Essays and Messages

Baptized Catholic citizens of the United States of America have a “dual citizenship,” one within the nation and one within the Catholic Church.  Although distinct, they exist jointly in each baptized American Catholic citizen. 

As we remember, in awesome silence, those who died in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 in New York, Washington and Shanksville, those who gave their lives trying to save them, and their beloved families, co-workers and friends, let us together join in the prayer of Pope Benedict XVI when visiting Ground Zero in New York on April 20, 2008:

September 9 is the feast of Jesuit priest and missionary St. Peter Claver (1581-1654) who traveled to Colombia where he ministered to slaves trafficked there from West Africa. He is the patron saint of interracial justice.  Along with Dioceses throughout our nation responding to the call of U.S. Bishops, please join me in prayer today for the elimination of racism wherever it exists.

Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., issued this appeal to his flock Sept. 1:  Hurricane Laura has wreaked havoc in Louisiana and Texas, devastating families, and damaging and destroying homes and churches.  Here in New Jersey we are quite familiar with such experiences.  I invite you to consider contributing a gift to help rebuild and restore the lives of our affected sisters and brothers and their families through these dioceses or their Catholic Charities agencies.

I wish to express my deep personal gratitude to the faithful of the Diocese of Trenton for their characteristic generosity in contributing to the Diocese’s COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund during the past few months

For centuries, Catholics have turned to the Blessed Virgin Mary, asking for her intercession in times of need by praying the Rosary. This great prayer, whose origins date before the 12th century, uses a meditative repetition of prayers that invoke the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary as she leads us to consider the mysteries in the life of her Divine Son, Jesus.  History has shown this to be a powerful, effective and calming prayer that has truly changed hearts and lives over the centuries of its use.

Although this year the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Mother into heaven is not a holy day of obligation because it falls on Saturday, it remains a pre-eminent Marian feast day that should be honored and remembered.  

The Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus is celebrated on August 6.  It lifts up for our prayerful consideration as Catholics a pivotal moment in the life of the Lord Jesus. The Gospel of Matthew (17: 1-8), Mark (9:2-8) and Luke (9:28-36) provide details of the event. This year, the Church uses the account of St. Matthew for the Gospel of the Mass for the feast...

We are all familiar with the tense moment of confrontation between Pontius Pilate and the Lord Jesus when Pilate demands “what is truth?” in response to the Lord Jesus’ revelation “I have come into this world to testify to the truth (John 18: 37-38).” 

On July 30, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., will mark the 10th anniversary of his ordination to the episcopacy, less than two months after being named Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Trenton. The Bishop took some time with Rayanne Bennett, Associate Publisher of The Monitor, to look back on the day he first received the news of his appointment from Pope Benedict XVI, and the many highlights that have come in the decade that followed.