Essays and Messages

On September 11, 2025, Governor Murphy signed into law a bill (A4085/S3007) legalizing “natural organic reduction,” commonly known as “human composting.” This process offers an alternative to traditional burial by transforming a human body into nutrient-rich soil over several weeks. The body is placed in a specialized vessel with organic materials such as wood chips and alfalfa. Naturally occurring microbes, supported by carefully controlled conditions of moisture, oxygen, and temperature, decompose the body and plant matter into usable soil. Upon completion, the soil is sifted to remove any non-organic materials; the remaining bones are ground into sand-like particles, and the mixture is cured for use in planting trees, flowers, or conservation efforts. New Jersey is the 14th state to pass such legislation, and it becomes effective in New Jersey July 11, 2026.

2,977 Americans lost their lives on this day 24 years ago, burning the date “9/11” into our rational memory. As we commemorate the tragic events of that day, we remember the 734 souls of our fellow residents of New Jersey killed in the worst terrorist attack in our country’s history and we continue to pray for them and their loved ones.

Throughout my years of priestly ministry, I have sat with countless individuals and families—parishioners, clergy, and others—who have entrusted me with their most personal struggles. I have listened to stories of depression, anxiety, addiction, and a wide range of mental health challenges.

On Sept. 7, 2025, Our Holy Father Pope Leo XIV will canonize the first saints of his papacy: Blessed Carlo Acutis (1991-2006) and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901-1925). The Church has eagerly awaited these canonizations, each one representing extraordinary holiness among very ordinary young people who lived during the last 100 years; Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati at their beginning and Blessed Carlo Acutis at their end.

AS BISHOP OF THE DIOCESE OF TRENTON AND A LIFE-LONG CATHOLIC EDUCATOR, I call upon all clergy and faithful of the Diocese to unite in prayer for the victims, families, and entire community of Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, who now face the unimaginable in the wake of yet another school shooting.

Our Holy Father Pope Leo XIV has asked Catholics throughout the world to join him in a day of prayer and fasting for peace tomorrow, August 22, the Feast of the Queenship of Mary. Established as a Marian feast to follow the Solemn Feast of the Assumption by Pope Pius XII in 1954, Pope Leo explained...

Our Church mourns the terrible suffering of Christians and other innocent victims of violence in Gaza and surrounding areas who are struggling to survive, protect their children, and live with dignity in dire conditions. The Holy Father continues to call for a cease fire and for aid to enter the territory, noting with great sorrow that “Gaza is starving.”

The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven falls on Friday this year and remains a pre-eminent Marian feast day that should be honored and remembered. In the Diocese of Trenton, Mary Queen of the Assumption is our diocesan patroness and the name of our Cathedral. Permit me, please, to share some reflections about this solemn feast with you.

History was made recently when Planned Parenthood and other big abortion businesses were banned from receiving federal Medicaid dollars for a period of one year. However, Planned Parenthood sued, and a preliminary injunction was granted by the court that requires taxpayer funding to continue.

Earlier this month, the president signed into law the first federal school choice tax credit in our nation's history. This new landmark legislation, led by Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Bill Cassidy, R-La. and Tim Scott, R-S.C., was modeled on the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA) -- which aimed to expand parental choice in education to an estimated 2 million children across the country.