Although the liturgical celebration of the Solemnity of the Ascension has been transferred to Sunday in the Dioceses of New Jersey, I can’t help but reflect about the feast we traditionally celebrated 40 days after Easter. This great feast – whenever its placement in the Catholic Church calendar occurs – commemorates our belief that the Risen Lord Jesus, gathered with his disciples on Mount Tabor near Jerusalem, ascended body and soul into heaven, returning to his Father.
THE DIOCESE OF TRENTON, LIKE ITS COUNTERPARTS ACROSS THE NATION, will ask the faithful to support its communications and media work through a donation to the Catholic Communications Campaign at all Masses May 28 and 29. Scheduled to coincide with World Communications Day, the CCC collection was established in 1979 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in order to provide essential resources for the Church’s outreach to the community through traditional and evolving media formats. Fifty percent of collected funds goes to the USCCB for projects such as production of faith-based documentary films and creation of multimedia content for key campaigns, such as “For Your Marriage.”
Lifting up in prayer the souls of the children and teachers killed Tuesday at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and united in grief with their parents and families, the words of St. Matthew’s Gospel account of the massacre of the holy innocents in Bethlehem come to my mind: “A voice was heard in Rama, sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel was weeping for her children and she would not be consoled, since they were no more (Matthew 2:18; Jeremiah 3:15).”
Lifting up in prayer the souls of the children and teachers killed Tuesday at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and united in grief with their parents and families, the words of St. Matthew’s Gospel account of the massacre of the holy innocents in Bethlehem come to my mind: “A voice was heard in Rama, sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel was weeping for her children and she would not be consoled, since they were no more (Matthew 2:18; Jeremiah 3:15).”
The Mass of Ordination will be celebrated at 10 a.m. in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, 151 North Warren Street, Trenton, and will be livestreamed here youtube.com/trentondiocese.
BISHOP DAVID M. O’CONNELL, C.M., WILL CONFER the Sacrament of Holy Orders on six men who will be ordained deacons May 21. The Mass of Ordination will be celebrated at 10 a.m. in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, 151 North Warren Street, Trenton, and will be livestreamed here youtube.com/trentondiocese.
Hate is an ugly emotion and even uglier when acted upon. There is no other way to describe the vandalism of the church property of St. David the King Parish in West Windsor than to call it a “hate crime,” an intentional act of evil. I had hoped that our Diocese would be spared the recent hate-filled experiences of other dioceses and churches throughout the country. Sadly, today’s incidents put an end to that hope.
BISHOP DAVID M. O’CONNELL, C.M., HAS ANNOUNCED THE FOLLOWING APPOINTMENT, effective July 1, 2022: Very Rev. Martin O’Reilly, to Episcopal Vicar, Burlington County, while continuing as pastor of Mary, Mother of the Church Parish, Bordentown.
Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., will speak of the special call today from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, on the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, to fast and pray for a renewed national commitment to honoring the sacredness of all human life from conception through natural death on the latest installment of “The Shepherd’s Voice,” an hour-long, monthly radio program and video produced by Domestic Church Media.
On May 12, the New Jersey Catholic Conference released a joint statement from the state’s Catholic bishops responding to Gov. Phil Murphy’s announcement in which he renews a push to expand abortion access in the state. The bishops describe this new effort as “a direct attack on the dignity and sanctity of life,” and reaffirm the Church’s commitment to help expectant mothers in need. The statement was signed by seven New Jersey prelates, including Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., of the Diocese of Trenton.
ON MAY 12, THE NEW JERSEY CATHOLIC CONFERENCE RELEASED A JOINT STATEMENT from the state’s Catholic bishops responding to Gov. Phil Murphy’s announcement in which he renews a push to expand abortion access in the state. The bishops describe this new effort as “a direct attack on the dignity and sanctity of life,” and reaffirm the Church’s commitment to help expectant mothers in need.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and its Committee on Pro-Life Activities have encouraged the dioceses of the United States to join in fasting and prayer for a renewed national commitment to the sacredness of all human life from conception through natural death this Friday, May 13, the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima. As Bishop of the Diocese of Trenton, I invite the clergy, religious and faithful of the Diocese to pray the Rosary this Friday, May 13, for this intention. Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!
THE UNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS and its Committee on Pro-Life Activities have encouraged the dioceses of the United States to join in fasting and prayer for a renewed national commitment to the sacredness of all human life from conception through natural death this Friday, May 13, the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima. As Bishop of the Diocese of Trenton, I invite the clergy, religious and faithful of the Diocese to pray the Rosary this Friday, May 13, for this intention. Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!
CELEBRATION is a recurring theme that runs through many of the coverage pieces included in your latest issue of The Monitor Magazine. From the Month of Mary to Holy Week and Easter, the May issue shares the stories of the many beautiful ways that our parish and school communities commemorated the observances and traditions that are so central to our Catholic faith and dear to our hearts.
Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., issued the following message: Recent events prompt me, as Bishop of the Diocese of Trenton, to write once again to ask the all clergy, religious and lay faithful of the Diocese to reaffirm our commitment as Catholics to uphold the sacredness of all human life in each and all its stages, from conception to natural death, and to pray especially for an end to abortion in our time