In light of changes that continue to sweep society and the Church — compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic — several parishes in the Diocese are imagining new approaches to being “parish.” On Oct. 19, ministry teams from the seven parishes met in the auditorium of St. Paul Inside the Walls: the Diocesan Center for Evangelization at Bayley-Ellard in Madison to begin the process of revitalizing their faith communities.

The Diocesan Shrine of St. Pope John Paul II / Holy Rosary in Passaic held a weeklong celebration honoring the Saint-Pope, whose feast day was marked Oct. 22.

Bishop Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Parsippany where he celebrated the vigil Mass marking the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time on Oct. 24.

A small group of faithful of St. Mary Parish in Pompton Lakes are learning — or are being reminded — that racism isn’t only caused by the hateful acts of individuals but more pervasively by a long-standing social and political system in the U.S. designed to maintain the “status quo” of inequality for people of color.

On Oct. 18, World Mission Sunday was marked by the universal Church with Pope Francis leading the celebration at the Vatican with an Angelus message thanking the missionaries, priests, laity and consecrated persons who spread the Gospel message to all ends of the world. The entire month of October is dedicated to the missions and this year’s theme was taken from the Book of Isaiah, “Baptized and Sent. Weavers of Fraternity.”

Throughout the Gospels, the words “follow me” are found as Jesus called his disciples to find new life and joy in him. One of the most prominent instances is when he called two brothers, Peter and Andrew, and told them “follow me.” Today in the digital age, seeing the word “follow” is associated with social media platforms. It is that small button displayed on Facebook or Instagram pages that allows those who have an interest in a page to stay connected to the page and its posts.

If you were asked, who is on your voting ballot, it would be an easy question to answer. However, if you were asked, what is on your voting ballot, for many the answer might be a head scratcher. The answer to the second question should be as easy as the first, if you realize that whomever you cast your vote for is what is on the ballot.

Some 56 years ago, during the Second Vatican Council, the Church published Lumen Gentium (“the Light of Nations”), which reminded us what the Church has always believed and taught: “We are all called to holiness” or “We are all called to be saints!” Do we take that call seriously? Do we believe it is possible to live a holy life? I know there are many who take this call seriously, and most are aware, like St. Paul, of how often we fall short in living out that call. At the same time, it is possible because with God (and his grace) “all things are possible.”

Bishop Kevin Sweeney was the main celebrant and homilist for the Diocese’s sixth annual Firefighters Red Mass on Oct. 13 at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson. The Mass honored a firefighter who died in the line of duty and five active duty firefighters who died in the past year. Concelebrating the Mass with the Bishop were Msgr. Geno Sylva, St. John’s rector and diocesan vicar of special projects, and Father Brendan Murray, a retired diocesan priest who has served as a fire chaplain.

On Palm Sunday, Dan Venezia, a personal trainer, life coach and former pro baseball player, landed in the hospital, gasping for breath and trying to hold on to hope in God while fighting his toughest — and deadliest — opponent: COVID-19. A parishioner of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, he engaged in the fight of his life using his own “playbook” with strategies to strengthen his spirit, mind and body — in that order — to help defeat this fearsome enemy.

Bishop Kevin Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Joseph’s Rest Home in Paterson run by the Daughters of Charity of the Most Precious Blood on Oct. 12. The facility is home for elderly women, who are surrounded with a warm and homelike atmosphere under the care of the sisters. During the visit, the Bishop celebrated Mass in the chapel that was attended by the Precious Blood Sisters and residents of the healthcare facility. Sister Alphonsa Kunnel marked her 50th jubilee in religious life at the Mass.

Engaged couples that participate in Pre-Cana in the Diocese gain practical insights and approaches to build a strong marriage, such as knowing your spouse’s “love style,” in the context of the Seven Virtues in “Life Skills for Married Couples” — part of the Diocese’s marriage preparation program. Last month, Jill Cherrey, a Pre-Cana facilitator at St. Paul Inside the Walls: the Diocesan Center for Evangelization in Madison with husband, Jim, led a seminar by videoconference to train or refresh Pre-Cana ministers in parishes and at St. Paul’s in the diocesan program. The Office of Family Life sponsored the event.

I have always found Dorothy Day to be a fascinating, complex individual (and it is not just because she is a fellow New Yorker born in Brooklyn!) She was a prolific writer with strong opinions. Her words were always inspiring and often challenging. Day’s road to Catholicism was not an easy one, but she could not turn away from the beauty of the faith that tugged at her heart. Her tireless work of behalf of the poor, the outcast, the marginalized, along with her steadfast commitment to the Catholic faith, are models for us all. In 2002, New York’s John Cardinal O’Connor initiated Day’s cause for sainthood. While those around her called her a saint, Dorothy Day, always feisty and in true New York fashion, replied, “Don’t call me a saint. I don’t want to be dismissed so easily.”

In seven years since opening its doors, the Passaic Neighborhood Center for Women has touched the lives of countless women, who once felt they did not have a voice but now feel empowered. With more than 10,000 visits to the center, located in the former rectory of St. Nicholas Church in Passaic, according to the center’s mission statement, “the center exists to provide a place for women of Passaic to meet, share and grow in a peaceful and safe environment.”

As a statue of the Blessed Mother passed through the city streets of Passaic for five miles, Catholics found a moment of hope. On Oct. 9, 600 people took part in a rosary procession with the faithful coming from all nine of the Catholic churches in the city to participate. The annual procession is a tradition that takes place in the city during October, the Month of the Holy Rosary.

Judge Amy Coney Barrett and Vice President Joe Biden are both Catholics, but only one of them faces fierce public criticism for their faith. It is not for us to question the faith of a fellow Catholic, but most certainly we can question how secular society looks at Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s faith and excoriates her for it while Joe Biden, running for the highest office in this land, is never, ever questioned about his faith, let alone taken to task for it.