At the end of September into October, I had the blessing of going to Rome for a visit. I always enjoy going back to visit Rome. I stay at the North American College (NAC) where I studied as a seminarian and a young priest and then, later, served as Rector. So Rome has many beautiful memories for me. During my time as Rector, 500 seminarians were ordained priests for service here in the United States and work throughout the country in parishes, but some are back in Rome doing graduate studies, working for the Holy See or at the seminary forming new priests. It is always great to have an opportunity to catch up with them and hear about their priestly ministry.
While visiting Rome, I was able to visit with our two seminarians studying at NAC – Bruce Cargill, a second year theologian from Immaculate Conception in Annandale and Jacob Miller, a first year theologian from Mary Mother of God in Hillsborough. I am grateful to pass on that both are doing very well in their formation and in forming their hearts to be more like the Good Shepherd’s. Both, also, have had a chance to meet the Holy Father and often receive his blessing at Masses or at the Sunday Angelus or General Audiences he holds weekly. Please pray for them and for all 19 of our seminarians with whom we are blessed.
Also, while there, 16 young men from the U.S. studying at the College were ordained deacons at St. Peter’s. It was a joyful, blessed day as these generous men laid down their lives and were configured to Christ the Servant! They will be ordained priests next spring, God willing. I also had the opportunity to concelebrate Mass at the tomb of St. Peter in the necropolis of St. Peter’s with Father Andrzej Wieliczko, pastor of Holy Trinity in Helmetta, and some of his friends visiting Rome with him for his 25th anniversary of priestly ordination.
It was wonderful to offer this Mass with him and his friends, thanking God for the gift of his priestly ministry. Another Mass I had in the necropolis of St. Peter’s was with some friends of mine whom I married more than 30 years ago as a newly ordained priest. The wife, after having married her Catholic husband in the Church and raising their five children as Catholics, was received into the Church and celebrated her first Communion and Confirmation at our Mass in the crypt. The joy of this couple and her friends at the Mass, at which her husband had been surprised as she told him right before Mass began, was certainly uplifting. Yes, the Rome trip had many joyful moments.
I was also able to spend time with an Irish priest I got to know in Rome who has been working for 20 years at the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Msgr. John Kennedy. Monsignor worked in the Congregation with Cardinal Ratzinger as a young priest and has continued his service there being recently named Secretary of the Dicastery by Pope Francis and made an Archbishop. Monsignor was ordained an archbishop while I was there, so I was able to join at St. Peter’s for the Ordination Mass along with 15 cardinals, more than 30 bishops, many priests, along with his family and friends from Ireland.
It was a day for me to recall my own Ordination here as a Bishop at Sacred Heart Parish in South Plainfield and thank God for the blessings that have come to me from my service here as your Bishop. You are a blessing to me. I thought that service as Rector in Rome, helping all those young men to be priests, would be the highlight of my priesthood, but my years here with you have been a joy that would be hard to top!
Yes, my recent trip to Rome was grand, but I am happy to be back now in our beloved Metuchen Diocese. Recently, I gathered with the priests of our Diocese for our annual three-day convocation. Our priests are generous, good men, striving to meet your pastoral and spiritual needs at a challenging time. The annual convocation is a great time for us to be together in prayer and discussion while enjoying one another’s company at our meals.
Please pray for our priests, as well as our seminarians, that the Lord will bless them all and bring more young men to join us by answering God’s call to follow His Son in His Holy Priesthood. We need more shepherds for our parishes, and I count on your prayers for that, as well as your asking men whom you think would be good priests to open their hearts to it! If you know of anyone who might be interested in the priesthood, you can email our vocation director, Father Tom Lanza, at [email protected].
Pray for me, too, please, even as I will be praying for you. Know of my love, prayers and gratitude for you! God bless you all.
Most Reverend James F. Checchio, JCD, MBA Bishop of Metuchen