METUCHEN — “We gather together dedicated to the mission of teaching,” said Father Timothy A. Christy to the scores of both new and seasoned Catholic school teachers, staff and administrators filling the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi Aug. 30 for the Mass for the Opening of Schools. “The mission of Catholic education is to form students intellectually, spiritually, socially and mentally, the whole child in the context of our faith.”

SOMERVILLE — When Pope Francis released his second encyclical, “Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home,” in 2015, he set into motion a conceptual blueprint as to how all of humanity might come together to respond to the global climate crisis, urgently issuing an appeal to begin a new dialogue about shaping the future of the planet. 

September 11 is an emotional day for us all, as it always reminds us of the horrific terroristic attacks in our country that changed and took the lives of too many innocent people. We continue to pray for the victims and their families and all of us affected by that day’s tragic events. Gratefully, this year, we had a celebration that gives us a reason to offer thanks as our diocesan community gathered with Bishop Emeritus Paul G. Bootkoski at our beautiful Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi for a Mass of thanksgiving for his special milestone of 25 years of episcopal service. Indeed, we have much to be grateful for as 20 of those 25 years have been spent serving the faithful of this wonderful Church of Metuchen.

NORTH BRUNSWICK — On July 16, two years after 20-year-old Daniel Anderl died protecting his mother and father from a gunman, 1,100 runners gathered at the North Brunswick Community Park to celebrate his life and create a legacy in his name at the second and final Daniel Anderl “Love is Light” 5K run.

​​​​​​​GLEN GARDNER — After a hiatus of two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual Four Day Walking Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown, Pa., returned. The pilgrims’ journey began Aug. 4, at Saints Peter and Paul Parish, Great Meadows, and ended at the shrine on Aug. 7. The shrine contains a reproduction of the Black Madonna of Jasna Góra, who has a special place in the lives of Catholics of Polish descent and is Poland’s most revered icon.

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Amidst the slower pace and extra rest the summer provides, I had two beautiful experiences earlier this month that I want to share with you.