After being closed for nearly four months, the diocesan Chancery began the gradual return to normal in-person operations in the Lawrenceville building July 6.
Most of the 80-plus staff of the Chancery have been working from home since mid-March to guard against the spread of the coronavirus. Since that time, a detailed safety plan has been developed for a return to the building, which includes alternating workdays and hours; staff wearing face masks when they enter the building and in the common areas, and all undergoing temperature screenings upon arrival. In addition, robust sanitizing measures have also been implemented.
Working remotely will continue for days that staff do not report to the office, and visitors and in-person meetings are not permitted at this time. Chancery officials continue to monitor public health guidance and are poised to adjust the workday plan as needed.
For more news on the Chancery operations, click HERE.
Work is progressing on a plan to return the Diocese’s Catholic school students and faculty to the classrooms this September in a way that ensures optimal health and safety for all.
JoAnn Tier, diocesan superintendent of schools, explained that she and her counterparts across the state have worked together to come up with a draft document that is being adapted for each of the five dioceses.
The Trenton plan is now under review with school leaders who are working toward its distribution by the middle of July to principals and staff.
Tier explained, “Each of our schools has a task force who will address health and safety issues as well as the academic component. While we are planning to go back to the physical locations, the need for remote instruction can occur at any point. Each task force will be looking into the school’s readiness with technology, needed equipment and professional development and transportation, along with all of the other concerns related to preserving the health of those who will be returning.”
The goal, Tier noted, is to have the completed plan ready to distribute to parents in early August. Updates on the school plan will be published on TrentonMonitor.com as they become available.
The Diocese of Trenton’s monthly publication, The Monitor Magazine, has been recognized with two awards from the Catholic Press Association.
The awards were announced online during the annual Catholic Media Conference, which was held virtually June 30-July 2 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Monitor staff and its freelance partners took home a third-place award for Best Feature Article and a third-place recognition for Best Seasonal Issue or Section. It was the first year The Monitor has competed in the diocesan magazine category after its transition from a newspaper in October 2019. For Best Feature Article, the judges applauded correspondent Christina Leslie’s story “Parish, community revitalizing Civil War-era Lincroft cemetery,” which focused on those from St. Leo the Great Parish, Lincroft, and the area preserving the dignity of others. In Best Seasonal Issue or Section, The Monitor received kudos for its design and content for the December 2019 Christmas issue, “The Greatest Gift.”
