The Priesthood

"With God's help, you will continue to succeed in your leadership and in your duties, because Our Lord's work is accomplished not so much by the multitude of workers as by the fidelity of the small number whom He calls."

- St. Vincent de Paul



 

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"I will give you shepherds after my own heart" (Jeremiah 3:15). In these words from the prophet Jeremiah, God promises his people that he will never leave them without shepherds to gather them together and guide them: "I will set shepherds over them [my sheep] who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed" (Jeremiah 23:4).

The Church, the People of God, constantly experiences the reality of this prophetic message and continues joyfully to thank God for it. She knows that Jesus Christ himself is the living, supreme and definitive fulfilment of God's promise: "I am the good shepherd" (Jn 10:11). He, "the great shepherd of the sheep" (Heb 13:20), entrusted to the Apostles and their successors the ministry of shepherding God's flock (cf. Jn 21:15ff.; 1 Pt 5:2).

Without priests the Church would not be able to live that fundamental obedience which is at the very heart of her existence and her mission in history, an obedience in response to the command of Christ: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations" (Mt 28:19) and "Do this in remembrance of me" (Lk 22:19; cf. 1 Cor 11:24), i.e., an obedience to the command to announce the Gospel and to renew daily the sacrifice of the giving of his body and the shedding of his blood for the life of the world. 

(St. Pope John Paul II, Pastores Dabo Vobis: I Will Give You Shepherds)

We’re still celebrating the addition of four new priests for the Diocese of Trenton!

#FathersFootsteps is a collection of videos from the Department of Multimedia Production that spotlight the newest shepherds in our Diocese!

Father Christopher Dayton served in St. Aloysius Parish, Jackson during his year as a transitional deacon and his first priestly assignment is at St. Rose Parish, Belmar.

To read more about Father Dayton, click here.



Father Nicholas Dolan is a member of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri, which serves the Parish community of St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Red Bank and will return there for his first priestly assignment.

To read more about Father Dolan, click here.


Father James Smith served in Our Lady of Sorrows-St. Anthony, Hamilton during his year as a transitional deacon and his first priestly assignment is at St. Aloysius Parish, Jackson.

To read more about Father Smith, click here.