News - January 2026 RSS Feed

Each year on the Feast of the “Presentation of the Lord (February 2),” the Church is invited to contemplate the beautiful mystery of “consecration.” We gaze upon Christ, offered to the Father in the temple; upon Mary and Joseph, faithful in their obedience; and upon Simeon and Anna, whose long years of prayerful waiting are finally fulfilled. It is fitting, then, that this feast is celebrated throughout the Church as the “World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life,” often observed in our parishes on the preceding weekend.

Each year on the Feast of the “Presentation of the Lord (February 2),” the Church is invited to contemplate the beautiful mystery of “consecration.” We gaze upon Christ, offered to the Father in the temple; upon Mary and Joseph, faithful in their obedience; and upon Simeon and Anna, whose long years of prayerful waiting are finally fulfilled. It is fitting, then, that this feast is celebrated throughout the Church as the “World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life,” often observed in our parishes on the preceding weekend.

In the interest of transparency and providing members of the Diocese of Trenton a means of reporting concerns about the misuse of resources, a new financial and ethical misconduct reporting site has been set up by the Diocese of Trenton.

WORLD DAY FOR CONSECRATED LIFE will be celebrated in the Church on Sunday, February 2, 2026, and in parishes over the weekend of January 31 - February 1. Please pray for all those who have made commitments in the consecrated life, and be sure to thank them on their special day. May they continue to be inspired by Jesus Christ and respond generously to God's gift of their vocation.

Following the example of her predecessors, Gov. Mikie Sherrill recently signed a proclamation designating the week of January 25-31, 2026, as Catholic Schools’ Week in New Jersey.

Following the example of her predecessors, Gov. Mikie Sherrill recently signed a proclamation designating the week of January 25-31, 2026, as Catholic Schools’ Week in New Jersey.

I had the privilege of meeting Pope Leo XIV for the first time recently, and I was deeply moved by the warmth, joy and pastoral attentiveness he radiated as he greeted pilgrims gathered in Rome for the conclusion of the Jubilee of Hope. In his presence, one sensed a shepherd who truly believes in the promise of the Church’s future — especially as it is nurtured through Catholic education.

With the theme “Catholic Schools: United in Faith and Community,” this year’s annual Catholic Schools Week will be marked Jan. 25-31, “emphasizing faith formation, service, and strong partnerships with families and parishes” as described by the National Catholic Educators Association.

New Jersey officials have declared a state of emergency for the entire state in anticipation of a major weekend snow and ice storm Saturday evening through Monday afternoon.  Individual parishes will make determinations regarding Sunday and Monday Mass schedules.  Check parish websites.  Parishioners are urged to exercise extreme caution for any driving. Be careful.  The Sunday obligation is dispensed.   Parishioners are encouraged to watch Sunday Mass on TV or online.  Please submit your Sunday collection contributions online or at the following weekend Mass.  Thank you.

This year’s theme, “Catholic Schools — United in Faith and Community,” invites us to reflect on the distinctive gift our schools offer to the Church and to society. Catholic schools are not merely places where students receive an excellent education — though they certainly do that well. They are communities of belonging, where faith is shared, values are lived, and young people are formed to see themselves as beloved sons and daughters of God, called to serve others.

The Jan. 23 event in St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold, will begin with a Mass celebrated at 11 a.m. by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M. The Life Expo that will follow in the parish hall will feature an array of local organizations dedicated to upholding and promoting human dignity throughout all stages of life providing information and resources for: women in crisis pregnancies; shelters that care for pregnant women; pregnancy resource centers; infertility support services; support for adoption, foster care and persons with disabilities; prison ministry, and the diocesan Department of Catholic Cemeteries, which offers a free-of-charge infant burial ministry to those experiencing pregnancy and stillborn loss.

Parishes in the Diocese of Trenton will join parishes throughout the country in participating in the annual Collection for the Church in Latin America the weekend of Jan. 24-25. Sponsored by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the collection began more than 50 years ago as a means of financial support and expression of solidarity between Catholics in the United States with those from Mexico to the Caribbean to the southern tip of South America.

The Chancery offices in Lawrenceville will be closed Monday, Jan. 19, in observance of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Influenced by the writings of the Indian Hindu religious philosopher and civil rights activist Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948), Dr. Martin Luther King (1928-1968) embraced and advocated non-violence and civil disobedience in the sermons and speeches he gave, in the demonstrations and protests he led, in the interactions and conversations he had with both his followers and his opponents all over the country. King made the civil rights movement “front page news” everywhere throughout the turbulent 1960s.

Influenced by the writings of the Indian Hindu religious philosopher and civil rights activist Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948), Dr. Martin Luther King (1928-1968) embraced and advocated non-violence and civil disobedience in the sermons and speeches he gave, in the demonstrations and protests he led, in the interactions and conversations he had with both his followers and his opponents all over the country. King made the civil rights movement “front page news” everywhere throughout the turbulent 1960s.

ON MAY 9, 2024, POPE FRANCIS FORMALLY ANNOUNCED THE OPENING OF THE HOLY YEAR 2025 with his apostolic letter “Spes non confudit (Hope does not disappoint), Romans 5:5.” With its theme “Pilgrims of Hope,” the Holy Year 2025 officially began for the universal Church on December 24, 2024, when Pope Francis customarily opened the bronze Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica.

On May 9, 2024, Pope Francis for His Holiness Pope Leo XIV will officially conclude the Holy Year 2025 for the universal Church on January 6, 2026, the Solemnity of the Epiphany, customarily closing the bronze Holy Door before Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.