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Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., issued a call for prayer in advance of Father Garrett’s surgery. He writes, “I invite all the clergy and faithful of the Diocese of Trenton to join me in prayer for one of our priests, Father J.C. Garrett, who has, at long last, located a kidney donor for transplant surgery on July 22.”

The annual collection is taken up in all Catholic churches across Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean counties, coinciding with the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and grandparents of Jesus. Begun in 2022 by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., the fund supports more than 80 priests of the Diocese in their retirement housing and healthcare needs.

THE COVER OF THIS YEAR’S LIVES OF FAITH ISSUE DEPICTS OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION, patroness of the Diocese of Trenton. She provides an apt example of perfect discipleship to whom all religious and clergy can look for inspiration and intercession.

Presented by the diocesan Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministry, the St. Timothy Award recognizes youth in grades 9-12 who have demonstrated outstanding acts of charity, ministry and additional outreach to their parishes and wider communities. The teens are nominated by parish youth ministers, pastors and catechetical leaders.

AS THE VERY POPULAR PASSAGE FROM ECCLESIASTES tells us in the Old Testament, “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.” That message was recently echoed by Terry Ginther, the Diocese’s outgoing chancellor and executive director of Pastoral Life and Mission, at the end of her retirement celebration on June 25. It is a prevailing truth in all things, but it seems to be particularly poignant at this time of year with so many things in flux.

BISHOP DAVID M. O'CONNELL, C.M., EXTENDS HIS CONGRATULATIONS to our Holy Father Pope Leo XIV as he receives the 38th Annual Liberty Medal on July 3, 2026, from the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on the eve of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. The award recognizes the Holy Father’s lifelong work promoting religious liberty and freedom of conscience and expression around the world, ideals enshrined by America’s founders in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

THE CHANCERY IN LAWRENCEVILLE will be closed Friday, July 3, for Independence Day. Regular office hours will resume, Monday, July 6.

In response to the catastrophic twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela June 24, 2026, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., asked the faithful of the Diocese of Trenton to pray for the victims and support the relief effort.

Ginther, diocesan chancellor and executive director of Pastoral Life and Mission, was feted June 25 during a Mass of Thanksgiving in St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold, with Bishop O’Connell serving as principal celebrant and homilist. He was joined by some 40 concelebrating priests, many who benefited over the years from Ginther’s counsel and collaboration.

Summer invites us to slow down and rediscover the simple blessings God places in our lives. With school on break and the pace of daily responsibilities easing, we find more time for the people who matter most. Picnics and barbecues, trips to the shore or the mountains, long evenings of sunlight and star‑filled skies, games in the backyard, parish carnivals, outdoor concerts, leisurely walks, renewed exercise, gardening, and the taste of fresh strawberries, Jersey tomatoes and corn on the cob – all of these moments and things remind us in summertime how richly God blesses us through creation and through one another.

IN OBSERVANCE OF FATHER’S DAY, let us keep the gift of our fathers before us and remember them in our daily prayers. Blessings to all our fathers, from Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M.

THE CHANCERY OFFICES IN LAWRENCEVILLE will be closed today, Friday, June 19, in observance of the federal holiday, Juneteenth. Office hours will resume Monday at 9 a.m.

BISHOP O’CONNELL INVITES ALL THE CLERGY, SEMINARIANS, RELIGIOUS AND FAITHFUL of the Diocese of Trenton to pray the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) “Prayer of Consecration to the Sacred Heart” throughout this week as the USCCB celebrates the 250th anniversary of our nation by dedicating the United States of America to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the Thursday, June 11, the Vigil of this Solemnity.”

THE MONTH OF JUNE IS TRADITIONALLY DEDICATED to the Sacred Heart. On June 11, 2026, as part of the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. bishops will consecrate the United States of America to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Catholic faith communities around the country are encouraged to join the bishops in celebrating the consecration of our nation to the Sacred Heart through their own prayer and acts of devotion.

MRS. DENISE CONTINO, DIRECTOR OF CATECHESIS, has been appointed as Executive Director of Pastoral Life and Mission of the Diocese of Trenton, effective July 1, 2026.

Editor’s note: In light of Pope Leo XIV’s new encyclical on artificial intelligence, we are re-posting a pastoral reflection on the topic written by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., from last December.

Papal encyclicals have long served as a privileged means by which the Successor of Peter offers guidance to the Church and the world. Addressed primarily to bishops but intended for all the faithful, they illuminate moral, theological and social questions that require thoughtful discernment. While not typically issued as infallible ex cathedra (from the chair) teachings, encyclicals carry significant doctrinal authority as expressions of the pope’s ordinary Magisterium and often set the pastoral priorities of a pontificate.

MEMORIAL DAY IS OBSERVED THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES on the last Monday in May. This national holiday is widely considered the beginning of summer, a few weeks shy of the actual calendar date. Many families celebrate by displaying the flag, attending parades and carnivals, opening swimming pools, having backyard barbecues and, for many, taking a day off from work or school. Another custom regularly followed is the traditional visit to cemeteries where members of the military who gave their lives for our country are buried.

THE SACRED SCRIPTURES REMIND US THAT “the love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit dwelling with us” (Romans 5:5). As we come to the close of the Easter Season and celebrate the great Solemnity of Pentecost – the “birthday of the Church” – we rejoice in the fulfillment of Christ’s promise to remain with us always through the gift of the Holy Spirit.

“Security funding helps schools strengthen entrances, improve communication systems, coordinate with law enforcement, and prepare responsibly for emergencies,” said Milecki. “At its core, this is about ensuring that every child can learn in a safe environment grounded in faith, stability, and community.”