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Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., has issued the following prayer request: The U.S. Senate recently failed to pass the Born-Alive Survivors Protection Act – legislation that prohibits infanticide by ensuring that a child born alive following an attempted abortion would receive the same degree of care to preserve her or his life and health as would be given to any other child born alive at the same gestational age.

Less than two weeks after Pope Francis convened a worldwide summit on eradicating the sexual abuse of minors by clergy, the Catholic bishops in New Jersey have issued a statement in which they detail their ongoing efforts, many dating back to 2002, to ensure safe environments for children and youth, deal with clergy charged with abuse and assist the victims in their process of healing. The statement was provided to 120 state legislators and media outlets March 4 by the New Jersey Catholic Conference.

As a proposed piece of legislation that would allow physicians to assist some terminally ill patients to end their lives moves forward in the NJ State Legislature, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., issued a letter to legislators expressing his opposition as a “bishop, a priest, a man of faith . . . but also as a human being and a son.” In the letter sent Feb. 11, the day that the Catholic Church observes World Day of the Sick, Bishop O’Connell told legislators that “never again will your responsibility be greater or your decision more important.” The letter follows:

(Washington, D.C.-- February 11, 2019) Kenneth R. Feinberg and Camille S. Biros, two noted victims’ compensation experts, have been named Administrators of a New Jersey state-wide Compensation Program – approved and supported by all five Roman Catholic Dioceses located in the state. Today they announced the creation of the Independent Victim Compensation Program (“IVCP”) to pay eligible victims who were sexually abused by clergy of the Roman Catholic Church while minors.

It is my sad duty to announce the death on Jan. 22, 2019 of the Most Rev. John Mortimer Smith, Bishop Emeritus (2010-2019) and Ninth Bishop of the Diocese of Trenton (1997-2010), former Coadjutor Bishop of Trenton (1995-1997), former Bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee in Florida (1991-1995) and former Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Newark (1988-1991).

Faithful of the Diocese of Trenton will have the opportunity to stand for the sanctity of life alongside hundreds of thousands from around the world during the Jan. 18 March For Life in Washington, D.C.

Two strong and successful Catholic elementary schools in the Diocese of Trenton – situated just over three miles apart – will pool their resources and efforts to become a newly-established Catholic Academy that will open its doors in September, 2019.

The following message from our Holy Father, Pope Francis, was released for World Day of Peace, which falls on January 1.

All Saints Regional Catholic School in Manahawkin, which has provided education to children in five Ocean County parishes for more than 20 years, will move away from its regional model and reopen in July 2019 as St. Mary Academy under the administration of St. Mary Parish, Barnegat.

The Roman Catholic Bishops of New Jersey announced today their decision to retain Kenneth R. Feinberg and Camille Biros to design, implement and administer a statewide Victims Compensation Program for the submission, evaluation, and settlement of individual claims of sexual abuse of a minor.

Since the establishment of the Dallas Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in 2002 (revised in 2005, 2011 and 2018) and its accompanying Essential Norms, dioceses across the country — including the Diocese of Trenton — have committed themselves to the eradication of the sexual abuse of minors in the Church and its institutions and agencies.

The pastor of Holy Innocents Parish, Neptune, and principal of the parish school issued a joint letter the weekend of Nov. 10 and 11 announcing that the Catholic elementary school will close its doors in June due to declining enrollment and financial shortfalls.

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

Following the tragic shooting this morning at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement calling for prayer and action to put an end to violence.

Cardinal Timothy Michael Dolan, Archbishop of New York and Chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee on Pro-Life Activities, issued a statement today for Respect Life Month. New resources have been developed around the theme "Every Life: Cherished, Chosen, Sent" and are available at www.usccb.org/respectlife. Respect Life Sunday is October 7.

Calling it “an extraordinary accomplishment for the Diocese,” Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., congratulated five Catholic schools of the Diocese of Trenton that received word Oct 1 that they had achieved the coveted “2018 National Blue Ribbon Schools” designation from the U.S. Department of Education.

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.

“If one member suffers, all suffer together with it” (1 Cor 12:26). These words of Saint Paul forcefully echo in my heart as I acknowledge once more the suffering endured by many minors due to sexual abuse, the abuse of power and the abuse of conscience perpetrated by a significant number of clerics and consecrated persons. Crimes that inflict deep wounds of pain and powerlessness, primarily among the victims, but also in their family members and in the larger community of believers and nonbelievers alike. Looking back to the past, no effort to beg pardon and to seek to repair the harm done will ever be sufficient. Looking ahead to the future, no effort must be spared to create a culture able to prevent such situations from happening, but also to prevent the possibility of their being covered up and perpetuated. The pain of the victims and their families is also our pain, and so it is urgent that we once more reaffirm our commitment to ensure the protection of minors and of vulnerable adults.

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.

Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), has issued the following statement after a series of meetings with members of the USCCB’s Executive Committee and other bishops. The following statement includes three goals and three principles, along with initial steps of a plan that will involve laity, experts, and the Vatican. A more developed plan will be presented to the full body of bishops at their general assembly meeting in Baltimore in November.