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Bishop names Bl. Carlo Acutis, patron of schools • 500 yrs of Christianity • CDF burial guidelines
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April 30, 2022BISHOP DAVID M. O’CONNELL, C.M., WAS PRINCIPAL CELEBRANT AND HOMILIST of the Mass for the Reception of the Relics of Blessed Carlo Acutis, the occasion which marked the formal reception of the arrival of a relic of the young man who was beatified by Pope Francis in 2020. During the Mass, the Bishop also announced that he was placing all Catholic schools and young people under Blessed Carlo Acutis’ patronage. You can read Bishop’s homily from the Mass HERE.
The Mass was livestreamed and can be viewed HERE. For full coverage of the Mass and to view the photo gallery, see the article HERE.
FILIPINO CATHOLICS FROM ALL AROUND THE DIOCESE gathered for a Mass with Bishop O’ Connell to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the establishment of Christianity in the Philippines.
Bishop O’Connell, principal celebrant of the April 30 Mass in St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold, was joined by some 25 concelebrants including a significant number of Filipino priests currently serving in parishes and diocesan capacities. Homilist was Msgr. Jeremias Rebanal, pastor emeritus and Church historian in the Archdiocese of Newark. The Bukas Loob sa Diyos Trenton Choir and accompanying violinist Kyle Villarin of the Filipino Choir in St. Raphael-Holy Angels Parish, Hamilton, provided the music and led in the singing of hymns in both English and Tagalog.
To view the photos from the Mass, visit the PHOTO GALLERY. Check back for more on this story soon!
A RECENT LETTER FROM THE CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH to all bishops offered guidance on the care for the bodies of the dead in light of new techniques promoted for ecological benefits. The letter, sent to Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., and signed by the Prefect, Cardinal Luis F. Ladaria, SJ, follows:
Your Excellency,
In accordance with civil laws, new techniques for treating the bodies of the deceased as alternative practices to cremation, presented as preferable because they are more ecological, are spreading more and more often in Western countries.
These techniques aim to dispose of the bodies of the deceased in a way that is presumed to be rapid and hygienically safe, as well as respectful of the environment, since the residues of the treatment would be released into nature, with the intent of fertilizing the soil. However, this practice implies an approach which, in fact, tends to eliminate any trace of a sense of the sacred and of effective pity for the mortal remains of the deceased.
Read the full letter HERE.
