October is the month of the Holy 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 on the life of her Divine Son, Jesus.
Throughout the past year, the Catholic Church throughout the world has celebrated “The Year of Mercy,” an extraordinary Holy Year proclaimed by Our Holy Father Pope Francis.
In the United States of America, there is no “state religion.” The First Amendment to the Constitution clearly prohibits it. The text of the amendments states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof …” James Madison’s original wording of this text was: “The civil rights of none shall be abridged on account of religious belief or worship, nor shall any national religion be established, nor shall the full and equal rights of conscience be in any matter, or on any pretext, infringed.”
The Catholic bishops of New Jersey are responding vociferously and unanimously in opposition to a pro-abortion ad campaign recently conducted by a group calling itself Catholics for Choice.
This year, September 18 (and the vigil of September 17) has been designated by the Catholic Church in our country as “Catechetical Sunday,” the annual celebration of our common baptismal mission as Catholics to hand on our Catholic faith and witness the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Diocesan Department of Youth, Marriage and Family Life will sponsor a number of Young Adult Masses and fellowship opportunities this fall with the goal of uniting young adult Catholics around the Diocese of Trenton and celebrating the universality of the Church.