As a diocese neighboring the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, we are very excited about the news of Pope Francis’ visit during the September 22-27, 2015 World Meeting of Families there. The incredible, world-wide popularity of the Holy Father will make his attendance and celebration of Mass on the Parkway on September 26 a big draw for Catholics and non-Catholics alike from all over our region.
As we look to Thanksgiving, many of us will gather with our dear loved ones, and sometimes people we do not know, to celebrate God’s abundant blessings in our lives.
As we witness the slow but steady erosion in our society of the conviction that all human life is sacred and worth preserving at every moment from conception through natural death, I call upon all Catholics within the Diocese of Trenton, indeed, upon all people of good will, to recommit themselves to the belief that God is the only Creator and source of all human life and that, therefore, God alone has the right to determine its natural end.
During the recent commemoration of All Souls’ Day on Nov. 2, Catholics take the opportunity to pray for those who have died, especially our beloved family members and friends, and to offer their souls to God. The entire month of November, in fact, is dedicated to remembering these “holy souls” in prayer.