Deacon Anniversaries: Deacon Stephen Holzinger, Deacon Richard McCarron, Deacon Joseph Moscinski

Deacon Stephen Holzinger
Our Lady of Lourdes, Milltown
30 Years

For Deacon Stephen Holzinger II, his personal mission as a deacon has always been “to serve the Church and help build up the Kingdom of God around me.”

He acknowledged being inspired by the example of Deacon Francis Morano, St. Matthais Parish, Somerset, especially by how he lived his life and how he treated and ministered to others.

“He was holy without being pious and probably the gentlest man I’ve ever known,” Deacon Holzinger shared. “I met him when I joined St. Matthias Parish in the early 80s. He passed away about five years ago and I assisted at his funeral Mass,” he said.

Deacon Holzinger, who has been married to wife Patti for 49 years, has two children and two grandchildren. He has lived out his personal mission through his ministry assignments in both Saint Matthias Parish, Somerset, and his current parish of Our Lady of Lourdes, Milltown, including visits to the sick and elderly, both at home and in institutions, preaching, assisting at the altar, celebrating sacraments, Order of Christian Initiation for Adults, and serving as pastoral staff liaison for marriage and baptismal preparation among other ministries.

“I especially enjoyed doing prayer services at nursing homes and assisted living centers,” he said.

Deacon Holzinger received his certificate in ministry from the College of St. Elizabeth, Convent Station, where he studied from 1990 – 1994.  He was ordained in 1994 in the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi, Metuchen, by Bishop Edward T. Hughes. Father John Barbella served as vesting clergy.

Having studied to become an electronics technician at DeVry Technical Institute, Deacon Holzinger has had a distinguished and varied career in the field, including various positions at Somerset County Transportation, Bridgewater, ending with Community Transit manager from 2000-2015. Since retiring in 2015, he enjoys golf and assisting in the active adult community where he lives.

By Anna M. Githens, Correspondent

 

 

Deacon Richard McCarron
Retired
30 Years

“It meant everything to me,” said Deacon Richard McCarron when he spoke about his service in St. Augustine of Canterbury Parish, Kendall Park, from 1994 to 2013.

Born in the Bronx, Deacon McCarron attended Hunter College in 1965 and worked on Wall Street as a foreign currency broker from 1970 to 2003.

His diaconal training was in St. Elizabeth College, Convent Station, from 1990 to 1994 where he received a Certificate in Ministry.

The late Bishop Edward Hughes ordained Deacon McCarron in 1994 in the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi, Metuchen. The late Msgr.William Capano served as his vesting clergy.

Deacon McCarron and his late wife, Susan, had seven children – Richard McCarron Jr., Kevin, Brian, Terence, Erin, Colleen and Daniel.

Over the years, said Deacon McCarron, he came to learn “how supportive Susan was because a deacon’s wife has to do many things alone when her husband has church commitments.”

The couple met Patrick Kilcoyne at a Marriage Encounter in 1978, and observed him go through the process of diaconate formation. This inspired Deacon McCarron to become a deacon himself. “We were like brothers,” he said. The late Deacon Kilcoyne served at St. Bartholomew Parish in East Brunswick.

During his ministry in St. Augustine of Canterbury Parish, Deacon McCarron conducted Pre-Cana classes and bereavement support, made hospital visits, performed marriages, and baptized more than 1,000 babies. He was also the confidant of married individuals who had problems. At St. Joseph High School, Metuchen, he served as director of Pastoral Life and Campus Ministry.

Today, church obligations such as OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) classes, bereavement support and paperwork for marriage preparation and annulments, still take up most of his time. Having relocated to North Carolina, Deacon McCarron continues to serve as a deacon in St. Mark Parish, Huntersville, which, he said, “has 15,000 parishioners and is super active.”

By Marianne Komek, Correspondent

 

 

Deacon Joseph Moscinski
Retired
30 Years

During his life, Deacon Joseph Moscinski came to realize that “growth in the interior life is a process.”

Deacon Moscinksi first attended Fordham University, N.Y., where he developed his love of writing, earning a Master of Arts Degree in English.

For a time, he was in formation with the Jesuits, but eventually discerned God was calling him to a different vocation. He later married his wife, Patricia. Among his three children was Christopher, who became Franciscan Friar of the Renewal Father Fidelis Moscinski, ordained for the Archdiocese of New York in 2001.

Deacon Moscinski served as homilist for Father Fidelis’ first Mass.

The late Bishop Edward T. Hughes ordained Deacon Moscinski in 1994 in the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi, Metuchen, after diaconal training was completed in St. Elizabeth College, Convent Station.

Deacon Moscinski served in ministry in St. Joseph Parish, Carteret, and St. Joseph Parish, Hillsborough, performing a “gamut of deacon’s duties.”  He especially liked preaching, though he acknowledged that the most meaningful ministry for him was the 11 years he spent serving mentally ill patients in Carrier Clinic, Belle Mead. “It taught me not to say much, but that listening to them was most important,” he said.

Deacon Moscinski, who taught English in Colonia High School for 36 years, continued to write, authoring the book, “Notes from the Desert: A Canticle of Prayer” which highlights the life of the Hermits of Bethlehem, Pa.

He is quoted often on their webpage, where his thoughts lead others to understand and seek out a life of silence, solitude and sacrifice. He writes, “In solitude God takes off our masks. The bad news, or so we may think, is we have nothing to hide behind. The good news is we are now face to Face.”

Now retired, Deacon Moscinski is a member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Three Bridges.

By Marianne Komek, Correspondent and Mary Morrell, Editor