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I confess, I’m guilty. Once Thanksgiving is over my thoughts turn to Christmas. I put up my tree and decorate the house for that “most wonderful time of the year.” I pull out my Christmas CDs and watch all those great Christmas specials and movies on TV. All these preparations —-admitted secular —- put me in a happy frame of mind and give me a good feeling to welcome my favorite holiday. I don’t want to miss a minute!

A MESSAGE FROM BISHOP DAVID M. O’CONNELL, C.M. ‘Open Wide Our Hearts’ Our Church must take the lead in eliminating racism “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view — until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” These words spoken by Atticus Finch in Harper Lee’s classic American novel on race, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” have come to my mind frequently since first reading them in high school. As reasonable as they seem, they are not so easy to put into practice. They offer, however, a compelling and profoundly Christian suggestion for us all.

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.

A message from Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M. On May 12, 1962, General Douglas MacArthur returned to West Point to receive an honor from that venerable institution and to address the corps of cadets there.

This is “National Vocation Awareness Week,” a time that the Catholic Church in our country sets aside to promote vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and consecrated life as a religious sister or brother through prayer and education. We are asked to encourage young people in particular to consider dedicating their lives to follow the Lord Jesus in a special way. But, in order to “consider,” to “dedicate,” to “follow” the Lord, you must first listen for his call.

A message from Bishop David M. O'Connell, C.M. on All Saints Day and All Souls Day Many times during the course of the year, I visit the graves of my parents. I bring flowers or small plants to place there in loving memory as I pray for them. Birthdays, anniversaries and holidays bring me there, as well as other days with no particular significance. As memories flood my mind, I sometimes smile, and other times, shed a few tears. Their graves remind me how much I miss them and love them still. In faith, I know they are not “there” but their remains rest in that sacred place. I always feel a real “communion” with them.

A message from Bishop David M. O'Connell, C.M., on the mass killing in a Pittsburgh synagogue

I have written before of my admiration for Pope Paul VI (1897-1978). With his recent canonization — one of only eight popes in the 2,000-year history of the Church — much attention has been given to him and his papal teachings. He was, of course, the pope who presided over the Second Ecumenical Vatican Council (1962-65). Many of the writings he authored both during and after Vatican II are considered “landmark” documents for the Church in the modern world. To me, one of the greatest legacies of his pontificate (1963-78) is the attention he devoted to the role of the laity in the Church. Unfortunately, the lay faithful have too often been simply described as the “non-ordained.” True, the laity do not share in the Sacrament of Holy Orders but their significance and place in the Church cannot be defined by a negative.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Annually, the next-to-last Sunday of October marks the Church’s Eucharistic celebration for the Missions, World Mission Sunday. In his message for this year’s celebration on October 21, Pope Francis explains that “life is a mission.” “Each one of us is called to reflect on this fact: ‘I am a mission on this Earth; that is the reason why I am here in this world’ (Evangelii Gaudium 273),” he writes. Focusing on young people, he notes: “In speaking to you, I also address all Christians who live out in the Church the adventure of their life as children of God.”

The expression “culture warrior” is used in contemporary conversation to describe people who fight for those causes that run counter to prevailing cultural values and preferences, chief among those causes, the protection of human life in all its stages, from conception to natural death. It is rarely spoken or written in a positive way. And, yet, those who are labeled “pro-life” are, indeed, engaged in a significant battle to convince their opponents and critics that, as Pope St. John Paul II affirmed, “When some lives, including the unborn, are subjected to the personal choices of others, no other value or right will long be guaranteed.”

On this past Thursday, the Attorney General of New Jersey, Gurbir Grewal, announced that he will establish a task force to investigate allegations of sexual abuse of minors by clergy in the five Dioceses of the State of New Jersey as well as any indications of cover-up by their bishops and leaders in the Catholic Church.

The Church that the Lord Jesus Christ asked to “go out to all the world and tell the good news (Mark 15:16)” has had its share of “not so good news” this summer. It will make the work of the catechist this particular year harder, for sure. But it is not a reason to stop catechizing. In fact, it makes catechesis even more urgent, more compelling, more necessary to follow the Lord’s command.

Bishop David M. O'Connell, C.M., published the following message Aug. 16 on diocesan media, and has asked that it be read during all Masses the weekend of Aug. 18 and 19.

Yes, this Wednesday, August 15, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven and the Patronal Feast of the Diocese of Trenton, IS a holy day of obligation. In other words, Catholics are obliged to attend Mass either on the vigil (the evening before) or on the day itself. Rather than focus on the “obligation,” which is described in the provisions of canon law (cc. 1246 and 1247) and supported by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) for our country, perhaps we should consider the reasons of faith behind the obligation.

“When I grow up and get out of school, I want to be ... a saint.” Whaaaaat? A saint? You don’t hear that too often, if at all. I mean, a pro-athlete, a firefighter or cop, a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer, a veterinarian, a scientist, a teacher ... yep, those are the most common responses to surveys posing that question to young people. But a saint? That doesn’t make the list. You know what? You can be any of those things and have any of those career goals ... and still be a saint.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Pro-Life Office has invited all the archdioceses and dioceses of the United States to join together in common prayer and action to promote the Church’s Pro-Life efforts. To that end, the USCCB has asked that each Friday from August 3 to September 28, be a time of “prayer and, when possible, fasting for life.”

Blessed Pope Paul VI, scheduled to be canonized a saint on October 14 of this year, was the first pope I ever saw in person. The date was May 25, 1975. The place was St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome at the canonization Mass for Saints Juan Garcia Lopez-Rico, O.SS.T., and Vincenta Maria Lopez y Vicuña. I had no particular attachment to either new saint but just happened to be in Rome at the time, prior to entering the novitiate of the Congregation of the Mission (C.M.). I did have an attachment to Pope Paul VI, however, who was Pope since I first entered the seminary in 1969. I admired him greatly.

A message from Bishop David M. O'Connell, C.M. The Church just observed the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul on June 29, commemorating the martyrdom of the Apostles, St. Peter as Chief of the Apostles and St. Paul as the Apostle to the Nations. Each year, this solemnity is a national holiday in Rome and has traditionally marked the beginning of the summer vacation period for Vatican officials following a public Mass celebrated by the Holy Father in St. Peter’s Basilica.

A message from Bishop David M. O'Connell, C.M. It is not often that I am surrounded by the experience of pure joy. My visit to the Motherhouse of the Sisters of Life in Suffern, New York, this past Saturday was such an occasion. Mother Agnes Mary Donovan, SV, Superior General, invited me late last year to celebrate Mass for her Sisters of Life during which four of the Sisters would renew their vows. The special attraction of her invitation was the opportunity to celebrate Mass for the Sisters on the altar I gave them from the chapel of the Bishop’s Mansion in Trenton along with a tabernacle for reservation of the Blessed Sacrament.

The epidemic of gun violence has struck once again, this time close to home. The people of Trenton awoke this morning to the tragic news that twenty of our brothers and sisters —- our families, neighbors and friends —- were injured during a mass shooting in the early hours of Sunday morning at the city’s “All Night Art Festival.” One suspect has been killed and the motive is under investigation.