Knights of Columbus San Salvador Council #299 honored Perth Amboy Catholic School teacher, Mary Anne Weber, as Teacher of the Year at an awards ceremony at Assumption Catholic School, Perth Amboy, on June 23.

A network of young Catholic professionals are striving to prove that faith and business can indeed mix to benefit themselves, the Church and the society in which they work, live and pray. The Young Catholic Professionals non-profit organization has instituted a chapter in northern New Jersey which aims to, as proclaimed in its mission statement, “work in witness for Christ” as members strive for personal and professional excellence.

For Father Leon Aniszczyk, a retired priest of the Diocese of Metuchen, his call to service for the Church started at a young age. “I started as an altar server right after I received First Holy Communion,” he said, acknowledging also, “I had the example of good priests.”

How did a nice Jewish boy from Perth Amboy grow up to celebrate a quarter-century of Catholic priesthood? To hear the Very Rev. Father Jonathan S. Toborowsky, who serves as Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Metuchen, explain it, “Looking back now, I see it as a gradual process.”

Carmelite Father Peter Akkanath Chakkunny was born and raised in Kidangoor, Kerala, South India. Today, as he celebrates the 25th anniversary of his ordination, his community wrote in its newsletter, “He is in the USA doing a wonderful healing ministry in the hospital, especially to the terminally ill patients for the last eight years with miraculous results, especially during the COVID-19 time.”

A long-held desire to join the priesthood has served as a beacon for Father Damian Breen, leading him through a life in two separate orders and multiple countries around the world. Through it all, his goal was clear: “I always try to lead others to Christ.”

“I enjoy celebrating the Sacraments, especially the Sacrament of Confession,” declared Father Arlindo Paul Da Silva as he reflected upon his 25 years of priestly ministry. “I see happening what Christ came to do. For people who have been away so long, and carry the weight of sins, to see them lifted is the most inspirational thing.”

When Vocationist Father Vernon Kohlmann, born in 1943 in St. Cloud, Wisconsin, recalls the impact of his youth in a very rural farming community, his musings seem like meditations on God, creation and the human heart.

This year Father David B. Kosmoski celebrates another milestone in his priestly vocation – 40 years of serving the Catholic faithful as a priest, and as pastor of St. Andrew Parish, Avenel, he has been shepherding his flock for the past 33 years.

“I always say to people that I have been the pastor of probably three different parishes over the past 30 plus years,” said Msgr. Gregory E. S. Malovetz, who has served as pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Skillman, since 1989.

“A happy priest is one who really enjoys caring for people, who enjoys serving people,” said Father Charles T. O’Connor, who is celebrating the 40th anniversary of his Ordination.

The first stirrings towards a life as a priest were planted in a youthful Abraham Orapankal as he watched his pastor in the southernmost state of Kerala, India.

In its bulletin, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Whitehouse Station, lists Father Maurice T. Carlton’s role as “pastoral support,” a role he has been perfecting for 55 years.

The early life of Salesians of St. John Bosco Father Jan Bernas was riddled with obstacles – the loss of both parents in his youth, the horrors of World War II in his native Poland, the affliction of disease – but his love of God and those less fortunate has sustained him through 65 years of priestly service.

In late June, the Diocese of Metuchen put the finishing touches on a solar power project at the St. John Neumann Pastoral Center in Piscataway. The brand-new 500,000-kilowatt solar energy system will power the Center while offering both environmental and financial benefits.

In the final days before being ordained as a priest in the Diocese of Metuchen, then Deacon Jose Lim had a desire to go back and give thanks in a place near and dear to his heart – The Catholic Center at Rutgers University.

On our own, we are not worthy, stated Father Thomas W. Lanza to those seated in the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi June 23, “but Jesus makes us worthy. You will be made worthy.”

As I prepared for first-year student orientation at Boston College (BC) in the summer of 2019, I perused BC’s YouTube channel to find a tour or other video that could acquaint me with the campus I would soon call home. Instead, however, I found a lecture by a BC professor entitled “The Last Lecture with Father Michael Himes.”

In this Sunday’s Gospel, St. Matthew focuses our attention on the central theme of all Jesus’ preaching – the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom (Reign) of God refers to God’s dynamic Lordship over all creation, that is, to God’s will being fully embraced and executed by all he has made.