In a letter to all Catholic school communities in the Diocese of Trenton, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., marked the opening of the Jubilee Year’s Catholic Schools Week, which runs from Jan. 26 through Feb. 1. The Bishop expressed a sense of gratitude for all involved in the essential ministry of Catholic education, and assured them that he continues to pray for them.

The current wildfires devastating the Los Angeles region of California (Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, Pasadena, San Fernando, Hollywood Hills, Lidia, etc.) have caused widespread evacuations and incomprehensible damage and destruction. Families and residents there have lost virtually everything. Our hearts cannot help but feel the unimaginable and unrelenting devastation of this disaster.

The Catholic bishops of the state met Dec. 6 with some 60 superiors or their delegates of mens’ and womens’ orders of consecrated life doing apostolic works in the ecclesiastical province of New Jersey.

The annual global day of giving, created in 2012, is held on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving. For the past six years, it has been part of the Diocese’s “Catholic Schools Have It All” initiative and is sponsored by the diocesan Departments of Development and Catholic Schools.

Responding to needs of social service agencies in the Diocese of Trenton, the diocesan Office of Catholic Social Services has announced the programs that will receive grants from the 2023 collection for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.

The Standing Together for Life Mass, which will be celebrated by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., at 11 a.m. Jan 24 in St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold, will be followed by LIFE EXPO – an exhibition in the adjacent parish hall.

Nearly every metric has shown an increase over last year’s campaign, including the total pledged ($5.5 million); the total paid ($5.3 million), and the 24,700 gifts. Additionally, this year there are 39 parishes which have reached their goals, compared to 30 parishes in 2023. With less than three months left before the end of the calendar year, the Development Department team is focused on meeting the ACA’s overall goal of $6.5 million. A mailing, featuring messages from Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., and local pastors, will go out this month to members of the Diocese who have not yet responded to the Appeal.

Catholic faithful and pro-life advocates from across the state will gather in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral Sept. 26 for the first statewide Mass for Life ahead of the NJ March for Life in Trenton. Thousands are expected to convene in the state’s capitol to pray at Mass, hear speeches at a rally and offer peaceful witness to the sanctity of unborn life while they march along a one-mile trek through the city.

The priest candidates are Rev. Mr. Wynne Kerridge, a native son of Dallas, Texas, who came to the Catholic faith while attending Princeton University, and Rev. Mr. Brian Meinders, who was born in Lindenwold and grew up in St. John the Baptist Parish in Allentown.  

In response to news released May 21, 2024 on the appointment of a Coadjutor Bishop for the Diocese of Camden, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., issued the following remarks:   “On behalf of the clergy, religious and lay faithful of the Diocese of Trenton, I write to express congratulations and prayerful good wishes to Bishop Dennis Sullivan and the faithful community of our neighboring Diocese of Camden upon the appointment by our Holy Father Pope Francis of the Most Rev. Joseph A. Williams, until now the Auxiliary Bishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis, as Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Camden.”

Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., will ordain 13 new deacons for service in the Diocese of Trenton during a Mass on Saturday, May 18 at 10 a.m. in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral.

Teachers seeking employment in a Catholic elementary or secondary school in the Diocese for the 2024-2025 school year can learn about available positions during two upcoming job fairs. The events are scheduled for April 11 in Notre Dame High School, 601 Lawrence Rd., Lawrenceville, and May 7 in St. John Vianney High School, 540-A Line Rd., Holmdel. Both fairs will run from 4 to 7 p.m.

Uniformed officers filling pew after pew; heart-pounding music from bagpipers and drum corps; the dignified and disciplined cadence of color guard units, a stream of vested priests leading the congregation in prayer – these are the sights and sounds of the annual tribute to law enforcement that will unfold April 4 in the Diocese of Trenton.

Catholics throughout the Diocese of Trenton will flock to their churches March 24 for Palm Sunday, commemorating Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem for the Jewish feast of Passover and beginning the most solemn and sacred week in the Church calendar. The doors to Catholic churches throughout the Diocese of Trenton will open wide to hundreds of thousands of parishioners and newcomers alike as special services and Masses will lead believers through the week-long retelling of Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection.

Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., has announced his Holy Week schedule of the parishes he will visit for the celebration of Masses and liturgical services.

This year, priests, deacons, religious and lay women and men from Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean counties are invited to join Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., who will celebrate the Mass on the Monday of Holy Week, March 25, at 7:30 p.m., in St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, 61 Georgia Road, Freehold. The Chrism Mass will also be livestreamed on diocesan social media platforms and on YouTube in English and Spanish.

Bishop David M. O'Connell, C.M., was released from the Cardiac Care Unit of Santo Spirito Hospital in Rome Jan. 9. He is expected to return to New Jersey later this week as planned with the priests of the Diocese who had been on pilgrimage. He will continue his recovery, along with rehabilitation, at home upon his return.

Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., suffered a heart attack on Thursday Jan. 4, while in Rome just ahead of the start of the priest pilgrimage. just ahead of the start of the priest pilgrimage. 

Aimed at fighting poverty both domestically and abroad – including within the four counties of the Diocese – CCHD collection coincides with the Church’s celebration of the seventh annual World Day of the Poor.

“I am humbled by the support of my brother bishops and I hope and pray I can be of service to the Church and its educational mission.” So said Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., upon learning that he was elected chair of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Catholic Education Nov. 14. Catholic bishops from throughout the United States are gathering in Baltimore for their fall plenary assembly from Nov. 13-16 during which they will have time for prayer, Mass and to discuss and vote on a number of issues pertaining to the Church in the United States. A high point of the assembly will be the bishops electing a new secretary and chairmen for six standing committees, of which the Committee on Catholic Education is one.