On April 12 of last year, Anthony P. Kearns III, Esq. left the position he had held for nine years -— Prosecutor of Hunterdon County. Three days later, he arrived at the Diocese of Metuchen’s Pastoral Center at 5:30 a.m., so early he set off the building’s alarm. “I moved my belongings into the Office of the Chancellor and began a new chapter in my life,” Kearns said. 

Recently, there was a meme on social media showing the devil taunting God. The devil says, “I have closed down every church in the world.” God replies, “Yes, but I have opened one up in every home.” While we cannot be physically present in our church buildings, our homes have recently become the places where we worship God and live our Christian lives. Certainly, this should be taking place in our homes already, although, the new coronavirus (COVID-19) situation causes us to be more intentional in this regard and present circumstances place a greater emphasis on the domestic church.

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I write to you in the midst of what can only be described as unusual times to proclaim to you Easter joy! The fact that changes all of history forever is this: Christ is Risen! Indeed, it may seem odd, it may seem out of place when life as we are accustomed to has been so disrupted; for some tragically so with an unexpected loss of a loved one or serious illness of a family or friend. Economically we face grace consequences. These dire circumstances of course are the ravaging destruction of the COVID-19 pandemic; the likes of which we have not seen in our lifetime. One common experience we all now share has been that our lives, as we know them, have seemingly come to a halt. We are “sheltered at home,” with only “essential” outings to places like the pharmacy and grocery store. Social distancing has canceled or postponed every gathering. Sadly, our worship and sacramental life, too, has been radically changed, for the most part, to remote access from our local parish or our Cathedral.

On April 2, 20 people gathered for prayer, praise and discussion. Thanks to the Internet, none of the participants were in danger of contracting the coronavirus, which has kept large groups of people from worshiping at Mass and participation in other faith-based activities because of a ban declared by Gov. Phil Murphy.

METUCHEN — Smiling as he called the congregation “a small but valiant crew,” Bishop James F. Checchio and those assembled at the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi March 25 eagerly awaited the “yes” to be uttered by David Edward Keyes, the newest candidate for the transitional diaconate of the diocese. The ordination, slated for the Feast of the Annunciation, took place during a private liturgy because of the coronavirus pandemic.

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Brother Priests, Deacons and Seminarians, Faithful Consecrated Women and Men Religious, I write to you with great hope and confidence that God is close to us in these very difficult days. We must never doubt that our daily concerns are His concerns too. And no one knows our needs better than Jesus’ own mother, Mary.

Today, as we contend with the COVID-19 pandemic, Catholic parishes across the Diocese of Metuchen are providing light in the darkness for their parish communities.   Now, more than ever before, parishes are playing an integral role in the corporal, spiritual, moral and psychological fabric of their people.  Thankfully, the “parish,” which is defined as the stable community of the faithful, is able to provide calm and stability in a time of fear and uncertainty.  

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Heidi Vass, music director at La Reina High School and Middle School in Thousand Oaks, California, was searching for a way to keep her students singing even though distance learning kept them from singing together.

CLEVELAND (CNS) — Local journalism outlets, including diocesan newspapers, are being touted as vital information sources during the COVID-19 pandemic worthy of being included in a new round of federal emergency aid.

CLEVELAND (CNS) — Religious nonprofits, including schools, parishes and some dioceses, are eligible for assistance under regulations developed to implement portions of the massive $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act.

PISCATAWAY – For many in the Diocese of Metuchen, Easter was different this year, but for some, the day was business as usual.

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, This Holy Week is a certainly a unique one for us, marked by physical separation and desolation. Yet, it is also marked with hope, knowing that as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus, who in His own desolation carried our sins on the weight of His cross, He is with us even now carrying the weight of all of our burdens and our sufferings, as He leads us to the joy of the Resurrection.

METUCHEN – As Catholics around the world entered into Holy Week on Palm Sunday with the commemoration of Jesus’s entrance into Jerusalem, Catholics in the Diocese of Metuchen, unable to be physically present together in their local parishes because of social distancing, participated in livestreamed Masses from their own homes.

WASHINGTON (CNS) — With so much Catholic charitable work being direct, face-to-face service, those efforts would be stymied in the face of such coronavirus-mandated restrictions as group-size limits and social distancing, right?

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — While Pope Francis’ Way of the Cross service on Good Friday has been transferred to the Vatican because of the coronavirus pandemic, the meditations focus, as always, on those who share the pain, suffering and heartbreak that characterized Christ’s passion and death.

WASHINGTON (CNS) — The Catholic Church has had a long tradition of calling on saints and praying for their intercession in sickness and difficult times. This plea for saintly help for protection from disease and healing was particularly evident when the bubonic plague, or Black Death, spread throughout Europe in the 14th century killing one-third of the population.

Today is the anniversary of death of St. John Paul II.  He has always been an inspiration for me.  I was blessed to be praying in St. Peter's Square when he died and they announced the sad news of his death to the world, as well as for his funeral Mass. 

PISCATAWAY – As pews sit empty in churches around the four-county Diocese of Metuchen because of social distancing due to the coronavirus, Catholics in the diocese are finding new ways to stay connected to their faith.

“When evening had come” (Mk 4:35). The Gospel passage we have just heard begins like this. For weeks now it has been evening. Thick darkness has gathered over our squares, our streets and our cities; it has taken over our lives, filling everything with a deafening silence and a distressing void, that stops everything as it passes by; we feel it in the air, we notice in people’s gestures, their glances give them away. We find ourselves afraid and lost. Like the disciples in the Gospel we were caught off guard by an unexpected, turbulent storm. We have realized that we are on the same boat, all of us fragile and disoriented, but at the same time important and needed, all of us called to row together, each of us in need of comforting the other. On this boat… are all of us. Just like those disciples, who spoke anxiously with one voice, saying “We are perishing” (v. 38), so we too have realized that we cannot go on thinking of ourselves, but only together can we do this. 

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — People who cannot get to confession because of the coronavirus lockdown or another serious reason can go to God directly, be specific about their sins, request pardon and experience God’s loving forgiveness, Pope Francis said.