequent interactions with him.

I appreciate him for many reasons and will always be grateful for the trust and confidence he placed in me to serve as Saint Peter’s president and CEO. I truly hope that our relationship will continue for many years to come.

Top, Leslie Hirsch and his wife, Carol, celebrate with Archbishop James F. Checchio at his Thanksgiving Mass Nov. 1 in the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi. —Hal Brown photo. Middle, Archbishop Checchio blessing the new Cardiology Department Oct. 7 at Saint Peter’s University Hospital with Saint Peter’s Healthcare System President and CEO Leslie D. Hirsch and Deacon Vincent Brigande, director of Pastoral Care at Saint Peter’s University Hospital. Above, On World Day of the Sick 2025, Archbishop Checchio prays with a patient at Saint Peter’s University Hospital. —Michael Castronova photos/St. Peter’s University Hospital.

23

James F. Checchio

on his appointment as Coadjutor Archbishop of New Orleans

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

Sponsored by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

With deep admiration and joyful hearts, we celebrate this momentous step in your pastoral journey.

OUR DIOCESE

Congratulations to The Most Reverend

24 OUR DIOCESE

For Coadjutor Archbishop James F. Checchio, As you answer the Lord’s call to shepherd a new flock as Coadjutor Archbishop of New Orleans, we pray

“ The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

N U M B E RS 6 :2 4 - 2 6

With love and gratitude for nine years of having you as our devoted shepherd.

We will miss you and continue to keep you in our prayers.

Please keep us in yours.

Always,

The Staff of the Diocese of Metuchen

25

With gratitude for your ministry of leadership and service , Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish and the Vietnamese Community, South Plainfield, promised our continued prayers as you bring your pastoral message of compassion and hope to God’s people of the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

We are wishing you many blessings as you enter your new

OUR DIOCESE

Archbishop James F. Checchio

Archbishop James F. Checchio,

ministry to the people of New Orleans.

May our Lord guide you and the angels surround you, both this day and always.

“The greatest among you shall be your servant.”

Matthew 23:11

With much love and admiration

from your friends at the Church of the Annunciation, Bloomsbury

Congratulations to

Archbishop Checchio.

UNITAS

SOMERVILLE, NEW JERSEY

immaculateconception.org

CARITAS

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

CHURCH OF THE

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

We offer our continued prayers as you assume your new role in New Orleans.

CHURCH OF THE

26 OUR DIOCESE

The Parish of St. John the Evangelist prayerfully extends its

HEARTFELT

Congratulattions Congratula to

ARCHBISHOP CHECCHIO

May God continue to bless you as you commence your new role.

May you be filled with grace, humility, strength and faith.

We thank you for your leadership, unwavering support for our parish and your stewardship over the Diocese of Metuchen.

Blessings, The Very Reverend Robert Kolakowski, JCD, the staff and parishioners of St. John the Evangelist Church

Monsignor Randall Vashon, together with the clergy, staff and people of St. Bernard of Clairvaux Church offer our heartfelt

CONGRATULATIONS Archbishop Checchio

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

to

Thank you for shepherding our Diocese of Metuchen.

May God grant you strength, wisdom and joy as you embark on your new pastoral assignment at the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

27 OUR DIOCESE

The St. Magdalen de Pazzi Community wishes to sincerely thank Archbishop Checchio for his pastoral zeal, leadership and fatherly care over these nine years.

May Mary, Star of the Evangelization, continue to bless and intercede on your behalf.

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT NOVEMBER 20, 2025

28 OUR DIOCESE

Congratulations!

The Felician Sisters of North America joyfully congratulate

Bishop James F. Checchio on his appointment as Coadjutor Archbishop of New Orleans and thank him for nine years of compassionate and faith-filled servant leadership to the Diocese of Metuchen.

www.Felician.org

Raritan Oratory of Saint Philip Neri

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

With Gratitude and Congratulations

Archbishop Checchio For your years of faithful leadership in the Diocese of Metuchen + Our Apostolates +

St. Ann Raritan

St. Ann Classical Academy

St. Joseph Raritan

Shrine Chapel Raritan

Holy Trinity Bridgewater

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SAINT JAMES

BASKING RIDGE, NJ

OUR DIOCESE

THE CHURCH AND SCHOOL OF

The Parish Family of the Church and School of Saint James proudly congratulates Archbishop James F. Checchio, JCD, MBA on his appointment as Archbishop of New Orleans.

Lord Jesus, may Archbishop Checchio follow your loving example as the Good Shepherd.

Thank you for your service to our Diocese!

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT NOVEMBER 20, 2025

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

OUR DIOCESE

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Archbishop Checchio bids Diocese of

By Christina Leslie Contributing Editor

T

he Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi, Metuchen, was filled beyond capacity with clergy and deacons vested in white, men and women of religious orders in their habits, faithful servants of orders such as the Knights of Columbus, the Order of Malta, and the Holy Sepulchre adorned in capes, berets or mantillas and brandishing ceremonial swords; uniformed-clad Catholic schoolchildren and their teachers, diocesan staff and hundreds more from throughout the four counties of the Diocese and beyond, all eager to wish their shepherd of over nine years a fond farewell as he prepares for his move to the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

Bishop James F. Checchio smiled as he stood in the sanctuary, gazed upon the congregation, and observed, “Mamma Mia, what a beautiful sight. Echoing his own episcopal motto, “Reconciliamini Deo” (Be reconciled to God) the Bishop admitted to his flock, “I would be perfectly happy to spend the rest of my life here, but it is not in God’s plan, hmm? I need your prayers in order to live God’s plan. That’s what the saints do, that’s what we all strive to do.”

In his final homily to his diocesan family, Bishop Checchio expressed his gratitude for their prayers and support over the past nine and half years of his leadership and left them with a final dose of his spiritual direction in the words of St. John Chrysostom: “When God calls, we must not resist, for the one who goes forth in obedience will find Christ in those before him.”

He continued, “While it certainly is uncomfortable leaving this beautiful Church of Metuchen, obedience assures me Christ is already in my new assignment, but I know he will continue to reside here amongst us as you await your new shepherd.”

The Bishop recalled that he had truly loved his decade as rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome; “I thought [the years] were so good and would probably be the highlight of my priesthood,” he said.

“I thought, ‘What could top that?’”

— Photos by Mark Lee and Hal Brown (HB)

With a uniquely Jersey mix of humor, reverence and more than a few tears, the faithful of the Diocese of Metuchen bade an emotional farewell Nov. 1 to their fifth shepherd, Bishop James F. Checchio, as he prepares to take up the crozier of the Archdiocese of New Orleans this month.

HB

Leadership of the Metuchen Diocese proved to be inspiring and uplifting in a different way, and the support of both ordained and laity at its parishes, schools and institutions, as well as the diocesan staff, enabled the new bishop to shepherd over a half million faithful.

Bishop Checchio also credited the inspiration to consecrate the Diocese to our Lord through Our Lady of Guadalupe to be, in his words, a “perfect antidote as we found ourselves in a worldwide pandemic.”

Injecting a bit of humor into his address, Bishop Checchio reminded the congregation, “Today is the day that we are reminded each one of

us is called to be a saint. For me, that has many meanings. There is a new saint I have to get used to. As a matter of fact, I just got a shirt on the way in here…” he said over the sound of laughter and applause, holding up a white football jersey emblazoned with “Saints” on the back.

Becoming a saint is certainly more challenging than getting the right shirt, the Bishop continued and shared a story from his early days as a priest ministering in a South Jersey parish. At his question “Who are the saints?” posed to the school’s youngest students, one boy was eager to answer.

Bishop Checchio recalled, “It was so wonderful and beautiful. He pointed up to

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

“The Lord bless you and keep you, The Lord lift his countenance upon you And give you peace.

The Lord make his face to shine upon you And be gracious unto you…

Be gracious, the Lord be gracious, gracious unto you.

Amen.”

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

HB

shepherd – reminding him to change his football team affiliation from the Philadelphia Eagles to the New Orleans Saints, and try not to adjust his Jersey accent to a southern drawl.

Turning more contemplative, Bishop Bootkoski said, “I want you to know, Jim, I thank you for your kindness to me, and in leaving your fingerprint on this Diocese.” The elder prelate invited the congregation to stand and extend their right hands in prayer, and the many hundreds of his flock obliged in total, reverential silence. Bishop Bootkoski said, “Our prayers go with you. May you go forth in a beautiful way to a different kind of people. In the quiet of our hearts, pray for our Bishop.”

Father Jonathan S. Toborowsky, diocesan Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia, noted Bishop Checchio had ordained 22 men and presided over nearly 1,000 Confirmation services over the course of his years as Metuchen’s shepherd. Sacramental events, however, were just some of the many reasons the Bishop was beloved for numerous visits to the diocese’s parishes and schools, Father Toborowsky asserted.

“From Carteret to Lambertville, from Blairstown to Monroe, you have brought the word of God into parish visits, carnivals, festivals and all kinds of events,” the Vicar General said. Chuckling, he continued, “Has there been a week in our diocese that social media has not shown you shaking hands of someone in a pew in some parish somewhere?

Greeting people in front of a parish? Taking group shots? And this is besides that little job on the side: managing the diocese of Metuchen… Thank God for you.

Thank you, and we will pray for you.”

The Diocesan Festival Choir expressed their love and gratitude for Bishop Checchio’s leadership, singing “The Lord Bless You and Keep You,” more commonly known as the Lutkin Benediction. Those in the choir echoed the sentiments of all within the four walls of the Cathedral, as well as the tens of thousands more faithful who lived, worked and worshipped in the Diocese’s four counties:

OUR DIOCESE

HB

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

The Beatitudes from the Gospel of Matthew (5:1-12a) outlines who will be blessed by God, including those who are meek, merciful, peacemakers, clean of heart and poor in spirit. However, the Bishop warned, “The genuine living of our faith often goes against our human nature, which tends to put ourselves first… the way we humans look at things is not how God looks at things. We must strive to let the light of God shine on us; the Beatitudes are our program for becoming saints.”

Bishop Checchio revealed his favorite view of that God-given light, one he sought each time he celebrated Mass in the diocesan Mother Church. “When you sit in the Bishop’s chair, and look right across here,” he gestured, indicating a stained-glass window depicting the Virgin’s “yes” to the Archangel Gabriel, “it is the Annunciation.”

Once again the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Metuchen asked for his flock’s prayers as he assumed his new role as Coadjutor Archbishop of New Orleans, saying, “It is usually hard to discern God’s will, but this time it is simple.

Pope Leo said it: it is God’s will for me to go, and so I do.” Bishop Checchio’s final directives to his people were to “keep on allowing the light of God to shine through you, stay close to the Lord in the Eucharist, and pray for me that, even 1,200 miles south of here, that same light of Christ is what I will strive to share.”

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

Bishop Checchio’s predecessor, Bishop Emeritus Paul G. Bootkoski, shared humorous advice with the outgoing

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Metuchen farewell at Mass of Thanksgiving

32 OUR DIOCESE

Former elementary, high school educators’ reflect on teaching a young Bishop Checchio Left, Bishop Checchio’s former teacher and school principal at Paul VI High School, Haddonfield, Filippini Sister Marianne McCann, with corsage, was among recent jubilarians honored at the Oct. 18 Religious Jubilarians Mass and Reception held in Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Piscataway. —Mark Lee photo Below, Bishop James F. Checchio stands with his elementary school principal Mercy Sister Marjorie Smith during a 2019 reunion which included wonderful memories from his years at St. John School, Collingswood.

—John Batkowski photo

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

By David Karas Correspondent During her tenure as an educator and administrator at Paul VI High School, Haddonfield, Filippini Sister Marianne McCann, recalls one young man in particular who made his way through the school’s halls and classrooms – Bishop James F. Checchio.

“He was a studious student, a good person, and really eager to be a part of Paul VI High School,” said Sister McCann, who at the time was teaching English and serving as vice principal before later becoming the school’s principal.

“He loved it there.”

The Bishop was the third of four children in his family to attend the high school, and also participated in student tours to Europe with his family and Sister McCann.

In the years that followed, Bishop Checchio has kept in touch not only with Sister McCann, but also his elementary school principal, Mercy Sister Marjorie Smith.

The Bishop attended St. John Catholic School, Collingswood, from the first through the eighth grades. During his elementary school days, he would serve during the 7 a.m. liturgy most mornings along with his brother, David, and later began speaking with one of the other sisters as he discerned his vocation.

“As he entered his junior high years, he often spoke to Mercy Sister Joanne Tarpey, now deceased, about his call to the priesthood,” said Sister Smith. “He also had a desire to be a lawyer as well, to which she would respond that he could do both as a priest. The Bishop is now both.”

For both Sister McCann and Sister Smith – the chance to follow the Bishop’s path to the priesthood, and eventually his leadership in the Diocese of Metuchen and now the Archdiocese of New Orleans – has been a privilege.

“I am so very proud to be privileged

to see him through all of these years,” said Sister McCann. “It is not often that you have the ability to see a student from when they were a young teenager, to now a mature adult – and especially who does so much in the Church.”

Sister McCann recalls attending the Bishop’s first Mass as a priest, and to joining him in Rome when he was named a Bishop. She also was a reader during his ordination as Bishop of Metuchen.

Over the years, she has seen all that the Bishop has done in the Catholic Church, including involvement with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. She has also seen his service at the diocesan level, which has included visiting parish communities, spending time with retired priests who are hospitalized, celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation with young people, and everything in between.

“Those are the things that make me proud that I see him as a shepherd of his flock,” she said.

Sister Smith said that members of her convent were also proud to follow the Bishop’s path – remarking that they would sometimes even see him on television.

Once he was named Bishop of Metuchen, they would see him more frequently – including when he would visit Sister Tarpey as she was battling an illness.

“Oftentimes, I would call him to see if he was in the area and he would stop to see and visit with her,” said Sister Smith.

“For whatever reason, he could calm her down, while spending quality time. This was a gift.”

Sister Smith added that the faithful in New Orleans are in for a treat with the Bishop’s appointment as Coadjutor Archbishop of their Archdiocese.

“New Orleans is receiving a gift. He is truly a shepherd for the people,” she said. “It is sad for me to see him leave the Diocese of Metuchen, but he is only a phone call away.”

“Bishop Checchio led by example his priestly flock, bravely reached out his hand time and again with his diocesan family, challenged and lifted people up in spirit and wisdom. He inspired the youth, encouraged vocations to priesthood and religious life, planting seeds of how one should live their lives of faith better and for the well-being of others, to receive the Eucharist often, pray the Rosary, and not to be afraid to share their Catholic faith or bring others to Christ.

May God bless you and keep you well in your new assignment in New Orleans.” ~ Daria J. Dragan, Cantor, St. Augustine of Canterbury Parish

Prayerful thanks for the many blessings you have brought to the people of the Diocese of Metuchen. May God continue to bless and guide you in your new role as Archbishop of New Orleans.

“Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”

Luke 12:48

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O U R L ADY O F ME R CY, SO UT H B O U N D B R O O K , N J

Archbishop James F. Checchio The people of Divine Mercy Parish in Carteret offer our gratitude for your service to our Parish and our Diocese and we offer you our prayers for the Lord’s blessings on your new Apostolic Ministry as the Archbishop of the Archdiocese New Orleans in Louisiana.

The Catholic Spirit, 1/8th page ad, 4.71 x 2.85” October 27, 2025

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT NOVEMBER 20, 2025

Coadjutor Archbishop James F. Checchio of New Orleans was born and raised in New Jersey and spent most of his career there and in Rome.

Pope Leo XIV appointed Archbishop Checchio, who has served as bishop of Metuchen since 2016, to New Orleans Sept. 24, where he will be installed Nov. 18.

As coadjutor archbishop, he automatically will become bishop of New Orleans when Archbishop Gregory Aymond steps down.

Archbishop Checchio was born in Camden April 21, 1966, one of four children of James and Helen Checchio.

He was raised in Collingswood, where he attended St. John School, and went on to Pope Paul VI High School in Haddonfield.

He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in philosophy from the University of Scranton, Pennsylvania; studied at the Pontifical North Ameri—Hal Brown photo can College, Rome; and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Camden June 20, 1992, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Camden.

Archbishop Checchio holds a Master of Business Administration from LaSalle University, Philadelphia; and a Doctorate of Canon Law and a Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas-Angelicum, Rome.

In the Diocese of Camden, he served as parochial vicar at St. Agnes Parish, Blackwood; assisted at St. Jude Parish, Blackwood; and served as summer parochial vicar at St. Peter Parish, Merchantville, and St. Peter Celestine Parish, Cherry Hill.

He also served as secretary to Bishop James T. McHugh; vice chancellor; director of communications; moderator of the curia, and episcopal vicar for administration of the diocese. He also served on the Tribunal and as a member of the College of Consultors, Presbyteral Council, Investment Committee and Diocesan Finance Council.

In 2000, Pope John Paul II named him a monsignor, or chaplain to the pope.

From 2002-2003, he also served as chaplain to the Philadelphia Eagles. In 2011, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as a prelate of honor, a papal honor bestowed on diocesan priests.

He served as vice rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome for two-and-a-half years before serving as rector for 10 years, from January 2006 to January 2016. During his years as rector, the college enjoyed its highest enrollment of seminarians from the United States since the 1960s.

In March 2016 he was named bishop of Metuchen, and he was ordained a bishop May 3 of that year in the Church of the Sacred Heart Church, South Plainfield.

Besides his work in the Diocese of Metuchen, Bishop Checchio currently serves the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops as treasurer and as chairman of the Committee on Budget and Finance; vice chairman of the Committee on Priorities and Plans; and is a member of the Executive Committee.

He also has served as: a reviewer for the Subcommittee on the Catechism; a member of the Bishops’ Advisory Group for the National Eucharistic Revival; a consultant for the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism; chairman of the Committee on Budget and Finance Audit Subcommittee; chairman of the Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations; and chairman of the NAC Janiculum Hill Foundation.

In addition, Archbishop Checchio is a member of: the Papal Foundation Board of Trustees; the Board of Trustees for the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, D.C.; the Seton Hall University Board of Regents; the Seton Hall University Board of Overseers for Immaculate Conception Seminary; the Board of Directors for the National Catholic Bioethics Center; and the Catholic University of America Busch School of Business Board of Visitors.

In September 2025, shortly before his appointment to New Orleans, Archbishop Checchio was appointed as a member of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Clergy.

Archbishop Checchio

33

Coadjutor Archbishop James F. Checchio

34 OUR DIOCESE

T H A N K YO U

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

A RC H B I S H O P C H E C C H I O

Our parish family is deeply grateful for the blessing of your leadership and ministry among us. As you embark on this new calling as Coadjutor Archbishop of New Orleans, please know that the parishioners & staff of the St. Francis Cathedral community will be praying for you in your new ministry. Thank you for the lasting impact you've made in our lives and in the Diocese. May God's abundant grace be with you always.

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rchbishop Checchio, your wisdom and guidance have been a true blessing to the people of the Diocese of Metuchen.

Be assured of our continued prayers as you begin your service to the people of the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

The parish family of the Good Shepherd, Hopelawn, NJ

Archbishop James Francis Checchio

, JCD, MBA

We thank God for you and all you have done to be a faithful shepherd for the people of our diocese.

Our prayers are with you as you accept your new assignment in New Orleans.

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The priests, deacons, religious sisters, and people of Saint John Vianney Church

St. John Vianney Church 420 Inman Avenue, Colonia, NJ Website: parish.sjvianney.com (732) 574-0150

The Catholic Spirit, quarter page ad, 4.71 w x 5.85 h” October 27, 2025

Love, The St. Bartholomew School students, faculty, and staff

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

We are sad your time here has come to an end.

We were blessed to have you as our Bishop and friend.

May God continue to guide you, we pray. And keep you safe in His loving arms every day.

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Dear Archbishop Checchio,

36 OUR DIOCESE

God Bless!

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

ARCHBISHOP JAMES F. CHECCHIO

May God's abundant blessings be with you as you embark on your new ministry as Coadjutor Archbishop of New Orleans. You have touched the hearts of our students, teachers, staff, administrators, and parents. Your presence will be deeply missed!

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ACADEMY

Wishes God’s blessings upon Archbishop James F. Checchio as he journeys on to shepherd the faithful as the new Archbishop of New Orleans

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16

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MOUNT SAINT MARY

Most Holy Redeemer Parish in Old Bridge offers prayers and congratulations to our Archbishop the Most Reverend James F. Checchio, JCD, MBA on his appointment to the Archbishopric of New Orleans.

Thank you for your service to our Diocese!

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT NOVEMBER 20, 2025

38 OUR DIOCESE

“And now, dear brother, you have been chosen by the Lord...

In the Church entrusted to you, be a faithful steward, moderator, and guardian of the mysteries of Christ.

As one chosen by the Father to rule over his family, be mindful always of the Good Shepherd, who knows his sheep and is known by them, and who did not hesitate to lay down his life for them...”

- Rite of Ordination of a Bishop

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Coadjutor Archbishop James F. Checchio

In gratitude from the Parishioners of St. Augustine of Canterbury Parish Kendall Park

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Congratulations endicion B s a h c es!

Mu We will miss you.

Father John and parishioners, St. Stephen’s in South River

The St. John Vianney School Community sends its best wishes to Bishop Checchio in his new appointment as Archbishop of New Orleans. We send our love and prayers to you as you begin this new adventure. We will miss you!

May God bless you and keep you!

OUR DIOCESE

Dear Archbishop Checchio,

God’s loving light shines through Us and Our Actions

Archbishop Checchio, Thank you for your nine years of pastoral service to the Diocese of Metuchen.

Be assured of our continued prayers.

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Hackettstown, NJ

May God bless you

Archbishop Checchio

Wikimedia Image

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

Fr. John Grimes, Fr. Tholitho, and the entire staff, faculty, and parish family of St. Ambrose School and Church

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as you assume your new assignment in New Orleans.

It has been an honor and a blessing to call you our Shepherd.

40 OUR DIOCESE

National Blue Army Shrine OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA

On behalf of the World Apostolate of Fatima and the National Blue Army Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima I would like to offer our congratulations to Bishop Checchio on his appointment as the Coadjutor Archbishop-designate of New Orleans.

I thank him for his guidance and support during these past 9 years and offer our prayers for him as he enters a new role in the Church. God bless him and may Mary keep him in her Immaculate Heart. Please be assured of our daily prayers, Your Excellency. Ad Multos Annos!

David M. Carollo, Executive Director

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

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Spiritual Bouquet We would like to invite everyone to add their prayers to a Spiritual Bouquet in gratitude for the many years Bishop Checchio dedicated to our Diocese.

Please complete the form online at bluearmyshrine.com/bishops-bouquet or call 908-689-1700 ext. 234 for assistance before the deadline of December 12.

Here are examples of prayers and devotional acts that you can include in the spiritual bouquet: Holy Mass Eucharistic Adoration Rosary Divine Mercy Chaplet Sacrifices/Fasting Making the first Friday Making the first Saturday

“‘Most Reverend Father.’ How often have you heard that? At the 22 Ordinations, untold Confirmations of students, young men and women, probably some 1,000 of them over the course of your years here … People are always asking you to do something, and you have always done it, whether to ordain or confirm.

And while everyone is used to you doing, few think of what has been asked of you: to pick up and relocate to Rome, to serve on various committees and endless meetings, to take leadership and shepherd the Diocese, and now you have been asked by the Holy Father to pick up your life and move to another place and shepherd in Christ’s name.

On behalf of the diocesan family, I thank you for your ‘yeses’ to God. Those that brought you to the altar, for the ‘yes’ which brought you to the cathedra, and, as you usually do at every Ordination, we express our thanks for the ‘yes’ your

parents gave. For your dear family, for their giving in to the Church and for the times they accepted you could not be with them, as all families like to be together, but rather, to give you over to a greater family, to a larger family, a very rich family great in number.

From Carteret to Lambertville, from Blairstown to Monroe, you have brought the message of the Gospel in parish visits, Confirmations, carnivals, ethnic festivals and all kinds of parish events. Has there been a week in our Diocese that social media has not shown you shaking hands with someone in a pew in some parish somewhere? Greeting people out in front of a church or in group shots? And this is besides that little job on the side: managing the Diocese of Metuchen …

In the 20th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, Paul is giving those in Miletus the list of why he’s going back to Jerusalem and there are tears and lamenting as he is leaving. Surely, there will be some of that for us, as well, but suffice to say: Most Reverend Father, thank God for you.

Thank you, and we will pray for you.”

OUR DIOCESE

By Very Reverend Jonathan S. Toborowsky, Vicar General, Diocese of Metuchen

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For Archbishop James F. Checchio, a message of thanksgiving

—Mark Lee photo

A Tribute to Bishop James F. Checchio

By Sister Anna Nguyen, SCC Delegate for Religious and Consecrated Life With zeal for the Gospel, you uplifted, consoled, and inspired through your presence at vows, jubilees, and farewells. Entrusting us to Our Lady of Guadalupe, you ignited a fire of evangelization, nurturing vocations and warm-

ing hearts with your quiet strength.

As you begin your ministry in New Orleans, we honor the flame you lit in Metuchen. May your legacy endure in consecrated lives ablaze with Christ’s love, and may your journey kindle new paths of faith and hope for a bright future.

You will be greatly missed.

With love, gratitude, and prayer

Diocesan Youth Day 2025 with Bishop Checchio and Jay Donofrio. —Hal Brown photo

By Jay Donofrio Director, Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

Sacred Heart Brother Gary Humes and Sister of Christian Charity Anna Nguyen

Bishop Checchio was always very involved with the youth here in the Diocese and his presence made a large impact on their hearts. Whether it was coming to diocesan youth days, leading the prayer services at the St. Timothy and St. Teresa of Calcutta awards, or celebrating a Mass of Thanksgiving for newly Canonized Saints of the youth, Bishop Checchio

always found a way to relate.

His constant support of initiatives and events hosted by the Office of Youth and Young Adults allowed flourishing in the hearts of many youth. The way he was able to integrate the Gospel into his homilies while relating to our teenagers and young adults, showed them that living our faith and falling in love with Jesus Christ can be joyful!

Our office thanks Bishop Checchio for being such a present and loving shepherd of the Diocese of Metuchen.

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Bishop shows youth ‘falling in love with Jesus can be joyful’

42 OUR DIOCESE NOVEMBER 20, 2025

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Dear Archbishop Checchio, We’ll miss your voice, your steady tone, The way you made us feel at home.

Your kindness woven through each day, A quiet strength that lit the way.

We’ll miss your advice, calm and wise, The spark of warmth behind your eyes.

Though now your path must lead you on, The love you’ve planted won’t be gone.

Go with our blessings, near or far— We’ll miss you just for who you are.

There’s not much more that we can say, But Can we have a Bishop’s Holiday?

Love and Prayers, Saint Helena School

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Congratulations Archbishop James F. Checchio on your appointment to lead the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

We are grateful for your years of faithful leadership and dedication to Catholic education. May God bless you in your continued ministry.

Saint Joseph High School “One Heart. One Mission. 125 Years of Brotherhood.”

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT NOVEMBER 20, 2025

44 OUR DIOCESE

With Gratitude to Archbishop Checchio!

Holy Savior Academy extends our deepest thanks to Archbishop Checchio for his years of leadership, faith, and unwavering support. Your guidance has inspired our students, faculty, and the entire Diocese community.

We will truly miss your presence and pastoral care, but we celebrate this new chapter ahead. Wishing you all the best in your new role in New Orleans—may God continue to bless you in your ministry and journey ahead.

With grateful hearts, the parishioners of Nativity of Our Lord Parish, Monroe, congratulate his Excellency Archbishop James Checchio on his reassignment to the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

We pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to grant him wisdom, strength and courage.

“I have the strength of everything through Him who empowers me.”

Philippians 4:13

Archbishop James F. Checchio, The parish family of Our Lady of Mount Virgin, Middlesex, NJ, wishes you joy and strength as you take on your new ministry as Archbishop of New Orleans.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?”

“Here I am,” I said; “send me!”

Isaiah 6:8

Archbishop Checchio!

Godspeed in your new ministry.

From the Parish of St. Mary Star of the Sea, South Amboy, NJ

Immaculate Conception Church, Spotswood, would like to congratulate Archbishop Checchio on his new appointment.

Thank you

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

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for all you have done for both our parish and the Diocese of Metuchen.

We will continue to keep you in our prayers.

Congratulations to Archbishop Checchio

The faithful of Our Lady of the Mount Parish Family join together in heartfelt congratulations to you, Archbishop James F. Checchio, on this blessed occasion. With gratitude and affection, we offer our prayers for you and your ministry as you continue to serve the Church with devotion and love.

We thank you for your years of faithful leadership, pastoral care, and tireless service to the people of the Diocese of Metuchen. May the Lord bless you abundantly, and may Our Lady, Mother of the Church, continue to guide and protect you always.

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Bishop’s kindness and appreciation a faith-builder for altar servers

By Christina Leslie, Contributing Editor As contributing editor for The Catholic Spirit newspaper, I especially love to visit a church sacristy before Masses celebrated by Bishop James F. Checchio. Preparations for his arrival fill the room; priests and deacons are praying as they don their vestments, ministers of Holy Communion are doublechecking their stations to best serve the congregation, and lectors and readers are reviewing their Scripture and lists of those in need of prayer.

There’s one group, hidden in plain

sight, that is hard at work and just as eager to volunteer their time, talents and treasure: the altar servers. They carefully light candles, set the incense in the thurible ablaze, and hoist the crucifix which leads every Mass’ procession. Decades younger than the others, these youth might be overlooked or underappreciated by some … but not by Bishop Checchio.

Time after time, Mass after Mass, I have been so pleased to witness the Diocese’s shepherd minister to these youth, shaking their hands, asking their names and grades, and thanking them for their assistance. Such a simple

thing, the words “thank you,” but so appreciated by these youth (and this not-so-youthful reporter).

Bishop Checchio’s sincere words of thanks, request for prayers, and appreciation for these altar servers sets a wonderful example; it teaches them what a true leader looks like: never too busy to give credit where it is due.

I have seen firsthand the smiles of the altar servers as the Bishop thanks them for their contributions. These kind words are the waters which nourish the seeds of faith that were planted at their Baptism. I am excited to see how these

youth will flourish in years to come.

In his farewell homily on All Saints Day, Bishop Checchio reminded the congregation we are all saints-in-themaking and will meet again in heaven.

His kindness towards the altar servers reminds me of an 18th-century hymn: “How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in God’s excellent word.”

Thank you, Bishop Checchio, for the “excellent word” you have bestowed over the past 9-1/2 years upon the younger Catholics of our Diocese, our altar servers.

—Hal Brown photos

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT NOVEMBER 20, 2025

46 OUR DIOCESE

Archbishop Checchio As much as we are saddened to have you leave us, we recognize that it is God’s will.

Please know that we are grateful for the years we have had under your guidance and thankful for the love and support you have shown to our community, school, staff and students. You will remain in our thoughts and prayers always. God bless you.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

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ECCLESIASTES 3:1

We thank Archbishop Checchio for his faithful leadership and prayerful guidance.

Gospel for November 23, 2025 Luke 23:35-43

Following is a word search based on the Gospel reading for the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Cycle C. The words can be found in all directions in the puzzle.

RULERS SOLDIERS SAVE YOURSELF CRIMINALS OTHER REMEMBER WITH ME

CHOSEN KING INSCRIPTION SAYING FEAR COME

OF GOD OF THE JEWS ONE OF CHRIST INDEED TODAY PARADISE

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Pope’s

Monthly Prayer Intentions December

For Christians in areas of conflict Let us pray that Christians living in areas of war or conflict, especially in the Middle East, might be seeds of peace, reconciliation, and hope.

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

humanity, “He is the head of the body, the Church. He is the beginning, the first born from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent.” (Colossians 1:18).

Finally, Paul speaks of the Divine Glory that radiated from Jesus even on the cross, “It pleased God to make absolute fullness reside in him, and through him to reconcile everything in heaven and on earth, making peace through the blood of his cross.” (Colossians 1:19-20).

May we come to more perfectly worship this Christ as our King, magnified in glory above all creation and yet mercifully present to every sinner. This is a message that should fill us with a greater sense of the urgency of our mission to re-evangelize our material and often cold, uncaring world with abundant proofs of God’s devoted concern for all his people.

Msgr. John N. Fell serves as Episcopal Vicar for the Vicariate for Clergy.

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This Sunday the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, the final Sunday of our liturgical year. Pope Pius XI presciently instituted the feast of Christ the King in 1925 to combat the progressive secularization of Western civilization.

The Holy Father was dismayed by the increasing influence of anti-Christian values in the mainstream of society, culture and government; his point was that despite attempts to find fulfillment in all the wrong places, only when all people “realize that Christ is King, will society at last receive the blessings of real liberty, well-ordered discipline, peace, and harmony.” His hope was that increased attention to Christ the King would “hasten the return of society to our loving Savior” (Pope Pius XI, Quas Primas, 1925).

In our own day, our current Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, has continued to advocate for a transformation from a predominant culture of secularism materialism to one that recognizes “that God is our first and only hope,” that “all this earth’s goods, material realities, worldly pleasures, economic prosperity, however important, cannot bring happiness to our hearts.” Pope Leo reaffirms the now century-old message of Pope Pius XI when he calls us to re-focus our desires on God the Father and his Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ: “Once we desire that God accompany us on the journey of life, material wealth becomes relativized, for we discover the real treasure that we need.

The words that the Lord Jesus spoke to his disciples remain forceful and clear: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Mt 6:19-20).” (Leo XIV, Message of the Holy Father for the 9th World Day of the Poor, 11/16/2025, par. 2,3).

Our readings this day attempt to rekindle our religious ardor by portraying Jesus’ Kingship – his eternal power, glory, and honor – as expressed in his loving service poured out for all of humanity, even at those moments when this was most difficult.

This Sunday’s Gospel reading begins with Jesus looking far from regal. Hoisted up on the shameful cross, mocked and betrayed by those he had come to save, and largely abandoned by those he loved,

SCRIPTURE SEARCH®

OUR FAITH

Solemnity of Christ the King (C)

Jesus was forced to endure the further cruelty of being ridiculed by one of the criminals dying next to him, “Are you really the Messiah? Then save yourself and us too!” (Luke 23:39). In response to this taunting, another of the condemned criminals rebuked Jesus’ tormentor, “Have you no fear of God . . . We are only paying the price for what we have done, but this man has done nothing wrong.” (Luke 23:40-41). Then, turning to the Lord, the repentant thief pleaded, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

(Luke 23:42). At that moment, the true majesty of Jesus shone forth – bereft of every earthly pretense of grandeur, Jesus serenely promised what only God himself could promise; he answered his petitioner, “I solemnly assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43).

Despite all the cruelty inflicted upon him, Jesus was still able to respond mercifully to the repentant sinner. Jesus’ promise was not some vague offer of future consideration, but a stalwart commitment that the merciful love of God would break down any barriers and welcome the contrite criminal into salvation that very day.

St. Luke uses this powerful moment during the passion narrative to emphasize that human salvation is intimately tied to Jesus’ death on the cross. Through his suffering and death, Jesus, the Universal King and Judge of all the World has pronounced repentant sinners as fit for eternal life. The cross represents Almighty God’s most profound offer of salvation to all those who will simply receive it in faith.

The dialogue between Jesus and the two criminals is, in a sense, a summary of all that had gone before. Jesus’ offer of salvation was humbly accepted by some and scornfully rejected by others. The resounding assurance, though, is that Jesus mercifully bestows eternal life on all those whose hearts are open to receiving it; as St. Paul explains, “Through [Christ] we have redemption, the forgiveness of our sins.” (Colossians 1:14).

Lest we forget Christ’s true grandeur, the Church balances this scene of Jesus on the cross with the words of St. Paul’s exalted Christological hymn. In the opening chapter of his Letter to the Colossians, Paul includes this anthem celebrating Christ’s role above all creation. The text begins with the assurance of Christ’s share in Divine Majesty, “He is the image of the invisible God . . .” (Colossians 1:15).

Paul continues, revealing Christ as the agent of all creation, “In him everything in heaven and on earth was created . . . all things were created through him and for him.” (Colossians 1:16 a,c). Paul then goes on to commemorate the primacy of being and honor that belongs to Jesus, “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:17). Next, he speaks of Jesus’ role with regard to

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Christ’s Kingship present to all sinners

48 STEPPING FORWARD IN CHARITY

Stepping forward in charity The Food Crisis: Catholic Charities Diocese of Metuchen ramps up support

By Tiffany Workman Special Contributor Nearly 42 million people, or 1 in 8 Americans, rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and many families are struggling to make ends meet. A press release from Catholic Charities USA read “For low-income families and individuals who rely on SNAP and WIC to put food on their tables, this could be a catastrophic moment.” CCUSA President and CEO Kerry Alys Robinson said, “The Catholic Charities network stands ready to come to the aid of our vulnerable brothers and

sisters during this time of dire need.”

If any household is experiencing a gap in nutrition assistance following the reduction in SNAP benefits, Catholic Charities Diocese of Metuchen’s food banks and pantries are ready to help.

“At Unity Square’s Choice Food Resource Center, we see on average 400 households each month – representing 964 adults, including 168 seniors and 547 children – who rely on our once-a-month food appointments,” said Michelle Gil, director of Community Outreach. During their open distribution days, held on the first and third Fridays of each month, they serve an additional 250 households with-

out the need for appointments.

“In response to the growing need, Unity Square is extending our open Friday hours by an hour,” Gil continued, adding, “We are also partnering with Elijah’s Promise to provide hot meals from their food truck on Friday, Nov. 21, and hosting an emergency food distribution on Wednesday, Nov. 26, from 12:30 – 2 p.m. to help ease the burden families are facing.”

In Warren County, at the Phillipsburg Social Service Center, the Food Pantry typically sees about 320 households per month accessing food. They usually provide two weeks of food to supplement SNAP benefits or provide

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

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Volunteers help clients pick out food at Unity Square. —File photo/Frank Wojciechowski

food to offset the high price to groceries.

All of these people/families are offered the opportunity to meet with a volunteer case manager in order for CCDOM to encounter a person in order to understand the totality of needs of one individual.

“With stoppage of SNAP and other lost wages due to federal shutdowns we have seen an increase in volume of 75% since Nov. 1,” said Brooke Renkens, service area director. She continued, estimating, “we would provide food to 560 households this month.”

The Phillipsburg Social Service Center, is one of the only Food Pantries open five days a week, so they are making sure about 30 families per day receive individualized care. In order to offset the volume, they are providing additional bags of food, available on weekly basis with the opportunity to meet with a volunteer individually at an alternative time.

In addition, through a generous partnership with NORWESCAP, they are able to offer fresh produce to anyone who walks through their doors. People do not need to be already affiliated with the food pantry.

Unity Square Community Center is located at 81 Remsen Avenue in New Brunswick. Besides addressing food insecurities, Unity Square also focuses on other social concerns in the community and will assist with housing resources, whether a tenant or landlord. They encourage calling 732-545-0329 or stopping

by Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.

– 5 p.m. They can assist those who speak other languages, including Spanish.

Those in need of assistance, who can benefit from the help of the food pantry offered through the Warren Basic Material Needs Program, should call 908-859-5447. They are located at 383 South Main St., Phillipsburg. Although the need for food has increased, what the food pantry needs more than anything is time and physical currency of members of the community.

Contact Maria Hunter at 732-3871315 or mhunter@ccdom.org to learn more about how you can volunteer.

There are many ways to volunteer with Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen. We urge those who are interested to please visit https://ccdom.org/ volunteer for those opportunities.

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.

OUR DIOCESE

By Deacon Patrick Cline Correspondent An overflow crowd of parishioners and friends welcomed Bishop James F. Checchio to St. Matthias Parish, Oct. 12, where he celebrated a Mass of Installation for their new pastor, Father Thomas Lanza.

When Father Lanza was first appointed pastor he wrote to his new parishioners, “I immediately felt in my heart that this would be a great fit.” Having grown up in Kendall Park and attending St. Augustine Parish, he recalled, “I spent most of my childhood as your neighbor.

As your pastor my deepest desire is to be a shepherd who listens, encourages and builds connections.”

During his homily, Bishop Checchio reflected on the Gospel reading of the ten lepers who asked to be cured by Jesus, and only one of the ten, a Samaritan, returned to thank him. Bishop Checchio reminded the congregation “to place our faith and trust in the Lord; to thank him for all our blessings because all our blessings come from the

—Mark Lee photos

to our parish. He is very approachable and very down to earth.”

After receiving an undergraduate degree in business and sociology from Ramapo College, Father Lanza worked in marketing and sales and also taught religion at St. Augustine School. He had considered the priesthood as a teenager but did not pursue it at that time. A few years after college he “felt a pull” to serve God

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

need to work with and rely upon in his new role. After pledging his commitment to continue working with each group in their respective competencies, Father Lanza led the congregation in proclaiming the Creed and making his Oath of Obedience.

Emile Capuno and Agnes Sindac, life-long members of St. Matthias Parish, both agree, “Since the day he arrived Father Lanza has brought a level of energy

as a priest and was accepted by the Diocese of Metuchen.

He attended St. Mary Seminary in Baltimore where he earned a Master of Divinity degree. Father Lanza and four other priests shared a unique ordination.

Bishop Checchio ordained them August 22, 2020, at the Blue Army Shrine, Asbury, rather than at St. Francis Cathedral due to the COVID epidemic.

Prior to being named pastor of St. Matthias, Father Lanza served two years as parochial vicar at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Bernardsville, while teaching theology at Immaculata High School, Somerville. He was then named vocations director for the Diocese and chaplain at Rutgers University and St. Joseph High School, Metuchen.

At the end of Mass, Father Lanza thanked Bishop Checchio for his faith in him, expressed his gratitude to the parish, especially everyone who helped make the Mass so beautiful. He thanked the priest concelebrants present who “have played significant roles in my life.”

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Lord and to give ourselves back to him in thanksgiving by serving our brothers and sisters in need. That is saving faith. That is what the leper did in our Gospel today and that is the faith St. Luke wants us to see.”

Bishop Checchio stressed, “Father Tom’s main job as your pastor, his first job, his first task is to be a believer. To deepen his faith in the Lord each day, by his own growing closer in his friendship with Jesus each day. That has to be his priority as your pastor. To stay close to the Lord so he can share with you what he has. But then to help every one of you to do the same thing and grow in your friendship with Jesus.”

This is something Father Lanza is eager and prepared to do, said the Bishop.

“He has done it in his other assignments.

He has particularly shown his love for Catholic education, for Catholic schools.

He will have a special place in his heart for helping our students grow in their faith.”

A major part of the Rite of Installation is the formal introduction of the parish clergy, staff, trustees and members of the pastoral and finance councils to the new pastor. These are the people that he will

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For new pastor, main job ‘is to be a believer,’ says Bishop Checchio

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

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OUR DIOCESE

50

Father Sloan ministered faithfully in retirement

By Christina Leslie Contributing Editor Regardless of his official status as a retired priest of the Diocese of Metuchen, the late Father Daniel Sloan was actively ministering to those in need to the very end, asserted Bishop James F. Checchio, principal celebrant of the former pastor’s Oct. 25 Mass of the Resurrection in St. Cecilia Parish, Monmouth Junction. Father Sloan, 82, died Oct. 19 in St. Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick.

“When I came to the Diocese, Father Dan was already retired, but you’d hardly know it,” the Bishop said. “He was so generous with his spirit and his service, always saying ‘yes’ to what was needed. He found a lot of ways to serve on his own.”

Father Sloan was born in New York City to the late Bridget and George M.

Sloan and attended Sacred Heart School and St. Peter the Apostle High School, both in New Brunswick. He held a variety of jobs in Ohio before being drafted into the U.S. Army in 1964. After being stationed in Germany for 18 months, he earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting at Rutgers University and worked at McGraw-Hill in Hightstown.

Father Sloan’s life changed direction in 1975 when God called him to the priesthood as he hiked the Appalachian Trail. He attended St. Mary Seminary, Roland Park, Md., and Immaculate Conception Seminary, Darlington. He was ordained to the priesthood Sept. 18, 1982 – the first priest to be ordained in the new Diocese of Metuchen.

Father Sloan ministered in the parishes of Immaculate Conception, Somerville; Our Lady of Peace, Fords, and St. James, Woodbridge, before being named

administrator at St. James in April 1989.

Prior to his 2008 appointment to St. Cecila Parish, he served as pastor of St. Mary Parish, Perth Amboy, and Christ the King, Manville. He retired from active ministry in 2013.

In his homily, Father Peter G. Suhaka, who serves as chaplain in St. Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick, called himself “blessed” to be with Father Sloan during the last stage of his life. “I told him, ‘You are going to laugh and cry here more in one day than you do anywhere else,’” the chaplain said. “You see the Resurrection in each and every life.”

Father Suhaka asserted, “Most of the times in our lives we are in control.

We may think we are important. But God always puts in your path someone or something you truly need… Father Dan’s heart in this world became weak and he prepared himself for eternal life.

He rejoiced each time he received the Eucharist; he had that look of peace and calm when you know God will get you to where you need to be.”

As Father Sloan’s time to ascend to the heavenly realm drew near, hospital personnel would stop in to visit him, Father Suhaka recalled. “He shared his

strength with others.”

Bishop Checchio’s declaration that Father Sloan was “so faithful to the Sisters of Jesus Our Hope, he was like a family member,” was bourn out by the presence of a pew-length contingent of religious from that Bloomsbury-based order.

“Some of our sisters worked here at St. Cecilia’s while Father Dan was pastor,” said Sister of Jesus Our Hope Donna Marie Lasota. “After he retired, we still had a fine relationship with him. During COVID, he would come to our motherhouse every Sunday to say Mass. We are in Holland Twp. [about 45 miles from the parish] and he would travel every Sunday for Mass. He served us beautifully and was a good friend. We loved him dearly.”

In addition to his parish work, Father Sloan served as advocate for the tribunals of the Dioceses of Trenton and Metuchen; as director of cemeteries, and dean of the County Seat Deanery. He also served as a member of the College of Consultors and the Presbyteral Council.

Father Sloan is survived by a sister, Anne Zalinsky, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was interred in Holy Cross Burial Park, Jamesburg.

—Mark Lee photos

Evangelization is not first an activity but a life lived in communion with God. It begins in intimacy, deepens through the renewal of the heart and of the mind, and naturally flows outward in mission.

• Talk to God – Abide.

Begin with intimacy. Not as duty, but as relationship. This is where the heart is tuned to the Father’s voice. In the silence, in the cry, in the song.

• Think about God – Be transformed.

Let the truths of God shape your thoughts. Dwell on His Word, His ways, His character. Theology isn’t just study—it’s worship that renews the mind.

PERSPECTIVES

Abide, Be Transformed, Be Sent

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By Dr. Pierre-Alain Giffard

• Talk about God to others – Go on mission.

What fills your heart will overflow. Speak of Him not as an idea, but as Someone you know. Witness through words, yes—but also, and most of all, through acts of love and forgiveness, through integrity, through joy. Let your life preach even when your lips are silent.

Dr. Pierre-Alain Giffard is a theologian and practitioner whose work is marked by a unique blend of academic scholarship and pastoral leadership, providing insights and resources to nurture vibrant, mission-driven Christian communities.

—Andrej Lisakov photo/Unsplash

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52 OBITUARY

Mercy Sister Mary Terena Gentili, 91 Sister Mary Terena Gentili, age 91, died peacefully Oct.12, at McAuley Hall Health Care Center, Watchung. She was born in Trenton to Dante and Clara Gentili. Her early education began at St. Joachim Elementary School, Trenton, and continued at Cathedral High School. Sister Terena pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education at Georgian Court College (now University) in Lakewood and graduated in 1970. She entered the Sisters of Mercy in Watchung in 1955.

Sister Terena began her ministry, teaching the primary grades, in Atlantic City. Over the next 30 years, she taught at parish elementary schools in Bordentown, Perth Amboy, Bound Brook, and Phillipsburg. In 1990, she went to St. Paul School in Princeton, where she taught second grade, reading enrichment in all primary grades, and served on the professional staff as a spiritual and education consultant. Her devotion to the school, parish, and families in Princeton is legendary.

Sister Terena found deep joy in the classroom, where her gentle spirit and unwavering patience nurtured generations of young learners. Her love of teaching was inseparable from her commitment to the Sisters of Mercy, whose charism of compassion and service she embodied daily. Sister Terena also had a deep and ardent affection for the N.Y. Yankees and a special affinity for Derek Jeter! Sister Terena radiated the grace of a life devoted to faith, education, and community, and she spent her final years at McAuley Hall Health Care Center, Watchung, in a community that she loved.

She is predeceased by her brother, Bruno Gentili, and her sister, Theresa Camiscioni.

Sister Terena is survived by her nieces Janice and Carla Gentili, and her nephew Joseph Camiscioni and his wife Patty. May her legacy of faith, compassion, and joyful service live on in the hearts of all who knew her.

A funeral Mass took place on Oct. 17. Her final resting place is Holy Redeemer Cemetery, South Plainfield.

Memorial donations may be made to Sisters of Mercy, 1645 US Highway 22, Watchung, New Jersey 07069.

Father Krzysztof Kaczynski, right, with Bishop James F. Checchio for the Mass of Installation as pastor of St. John Neumann Parish, Califon, and St. Joseph Parish, High Bridge, in 2023. —Ed Koskey photo

Diocesan Pastor Father Krzysztof Kaczynski, 61

Father Krzysztof Kaczynski, a priest of the Diocese, died on Nov. 5.

He was 61 years old, and served as pastor of St. John Neumann Parish, Califon and St. Joseph Parish, High Bridge since 2023.

Father Kaczynski was born in Poland and attended the Pontifical Academy of Theology in Krakow, where he earned a Doctorate of Theology.

He was ordained to the priesthood for the Society of St. Francis DeSales (Salesians of Don Bosco) in Krakow on June 18, 1993. He served as a missionary in Africa and taught at Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Kenya. He moved to the United States in 2000, eventually joining the Diocese of Metuchen through incardination. He served as parochial vicar at Immaculate Conception Parish, Annandale, and St. Matthew Parish, Edison. In 2009 he was appointed pastor of St. Edward Parish, Milford, and, in 2012, pastor of Our Lady of Victories, Baptistown.

Full coverage of his Nov. 15 Mass for Christian Burial celebrated by Bishop Emeritus Paul G. Bootkoski in Immaculate Conception Church, Annandale, will appear in the December issue of The Catholic Spirit.

Let us be joined in prayer that Father Kaczynski will find the fulfillment of his faith and the reward of his priestly labors in the presence of the Risen Lord. May he rest in peace.

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

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or breast disease, including prevention, screening, treatment, and survivorship.

By setting high standards, NAPBC accreditation guides breast centers in providing comprehensive breast care based on scientific evidence and subsequently guides patients as to where to seek the best care.

“NAPBC accreditation reassures patients and their loved ones that Saint Peter’s Breast Center provides comprehensive and advanced care,” said Dr, Lisa Hopkins, breast surgeon with Astera Cancer Care who sees patients at Saint Peter’s Breast Center. “Receiving care close to home is not only convenient but alleviates additional stress and anxiety during treatment while allowing friends and family to provide support.”

Using the most advanced oncology

HEALTH

Saint Peter’s Breast Center, New Brunswick, a service of Saint Peter’s University Hospital, has once again earned accreditation under the American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC). Having been the first breast center in central New Jersey to have earned a full three-year accreditation from the NAPBC, this is the sixth consecutive time Saint Peter’s has earned NAPBC accreditation.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in the United States. Programs accredited by the NAPBC require a breast center to facilitate multidisciplinary, integrated, and comprehensive breast cancer services.

The NAPBC focuses on the spectrum of a patient’s journey with breast cancer

racy, precisely targeting tumors while minimizing exposure of the surrounding healthy tissues and organs. TrueBeam’s automated system helps reduce treatment time. In many cases, patients can be in and out in as little as 20 minutes.

As an NAPBC-accredited institution, Saint Peter’s also becomes an ACS Surgical Quality Partner. Being identified as a Surgical Quality Partner signifies a hospital’s dedication to consistently improving procedures and protocols, minimizing complications, and achieving better patient outcomes. The Surgical Quality Partner designation lets patients know Saint Peter’s is committed to quality and relentless self-improvement. Patients can trust that the care they receive at Surgical Quality Partner hospitals adheres to the most rigorous standards in surgical quality.

“ACS Quality programs are grounded in more than a century of experience and participation. As an ACS Surgical Quality Partner, Saint Peter’s University Hospital has shown a commitment providing the best possible patient care, evaluating that care in a rigorous fashion, and dedicating themselves to continuous self-improvement,” said ACS Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Patricia L. Turner, MD, MBA, FACS. To learn more about Saint Peter’s Breast Center and its services, visit saintpetershcs.com/breastcenter or call 732.339.7704.

53

Saint Peter’s Breast Center attains national accreditation from the American College of Surgeons

treatment options available today, Saint Peter’s Breast Center offers access to a full range of state-of-the-art services, including women’s imaging, screening and diagnostic mammography services, bone density testing, breast surgery, radiation oncology, genetic counseling, survivorship services, physical rehabilitation services, nutrition and social services, and lymphedema prevention and rehabilitation.

Routine screening at Saint Peter’s Women’s Imaging Center is important for early diagnosis of breast disease. Saint Peter’s offers Hologic®Genius™3D Mammography™ which ensures greater clarity and detail, improving early detection of breast disease and other irregularities. It is clinically proven to detect 20 percent to 65 percent more invasive breast cancers compared to traditional 2D mammography. The 3DQuorum™ feature ensures a more timely and accurate diagnosis due to artificial intelligence technology that identifies clinically relevant regions of interest in the breast.

Radiation oncologists from Astera Cancer Care provide advanced cancer therapy and compassionate patient care at Saint Peter’s University Hospital in collaboration with Saint Peter’s pathologists, oncologists, surgeons, and other cancer specialists. TrueBeam radiation therapy, now available at Saint Peter’s, is a non-invasive treatment option that treats cancer by delivering high doses of radiotherapy with tremendous accu-

Pope’s prayer intention is for those struggling with suicidal thoughts

By Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (2280-2283) teaches that suicide contradicts love of self, others and God. However, it also recognizes that “serious psychological disturbances, anxiety, or fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish personal responsibility,” the prayer network said in a press release.

The Church “invites us not to despair

of the eternal salvation of those who have taken their own life, but to entrust them to God’s mercy and to the community’s prayer,” it said.

“The general practice of the Church today is to treat very respectfully those who have died by suicide, partly because in recent years, the Church has progressively grown in its attentiveness to mental health, both through prayer and its pastoral care,” it added.

The World Health Organization estimates that more than 720,000 people die due to suicide each year. In the United States, the current suicide rate is about third higher than it was in 2000.

About 56% of those who choose to end their life are under the age of 50, with suicide being the third leading cause of death among people 15 to 29 years old.

—CNS photo/screen grab, Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for November is: “For the prevention of suicide.” The Pope’s prayer and a video to accompany it were released by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network Nov. 4, 2025.

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Pope Leo XIV has asked Catholics to join him in praying for those who struggle with suicidal thoughts, and for all people “who live in darkness and despair.”

“May they always find a community that welcomes them, listens to them and accompanies them,” including by offering comfort, support and “necessary professional help,” he prayed.

The Pope’s video sharing his prayer intention for November was distributed Nov. 4 by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network.

“Let us pray that those who are struggling with suicidal thoughts might find the support, care and love they need in their community, and be open to the beauty of life,” he said in the video.

“May we know how to be close with respect and tenderness, helping to heal wounds, build bonds and open horizons,” Pope Leo said. “Together, may we rediscover that life is a gift, that there is still beauty and meaning, even in the midst of pain and suffering.”

“We are well aware that those who follow you are also vulnerable to sadness without hope,” he said.

The Pope prayed that the Lord would “always make us feel your love so that, through your closeness to us, we can recognize and proclaim to all the infinite love

of the Father who leads us by the hand to renew our trust in the life you give us.”

Choosing suicide prevention as his prayer intention for the month of November coincided with an international conference titled, “Ministry of Hope: International Catholic Forum on Mental Well-being,” held in Rome Nov. 5-7.

Organized by the International Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers and under the patronage of the Pontifical Academy for Life, the conference was to discuss how the Christian community can accompany people who struggle with mental health issues, depression and extreme pain, and how to prevent the risk of suicide through listening and closeness.

Bishop John Dolan of Phoenix told the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, “I have personally walked the difficult road of suicide loss,” having lost a brother, two sisters and a brother-in-law to death by suicide.

“There are certain wounds and mysteries that we cannot comprehend. And yet, we hope,” trusting in a loving Father “who holds our loved ones near, and we turn to one another, walking forward together as companions on the journey,” he said. “If you feel broken, if you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, know that you are deeply loved and the Church is here for you. You are not alone.”

54 SPORTS NOVEMBER 20, 2025

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

By Greg Johnson Correspondent Giovani Amores had a profound impact on the soccer program at St. Joseph High School in Metuchen. He was known as not just a standout player, but also a kind person and dear friend who positively touched the lives of his teammates and coaches.

So when Amores, who graduated last year, unexpectedly passed away on Oct. 16 while attending St. John’s University, the Falcons gained a new perspective on life.

“It’s very hard to deal with death and loss, especially as an adult,” head coach Sam Roca said. “It was for me, as a coach, worrisome that these young men now have to go through this at a very young, tender age. We are not always understanding of the reasons why things happen. I have to say, though, our guys are extremely strong, mentally and emotionally. They took care of one another, stepped up big for the family.”

In the aftermath of Amores’ passing, the program made “GA10” armbands for the players on the varsity, JV and freshman teams to wear. The varsity team has been wearing long sleeve shirts with his last name and his number 10 on the back.

This gesture, along with holding moments of silence before games, is a way to honor Amores and his family — and to remind everyone that some things are bigger than soccer.

Roca said that initially it was devas-

s e t a c i d e d m a e t r e c r c e y o a s l s p ’ r e St. Jo season to forme t n a y n i a m w a do d e who pass Left, St. Joe’s senior Joseph Marinello dribbles the ball during the GMC Tournament final against Monroe on Oct. 31 at Piscataway High School.

Center, St. Joe’s senior Robert Boyke kicks the ball away from the goal Right, St. Joe’s junior Xavier Welbeck-Taveras lines up to kick the ball —Hal Brown photos

tating for the players to mentally cope and continue on with the season. But through prayer, conversations together, and leaders on the team keeping everyone connected, they became galvanized to play for not just each other, their families and the school — but for Amores as well.

“If you’re tired, if you’re sore, if you don’t know if you have any more, you can kind of see them gritting through it, pushing a little bit harder,” Roca said.

“As a coach, it’s very meaningful to see the impact that Gio had on these boys, and it means a lot to me that they are honoring him in the correct way through their performance and everything they do, obviously, to make sure his spirit is kept alive and making sure they respect and honor the family.”

St. Joe’s has honored him in a major way as the varsity team entered the state tournament in early November as one of only two undefeated boys soccer teams in New Jersey.

The Falcons won their second straight Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament championship on Oct. 31 as they defeated Monroe in a penalty shootout, 4-3, following a scoreless regulation and two overtimes.

Continuing a remarkable run of success that began last season when it finished 14-2-2, St. Joe’s has had 15 different players score a goal this fall en route to an 18-0 record.

Joseph Marinello led the team with 15 goals in its first 18 games, including a hat trick in the first round of the Non-Public A South Tournament on Nov. 6 to send the Falcons to the sectional semifinals for the second straight year.

“We have a lot of guys with not only good talent, but good football IQ,” Roca said. “They understand how to not only create for themselves, but to create for others. The big thing we talk about all the time is being consistently unpredictable.”

Defensively, St. Joe’s allowed only

nine goals in its first 18 games and got 98 saves from goalie Robert Boyke, who stopped two shots in the penalty shootout of the GMC final.

“He is mature beyond his years,” Roca said. “He’s been a great leader since he’s been in the program. A good character guy, but a very skillful goalkeeper. And I’m very proud for him this season because he’s being able to fully showcase all his ability.”

Boyke is committed to playing soccer at Stevens Institute of Technology next year, and center back Zach Smith is committed to Muhlenberg College. Colleges are recruiting a handful of other St. Joe’s players as well.

Roca said his team’s mental and emotional fortitude has been the driving factor since the start of the season. The Falcons knew they would get every team’s best effort after emerging last year, so they wanted to prove in every game that they are the best team on the field.

St. Joe’s was ranked 11th in New Jersey by NJ.com when the state tournament began.

“I’ve been lucky and blessed over the last few years to not only have talented players, but hard-working, dedicated guys who were focused on their craft, understood the goals that we had and understood the sacrifices it would take to get there,” Roca said. “We finally were essentially bearing our fruits when we won (the GMC title) last year, and then this year was kind of the evolution, taking that next step further.”

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ACROSS 1 “Let the dead ___ their dead…” (Lk 9:60) 5 Trap 10 Whirl 14 On a cruise ship 15 Warble 16 Lawsuit 17 Opening pair?

19 Certain something 20 Resinous deposit 21 Departs 22 A priest wears a Roman one 24 Laying on of ___ 26 Tries hard 27 Jesus healed his daughter in Mark 5 29 Cut short 30 Patron saint of young girls 31 Parisian friends 32 Prefix with watt 33 Ruin 35 Cyberauction site 39 St. Thomas’ surname 40 Position 41 He is the patron saint of Poland 44 Drinking glass 45 Biblical territory 46 “ Beloved, do not be surprised that a ___ by fire is occurring among you.” (1 Pt 4:12)

47 Beast 48 Asian inland sea 49 Catholic Fawkes of the Gunpowder Plot 52 “…begotten not ___…”

53 The ___ Heart of Mary 56 Expose to warmth 57 Lyric poem 58 Last word 59 Nat’l song 60 Cut into small pieces 61 “Good” queen of England DOWN 1 False god of the Old Testament 2 Amer. government agency 3 Attaining 4 Sweet potato 5 Meetings of bishops 6 Swellings 7 Summer drinks 8 Title for clergy (abbr.)

9 Dance slide 10 A Catholic United States Supreme Court justice 11 Pope during Vatican II 12 Another name for Jacob 13 Approaches 18 “___ Dei” 23 Scraps of food

25 Space 26 Sport for heavyweights 27 Cram 28 “His mercy is from ___ to…” (Lk 1:50) 29 Spelunker 33 Sunday talks 34 Diva’s solo 35 “Able was I ere I saw ___” 36 Sport 37 Very skilled person 38 Nevertheless 39 Sorvino of “At First Sight” 40 French World War I soldier 41 Another name for the area of the Promised Land 42 Among 43 15th letter of the Hebrew alphabet 44 Favored 45 Brazilian ballroom dance 46 Commerce 48 Cupid 50 Southwestern Indians 51 Urges 54 Dashboard ltrs.

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56

LEFT PAGE

OUR DIOCESE

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

U.S. Catholics Join the Church in Guatemala to Provide Safe Shelter to the Suffering Poor Cross Catholic Outreach has launched a major effort to provide safe housing for destitute families in rural Guatemalan villages. It is asking U.S. Catholics to become part of that lifetransforming mission of mercy through its “Be Someone’s Miracle” campaign.

The U.S.-based ministry, which has been recognized by the Vatican for its relief and development work in more than 90 countries, has a goal to build 224 storm-resistant homes to benefit 1,164 family members in 15 communities. It also seeks to help needy families with nutritional, educational and health care needs. (See the related story on the opposite page.)

While this appeal has many technical objectives, Cross Catholic Outreach President Michele Sagarino is focused on the individual families that will be impacted.

“This is really about Santiago and Carmen and families like theirs. The challenges they face every day are heartbreaking. Santiago, Carmen and their five precious daughters live in a flimsy dwelling and fear for their

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NOVEMBER 20, 2025

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

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DIOCESE OF SANTA ROSA DE LIMA

health because rain often floods their house, turning the dirt floor to mud.

It’s also easy for vermin like scorpions and rats to crawl through the gaps in its walls,” she said. “It’s a situation that must grieve God — so it should be unacceptable to us too!”

According to Sagarino, Cross Catholic Outreach is working alongside Catholic leaders in the dioceses of Santa Rosa de Lima, Sololá-Chimaltenango and Suchitepéquez-Retalhuleu to find solutions for families like Santiago and Carmen’s. The plans they have developed can produce lifetransforming results — if U.S. Catholics will step forward to help support their work.

“Our primary goal is to construct durable, concrete-block houses for the poorest families,” she explained.

“The homes will have two bedrooms and a common area that can serve as a dining room and living room.

Each will have a concrete foundation and walls, a galvanized metal roof, a sanitary latrine, a secure metal door and shuttered windows, providing a level of comfort and safety these families have never experienced.”

Because the design is simple, the construction of one of these homes costs less than $9,000.

“That is a large sacrificial gift for one donor or family to make, but many have done that and were so happy they got involved. Most had been looking for something specific and significant they could do to bless others,” Sagarino said. “This outreach was exactly what they were looking for because a home does more than offer safe shelter. It gives families a foundation for building a better life.”

Father Alejandro Garcia stands with the Ramirez family outside their leaky makeshift home — one of the many in his Diocese of Santa Rosa de Lima that he hopes to replace with the help of Cross Catholic Outreach supporters.

Serving the poor through the local Church also has important spiritual benefits, according to Sagarino.

“When people learn local Church leaders love them and want a better life for them, it strengthens their faith and restores their hope,” she said.

“Many have felt isolated and unseen.

They need to know we care about them.”

Father Alejandro Garcia, director of the local Caritas ministry in the Diocese of Santa Rosa de Lima, has these words of encouragement for U.S. Catholics: “We pray for you. We pray that you continue to be generous, that you continue to be a valiant hand to those who are so needy among us. As

Jesus said, ‘What you have done for the least of these, you have done also for me.’”

Readers interested in supporting Cross Catholic Outreach’s housing programs and other outreaches can contribute through the ministry brochure inserted in this issue or send tax-deductible gifts to: Cross Catholic Outreach, Dept. AC06041, P.O. Box 97168, Washington, DC 20090-7168. Those interested in making gifts on a monthly basis can indicate that on the brochure in order to become a Mission Partner, or write “Monthly Mission Partner” on mailed checks to be contacted about setting up those arrangements.

Unique Christmas Catalog Created To Honor Christ and the World’s Poor Many readers may remember, as children, browsing through catalogs and circling the presents they want for Christmas.

This Advent and Christmas season, Cross Catholic Outreach is offering a catalog too — but theirs is a very different one with a very different purpose. It is designed to bless both givers and receivers by using the holiday gift-giving tradition to help the world’s poorest families.

Rather than displaying toys, neckties and jewelry, the Cross Catholic Outreach Christmas Catalog offers

medicines, seeds for farming and educational scholarships. It gives Catholics an opportunity to share the blessings in their lives with impoverished families by sponsoring practical and urgently needed items.

Of course, it also offers blessings for children, including toys and sports equipment, as a way to bring joy to children who might otherwise go without a gift this Christmas.

“Like most Christmas catalogs, ours offers lots of items so donors can choose something specific that resonates with them. In addition, they

can make a general gift to address the poor’s greatest needs,” explained Michele Sagarino, president of Cross Catholic Outreach, the relief and development ministry offering the catalog. “When donors choose to support urgent needs around the world, they provide us and our Catholic ministry partners the ability to help where it is needed most. The priests and religious sisters we support really appreciate that flexibility. It’s an excellent way to empower their work among the poor.”

This unique Christmas catalog is

easy to find. Readers can link to it at the ministry’s website (CrossCatholic. org) or they can reach it directly by entering the following web address: CrossCatholic.org/Christmas.

“Our hope is that everyone will be blessed by the experience,” Sagarino said. “It’s a fitting way for us to celebrate the birth of our merciful Lord!”

Scan this code to visit Cross Catholic Outreach’s Christmas Catalog web page.

RIGHT PAGE

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PAID ADVERTISEMENT

Ana’s dollhouse represents her hope for a safe home in the remote village of Laguna Seca, Guatemala. of U.S. supporters, the ministry has built more than 800 homes in Guatemala, in addition to providing educational scholarships for children, microenterprise investments for adults, feeding programs for the malnourished and more.

Through its “Be Someone’s Miracle” appeal, Cross Catholic Outreach is asking compassionate U.S. Catholics to serve as God’s instrument of mercy by funding the construction of homes for the poor and by helping struggling families in three Guatemalan dioceses through other important development and spiritual programs. In 2026, it aims

to surpass 1,000 homes built since it began work in Guatemala.

“The homes we will build are simple but sturdy, secure and sanitary,” Sagarino said. “They will change the lives of these families in profound ways, and the benefits will be lasting. Generational poverty has been a major factor in the hardships these families have been facing.

Opening this door to generational prosperity will be a major step in the right direction. My prayer is that Catholics in the U.S. will want to play a role in that restoration of hope.

Imagine what a powerful testimony of God’s love that would be!”

How to Help To fund Cross Catholic Outreach’s effort to help the poor worldwide, use the postage-paid brochure inserted in this newspaper, scan the QR code, or mail your gift to Cross Catholic Outreach, Dept. AC06041, PO Box 97168, Washington, DC, 20090-7168. The brochure also includes instructions on becoming a Mission Partner and making a regular monthly donation to this cause.

If you identify an aid project, 100% of the donation will be restricted to be used for that specific project. However, if more is raised for the project than needed, funds will be redirected to other urgent needs in the ministry.

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

farming face even greater challenges.

They typically take work as day laborers, earning about $10 a day when work is available. The Church in Guatemala reports that those families typically earn between $125 and $190 a month — far too little to afford adequate housing. Ultimately, these families must make do with what they have, cobbling together plastic sheets, scrap metal and wood planks to build flimsy, unsafe shacks.

“Our ultimate goal is to improve living conditions in those communities.

We want to help families break free from the cycle of poverty that has plagued them for generations,” Sagarino said. “We’ve learned that providing safe housing plays a major part in improving lives, so we are making that our priority. As families move into safer, sturdier homes, their hope is restored and they have a foundation for building a better life.”

Cross Catholic Outreach has been partnering with Guatemalan dioceses since 2013 to help rescue families from the poverty that keeps them malnourished, sick and devoid of hope. With the help

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In the rural Guatemalan community of Laguna Seca, a cluster of dirt-floor homes with scrap metal roofs sits in a low spot of a valley. Steep hillsides send floods of water that inundate these makeshift shelters during the rainy season, turning floors into mud and soaking families’ belongings.

Brenda and René have raised their daughter, Ana, in one of these unstable dwellings, rebuilding time and again as storms wreak havoc. Inside the house, a wood fire poses an extra health hazard. Looking at the soot-blackened sheet metal ceiling, Brenda lamented, “Imagine what our lungs look like!”

Ana is a bright grade-schooler and takes this challenging way of life in stride. But after she put the family’s new chicks into their cage, she sat on the dirt floor next to them and imagined what it would be like to live in a home like her dollhouse with a solid roof and floor. She made her own clay figurines to stand in that toy house and enjoy the security within.

“It’s heartbreaking to meet children like Ana who have never known what it’s like to be protected from the elements. In rural Guatemala, many families are trapped in extreme poverty, with few opportunities to improve their situation,” explained Michele Sagarino, president of Cross Catholic Outreach, a trusted Catholic relief and development ministry recognized by the Vatican for its effective humanitarian and spiritual programs. “When we witnessed the extreme needs of Ana’s family and so many others, we felt compelled to provide help — and our hope is that compassionate Catholics in the U.S. will want to get involved too.”

Sagarino said that many of the communities Cross Catholic Outreach wants to serve can only be reached by dirt roads. These villages have little or no infrastructure, so parents there are raising their children without running water, suitable sanitation facilities or reliable electricity.

Most of the men and women in these rural areas are subsistence farmers who work long hours planting, tending and harvesting corn and beans, defenseless against unpredictable weather. Their hard work may provide simple meals for their children, but it is rarely enough to fully cover their housing, health and educational expenses.

Families without access to land for

OUR DIOCESE

Guatemalan Families Living in Extreme Poverty Look to the Church for Renewed Faith and Hope

58 OUR DIOCESE

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

Retirement Fund for Religious Please give to those who have given a lifetime.

Please donate at your local parish, December 13–14, or by mail at: National Religious Retirement Office/MET 3211 Fourth Street NE Washington DC 20017-1194 Make check payable to Retirement Fund for Religious.

retiredreligious.org Visit retiredreligious.org/2025photos to meet the religious pictured. ©2025 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington DC All rights reserved • Photo: Jim Judkis

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NOV

3 p.m. The Music of Palestrina and Friends The Choir of the Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi will present a 3 p.m. concert of a cappella music by the composer and some of his 16th century contemporaries (Victoria, Byrd, etc.). Featured compositions will include Sicut Cervus, Alma Redemptoris Mater, Missa Papae Marcelli, etc. A wine and cheese reception will follow the performance.

DEC

7:30 p.m., Handel’s Messiah The Saint Francis Chamber Orchestra and Cathedral Choir will perform George Frederik Handel’s Messiah. Under the direction of Maestro Christopher M. C. Deibert, conductor, the Advent/Christmas portion of this work will be performed in its entirety, along with excerpts from the second and third parts. Don’t miss this delightful candlelit concert, set in beautiful Gothic Revival architectural surroundings. A wine and cheese reception will follow the concert.

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OUR DIOCESE

Diocesan Events

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.

AROUND THE DIOCESE DEC

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1-7 p.m., Blood Drive hosted by New Jersey Blood Services, Most Holy Redeemer Parish (Desmond Hall), 133 Amboy Road, Matawan. At this time, the blood supply is critically low. Remember to eat, drink, and bring your Donor ID or ID with your name and photo.

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.

Your Faith, Your Church, Your Paper The Catholic Spirit!

Saving Lives

The December issue of The Catholic Spirit • goes to press December 15 • ad space reservation deadline - November 21 • ad artwork deadline - December 1 • late requests considered if space allows

B U R Y S N A R E S P I N Y O D E L C A S E A S E A A U R A A D A M A N D E V E L A C G O E S C O L L A R H A N D S S T R I V E S J A I R U S C U R T A I L A G N E S A M I S M E G A H A V O C E B A Y M O R E P L A C E C A S I M I R G O B L E T S A M A R I A T R I A L A N I M A L A R A L G U Y M A D E I M M A C U L A T E E P O D E A M E N B A S K S H R E D B E S S A N T H www.wordgamesforcatholics.com

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

The Knights of Columbus Council 6571 and Saint John Vianney Parish, Colonia, would like to thank all of the blood donors who donated blood in the Vitalant Blood Services Mobile vehicle that was parked in the Saint John Vianney’s parking lot on Oct. 19. The goal of 21 pints was exceeded.

Twenty-three pints were donated which helps save about 69 lives.

The KOC extend thanks to all who donated and gave the gift of life.

Pictured from left, are Dan Mcnamara, Grand Knight Andy Cianfano, Louis Leiggi, and James Carr. —Courtesy photo

Crossword Puzzle Answers:

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

To share a news story: news@catholicspirit.com For a subscription or to place an ad: Mgregory@diometuchen.org

60 OUR DIOCESE

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OPEN Nov. 28 to Dec. 14, 2025 • 10am - 3:30pm Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday Choose ‘n cut Christmas trees. Thousands of trees in our fields

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Visit the Abbey Gift Shop for books and religious articles. Open every day!

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NOVEMBER 20, 2025

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Share the news of the Diocese and the Church in the world with a one-year subscription to The Catholic Spirit newspaper. To pay by credit card, call Mary at 732-529-7934, or simply mail a check for $30 payable to The Catholic Spirit: Circulation, The Catholic Spirit, PO Box 191, Metuchen, NJ 08840 We’ll take care of the rest.

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149 South Plainfield Avenue, South Plainfield, NJ 07080

General Admission: $40 Seniors: $35 and Students: $25 no refunds Buy your tickets today online at: www.churchofthesacredheart.net or call: 732-742-5034 or 908 -756-0633 x110

Join us for a magical evening of music with the charismatic Father Alphonse Stevenson conducting the Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea! There’s no better way to start the Christmas season than to spend a special evening with Father Alphonse and his 42-piece orchestra and distinguished vocalists. Be sure to get your tickets early for this annual sell out!

Wednesday, December 17, 2025 • 7PM

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