Dear Friends,

Join me in welcoming our new bishop!

Bishop Kevin Sweeney was installed as the eighth Bishop of the Diocese of Paterson on July 1, 2020 at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist. It was a great joy for me to pray for our new bishop, and alongside of him for the People of God now given over to his care.

When Jesus founded his Church on earth, he entrusted it to the care of the apostles, who were the first bishops or “shepherds” of the Christian faithful. They passed on that special task to others through the laying on of hands (the sacrament of Holy Orders), a practice that is still faithfully followed by the Catholic Church that continues to the present time.

Bishops have many challenges that we cannot imagine. The Bishop of the Diocese of Paterson is no different. His is a weighty task, one that is impossible to manage without the spiritual support of his flock. Let us ask God, then, to fill Bishop Sweeney with the courage and strength he needs to bring Jesus’ mission to life in this place:

God, eternal shepherd, you tend your Church in many ways and rule us with love. You have chosen your servant, Bishop Sweeney, to be a shepherd of your flock. Give him a spirit of courage and right judgement, a spirit of knowledge and love. By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care, may he build your Church as a sign of salvation for the world.
Amen!

Father Daniel

δοῦλος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ