WASHINGTON—The median age of men ordained to the priesthood in 2013 is 32, two-thirds are Caucasian, and 26 percent carry educational debt. These figures stand out in The Class of 2013: Survey of Ordinands to the Priesthood, the annual national survey of men being ordained priests for U.S. dioceses and religious communities. The study was conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA), a Georgetown University-based research center.

College of Saint Elizabeth (CSE) Holocaust Education Resource Center, 2 Convent Road, has planned Holocaust remembrance and genocide awareness programs for April. All programs are free and open to the public.

Caldwell College presented its 28th annual Veritas Awards March 22 at the Essex Fells Country Club, 219 Devon Rd. The awards are the highest honor the college bestows on its alumni for their professional excellence in diverse fields.

CALDWELL- The New Jersey Catholic Historical Commission (NJCHC) will sponsor “The Art of the Printed Word - Historical Book Creation from Prayer to Preparation to Publication” on Saturday, April 13 from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at the Motherhouse on the campus of Caldwell College.

CALDWELL—Caldwell College has received a $150,000 grant from the George I. Alden Trust of Worcester, Mass. for its Nursing Skills and Simulation Laboratories to enhance its Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. The grant provides the college with the ability to purchase a Laerdal SimMom manikin with newborn for obstetrics, and a Laerdal SimBaby manikin along with the equipment, software and microphones needed for this important learning tool.

MORRISTOWN—The College of Saint Elizabeth (CSE), 2 Convent Road, is inviting potential students of all ages to explore its academic offerings during two upcoming open house events: April 9 and April 14. On April 9, 6 to 8 p.m. in the Annunciation Center, there will be an open house for male and female adult students seeking to complete their undergraduate degree, enroll in a master’s, doctoral or certificate program.

NEWARK—Father Lawrence B. Porter Ph.D., K.H.S., professor of systematic theology, Immaculate Conception Seminary, Seton Hall University, South Orange, delivered the homily at the March 3 noon Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, giving thanks for the ministry of Pope Benedict XVI. Archbishop John J. Myers presided at the Mass and offered prayers for the College of Cardinals as they begin gathering this week at the Vatican to elect a new pope.

NEWARK—Archbishop John J. Myers will celebrate the noontime Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, March 3 for Pope Benedict XVI. Earlier this month Pope Benedict announced his resignation, which will take effect at the end of February.

CALDWELL—Caldwell College will celebrate the professional accomplishments of three of its alumni at its 28th Veritas Awards Dinner on Friday March 22, 6 p.m. at the Essex Fells Country Club. The Veritas Award is the highest honor Caldwell College bestows on its alumnae/alumni for their professional excellence in diverse fields.

MORRISTOWN—The College of College of Saint Elizabeth (CSE) will host an Open House for prospective undergraduate students and their families on Saturday, Feb. 23, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. The event begins with information sessions hosted by college organizations and staff, where prospective students and their families will learn about the CSE experience.

WASHINGTON—Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), issued the following statement after learning of the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on Feb. 11.

CALDWELL—Caldwell College has named Don O’Hagan of Upper Saddle River as chief information officer (CIO), an executive position charged with the responsibility of developing, executing and managing the computing and information technology (IT) strategies for the college.

A Mass for the 17th annual World day for Consecrated Life will be celebrated noon, Sunday, Feb. 3, at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, 89 Ridge St. Sister Joanne Bednar, S.C.C., the delegate for religious for the Archdiocese of Newark, invited all women and men living a consecrated life to attend the Mass. Archbishop John J. Myers will preside at the Mass, while Father Vincent Sullivan, S.J., will serve as the homilist.

Jessica, Dominguez, a senior College of Saint Elizabeth (CSE), looked at her young audience in the Kid Central program at the YMCA in Madison and asked: “Do you know why we should eat bananas?” “Sure,” answered a four-year-old girl. “It’s for your potassium.” “So what I learned in my service learning project is that kids are really smart,” Dominguez, CSE dietetics major, said.

The 42nd Annual Candlelight Carol Sing was held Wednesday, Dec. 12, and Thursday, Dec. 13 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, 89 Ridge St., Newark. The program featured Christmas music sung by the Cathedral Choir and soloists, accompanied by the Cathedral Brass Ensemble and organist, Vincent Carr, all under the direction of John J. Miller, director of music ministries at the Cathedral.

The Christmas season should be a time of family, comfort and joy. Matthew Laracy, resident director of Magnificat Home, ensures the spirit of the season year-round for a group of low-income women. Founded in September 2009 by Laracy and his group of friends and family, Magnificat Home is a permanent residence for adult women who suffer from a range of emotional, mental and social difficulties.

The 42nd Annual Candlelight Carol Sing will be held Wednesday, Dec. 12, and Thursday, Dec. 13 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, 89 Ridge St., Newark. Doors open at 7 p.m. and music begins at 8 p.m. for both performances. The program will feature Christmas music sung by the Cathedral Choir and soloists, accompanied by the Cathedral Brass Ensemble and organist, Vincent Carr, all under the direction of John J. Miller, director of music ministries at the Cathedral.

Mass was celebrated Oct. 20 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Newark, marking the liturgical memorial of Blessed Pope John Paul II as well as the 34th anniversary of his ascension to the throne of Saint Peter. The Polish/Slovak Apostolate of the Archdiocese of Newark sponsored the celebration.

AREA—With initial estimates of property damage done by Hurricane Sandy anticipated to exceed $10 million throughout the archdiocese, it was a time when members of parishes and schools responded to the heartbreaking devastation and swung into action to help victims of the unprecedented storm that slammed into the Garden State Oct. 29.

 NEWARK- All are invited to “A Concert for the Victims of Hurricane Sandy” at 4 p.m. on Nov. 18 at the Cathedral Basilica of The Sacred Heart, 89 Ridge Street, Newark. The concert, which will feature “Eternal Light: A Requiem” by Howard Goodall (with the Cathedral Choir, Soloists and Chamber Orchestra) is intended to be a source of comfort and consolation for all grieving the loss of loved ones.

Members of the local chapter of Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice (CAPP) are urging faithful from throughout the Archdiocese of Newark to attend a CAPP-USA Conference in New York, which will be held on Saturday, Nov. 3.

Father Donald Hummel and Father Basil Lek, the chaplains at Paramus Catholic Regional High School, concelebrated an outdoor Mass for the student body on Oct. 18 to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Separately, the Archdiocese of Newark celebrated a Breast Cancer Awareness Mass on Oct. 21 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Newark.

To honor the golden anniversary of the Second Vatican Council, as well as mark the 20th anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI has called for a “Year of Faith,” beginning Oct. 11 and ending Nov. 24, 2013, to strengthen the faith of Catholics and draw the world to faith by their example.

Every year, something special happens on the next-to-last Sunday of October, as the Church reflects upon its deepest identity—as the Church in mission. World Mission Sunday, Oct. 21, is the day when Catholics throughout the world unite at Mass, recommitting themselves, in their own way through Baptism, to a missionary vocation.

Back in 2000, I heard Carlo Cardinal Martini, then the Archbishop of Milan and later a papal contender in the last conclave, speak at Saint Joseph’s Church in Greenwich Village, New York. He related how he could fill his Cathedral of the largest archdiocese in the world when he would invite prominent atheists to dialogue on matters of faith. He made an analogy of the two lungs in the human body, which work in concert so a human being can breathe.

PARAMUS—The Catechetical Office of the Archdiocese of Newark will sponsor and host its annual Catechetical Convocation, which will be held Saturday, Oct. 27, at Paramus Catholic Regional High School, 425 Paramus Rd.

A friend; an inspiration; a good and faithful priest and bishop; a significant “shaper” of the Church in this country; a respected jurist…these are all titles that come to mind as I salute the Most Reverend John J. Myers on the silver jubilee of his consecration as a bishop.

Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz (center), the Archbishop of Krakow, Poland, celebrated Mass at Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus Parish, Linden, on July 8, part of his pastoral visit to New Jersey.

The following is a transcript of the address made by Archbishop Emeritus Peter L. Gerety at his 100th Birthday Mass celebrated July 19 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Newark. For a gallery of candid photos from the Mass, click here.

The following is a transcript of the address made by Archbishop Emeritus Peter L. Gerety at his 100th Birthday Mass celebrated July 19 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Newark. For a gallery of candid photos from the Mass, click here.

Peter L. Gerety, as a bishop, has always “been conscious of that sharing of intimacy with the Holy Spirit” which the Church attaches to the fullness of priesthood, the episcopacy, according to a close friend.

NEWARK—Relatively new in the Archdiocese of Newark, the local chapter of Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice (CAPP) is working hard to meet the sometimes daunting social justice issues that abound in today’s increasingly secular world. Its goal, explains CAPP-Newark president Natalie Dengler, is to “change hearts and develop well-formed consciences through the evangelization of Catholic Social Teaching.”

Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, the Archbishop of Krakow, Poland, and the former secretary to Blessed Pope John Paul II, will tour the Archdiocese of Newark, part of an official pastoral visit to New Jersey. On Sunday, July 8 there will be an outdoor procession beginning at 10:30 a.m. at Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus Parish, 131 East Edgar Rd., Linden.

CALDWELL— Caldwell College will hold its 37th annual Presidential Scholarship Gala on Friday, April 27, at Mayfair Farms, 481 Eagle Rock Ave., West Orange. Honorees will be William H. Connolly Jr., president of William H. Connolly and Co. LLC, and Louis LaSalle, vice president of external affairs for Barnabas Health/Saint Barnabas Medical Center.

NEWARK—The Orchestra of Saint Peter by the Sea, under the direction of internationally renowned conductor Father Alphonse Stephenson, returns to the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, 89 Ridge St., on Sunday, April 22, for the fifth annual concert in support of Catholic education.

Priests, Religious and deacons joined the faithful from throughout the Archdiocese of Newark at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart for the annual Chrism Mass on April 2 and Easter Sunday Mass, both celebrated by Archbishop John J. Myers.

NEWARK—The Archdiocese of Newark’s Office for Evangelization will host a two-day “Discovering Christ” training conference April 24 and 25 at the Archdiocesan Center, 171 Clifton Ave. Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, Auxiliary Bishop of Newark and Vicar for Evangelization, has invited all members of the Archdiocese of Newark and beyond to attend this training event.

Saint John the Evangelist Parish, Leonia, celebrated an anniversary Mass on March 18, marking the parish’s 100-year milestone.

NEWARK—Coptic Orthodox Christians in New Jersey and throughout the world are mourning the death of His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, who died in Cairo on March 17 at the age of 88.

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Project Manager: Emet Huelgas Telephone: 973-497-4082 Fax: 973-497-4362 Email: huelgaem@rcan.org Address: The Office of Property Management Administration The Archdiocese of Newark 171 Clifton Avenue Post Office Box 9500 Newark, NJ 07104-0500

The Archdiocese of Newark conducted the annual Call to Continuing Conversion and Rite of Election Feb. 25 and 26 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, with Archbishop John J. Myers presiding at the liturgical rites. “Being a Christian means being a member of the community of the Elect,” Archbishop Myers said.

The annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade, marking its 77th year as the oldest Saint Patrick’s Day parade in New Jersey, will be held Friday, March 16. Grandstand ceremonies in downtown Newark will begin at noon and the parade is slated to step off at 1 p.m.

UNION—Holy Spirit Parish, 984 Suburban Rd. (at the corner of Morris Avenue), will host a benefit concert Sunday, Feb. 12, 4 p.m., to aid victims of Tropical Storm Washi, a killer cyclone that hit the Philippines just prior to the recent Christmas holiday. The storm claimed the lives of over 1,000 people—a figure expected to rise considerably in the coming weeks. Father Armand Mantia, pastor of Holy Spirit, said musical performances at the Feb. 12 benefit concert will include the Spirit Singers, members of the parish’s music ministry; the Bayanihan Club of Union Singers, directed by Erwin Argonza; and the choir at Saint Peter’s Prep, Jersey City, led by Gian Paolo Eleria.

The motto on Archbishop John J. Myers’ coat of arms reads: Mysterium Ecclesiae Luceat (“Let the mystery of the Church shine forth”). The motto offers a summary of the central theme of the Second Vatican Council’s (1962-66) Dogmatic Constitution of the Church, known as Lumen Gentium (“Light of the Nations”).

The first chapter of Lumen Gentium is entitled: “The Mystery of the Church” and begins with the proclamation that Jesus Christ is the light of humanity. The document states: “the Church, that is the kingdom of Christ, already present in mystery, grows visibly through the power of God in the world. All people are called to union with Christ, who is the light of the world, through whom we live and toward whom our whole life is directed.”

AREA—Applications are now being processed for November’s annual Cooperative Admissions Examination (COOP), an essential element in the admissions procedure for eighth graders planning to attend Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of Newark and Diocese of Paterson next fall. The COOP test will be administered on Friday, Nov. 11. Test sites are at many of the Catholic high schools in Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union counties as well as Rockland County in New York State. The only exceptions among the 31 archdiocesan high schools are Seton Hall Prep, West Orange; Oak Knoll School, Summit and Newark’s Christ the King Prep.

NEWARK—Think of it as an invitation to participate in a retreat and an opportunity to connect and communicate with a faith-formation community— 24 hours a day. Parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Newark offer a variety of experiences to help parishioners deepen their faith. These may include Bible study groups, lectures, missions, small community faith-sharing groups, retreats, video presentations and many more. These various offerings typically are described as “adult faith formation” opportunities, all of which help to extend and cultivate the catechetical experience.

EAST RUTHERFORD —Over 1,500 faithful from around the country gathered at the New Jersey Charismatic Convention July 1-3 at the Sheraton Meadowlands Hotel and Conference Center. The convention was co-sponsored by The Alliance of Filipino Catholic Charismatic Prayer Communities (AFCCPC) of North America and Canada in conjunction with the Archdiocese of Newark’s Catholic Charismatic Renewal Office. The theme “Return to Me with Your Whole Heart” permeated throughout the weekend that included praise concerts, masses, guest speakers and workshops.

A BLESSING THAT ‘CHANGES LIVES’—Catholic Charitiesof the Archdiocese of Newark hosted the sixth annual Archbishop’s Gala celebration and fund-raiser April 5 at Nanina’s in the Park, Belleville. Archbishop John J. Myers was unable to attend the event due to his recent eye surgery. Stephen N. Adubato Sr., founder of the North Ward Center and the Robert Treat Academy Charter School, received Catholic Charities’ Humanitarian of the Year Award. Martin Bowers, who was mentored by and now works for Catholic Charities, received the “Spirit of the Heart” award.

NEWARK— Archdiocesan priests heard from a panel of experts on how to more effectively convey the pro-life position of the Church at the first in a series of life-issues seminars March 25.

Held at the Archdiocesan Center, the three-hour program was sponsored by the Respect Life Office and the Office of Continuing Education for Priests. Topics for subsequent seminars will be selected based on evaluations forms filled out at the initial gathering.

CALDWELL—Caldwell College and the Archdiocese of Newark will celebrate the fourth annual UN World Autism Awareness Day (Saturday, April 2) with a special Mass and a series of events.

Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., D.D., and Rev. Msgr. Richard Arnhols, M.Div., the archdiocesan Vicar for Pastoral Life, will preside at an Inclusive Family Mass April 2, 1 p.m., which will be celebrated in the Mother Joseph Residence Hall chapel located on the Caldwell campus. 

NEWARK—Archbishop John J. Myers, together with Catholic Charities, of the Archdiocese of Newark will host the sixth annual Archbishop’s Gala celebration and fund-raiser on Tuesday, April 5, 6 p.m., at Nanina’s in the Park, 540 Mill St. Belleville.

Proceeds from the gala support the programs and services of Catholic Charities and its affiliates: Mount Carmel Guild Behavioral Health System and Mount Carmel Guild Schools.

NEWARK—Putting into action its theme of “Rise Up, O Men of God,” the third annual Catholic Men’s Conference on Saturday, March 5 at Seton Hall University (SHU) will capitalize on the spiritual awareness that was generated by the solid success of the first two gatherings. Jorge L. Repollet, chairman of the conference, said the event represents a call for men to “live out their faith with courage and holy boldness.” The conference will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on SHU’s South Orange campus.

Offering Food for Thought on How to Share the Word
The annual archdiocesan Catechetical Convocation will be held Saturday, Nov. 13, at Paramus Catholic Regional High School, 425 Paramus Rd. Organized and hosted by the Catechetical Office of the Archdiocese of Newark, the conference is geared to support the education and outreach needs of parish catechetical leaders, catechists, Catholic school teachers, Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) catechumenate teams, eucharistic ministers, parish sacramental teams, youth ministers, social justice teams, adult spirituality teams, liturgists, priests and deacons and adult faith formation teams.

Three priests who hail from the Archdiocese of Newark gathered at the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Center, Fort Jackson, SC, in early August to receive training and discuss the challenges they face in carrying out their mission of faith. At times that mission, quite literally, is a life-and death situation, which involves delivering strategic spiritual support and guidance to U.S. soldiers on the front lines of the world's most dangerous, wartorn regions.

Most Rev. Timothy P. Broglio, the Archbishop for U.S. Military Services, met with priests at the chaplaincy center, where the Army, Navy, and Air Force all maintain chaplain schools. During his visit to Fort Jackson Archbishop Broglio spent time with Father Robert Galinas, Father James A. Hamel and Father Joseph Kokeram-all from the Archdiocese of Newark.

American author William Arthur Ward once said: "The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." One teacher who inspires her students both in and out of the classroom is Maryann Carolan of Union Catholic Regional High School, Scotch Plains.

Each year the New Jersey Chapter of the Council for American Private Education (NJ CAPE) seeks applications for its annual "Nonpublic School Teacher of the Year Award." As a member of NJ CAPE, the Schools Office of the Archdiocese of Newark has nominated Maryann Carolan as its outstanding teacher candidate.

AREA-The Dominoes, the 30-voice, all-girls choir of Saint Dominic Academy (SDA), Jersey City, and fourth, fifth and six grade boys from the Saint John the Apostle School Choir, Clark, performed June 18 with renowned Dutch violinist, conductor and composer André Rieu at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Long Island, NY.

The Dominican Sisters of Caldwell sponsor both schools. Joseph P. Napoli has directed the Dominoes since 1979, while Tom Pedas leads the Saint John the Apostle choir. Singing with Rieu's orchestra, the combined choirs from the Archdiocese of Newark performed Michael Jackson's "Earth Song" as a special tribute to the late singer.

MORRISTOWN-The College of Saint Elizabeth's (CSE) 108th commencement ceremony, held May 15, was marked by several milestones. Among the 437 graduates were the first doctoral recipients in the history of the college.

Seven students received their Doctor of Education degree (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership. In addition, CSE, for the first time, awarded a master's degree in Forensic Psychology and Counseling to seven students and a master's degree in Justice Administration and Public Service to one student.

CALDWELL-Dr. Sharon Reeve is going the distance for children affected by autism spectrum disorder. As coordinator of Caldwell College's Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program, that distance came a little bit closer for her on April 11 when 700 people came out for the college's first 5K "Run/Walk for Autism."

"It was an amazing moment when I saw that sea of people running over the start line. This race truly united everyone in support of autism," Reeve said.

As I write this, the snow lies all around the building in which I live. The sky is gray. The wind seems to send a constant chill over the world. For two months, storm after storm has turned our streets into dark and icy places.

And world events have not lifted our spirits. The loss of jobs, the fear about pensions and healthcare, the fiscal condition of our country and the State, weighs upon our citizens. Call it a recession or call it a depression, its all the same for a person out of work-especially one with dependents-it is a dark night.

AREA-It was only a matter of minutes.

At around 4:53 in the afternoon on Jan. 12, Barbara Pacuad, a student at the College of Saint Elizabeth (CSE) in Morristown, was 30,000 feet in the air over Haiti's Toussaint Louverture International Airport after visiting family members for winter break with her sister.

Meanwhile, on the ground, lasting just 35 seconds, a magnitude-7 earthquake struck the island nation, devastating Pacuad's home country, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives and creating billions of dollars in damage. It took about an hour for the CSE student - en route to the United States - to realize the chaos she narrowly escaped.

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Readings: Is 62:1-5; Ps 96;
1 Cor 12:4-11; Jn 2:1-11
The various aspects of the Christian teaching about marriage should be presented time and again as young people mature to adulthood and its responsibilities. A deeper understanding of marriage should come progressively to each couple as they live their vocation, wherein “they signify and share the mystery of the unity and the faithful love between Christ and the Church” (Second Vatican Council, Constitution on the Church, No. 1).

This mystery is rooted in the divine plan for the progress of human history toward its goal. Its purpose was shown in the natural order since the human couple becomes one flesh (person) in the permanent, exclusive commitment that they make to each other (see Gn 2:24). This unity can be taken up into the Paschal Mystery of Christ's death and resurrection, whereby His altruistic love became the foundation for the new creation. His sacrificial self-giving for the Church becomes the pattern for Christian marriage (see Eph 5:23-33).

Would that all preparing for marriage develop a prayerful appreciation of the extent of Christ's love, realizing that He offers them the graces to imitate His example. Like other profound realities of the spiritual order, a lifetime of reflection and prayer is required for its full meaning to be fathomed and applied to each couple's unique situation.

"Bill was a great teacher. He loved to teach. He once told me that often, when he was teaching, 'time stood still.' He taught us that the family is holy. It is a continuation of God's creation and life in the world. Even with all its sorrows and difficulties, family life is holy."

Rev. Msgr. Richard M. Liddy, Ph.D., used these heartfelt words during his homily at a Funeral Mass celebrated nearly two years ago at Saint Elizabeth Parish, Wyckoff. Msgr. Liddy, professor of Catholic Thought at Seton Hall University (SHU), South Orange, was describing his dear friend and colleague Deacon William J. Toth, Ph.D.

EAST RUTHERFORD - Seton Hall University, South Orange, awarded diplomas to 1,052 undergraduate students during its 152nd commencement ceremony held May 11 at the Izod Center.

Separate ceremonies were held for SHU's 1,070 graduate students. In all, the university graduated 2,122 undergraduate and graduate students this year.

When I began looking over the names and faces of the priests and Religious celebrating significant jubilees this year, I naturally felt both awed and humbled. Awed because of the number of jubilarians this year. Humbled because in these few pages, we come face to face with living examples of Catholics who willingly and faithfully have observed Jesus' exhortation in the Gospel of Matthew to "teach all that I have commanded you" (Mt. 28:20).

Madigan's Outreach Efforts Touch Students



There have been defining moments on my faith journey that have led me to where I am today and why I have been serving in Catholic Campus Ministry for almost 12 years. In July 2007 I was appointed as the archdiocesan director of Catholic Campus Ministry, which is my current position. In addition, I work as the lay campus minister at Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken.

NEWARK-On Ash Wednesday (Feb. 25), as the worldwide Church marks the beginning of Lent, or in the weeks immediately afterward, parishes in the archdiocese will again take a special collection to benefit the Retired Priests' Pension Fund.

Today, some 200 of the more than 700 archdiocesan clergy are retired from active ministry. Although they no longer have regular parish assignments, the vast majority of retired priests continue to minister in some way to the people in the state, and we are all grateful for their contribution to the life of the Church. For example, retired priests celebrate Mass on weekends in parishes, temporarily replace priests who are on vacation or ill and visit the sick in hospitals and nursing homes.

NEWARK-With just over two months left before the first-ever Catholic Men's Conference in the Archdiocese of Newark, those planning to attend are urged to register immediately.

Scheduled for Saturday, March 28, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Essex County Richard J. Codey Arena (formerly South Mountain Arena), 560 Northfield Ave. in West Orange, the conference is open to males high school age and older (see The Catholic Advocate, Oct. 22, 2008).

CALDWELL-Caldwell College will host "Empowering Faith Communities to Include Individuals with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities," a seminar and workshop on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2009, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Academic Building Lecture Hall.

The event, organized by the Caldwell College Department of Theology/Pastoral Ministry, will focus on providing resources and information to help communities of faith welcome individuals with autism. New Jersey, statistically, has the highest rate of autism in the nation, with 1 in 94 people affected.

"Early-bird" registration for the seminar is $25 per person ($35 after Jan. 5, 2009). Checks can be mailed to: Pastoral Ministry Program, Caldwell College, 120 Bloomfield Ave., Caldwell, NJ 07006-attention: Sister Barbara A. Moore, O.P., D. Min. Contact Sr. Barbara via e-mail (SBMoore@caldwell.edu) or call the college at (973) 618-3931 for more information. The snow date for the seminar is Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009.

ROME-Archbishop John J. Myers has been elected president of the Pontifical North American College in Rome, it was announced last week.

He will hold this post for a term of three years as he continues to serve as Archbishop of Newark. Archbishop Myers is an alumnus (class of 1967) of North American College.

Started in the fall of 2001 following the 9/11 tragedy, the ministry began as a way to help those who lost their jobs due to the terrorist attacks. Ed McCabe, a career coach/senior counselor/master trainer at Lee-Hecht-Harrison, is one of the ministry's founders. Carol Shea, vice president of information technology recruiting at Berman, Larson, Kane in Paramus, is also a member of the ministry team.

Group Hopes to Reinvigorate Sons, Fathers



NEWARK-With in excess of 2,500 men from throughout the Archdiocese of Newark expected to attend the first Catholic Men's Conference next March, preparations for the massive undertaking are solidifying.

NEWARK-Archbishop John J. Myers, in a formal ceremony Oct. 17, officially transferred the Catholic mission, ministry and healthcare operations of Saint Michael's Medical Center to Hope Ministries, a religious community within Catholic Health East (CHE).

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Archbishop Draws Parallel to Ancient Roman Catacombs



AREA-In its latest effort to provide state-of-the-art facilities and services to the Catholic people of the northern New Jersey, Archbishop John J. Myers and Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Newark recently broke ground on two new mausoleum projects-in Jersey City and Mahwah-and began an expansion of its cemetery in Mahwah.

This is a time for rejoicing. Any of you who has ever attended an ordination at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark knows first-hand the elation, the energy, the celebration that springs forth when the sacrament of Holy Orders is conferred.

NEWARK-The initial task for Dosso Kassimou as the president of Newark's new African Commission will be to connect the city's growing African community with the established Catholic African-American diaspora.

Saint Michael's Becomes Hub for the City


NEWARK-As part of a comprehensive hospital transition plan designed to preserve a much-needed Catholic healthcare presence in Newark, the boards of Cathedral Healthcare System, Cathedral Health Services, and Columbus Hospital have approved a strategic transaction with Catholic Health East (CHE).

SECAUCUS-Five thousand Catholics from across North America converged at the Meadowlands Exposition Center June 22-24 for the Conference of Charismatic Renewal, a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the passionate spiritual movement.

JERSEY CITY-The presidents of three Catholic colleges gathered at Saint Peter's College last November to discuss the identity, mission and challenges facing Catholic higher education.

Former Saint Peter's College president James Loughran S.J., who passed away on Dec. 24 (see The Catholic Advocate, Jan. 10), hosted the panel discussion with Charles L. Flynn, Jr., president of the College of Mount Saint Vincent (Riverdale, NY) and Sister Rosemary E. Jeffries, RSM, from Georgian Court University in Lakewood.

Seen in the context of Catholic Schools Week (see the special section in this edition), their observations offered additional perspective on the upper tier of Catholic education and how the work of a college or university is connected with the faith-based mission that is nurtured by elementary and secondary schools.