The Monitor Articles 2018
- David Kilby
- Jun 17
- 25 min read
Below are the articles I wrote for the Trenton Monitor, the newspaper of the Diocese of Trenton, in 2018.
1/04/2018
Continuing to INSPIRE
Years after winning diocesan contest, RBC student’s Loving Life design made into lapel pin
Story by David Kilby, Correspondent
Kerry Bates supports life from conception to natural death wherever she can.
A student in Red Bank Catholic High School, Bates recently represented her generation’s dedication to the pro-life cause through the creation of lapel pins using a winning logo design she created for the Diocese of Trenton’s 2015 Loving Life Logo contest.
“I believe that millennials being pro-life is vital,” she said. “Our ideals and beliefs will be carried on by millennials, so it’s important that we all know and understand what it really means to be pro-life.”
An active member of RBC’s pro-life club, Caseys for Life, Bates was inspired as a freshman to participate in the diocesan Department of Pastoral Care’s pro-life logo design contest.
“I thought it would be a wonderful way to integrate my thoughts on the pro-life campaign with my love for artistic creation,” she said.
Her logo represented the simplicity of a mother’s love for her child, with minimalistic lines and curves, to show that the choice of pro-life should be simple, she explained.
“Nothing compares to the love a mother feels for her own child, and to take such a pure life away from the world is to deprive a mother of feeling that love,” Bates said.
Now, nearly three years later, that logo has been seen by thousands thanks to the Respect Life Campaign efforts of St. Leo the Great Parish, Lincroft, and Knights of Columbus Council 6392, which partnered in October to make Bates’ Loving Life logo into a lapel pin.
Joseph Manzi, St. Leo the Great director of finance, operations and development, met with Council 6392 to discuss making the image into a pin and distributing it among its parishioners. He said Father John Folchetti, parish pastor, is a strong supporter of activities inspired by young people.
“We just thought this was something exceptional that was created by this young woman. We knew having something created by a teenager would have great attraction to families,” Manzi said.
Doug Walsh, Supreme Knight of Council 6392, said the pins raised approximately $1,700, which the council intends to donate to Birthright of Monmouth County.
Walsh said it is vital for the Knights to support the pro-life efforts of teens.
“We strongly believe it is very important to encourage young people generally – young Catholic people specifically – to get involved in Church, charitable and pro-life causes,” said Walsh, who is the father of a 16-year-old. “As young people become more connected electronically, they seem to be less involved with their communities.
“Yet when I speak with young people, I am pleasantly surprised to find that they still have strong feelings favoring pro-life efforts,” he continued. “In our experience, when young people see the rewards of their charitable service, they view it less as a demand and more as a fulfillment.”
Deborah Flego, RBC Christian Living teacher and Caseys for Life moderator, explained how Bates puts Walsh’s words into action.
“I remember hearing great things about Kerry when she won the Respect Life Loving Life Logo contest her freshman year,” Flego said. “I was very impressed that she felt strongly enough to submit everything on her own without being in my class or being encouraged by the Caseys for Life Club. Kerry is one of the many students who respect the dignity of others by example.”
Caseys for Life provides multiple opportunities for teens to reach out in support of the pro-life cause, including researching volunteer prospects, helping at local pregnancy centers, joining youth groups and attending pro-life rallies and events, such as the March for Life. While she has not yet been to a March for Life, Bates said she is eager to attend one in the future.
Praying for an end to abortion is also just as important as any rally, program, or volunteer opportunity, she added.
“A parent’s bond with their own child is something that cannot be replaced or compared to anything else,” she said.
1/10/2018
Young people play big roles as Epiphany's gifts celebrated in Trenton, Marlton
By Rose O’Connor and David Kilby
Correspondents
Honoring the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child, young people took center stage during parish observances of the Feast of the Epiphany Jan. 7.
“We are very blessed here,” Deacon Luis Ramos said as children prepared to receive gifts from three young parishioners dressed as the Magi after Mass in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton. “People are very good to our parishioners.”
The presents, distributed by José Estevez, Erick Plaza and Fabian Tobito, were donated by Toys R Us, Lawrenceville, which is managed by parishioner Ivan Collazo. “It’s nice to see their smiles,” Collazo said. “Toys allow children to be children.” Gifts were one of the main messages in both Trenton’s Cathedral and St. Isaac Jogues Parish, Marlton, where youngsters in grades K-5 celebrated the story of Christ’s birth and the Magi who visited the infant Jesus with gold, frankincense and myrrh.
The Gift of Self-Sacrifice
During the celebration of the Vigil Mass in Trenton, Msgr. Joseph Roldan, Cathedral rector, recalled in his homily the story of the Gift of the Magi, written by O. Henry and published in 1905. In the well-known story, a husband and wife struggle financially to purchase a Christmas gift for the other. The wife sells her beautiful hair to purchase a chain for her husband’s much-loved pocket watch, which he has sold to purchase combs for her long locks. In the story, the couple comes to understand that their love is the true and priceless gift. “This is why we do gift-giving on the Epiphany,” Msgr. Roldan said. “We see the journey of the Magi and the sacrifices they made to bring gifts to Jesus; we then bring gifts to Jesus, too – the gift of ourselves.” Deacon Ramos, who assisted at Mass, reiterated that message, saying the gift of love brought by Jesus “is the ultimate gift. He gave his life by dying on the Cross.”
The Present of Presence
Father Phillip Pfleger, pastor, also spoke of gifts during St. Isaac Jogues Parish’s Epiphany celebration and annual Christmas program.
“We prepare so much for Christmas Day that we often miss that the real great gifts are not what we give each other, but what God has given to us,” he said. “Every day we can give these gifts back to Jesus’ sisters and brothers. In a world that’s kind of gone crazy, God is always with us. This is a great way to become more aware of that. These are the things the kids will remember.”
Indeed, it was a day to remember as the parish community watched their young parishioners present a Christmas program celebrating Christ’s Birth. The performance, starring grades K-5, is traditionally held in December but was moved this year to celebrate the Christmas season.
The program began with a song about the Nativity of Christ, sung by Samantha Thomas to the melody of “Broken Hallelujah.”
Six students rang bells and sang to the tune of “Silent Night,” which served as a segue into the narration of the Christmas story. Various students narrated the story as actors played the parts of Mary, Joseph, shepherds and the Magi.
“Thank you, young parishioners, for reminding us that Christmas is not just one day,” St. Joseph Sister Mary Kay Kelley, director of religious education and coordinator of the event, said at the end of the program. Father Pfleger echoed that sentiment, saying, “We know that this comes from the heart. We know that these children are learning the message Jesus has for us. It’s a great way of letting them know that in this family of St. Isaac’s, we come together to support each other, to love each other and to pray.”
Others who attended pointed out the importance for the parish to hold events such as the Christmas program.
“It fosters community for the children and the parents so we can show them that Christmas and their faith is more than just rituals,” parishioner Dan Trost said.
Said Terri Verrone, Sister Mary Kay’s assistant, “We’re really trying to convey the message of living the faith and being part of the parish.”
Jillian Strauss, an eighth-grader who attended the program, agreed that message was conveyed. “It brings families together. … People feel welcome.”
1/26/2018
Charity on menu as RBC graduate donates to food pantry during frigid temperatures
By David Kilby, Correspondent
Joey Hagan is no stranger to service, which is why when temperatures across the state plummeted to dangerous levels earlier this month, the Red Bank Catholic High School graduate’s first thought was helping others.
“My parents have raised me to keep those less fortunate in mind and to give back when I can; it just feels like the right thing to do,” said Hagan, who with the help of his father, donated more than half a ton of soup to the Lunch Break food pantry in Red Bank to help its clients get through the winter.
Hagan, currently a student at Villanova University outside Philadelphia, has a history with Lunch Break, dating back to the summers when he attended RBC. As a part of his academic goals, he wanted to earn his place in the National Honor Society, which he did in fact achieve. In addition to getting good grades, he required service hours. Going to school in Red Bank, he learned about Lunch Break, which provides necessities such as food and clothing to those in need.
Hagan recalled the summers he volunteered with Lunch Break. At the time, he was also on the RBC football team. “Our team had a very strict and regimented summer program with a practice or two practices daily.”
He would wake up early to get to Lunch Break around opening time at 8 a.m. and volunteer there until he needed to go to football practice around 2 or 3 p.m., walking across Red Bank to school to start his day of football training. This was his schedule for about three to four weeks over the summer.
“Since I was happy doing the work at Lunch Break, I volunteered again with slightly less intensity the following summer,” he said, adding that he volunteered because he wanted to give back to the community.
Indeed, it was that sense of service that spurred him to help out again while he was home from college during the first winter storm of 2018. Hagan’s father, Joseph, a successful businessman and investor, is the CEO of The Original Soupman, made popular after its appearance on the television show “Seinfeld.” With extra cases of soup on hand, the Hagans reached out to Lunch Break.
“In the end, I can’t take all the credit because I’ve been influenced by my parents so much,” Joey Hagan said. “It was both my Dad and I who made this donation happen.”
Hagan said his Catholic faith gives him a strong moral compass to help him live his best. During his time at Villanova University, he has been involved in other charitable events such as the “NOVADance,” an annual festival for children fighting childhood cancer. He has also participated in the regional Special Olympics, hosted by the university.
He regularly participates in Villanova University’s Days of Service events that occur throughout the year, where groups of volunteers help out with various charitable work in the greater Philadelphia area. Hagan returned from his winter break a day early to participate in Villanova’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.
Hagan offers a word of advice to young Catholics who are trying to balance the academic, social and outreach aspects of life: find something you’re passionate about.
“I made some great friends at Lunch Break, and it didn’t feel like work most of the time I was there,” he said. “I would also advise that you shouldn’t be afraid to get a ‘full plate.’ You may have to sacrifice some free time, but if you value the volunteer work that you are doing, you will not regret the time you put in.”
Hagan’s father said he is proud of the way his son takes initiative in volunteer projects.
“The fact that he chose Villanova and that he continues to give back when he comes home on break by donating food and giving back makes me prouder than even the Dean’s List. He knows the more he achieves in life, the more he can give back.”
Diane Lilli, a friend of the Hagan family, said Hagan’s family has a strong belief system. “When you grow up surrounded by people who care about giving back, it’s something that is part of your childhood – it’s natural and part of what you value.”
2/8/2018
Year of Marriage to strengthen couples taking root in Nativity Parish
By David Kilby, Correspondent
In his continuing effort to strengthen marriages, Father Jim Grogan, pastor of Nativity Parish, Fair Haven, has introduced a “Year of Marriage” for the 2018 liturgical year that is being celebrated with events that embrace the fullness of God in marriage.
“We are looking to transform our parish to be a place where the celebration of marriage as a Sacrament is something that excites families – long before anyone is actually getting a ring, and long after you have said ‘I do!’” he explained.
Each month, the parish is highlighting a different focal point about marriage, and homilies are directed at helping each parishioner better understand how marriage and family life reflect the Gospel. As part of the initiative, a prayer for the success of new marriages and engaged couples is recited at the end of every daily Mass. This is also a prayer for couples who want to get their marriage convalidated in the Church, for those who lost a spouse through divorce and for widows and widowers. This is a prayer to which Father Grogan can relate. Married for 25 years, he became a priest after his wife died of cancer. He has the rare combined responsibilities of being a spiritual father to his parishioners and a biological one to three sons. “The Church of the Nativity community is in a unique position, having Father Jim at the helm,” said parishioner Maria Maita, whose daughter recently got engaged. “His real life experience as a husband and father combined with his dedication to God and the Church teachings gives us such a benefit. ... We know that he has been in our shoes and perhaps can guide us well when our going gets tough.”
Some of the inspiration for the Year of Marriage came from the diocesan marriage summit in 2015, Father Grogan said, sharing that the summit helped bring to mind the question, “What are we intentionally doing in our parishes to make the idea and support for marriages stronger?” He said the Church’s role in marriage preparation has three distinct phases: Remote Preparation, Immediate Preparation and Support/Mentoring.
Most people, he said, think about the Immediate Preparation phase – the 12 to 15 months during which the couple is engaged, meeting with a priest or deacon and getting ready to say “I do.” “That’s what most people think of as marriage preparation,” Father Grogan said, explaining that the first phase actually begins as a child, when one is observing parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles and how they live out their marriage.
“Suddenly, we find ourselves as young adults, and through that time, we’ve actually developed really firm opinions about what it means to be married,” he said.
The third phase of marriage preparation, properly understood, is mentorship and support for married couples throughout their whole journey as husband and wife.
“I can’t just say, ‘What God has joined together let no man pull apart,’ and then walk away and leave them on their own,” Father Grogan said.
“My purpose in declaring 2017-18 the ‘Year of Marriage’ is to have our parish community focus on the Remote and Support stages … so that every family, actively participating in the liturgical life of our parish will grow in their understanding of what makes an extraordinary marriage, and with our collective help, each couple – whether soon-to-be-married, married five years or married 55 years – has the encouragement and resources to help their marriage grow.”
The Year of Marriage is already well on its way in fulfilling the mission of the third phase. In January, Father Grogan gave a presentation on convalidations. On Feb. 10 and 11, he will give a nuptial blessing during all weekend Masses in the parish, and Feb. 17, the parish will host a sweetheart dinner for couples.
Father Grogan is also leading an evening of reflection Feb. 12 from 7 to 9 p.m in St. John Neumann Parish, Mount Laurel, on how to live out one’s baptism in marriage.
On March 22, Father Grogan will give a presentation on the theology of marriage in the parish. He will also lead a married couple retreat April 21 in the parish from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The focus will be on growth of prayer life and different ways to pray as a couple.
Other planned events include a presentation in May that will examine the role of the laity, a light-hearted program in June associated with the theme, “Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus,” a presentation on the lives of married saints around the feast of Sts. Anne and Joachim in July, and a Rosary Novena for marriage in October.
Through these events, Father Grogan hopes to convey that marriage is not just about a person’s relationship with each other, but also with God. In order to have a successful and holy marriage, he said, couples need to do three things: demand of each other that they strive for an extraordinary marriage, ask God to have his grace fill their lives and help them recognize the grace of a sacramental marriage, and demand the Church’s support. “Every marriage deserves to be extraordinary,” he added. “A big part of going from good to extraordinary is learning to pray together and putting the Sacraments to use in their daily marriage.” Parishioner John Hendrick, who has a daughter soon to be married in the Church, said the Year of Marriage has already transformed the parish life in a variety of ways.
“It has united us in daily prayer and personal action to be better husbands, wives, fathers and mothers [and] to proactively welcome and attract newly engaged couples, as well as friends and neighbors who may be struggling due to marital conflict, disillusionment or the loss of a spouse,” he said.
2/24/2018
Witnesses give testimony to God's mercy during Catholic men's conference
Story by David Kilby, Correspondent
Photos by Joe Moore
God never tires of showing mercy, more than 600 men were reminded at the 21st annual Catholic Men for Jesus Christ Conference held Feb. 24 in St. Gregory the Great Church, Hamilton Square.
Empowering participants with the theme, “Age of Mercy,” the conference’s speakers included expert evangelist Ralph Martin, Bob and Maureen Digan, known as the “Miracle Couple,” and youth minister Gez Ford. Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., celebrated Mass and preached a homily focusing on Jesus as the face of the Father’s mercy, inspired by the words of Pope Francis.
“We are in the season of Lent. What better time than this time of penance and grace to give some thought to mercy, to ask for mercy, to show mercy: at home, within your family; at work, with your co-workers; at Church, within your parish; in the neighborhood, with the community; in life, within all you experience,” the Bishop said.
“Present here for our annual Catholic Men for Jesus Christ Conference, we are about mercy because that is what the Lord Jesus is about,” he said.
Bishop O’Connell noted how faithful can sometimes get in their own way when trying to show others mercy. “Sometimes you can’t show mercy to others until you show it to yourself.”
“Where is mercy needed? Where is mercy found? Go back to Jesus, the face of the Father’s mercy. And be his mirror,” he said in closing.
Call to Mission
In morning and afternoon talks, Martin spoke about mercy as a call to holiness and mercy as a call to mission, respectively. He mentioned how drastically society has moved away from God in recent years, and how St. Faustina’s message of mercy came at a significant time in history.
Sister Faustina (Maria Faustyna Kowalska) was a Polish nun and mystic who came from a poor family that struggled especially during WWI. She had only a limited education when she was accepted into the Convent of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy at age 20. Before her death at age 33, St. Faustina had many visions of and conversations with Jesus, which she recorded in her diary. These messages of Christ’s mercy stirred a strong devotion to “Divine Mercy,” which continues today.
Addressing the lukewarmness that is common among men practicing the faith, Martin called the men to trust Jesus completely. “Sometimes we are unwilling to let go and let God,” Martin continued. “You got to put something into it. You don’t just drift into the kingdom of God. You have to make a choice.
“We need sober words of truth to wake us up from our slumber and deception,” he continued, adding, “This is the age of mercy … the time of evangelization,” referring to the time between the first and second coming of Christ.
“The response we need to make to mercy is giving our whole life to the Lord … If any of you haven’t written a blank check to Jesus, today’s the day,” Martin declared, and the crowd burst into applause. “There’s not going to be a better time sometime in the future.”
Faith Tested
Following Martin’s morning talk, Bob and Maureen Digan shared their own miraculous story of God’s mercy. At the age of 15, Maureen was diagnosed with lymphedema, a cancer that causes severe swelling of the limbs. Eventually, her right leg would be amputated.
Through her teen and young adult years, Maureen appeared to be happy, but when alone, often in a hospital room, she would cry. After attending Catholic school for 12 years, she pushed God out of her life, recalling that her husband, Bob, “once a Marine, always a Marine,” would often give her the strength she needed to not give up hope.
Maureen’s faith was also tested with their son, Bobby, who suffered from seizures and paralysis and was also in and out of the hospital in the first years of his life.
When he was five, he fell into a five-month coma, Maureen recalled.
As time went on, Maureen’s lymphedema also worsened and doctors advised that her left leg would eventually have to be amputated, as well.
Even as Maureen’s faith grew shakier, Bob’s faith remained strong through it all. He planned a pilgrimage to Poland for his family, where he hoped and prayed his son and wife would be healed. When they arrived in Poland on March 23, 1981 – Bobby’s eighth birthday – the Digans prayed for healing at Sister Faustina’s tomb.
Maureen’s prayer was to the point.
“OK, I came this far. Sister Faustina, if you’re gonna do something do it now,” she said.
While nothing spectacular happened as they prayed, Maureen recalled that she felt something happening in her leg.
When the family returned to their hotel room, she soon noticed that the swelling in her left leg had gone away, and that Bobby was showing signs of energy like never before. Maureen said her first reaction was fear. All her life she had only known disappointment, and the reality of something good like this happening was foreign to her. It scared her.
Maureen asked her husband what he thought, and he replied, “Honey, God did what we came here for. He healed your leg.” Medical records were sent to five different doctors, and all of them indicated medicine had nothing to do with the healing, Maureen recalled. The swelling has never returned.
Maureen’s miraculous healing was used as evidence in 1993 to beatify Sister Faustina, and in 2000 the nun was canonized St. Maria Faustina Kowalska by St. John Paul II who referred to her as “the great apostle of Divine Mercy in our time.” The Digans’ son, Bobby, also received some healing at St. Faustina’s tomb. For about 10 years he was partially healed, and during that time he competed in the Special Olympics, winning gold and silver medals.
“He’s now in heaven interceding for us,” Bob Digan said. In closing, Bob challenged the Catholic men to hang onto their faith no matter what happens.
Prodigal Son
In the last talk of the conference, Gez Ford, LifeTeen youth ministry for St. Raphael-Holy Angels Parish, reflected on how his testimony was “really a prodigal son story with my own father and eventually coming back to my father in heaven.”
Then, during a pilgrimage to Medjugorje, Ford said he met “the Mother” Mary, who led him to Jesus. “That led me to the heart of the Church,” he said.
Ford, who is also the co-founder of the Tabor House and Carmel House for those recovering from drug addiction, encouraged the men to nurture, foster, and sustain one another in drawing closer to the Lord. “Walking that journey is tough and we cannot do it as solitary figures,” he said, adding that the event where Jesus is to be encountered “has to happen every day of our lives.”
Among the participants throughout the Diocese who shared comments regarding the conference was George Anthony of St. Mary Parish, Middletown.
“This day is always about renewal,” said Anthony, who helps lead the program, “That Man Is You,” in his parish, and teaches in Mater Dei Prep. “The weight of life can often be overbearing. This day is a refresher course that reminds us there is purpose and peace.
Anytime you immerse yourself in God’s presence you carry that peace and renewal with you. This day reminds us that we have purpose. We’re all in this together. We’re here to talk about God and that’s refreshing.”
John Lotz, of St. Katharine Drexel Parish, Burlington, said the conference has helped him remain persistent in not losing the faith. “It’s a gentle reminder to pray every day, and set time aside every day or night for God,” he said.
Nick Flordeliza, also from St. Katharine Drexel Parish, said the story shared by Bob and Maureen showed how divine intervention is a real thing. “There really was a miracle there. It’s amazing what faith can do,” Flordeliza said.
George Rose, coordinator of CMfJC, said he hopes this conference helps the participants see that mercy is the solution for everything that ails us in our society.
“When do you ever get to meet the verified miracle for a saint?” he posed.
Adriano Parga of St. Joseph Parish, Toms River, said the story of Maureen’s miracle impacted him the most. “It made me want to dive into Jesus’ arms and trust in him completely.”
Father Jeff Kegley, pastor of St. Mary Parish, Middletown, noted that more participants went to confession during the 2018 conference than have during previous CMfJC conferences.
“The lines [were] continuous,” he said.
Adam Johnson, a seminarian attending St. Charles Borromeo Seminary and member of St. Aloysius Parish, Jackson, said “Conferences like this really open up your eyes to how loving God and Jesus are. When we see how God works, it really opens our eyes to what we’re supposed to do.” He also mentioned that for some time he was paralyzed from the waist down after surviving an accident, so he especially related to the stories shared by the Digans.
Anthony Gentile, a parishioner in St. Thomas More Parish, Manalapan, and also a seminarian attending St.
Charles Borromeo Seminary, reminded men that it’s “a masculine thing to have mercy, to sacrifice time, energy, and even finances to learn and spread the faith. So we need to appeal to that masculinity of the faith, especially in today’s age.”
Chris Vernon, parishioner of St. Raphael-Holy Angels Parish, said the conference has re-energized him, and has helped him “be vigilant in my faith, as strong as I can, attending Confession more often. The big take-away from today is mercy.”
4/5/1018
RCIA retreat prepares Diocese's elect, candidates for entry into the Church
by David Kilby, Correspondent
Just as Jesus had retreated to the mountain to spend 40 days in prayer and fasting, the Lenten season is a time for all the faithful to follow his example by spending time preparing for what is regarded as the holiest time in the liturgical year – the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus.
Such was the focus of a March 24 Lenten retreat geared specifically for those women and men from around the Diocese who were seeking full membership in the Catholic Church through their participation in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults in their parishes.
Together with their RCIA team members and catechists, more than 200 elect and candidates gathered in St. Peter Church, a worship site of Jesus the Good Shepherd Parish, Beverly, to reflect on the upcoming observance of Holy Week, the celebration of Easter and what they would experience on Holy Saturday evening when they would receive their Sacraments of Initiation.
“Every year brings its own grace,” said Father Javier Diaz, pastor of Christ the King Parish, Long Branch, who facilitated the retreat that centered on the theme, “The Seven Last Words of Christ.”
“This group, I think, has a willingness to continue their work, to nourish their faith. They are really eager to learn and continue to grow spiritually and to give [of themselves],” said Father Diaz, noting that he made it a main a point to say to the gathering, “Now that you know Jesus, he is going to change you, and you reach a spot where you want to do more.”
Because the majority of the participants were Spanish-speaking, Father Diaz presented his talks in Spanish or Portuguese. However, his remarks were translated for the English-speaking attendees by Immaculate Heart of Mary Sister Ruth Bolarte, director of the Office of Multicultural Ministry in the Diocese of Metuchen.
“Hopefully this retreat is another source of reflection and helps [the participants] in their commitment to their spiritual journey,” said Sister Ruth. “It’s wonderful that people of different ethnic groups are getting to know each other. This is our Church; it reflects the diversity. We’re one in our diversity.”
Sue Eggert, RCIA coordinator in St. Theresa Parish, Little Egg Harbor, said it was her hope that the retreat helped the elect and candidates gain a deeper sense of what Jesus actually did by dying on the Cross, and through that, develop a deeper love for him and a stronger faith. Eggert added that her RCIA team wanted to learn more about their Catholic faith so they could return to their parish with greater knowledge and renewed vigor.
Deacon Ken Donzalski of Holy Eucharist Parish, Tabernacle, said, “I think our group got a better understanding of the Seven Last Words of Jesus. Our RCIA team, and our candidates in particular, gained a better understanding of what’s Jesus’ Death is all about.”
Deacon Donzalski, who attended the retreat with his parish’s RCIA team members, one candidate and one catechumen, remarked on the fruitfulness of the small group discussions, which allowed the elect and candidates to share their journey of faith stories. Victor Cortéz of St. Anthony Claret Parish, Lakewood, was one RCIA candidate who told of how he had been raised Catholic, but wasn’t practicing the faith. After several struggles in their marriage, he and his wife met a prayer group at Ocean Medical Center, Brick, called Hijos de Maria Santisima. Members of the prayer group invited Cortéz to visit their parish, St. Anthony of Claret. He started running into people from the prayer group all around town, and said these encounters were reminders that God was calling him to join the parish. He was to receive his first Holy Communion at the Easter Vigil, March 31, and he and his wife will soon be married in the Church.
Juliette Flora, a candidate from St. Aloysius Parish, Jackson, wasn’t really into her Catholic faith either, and she never received her First Holy Communion or Confirmation. But things began to change in her life after her mother died. While dealing with the tragedy, her aunt told her to start praying. “At first it wasn’t doing anything for me because I had doubts, and I was still dealing with the loss of my mother,” she shared.
But one day she did decide to pray. “I prayed, ‘Mom, just give me a sign that you are here,”’ she said. At that moment, a picture of her mother hanging on a wall nearby fell to the floor, she recalled.
“After that, I told my aunt that I wanted to receive First Communion and Confirmation,” she said.
Noting that the retreat for RCIA elect, candidates and team members was the third such event that was organized by the diocesan Department of Catechesis, Steve Bulvanoski, the diocesan RCIA coordinator in speaking on its significance, said that since the early days of the Church, catechumens were required to go on a 40-day retreat. But over time, the early Church decided that a retreat experience is something that should be offered for all the faithful.
“During Lent, the whole Church is on retreat,” Bulvanoski said, and for the catechumens and candidates, especially, this is part of their final preparation before they receive their Sacraments.
The retreat is a diocesan wide event and now the Diocese is “supplementing what they’re already getting on the parish level.”
6/28/2018
by David Kilby
Katelyn Grano is making quite a name for herself in the arena of international peacebuilding and leadership, and she hasn’t even graduated from high school yet.
The Mater Dei Prep, Middletown, senior was selected in May as one of only 10 members of the prestigious United Nations Department of Public Information’s NGO Youth Representatives Steering Committee.
The Committee, established in 2009, serves as an advocacy platform to unite young people from the ages of 18 to 32 working within or leading non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or youth organizations that work with the Department of Public Information, and focus on issues included in the United Nations agenda. The body advises the Department on strategies to engage young people around activities related to the work of the United Nations.
Grano has been a representative of the UN NGO Pathways to Peace, an international peacebuilding, educational and consulting organization working to make peace a reality through projects at the local and global levels.
“As someone who has a great appreciation for the United Nations and all of the work that it does to better the world, I am honored to have been selected a member of the DPI NGO Youth Representatives Steering Committee,” Grano said. “I am eager to start my work under the secretary general, António Guterres, and to see what we can do to get more youth involved in global issues.”
Her appointment to the committee comes along with appointments of other youth representing a variety of organizations, ranging from Rotary to the City College of New York. The organization she represents, Pathways to Peace, was launched as a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization in 1983, and works with the UN Economic and Social Council, the UN Center for Human Rights, the UN Center for Human Settlements, UNESCO, UNICEF and other leading global NGOs and organizations.
“I am extremely grateful to be given this amazing opportunity at such a young age,” Grano said.
On her home campus in Middletown, Grano has been a member of the Mater Dei Prep Global Leaders Institute, which seeks to prepare students for success in global situations. Participants learn communication, mediation and social skills, partnering with the UN and other organizations to put what they’ve learned to good use. According to the school, students regularly attend and speak at UN conferences and meetings centered on topics ranging from education to gender equality, climate action to clean energy. And they can receive certifications in mediation, community building and leadership.
George Anthony, head of the Global Leaders Institute, could not say enough about Grano and her commitment.
“Katelyn is an extraordinary individual who understands altruism on so many levels. Peace building requires the dedication of pouring your heart and your efforts into creating positive change,” he said.
“Through her work … she has demonstrated that willingness toward her community and the environment. We will benefit from her efforts as a result of her selection to the DPI/NGO Executive Steering Committee. The best is yet to come.”
Grano was the lead youth officer for the Institute, and was also recently selected to serve as co-chair of the 67th UN Department of Public Information’s NGO Conference. With the theme “We the Peoples … Together Finding Global Solutions for Global Problems,” the conference will be held Aug. 22-23 at the UN headquarters in New York City, with some 3,000 representatives attending from around the world.
“The opportunities that both Mr. Anthony and the United Nations have given me are irreplaceable and have given me so many new experiences and knowledge for college and my future career,” Grano said.
Anthony, who serves as the primary representative for Pathways to Peace, spoke about the Global Leaders Institute and its objectives.
“This program is designed to bring out the leader that lives in all of us and to provide students with the skills to become effective leaders into the 21st century,” he said.
For more information about the Mater Dei Prep Global Leaders Institute, call 732.671.9100 or visit materdeiprep.org.
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