Bishop Serratelli made a pastoral visit to St. Anthony Parish in Passaic where he celebrated the vigil Mass for the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time June 29 in the parish center. During the Mass, the Bishop administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to young people of the parish, mostly high school sophomores, who had been preparing to receive the sacrament in the parish’s Confirmation program for the last two years.

Bishop Serratelli installed Father Edgar Rivera as pastor of St. Ann Parish in Parsippany during a Mass marking the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time July 7. Father Rivera previously served as diocesan Vocations Director and director of Domus Bartimaeus House of Discernment in Boonton before being named as pastor of St. Ann’s by the Bishop in June.

At the noon Mass on Sunday, June 30 in St. Joseph Church, Lincoln Park, parishioners and friends gathered to celebrate and express their appreciation to Father Tom Mangieri, who served the faithful here for more than four years as administrator and then pastor until his retirement in June for health reasons. The farewell Mass was celebrated by Father Mangieri, with Father Dominik Bakowski and Father David Pickens concelebrating, assisted by Deacons Steve Marabeti and Joe Parlapiano.

On June 15, 1974, 28 men were ordained as permanent deacons by Bishop Lawrence Casey in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist here. This was the first time in the history of the Paterson Diocese that men, both single and married, were called to be ordained to the permanent diaconate. Today one of those men, Deacon Mario Munoz, now 81, is looking back at his life and how he got to where he is today.

Bishop Serratelli helped the local community of the Franciscan Sisters of St. Elizabeth celebrate an “exciting” national milestone for the religious order: the 100th anniversary of sisters in the U.S. and the establishment of their first convent in Newark in 1919. The Bishop served as main celebrant and homilist of the anniversary Mass June 22 in St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Parsippany.

An important part of our state’s heritage is the historic buildings that dot the landscape of our state. Among them are many that mark the long history of our faith. Indeed, many of our churches are listed on the state and national historic registries.

The Knights of Columbus Council No. 17254, also known as the “Cathedral Council,” wrote a part of its history this past Sunday with the installation of its first council officers. The council based at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist here is the newest Knights of Columbus council in the Diocese. During Mass marking the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time on June 30, Msgr. Geno Sylva, rector of the Cathedral and diocesan vicar for special projects and the cathedral, blessed these new officers and all the Knights present at the Mass.

Bishop Serratelli made a pastoral visit to Immaculate Conception Parish in Franklin June 30 where he celebrated Mass for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Father Boguslaw Kobus, pastor, concelebrated the Mass.