Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney invites Catholics of the Paterson Diocese to join him on a pilgrimage to the 10th National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, Ind., from July 17–21 — the first such gathering in the United States in 83 years.

As part of a three-year National Eucharistic Revival, plans are being made for the first National Eucharistic Congress to be held in the United States in 83 years! On the website for the Eucharistic Revival, you can learn about the history of Eucharistic Congresses and that, “Since 1895, the United States has been host to nine National Eucharistic Congresses and two International Eucharistic Congresses (1926 & 1976).” 

Janely Joseph, Youth Minister of Passaic’s Our Lady of Fatima & St. Nicholas Church, recalled the conversation. Joseph said, “One Sunday, I was talking to a parent, and she said to me, ‘Something’s working. Every Friday, when I pick up my daughter from school, she asks me if there is a youth group meeting that night. She always wants to go to the youth group meeting.” Every other Friday after 7 p.m. Mass, the Christ Is Alive (CIA) Youth Ministry gathers for one-and-a-half hours in the St. Nicholas parish office. The group wants its numbers of children, teenagers, and young adults to increase.

The parish administrator of Our Lady of Mercy in Hanover Township was faced with a small challenge as Christmas was approaching. When he arrived at the parish last June, Father Michal Rybinski visited his various parish buildings to investigate any issues. While doing so, he made some nice discoveries. He said of one excursion, “We went to an attic, and there was a manger. We had the statues of Our Lady, St. Joseph, Jesus, and we had shepherds and some animals.” But, surprisingly, no sheep.

St. Paul Parish in Clifton on Dec. 31 welcomed Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, who presided over two Masses for the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, one in English and another in Spanish.

Fiducia Supplicans (On the Pastoral Meaning of Blessings) is a “Declaration” issued by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), signed by Pope Francis, and published on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023.