FATHER DANIEL F. GOWEN, WHO SERVED IN MULTIPLE PARISHES THROUGHOUT THE DIOCESE OVER MORE THAN THREE DECADES, died March 9. He was 64. Funeral services will be held in St. Denis Church, Manasquan, beginning March 14, with visitation 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated March 15 at 11 a.m. Interment will be in St. Catharine Cemetery, Wall Township.
In keeping with the traditional Lenten practice of almsgiving, the Diocese of Trenton will participate the weekend of March 9-10 in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ annual Catholic Relief Services Collection.
YOUNG ADULTS AGE 18-39 ARE INVITED to the Diocese’s annual young adult retreat March 2, beginning at 10 a.m. in St. Luke Parish, 1674 Old Freehold Rd., Toms River. The daylong event, hosted by the diocesan Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, will include lunch and the parish Mass at 4 p.m. at the retreat’s end in St. Luke Church. The retreat theme – “Flipping Tables” (to make room for God) – will be explored by Dan Palmieri and Anthony McCullough of JMJ Missions.
The Chancery offices in Lawrenceville will be closed Monday, Feb. 19, in observance of Presidents Day. Normal operations will resume at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 20.
The Chancery building in Lawrenceville will be closed today due to inclement weather. Chancery staff continue to work remotely and can be reached via email. Stay warm and safe!
BISHOP DAVID M. O’CONNELL, C.M., HAS SHARED THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE for Lent 2024. Lent is traditionally a time for prayer and fasting. This year, I am especially drawn to these words from my reading: “Fasting is the soul of prayer, mercy is the lifeblood of fasting. So, if you pray, fast; if you fast, show mercy; if you want your petition to be heard, hear the petition of others. If you do not close your ear to others, you open God’s ear to yourself.”
Sickness is always an unwelcome guest in the “home” of our bodies. Whether its visit is brief or long, expected or unanticipated, recognized or subtle, sickness’ knock on the door is one that no one wants to answer. Try as one may to keep it out, sickness eventually finds its way in and — like an obnoxious houseguest — takes over every room, leaving its hosts to wonder if it will ever leave. The analogy here, although not very poetic, makes the point for which it is intended.
Each year, the Catholic Church celebrates World Day for Consecrated Life. Instituted by Pope John Paul II in 1997, the commemoration is celebrated in conjunction with the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, also known as Candlemas Day recognizing the coming of Christ, the Light of the World, through the symbolic blessing and lighting of candles .
EMBARKING ON A NEW THREE-YEAR FOCUS, the National Catholic Education Association’s Catholic Schools Week will bring together its supporters and beneficiaries Jan. 28 – Feb. 3 to recognize the irreplaceable contributions a Catholic education provides to the Church, the community and the country.
With snow forecasted for Jan. 19, the Diocese has cancelled the second annual “Standing Together for Life” in-person events that were to take place on that day in St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold.
ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE BATTLE TO SUPPORT LIFE in this post-Roe era continues, the Diocese of Trenton will present the second “Standing Together for Life” Mass, luncheon and seminar Jan. 19 at the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine, 61 Georgia Rd, Freehold. Sponsored by the diocesan Department of Evangelization and Family Life/Respect Life Ministry, the event will begin with a Mass for Life with Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., at 11 a.m. in the church, followed by a luncheon and seminar from 12:15-4 p.m. in Dentici Hall.
Bishop David M. O'Connell, C.M., was released from the Cardiac Care Unit of Santo Spirito Hospital in Rome Jan. 9. He is expected to return to New Jersey later this week as planned with the priests of the Diocese who had been on pilgrimage. He will continue his recovery, along with rehabilitation, at home upon his return.
For the last several days, I have looked out my window in the cardiac care wing of Santo Spirito Hospital in Rome – the oldest hospital in Europe – only to see the dome of St. Peter's Basilica close by. For those who live here, this is an "ordinary" although still spectacular view. For me it is a powerful reminder of the faith of the Roman Catholic Church at its center. St. Peter's Basilica contains the tomb of St. Peter himself, the very vicar of Christ, and those of so many of his successors who steadfastly handed on and defended that faith.
Bishop David M. O'Connell, C.M., was moved from intensive care to the Cardiac Care Unit of Santo Spirito Hospital in Rome Jan. 7, where he continues his recovery from surgery after suffering a heart attack days earlier.
BISHOP DAVID M. O'CONNELL, C.M., SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK ON THURSDAY JAN. 4, while in Rome just ahead of the start of the priest pilgrimage. He was taken to Santo Spirito hospital where he had surgery to open a completely closed artery.
BISHOP DAVID M. O’CONNELL, C.M., ALONG WITH SOME 20 PRIESTS AND TWO DIOCESAN STAFF, will make a pilgrimage to Rome Jan. 4-12, visiting a number of holy sites, attending Masses and witnessing the General Audience of Pope Francis.
I wake up very early most days. I rarely, if ever, have to set my alarm clock. I love the early morning when everything is peaceful and quiet. And in the silence of those first moments of the day, it seems that God and I have some of our best conversations. My mind is not cluttered with schedules and busyness. The crush of meetings, travel and the day’s activities appear far distant at that time, even though they are only a couple of hours away. I watch the dark of night slowly give way to the light of another day.
The themes of the past four weeks like watch and pray … prepare the way of the Lord... God our Savior and Messiah is at hand ... Emmanuel, God with us … all alert us to the primary event in human history: the Word became Flesh – Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Son of Mary – dwelt among us and we have seen his glory again and again.