Bishop O’Connell reflects on National Marriage Week and World Marriage Day
In celebration of National Marriage Week and World Marriage Day, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., reflected on the marital call to the joy of love. In his reflection, Bishop O’Connell recalls celebrating the annual Bishop’s Anniversary Blessing. He remembers from his homily, “You have chosen to be married in the sight of a generous God who so loved the world that he gave himself to us in the person of Jesus Christ. And in the Spirit of this generous God, husband and wife are to give themselves to each another. A spiritual life grows as love finds its center beyond ourselves: in God. Faithful and committed relationships offer a doorway into the mystery of spiritual life through which we discover this: the more we give of self, the richer we become in soul; the more we go beyond ourselves in love, the more we become our true selves and our spiritual beauty is more fully revealed. In marriage we are seeking to bring one another into fuller life and to belong to one another not as a “possession” but as a possibility for true, deep love (“Homily for Anniversary Blessings,” St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Oct. 15, 2015).
Click HERE for the 2021 Bishop’s Anniversary Blessing video.
Bishop continues, “This year, as the Diocese celebrates “National Marriage Week” and “World Marriage Day,” let us together thank God for the gift, vocation and witness of married life and all its many blessings, joys and even challenges within our beloved Diocese. May married couples continue to mirror the love of Christ for his Church, always remembering his command to all of us, whatever our vocation may be: “Love one another as I have loved you (John 13:34).”
Read Bishop O’Connell’s message in full HERE.
Touch the Suffering Flesh of Christ
Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., reflects on World Day of the Sick 2022:
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.
The past two years have acquainted the entire world with “sickness” in the form of the coronavirus pandemic that just does not seem to be in any hurry to leave us as it morphs and changes into highly transmissible variants with new names and potentially dangerous symptoms. Hundreds of millions of cases have been reported worldwide claiming five to six million lives so far, statistics that have shaken the world’s population to its core, turning life as we know it on its head. Will this “unwelcome guest” ever leave? Will life ever return to “some kind of normal?”
Continue reading HERE.
Diocese confirms changes to mask-wearing policies as announced by Governor’s Office
A memo from the Diocese’s Catholic schools superintendent, Dr. Vincent de Paul Schmidt, was sent Feb. 10 to all Catholic school administrators in the Diocese of Trenton. It stated:
In accordance with the new direction from the Governor’s Office regarding Executive Order 280, the Diocese of Trenton is stating the following as it pertains to the Catholic schools in the Diocese.
As of March 7, 2022, masks on employed adults are optional. This includes teaching staffs, members of administration and non-contract employees. Masks on children are optional as well. If a parent deems a mask is significant to the safety of their respective child(ren) they are encouraged to have their child(ren) wear a mask within the school. At the local school level, the principal, working with their pastor, can make the determination to continue masking based on current health concerns within their school.
For further details on this communication, click HERE.
Keeping up with a vibrant, active Church: February issue of The Monitor Magazine
As you might guess from the latest cover, this is the month when the Church focuses in a very real way on the gift of marriage with the celebration of World Marriage Day and National Marriage Week. The February magazine dedicates the IN FOCUS section to this sacred vocation with lots of insight and resources that will help couples build and retain strong, healthy marriages.
This is also Catholic Press Month and there is no greater evidence of the need for strong Catholic-based publications than this latest magazine. At 76 pages, the February issue offers readers a good understanding of the range and depth of initiatives and events in the Catholic Church during this very busy time of year. It is an especially clear example of how much there is to know and share about the Catholic faith.
To learn about some of this comprehensive content, or to learn how to subscribe, click HERE.
