A movement in religious education started to take root last year in several parishes of the Diocese with the new Family Faith Formation Program, developed by a local parish religious education director, that helps entire families center their lives around their faith and the summit of our faith: the Mass. Endorsed by Bishop Serratelli, the initiative encourages parents and children to attend Mass together; learn more about their faith, both together and in age-appropriate settings; and share their faith with each other.

Bishop Serratelli presided at the Diocese’s annual Priests Jubilee Mass on June 4 in St. Patrick Church in Chatham to celebrate the significant ordination anniversaries — 25, 40, 50 and 60 years — that 16 priests, who serve or have served the Church of Paterson, are celebrating this year. During the well-attended liturgy, the Bishop thanked almighty God for the gift of the jubilarians’ priesthoods.

Bishop Serratelli made a pastoral visit to St. James of the Marches Church in Totowa June 9 where he celebrated Mass for the Feast of Pentecost. Pentecost is the feast of the universal Church which commemorates the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles 50 days after the Resurrection of Christ on the ancient Jewish festival date called the “feast of weeks” or Pentecost. Pentecost is sometimes referred to as the birthday of the Church. During the Mass, the Bishop also administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to young people of the parish.

Bishop Serratelli made a pastoral visit to Ss. Cyril and Methodius Parish in Clifton on May 30 to celebrate Mass for the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, a holy day of obligation, which is marked on the 40th day after Easter. It commemorates Jesus’ ascension into heaven.

A client walks through the aisles of the Father English Food Pantry in Paterson, selecting the food items she needs to feed her family. She places them in shopping bags with the words “thank you” printed on them in bright red lettering. For each and every client, there are endless “thank you” moments with more than 25,000 visits each year by the needy, making the Catholic Charities food pantries some of the busiest in the state.

Challenges to religious freedom continue to emerge on an almost daily basis in our nation. That’s why it is so important for the U.S. Catholic Church to remain resolute in addressing them. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, in his address to U.S. bishops in 2012, warned them of “Grave threats to the Church’s public moral witness presented by a radical secularism” where there were “certain attempts being made to limit that most cherished of American freedoms, the freedom of religion.”

The director shouted “Go!” as the camera started to roll in a television studio at the headquarters of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) on May 17 in Washington, D.C. Even the bright lights did not rattle the confidence of Eric Wilsusen, diocesan director of child and youth protection, as he sat at a table in the studio to help drive home a significant point — speak with one message and in one voice — during a webinar on the topic of crisis communication and management.

To make mastering English easier for foreign-born priests, thanks to a generous benefactor, some of these priests are enrolled in a professional development class to sharpen their skills in the English language. The program has enabled foreign-born priests to better proclaim the Gospel and their homilies in English.