The Dec. 12 feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patron saint of Mexico, has been a vital part of Hispanic identity and worship for centuries. Father Yojaneider Garcia, director of the catechetical office and faith formation for the Diocese of Paterson, thinks the day of worship should be expanded to all nationalities and has made multicultural expression a central feature of the colorful Dec. 12 Mass at St. Vincent Martyr in Madison. It started as a small event years ago, but more than 300 worshipers were expected this year.

During a recent interview with the Secretary of the Pontifical Com­mission for Latin America, Dr. Rodrigo Guerra, speaking about the relevance of the apparition of our Lady of Guadalupe for the Church today, said, “Our Lady of Guadalupe is the enculturated form in which God Himself announces His Son to the American continent. In the image and the message that she has left us, we can find important methodological indications, which are particularly relevant for the Church today.”

En una reciente entrevista al Secretario de la Pontificia Comisión para América Latina, el Dr. Rodrigo Guerra, hablando de la relevancia del acontecimiento guadalupano en el momento actual de la Iglesia, dijo lo siguiente: “Santa María de Guadalupe es la forma inculturada como Dios mismo anuncia a su Hijo en el continente americano. En la imagen y en el mensaje que nos ha dejado existen importantes indicaciones metodológicas particularmente actuales para la Iglesia de hoy.”

For the past six weeks, I have been thinking about sharing my experience with “The Bible in a Year.” From late October through November, when I was driving through the different parts of our diocese, I was struck by the beauty of the “fall colors.” Even after a summer that was very dry, the leaves on the trees changed colors, as they do each year, and we are able to see some spectacular versions of the “Beauty of Creation.” I recall an experience when I first arrived in the diocese and Father Stephen Prisk was serving as the bishop’s secretary and Master of Ceremonies. For my first year in the diocese, Father Prisk did most of the driving when I visited parishes. I remember him saying, at some point early on, as we headed out to visit a parish, “You’re going to spend a lot of time on Route 80.”

The Paterson Federation Knights of Columbus held their annual Pride in Our Priests dinner at the Hanover Manor in East Hanover on Nov. 21. The federation encourages member councils to invite local parish priests. It’s a way to honor clergy for their service to the community.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney delivered an Advent reflection on Nov. 28 and Dec. 5 at St. Joseph Parish in Mendham. The reflection was guided by the theme “The Promised Messiah and the Joy of His Coming.”

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney held his annual meeting with the major superiors of religious communities that serve the diocese on Nov. 22 at St. Mary’s Retreat Center in Morristown. Sister Patricia Pompa, provincial superior of the Religious Teachers Filippini, offered an opening prayer. The bishop spoke about the annual U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops’ meeting from Nov. 14–17 in Baltimore.

Kevin DeCoursey is a candidate for the permanent diaconate for the Diocese of Paterson, studying through Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology’s Center for Diaconal Formation, and is the first recipient of the William A. Doyle Memorial Scholarship for Permanent Deacons.

Food insecurity for those with incomes below the poverty line isn’t always visible to most people, but Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Paterson has a chilling statistic to share. Up until two years ago, before the Covid pandemic, about 5,000 people a month were being helped by their three food pantries. Now, a combination of inflation and supply-chain issues, which have driven up grocery prices, means they’re trying to help 20,000 each month. There are sometimes long lines where there were no lines before.

When Sister of Christian Charity Joan Daniel Healy talks about her life and ministry, one word keeps popping up: joy. With a smile, she delights in talking about her joy as a religious sister for more than 60 years and the joy she finds in the faces of those she has served — most recently as chancellor/delegate for religious of the Diocese of Paterson.

Each year, in the beautiful Season of Advent, the Church invites us to focus and reflect upon the two great “Advent Figures”: St. John the Baptist, who prepared the way of the Lord, and Mary, our Blessed Mother, who journeyed with Joseph to Bethlehem, where her Son, the Messiah, would be born. In the Gospel on the second and third Sundays of Advent, we hear of John the Baptist, as we heard him this past Sunday, encouraging and inviting us to repentance because the kingdom of God is at hand and “… the one who is coming after me is mightier than I…” Mt 3:11

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney made a pastoral visit on Saturday, Nov. 26 to St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in Sparta where he celebrated the 5 p.m. vigil Mass for the first Sunday of Advent.

The faith community of St. Simon the Apostle Parish in the Green Pond section of Rockaway Township welcomed Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, who celebrated 9 a.m. Mass there on Nov. 24 for Thanksgiving Day.

Millennials are a tough generation to reach with the Gospel. They are educated, tech-savvy and opinionated — and increasingly identify as either secular or “spiritual but not religious.” Evangelizing them means meeting them where they are, engaging them intellectually, inviting them to “be Church” — and using clever marketing strategies.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited the Jesus Christ Prince of Peace Chapel in Haledon on Nov. 20 to celebrate a Mass for the Solemnity of Christ the King with the Catholic Campus Ministry (CCM) of William Paterson University in Wayne and Corazon Puro, a chastity ministry.

The practice of Lectio Divina can help deepen our relationship with God and “root our lives in the Scriptures — the living word of God — and his revelation to the world,” Bishop Emeritus Arthur J. Serratelli told catechists and other local faithful on Nov. 9 at the Evangelization Center at St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison.

The evangelization and transmission of the faith in the Americas have always been united to a singular love for the Virgin Mary. There is not a single corner of our geography that is not crowned by an advocation to our Blessed Mother. Pope St. John Paul II made mention of this at the beginning of his pontificate: “Your Marian love has been a ferment of catholicity in your history.”

La evangelización y la transmisión de la fe en las Américas, han ido siempre unidas a un amor singular a la Virgen María. No hay un rincón de nuestra geografía que no se encuentre coronado por una advocación de nuestra Madre. Así lo recordó Juan Pablo II en los comienzos mismos de su pontificado: «El amor mariano ha sido en vuestra historia fermento de catolicidad”

In the two-plus years that I have been writing this weekly column, I believe that there have been times when, indirectly, I asked for or encouraged “feedback” from you (Dear Readers). I believe that now may be a good time to request that feedback more directly. So, I will begin with two questions: 1. How many of you listen to Bishop Robert Barron’s Word on Fire Podcast? (more about that in a moment) and 2. As we consider Bishop Barron’s “strategies for growth,” do you have a practical suggestion or strategy that could help us “evangelize” (grow the Church)?

Sundays, Oct. 2022–May 2023 • The Corpus Christi Chargers Meetings Corpus Christi Parish, Chatham; 6–8 p.m. Monthly program for special needs teens to young adults with a wide range of cognitive abilities, to help form meaningful relationships in an atmosphere of friendly acceptance. Program includes arts and crafts, movies, games, family sing-alongs, and barbeques. Seeking new members. Contact Ron for information: killian.r@verizon.net. 1st Mondays • Patriotic Rosary St. Joseph Church, Lincoln Park; after 7 p.m. Mass. Rosary prayers for our country through the intercession of Our Lady. Info: Camille (201) 396-3798.