Prayer and reconciliation

PASSAIC  Prayer and penance are two pillars of Lent and the youth of Passaic gathered on the First Friday of Lent, Feb. 19, to mark the start of the season for a Lenten prayer meeting with Bishop Sweeney in Holy Trinity Church here. The evening began with Mass with the Bishop as the principal celebrant followed by witness talks by two young adults. The evening of prayer concluded with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and music. Father Pawel Tomcyzk, diocesan director of RCIA and youth ministry and chaplain at Fairleigh Dickinson University and Drew University, both in Madison, coordinated the youth event.

In welcoming the young people, Bishop Sweeney said, “It’s a joy for me to be here tonight. 2021 is somewhat of a new year but it still feels a lot like 2020. We are still wearing masks. We are still distanced. It’s hard to get together and some students are still virtually learning for school. But we are able to be here together as God’s family in church. It’s blessing to be here tonight on this first Friday of Lent and be with the young Church to draw closer to Jesus, especially during these days of Lent to prepare for Holy Week and Easter.”

The young people at the Mass sat socially-distanced from each other and wore masks. The choir at Holy Trinity Parish and the Francis­can Friars of the Renewal, who led the Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacra­ment, provided the music for the evening.

In his homily, the Bishop told the youth, “Part of the reason that we are here tonight is so that we are the light that shines because there is so much darkness in our communities, in our families, and the struggles we face. But here we are in the presence of Our Lord, who comes to us in every Mass, Body and Blood, in the Eucharist.”

The Bishop taught the young people a hymn during his homily, “This is holy ground. We are standing on holy ground. For the Lord is present and where God is, is holy ground.”

The Bishop told the youth, “Jesus is reaching out to each one of us. He wants us to know his presence. And knowing his presence through giving up something for Lent, by praying the Stations of the Cross, by coming together for youth ministry so that our light can shine.”

Throughout the evening, the Sacrament of Reconciliation was available for the young people as they prayed before the Blessed Sacrament.

Maria Lizbeth Montenegro, a young adult from Holy Trinity, shared her personal story of faith at the prayer gathering. “I didn’t feel worthy of God’s love or that I wasn’t good enough. Years later, my family and I started coming to church more often and I joined the youth group,” she said.

About confession, Montenegro said, “I was actually scared to go to confession. I was ashamed the priest was going to judge the sins that I have committed. Little did I know that my confession was one of the quickest. He told me my penance and absolved me from my sins and it was very surprising because I thought he would be angry. Right after, I realize there was no hiding anymore or pretending I had to be anyone else. I learned that I am worthy of God’s love.”

Also speaking at the event was Rosa Gomez, a young adult from St. Anthony Parish in Passaic. “God is always there to forgive our sins. Just because you sin, you should not give up. God still loves us despite what we do,” Gomez said. “After all, Jesus fell three times on the road to Calvary and he knew he was going to his death. Yet he got up every single time. When we go to confession, we should try to be like that. Get up, go to confession and not let our sins get the best of us.”

After the two witness talks, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament was held giving the young people the opportunity to pray before Jesus. At the end of the event, the Bishop thanked all the young people for joining with their peers in prayer and that he looks forward to meeting with them at the next youth gathering.