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The Diocese of Trenton is seeking an energetic Help Desk Analyst for a part-time position (27 ½ hours per week) in the Department of Computer Services. 

As Bishop of the Diocese of Trenton, I invite and encourage all the clergy, consecrated religious and lay faithful to join together with me in praying this “Novena for the United States of America” from Monday, October 26 through Election Day, November 3, 2020.

¡La pandemia del COVID no quitará Navidad 2020! Sin embargo, cambiará la manera de cómo la celebramos, especialmente en nuestras iglesias y parroquias, si las circunstancias actuales siguen tal como son o se empeoren. Dado que el COVID sea muy contagioso y transportado por el aire, la idea de unir a mucha gente adentro este invierno durante periodos extensos sin ventilación ni distanciamiento social adecuado, además de la necesidad de desinfectar las iglesias entre las Misas, los horarios de Misa en Noche Buena y Navidad estarán afectadas.

The COVID pandemic will not take away Christmas 2020!  It will, however, change the way we celebrate it, especially in our churches and parishes, if current circumstances continue as they are or worsen.  Because COVID is a highly contagious airborne virus, the prospect of large (or larger than usual) crowds gathering  indoors this winter for long periods of time without ample ventilation and proper social distancing, as well as the necessity to sanitize churches between Masses, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Mass schedules will be affected, especially in parishes where there is only a single pastor or priest assigned.  The COVID pandemic’s maximum one-third occupancy restrictions in churches coupled with the need for social distancing will limit the space available for parishioners to attend Christmas Mass as usual.  Church schedules will also have to accommodate required cleaning.

The COVID pandemic will not take away Christmas 2020!  It will, however, change the way we celebrate it, especially in our churches and parishes, if current circumstances continue as they are or worsen.  Because COVID is a highly contagious airborne virus, the prospect of large (or larger than usual) crowds gathering  indoors this winter for long periods of time without ample ventilation and proper social distancing, as well as the necessity to sanitize churches between Masses, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Mass schedules will be affected, especially in parishes where there is only a single pastor or priest assigned.  The COVID pandemic’s maximum one-third occupancy restrictions in churches coupled with the need for social distancing will limit the space available for parishioners to attend Christmas Mass as usual.  Church schedules will also have to accommodate required cleaning.

The annual worldwide Eucharistic celebration of World Mission Sunday, which emphasizes our shared baptismal call to mission, is celebrated on October 18th this year.

Currently in the Diocese of Trenton, the worldwide religious missionary order Society of the Divine Word (SVD) serves three parishes with wonderful priests from its Chicago-based province:

The Catholic Church believes and teaches that all human life is sacred from conception to natural death. For that reason, we, the Bishops of each of the dioceses in New Jersey, join in voicing the strongest possible opposition to the “Reproductive Freedom Act.”

El obispo David M. O’Connell, C.M., celebró la Misa anual para las escuelas católicas este año a través de un video grabado que estrenó a medianoche el 15 de octubre.

Cuando se quita la dispensa de parte de los obispos para sus diócesis de la obligación de asistir a Misa los domingos y fiestas de obligación durante la pandemia del COVID – y ciertamente se la quitará – de nuevo, los católicos tendrán el requisito de “volver a la iglesia”.

When the dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation issued by bishops for their dioceses during the COVID pandemic is finally lifted – and it will be – Catholics will be required again to “return to church.”  Canon law defines “dispensation” as a “relaxation of a merely ecclesiastical law in a particular case” that “can be granted by those who possess executive power (canon 85).”  The Mass obligation referred to above is an “ecclesiastical law” presented in the 1983 Code of Canon Law: “On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are obliged to participate in Mass (canon 1247).”  Its history is much older than that.

When the dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation issued by bishops for their dioceses during the COVID pandemic is finally lifted – and it will be – Catholics will be required again to “return to church.”  Canon law defines “dispensation” as a “relaxation of a merely ecclesiastical law in a particular case” that “can be granted by those who possess executive power (canon 85).”  The Mass obligation referred to above is an “ecclesiastical law” presented in the 1983 Code of Canon Law: “On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are obliged to participate in Mass (canon 1247).”  Its history is much older than that.

El uso de la tecnología se ha convertido en ser parte esencial de nuestra vida cotidiana en medio de la pandemia del COVID. El acto de compartir nuestra fe ahora depende del teclado de la computadora.

Nací y fui criado en la Arquidiócesis de Philadelphia en la Parroquia Nuestra Señora de Gracia en Penndel. Las Hermanas, Servidoras del Inmaculado Corazón de María servían en nuestra escuela parroquial. Vestidas en sus hábitos azules largos, tocas blancas y velas negras, las Hermanas que nos enseñaban llevaban Rosarios en sus cinturones. Debo mucho a esas Hermanas en mi camino vocacional. Mis “recuerdos católicos” más tempranos incluyen orar el Rosario con ellas en la escuela, un hábito de oración que sigo hasta ahora. Confieso que algo profundo me conforta profundamente al rezar el Rosario cada día. El Rosario sirve la razón que María quería cuando se lo reveló al san Doménico en una apariencia legendaria en el siglo 13: me lleva a su Hijo a través de reflexionar sobre los misterios de su vida.

La Iglesia Católica cree y enseña que toda la vida humana es sagrada desde la concepción hasta la muerte natural. Por eso, nosotros, los obispos de cada diócesis de New Jersey, nos unimos en levantar la voz más fuerte en oposición a la “Acta de Libertad Reproductiva”.

The Catholic Church believes and teaches that all human life is sacred from conception to natural death. For that reason, we, the Bishops of each of the dioceses in New Jersey, join in voicing the strongest possible opposition to the “Reproductive Freedom Act.”

The Catholic Church believes and teaches that all human life is sacred from conception to natural death. For that reason, we, the Bishops of each of the dioceses in New Jersey, join in voicing the strongest possible opposition to the “Reproductive Freedom Act.”

The Catholic Church believes and teaches that all human life is sacred from conception to natural death. For that reason, we, the Bishops of each of the dioceses in New Jersey, join in voicing the strongest possible opposition to the “Reproductive Freedom Act.”

Nuestro Santo Padre Papa Francisco ha publicado su tercera carta encíclica nombrada Fratelli Tutti (literalmente significa “hermanos todos”), firmándola en Asís el 3 de octubre en el sepulcro de su patrón, el san Francisco de Asís, en el 794 aniversario de su muerte. A pesar de la controversia sobre el título como algo sexista, la Santa Sede ha respondido que el papa Francisco lo citó directamente de las escrituras del san Francisco y optó por no cambiarlo. El título no pretende excluir ni ofender a las mujeres. La encíclica está dirigida a todos los seres humanos, algo que queda muy claro de por todo el texto.

Our Holy Father Pope Francis has published his third encyclical letter entitled “Fratelli tutti”(literally “brothers all”), signing it in Assisi on October 3, at the tomb of his patron, St. Francis of Assisi, on the 794th anniversary of his death.  Despite the controversy that has arisen over its title as sexist, the Holy See has responded that Pope Francis was using a direct quote from the writings of St. Francis which he chose not to change.  That decision was in no way intended to exclude or offend women, to whom the encyclical is also addressed, since such terminology, as traditionally used, includes both women and men.  That inclusivity is clearly evident and represented throughout the text.