Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney celebrated Mass on Thanksgiving Day in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson Nov. 25.Thanksgiving Day is observed on the fourth Thursday during the month of November in the United States and special readings for Masses celebrated on Thanksgiving Day are available in the lectionary.

The Paterson Diocese Federation Knights of Columbus held their annual “Pride in Our Priests” dinner at Hanover Manor in Hanover Nov. 22. Traditionally, every November, the Paterson Federation encourages all its member councils of the Diocese to invite priests from their parishes to attend the dinner held in their honor as a way of thanking the priests for their service to the Church, the Diocese, their parish, and the community.

To mark the First Sunday of Advent, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Nicholas / Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Passaic Nov. 28 where he celebrated Mass in St. Nicholas Church. During the Mass, the Bishop blessed the Advent wreath and lit the first candle on the wreath, which represents hope as Catholics worldwide await the coming of Christ on Christmas Day. The start of Advent also marks the beginning of the new liturgical year.

  During this Year of St. Joseph, Catholics in the universal Church, including those in the Paterson Diocese, learned more about this silent saint of Scripture, in part, by his many attributes and titles. They include as most chaste spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary; devoted earthly father of Jesus; protector of the Holy Family and the Church; and a reliable intercessor in prayer.

In 1521, 500 years ago, the Catholic faith “landed” on the shores of the Philippines when the Magellan expedition came to the islands. Generations later, Filipinos from across the Diocese have continued the traditions of their ancestors by bringing “Simbang Gabi” to the Diocese of Paterson, where it has become a tradition for the past three decades. “Simbang Gabi” is a nine-day novena celebrated during Advent in preparation for the Nativity of Jesus Christ.

When we were children, we began to count the number of days left until Christmas as soon as Decem­ber started in anticipation of the gifts that would be under the Christmas tree for us. But for far too many children this year, that same joy we experienced as children will be missing this Christmas

Two weeks ago, as I wrote my weekly column, I was preparing to attend my first in-person meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). At that time, I had just read the draft of a proposed document on the Eucharist, The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church. At the meeting, the document was approved by more than 95 percent of the bishops (222–8). As I said after first reading it, I believe it is an inspiring document and it will be great help in a much-needed “Eucharistic Revival.” The document is now available online at the USSCB website. 

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney marked the Solemnity of Christ the King with students from William Paterson Univer­sity at the Prince of Peace Chapel in Haledon near the university’s campus Nov. 21. The Fran­ciscan Friars of the Renewal serve in the Catholic Campus Ministry program there. They offer prayer, worship, charitable and social service, fellowship, study, travel, and activities for students who attend WPU to practice their Catholic faith in word and deed.