Five priests who have been assigned by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M as first-time pastors or administrators gathered this week for a two-day orientation session. Based in Spring Lake, the June 20 and 21 event featured presentations by the Bishop and other diocesan leaders, clergy and laity, who provided insights and experience to benefit the new parish leaders in the months and years to come.
After a day and a half of prepared talks and follow-up discussions, the gathering concluded with a Mass in St. Catharine Church, during which the new pastors/administrators signed a canonical oath.
The new pastors/administrators and their assigned parishes are: Father Michael Lorentzen, OFM Conv, pastor, St. Junipero Serra, Seaside Park; Father James O’Neill, St. John Parish, Lakehurst, Father Martin O’Reilly, administrator, St. Mary, Mother of the Church Parish, Bordentown; Father Leandro Dela Cruz, pastor, St. Ann Parish, Lawrenceville, and Father Joel Wilson, administrator, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Maple Shade.
Please keep these priests and their new parishes in your prayers as they transition into their new roles.
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TrentonMonitor.com
PHOTO CAPTION: With their hands on the Bible, the new pastors/administrators, from left, clockwise, Father Joel Wilson, Father Leandro Dela Cruz, Father Michael Lorentzen, OFM Conv, and Father Martin O'Reilly, read aloud the canonical oath memorializing their commitment to serve as pastoral collaborators with the Bishop. Each priest then signed the oath.
John Batkowski photo for The Monitor
The Monitor, newspaper of the Diocese of Trenton, was honored with five awards and an honorable mention by the Catholic Press Association, including a first-place award for Best Reporting on Vocations and third-place recognition for Newspaper of the Year.
The awards were presented June 15 during the Association’s annual three-day conference, held this year in Green Bay, Wis. The judge’s panel consists of media and academic professionals.
In announcing the awards, Rayanne Bennett, executive director of Communications and Media and associate publisher of The Monitor, stated, “Recognition from our peers and colleagues in the Catholic press is always very gratifying, and we deeply appreciate the honor that comes with each Catholic Press Association award.”
She continued, “On behalf of our publisher, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., I want to commend our hard-working and talented team who together produce a publication of which we all can be proud.”