Bishop Serratelli made a pastoral visit to St. Joseph’s Rest Home run by the Daughters of Charity of the Most Precious Blood in Paterson on Saturday morning, July 4.

Bishop Serratelli made a pastoral visit to St. Francis deSales Church in the McAfee section of Vernon July 5. During his visit, he celebrated Mass for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Last week, the Vatican announced the schedule for Pope Francis’ September apostolic journey to the United States creating much excitement throughout the diocese as Catholic Americans await the visit of the Vicar of Christ.

The full schedule of the visit of Pope Francis to Cuba, Washington, New York and Philadelphia in September, released by the Vatican last week, includes one event that secular media seems to have largely ignored. That event — the Pope’s canonization of Blessed Junipero Serra on Sept. 23 in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington — is a once-in-a-lifetime moment of grace for the U.S. Catholic Church.

Several parishes around the diocese have responded to the increasingly intense focus on issues about marriage and family in society and the Church this year including the fiery debate over gay marriage and the anticipation of the 2015 World Meeting of Families with Pope Francis in September by holding holy hours, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction to pray for the promotion and stability of traditional marriage and family and the success of the upcoming historic papal visit to Washington, New York City and Philadelphia.

This year, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish here has decided to celebrate its 30th anniversary by undertaking a major renovation not by replacing the church steeple or refurbishing the worship space but instead, by giving its already dynamic parishioners and staff a top-to-bottom spiritual makeover.

My name is Sister Cathy Lynn. I am a Franciscan Sister of St. Elizabeth. I reside in Parsippany, New Jersey at the Delegate House of our Community. I serve as principal at our school St. Elizabeth Nursery and Montessori School. We educate and care of children from age 2.5 years old through grade 6. I recently completed two terms as the secretary for the Diocesan Pastoral Council for the Paterson Diocese. In the past I have volunteered to teach CCD in local parishes in the Paterson Diocese at both the kindergarten and high school levels.

On June 30, 2015, the feast of the Christians martyred under Nero in 64 A.D., our Holy Father, Pope Francis, remarked that there are more persecuted Christians in the world today than there were in the first centuries. Each month 180 Christians are being martyred. These sad statistics bear witness to the fact that Christians are among the most persecuted religious groups worldwide.

Bishop Serratelli made a pastoral visit to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish here June 28 where he celebrated Mass for the 13th Sunday in Ordin­ary Time.

The Serra Club of Paterson hosted its annual Mass and beefsteak dinner for diocesan seminarians, retired priests, golden jubilarians and the newly ordained priests June 22 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel (OLMC) Parish here near Domus Bartimaeus House of Discernment.

Bishop Serratelli administered the Sacrament of Confirmation at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Passaic June 18.

Discalced Carmelite Sister Carmen Michel has made her final vows at the Monastery of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel here June 24 before Bishop Serratelli, her family, supporters and fellow Carmelites.

When Casa Guadalupe opened in 2011 with Bishop Serratelli’s blessing, it provided a one-of-a-kind residence for young women. The concept of Casa Guadalupe is simple — a house of discernment for women in their 20s to 40s offering community life, prayer and the opportunity to serve the Church while the women work or study full-time.