Items of Interest
October 4 is the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi
Many of us will be participating in the Blessing of the Animals in our parishes. To help you out we are featuring some prayers/blessings you might use in addition to those in the Book of Blessings.
Deacon Louis Acocella Enters Eternal Life
Deacon Louis C. Acocella, Ed.D., 81, of West Caldwell, N.J., passed away peacefully on September 27, 2019. He was Superintendent of Hudson County Schools, spiritual guide, longtime Bloomfield resident and was active in his community.
Relatives and friends are invited for visitation on Wednesday, October 2, 2019, from 4 through 8 p.m. at Shook's Cedar Grove Funeral Home, 486 Pompton Ave., Cedar Grove, N.J. 07009.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Church, Belleville, N.J. Entombment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover, N.J. Visiting will be held in the church from 9 through 10:30 a.m., prior to the Funeral Mass. Memories and condolences may be shared at shookscedargrove.com.
Louis was born and raised in Newark, N.J. He went on to higher education, eventually receiving his Ed.D. in administration and supervision in education. Throughout his career, he worked in various districts in New Jersey. He will be most remembered as superintendent of Hudson County Schools.
For over 40 years, he resided in Bloomfield with his family and settled in Roseland, N.J., in 2004. Throughout the neighborhoods he lived, he was an active member of his community. He served as president and a trustee at Bloomfield Public Library, a member of the N.J. Library Association, served as vice president of the Roseland Green Condominium Association, and a member of the West Essex Board of Education.
In his spiritual life, he was a guide for so many within his church community. He served as a permanent deacon at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Belleville and St. Lucy's Church in Newark.
Louis had many accomplishments thought his life. However, he will be most remembered as a cherished husband, father, and grandfather.
Louis was predeceased by his parents, Louis G. Acocella and Florence Miele. Louis is survived by his beloved wife of 56 years, Salvatina "Sally" Acocella (nee Battista); devoted children, Michael A. Acocella, MD, Anne R. Scroggins, Ed.D. and her husband, Christopher, and Mary Anne Halbert and her husband, David; loving grandchildren, David M. Halbert Jr. and Hannah Scroggins.
Donations may be made in his memory to St. Anthony of Padua Church, 63 Franklin Street, Belleville, N.J. 07109.
Published in Star-Ledger from Sept. 29 to Sept. 30, 2019
Online Liturgy of the Hours
A website has the apprioved English version (ICEL 1976) of the Liturgy of the Hours available online. It is quite comprehesive with: Invitatiory Psalm, Office of Readings, Morning Prayer, Daytime Prayer, Evening Prayer and Night Prayer, as well as hymns! It gives page numbers for both the four-volume and single volume versions. A podcast is also available so you can listen if reading is inconvenient. An excellent resource anytime, but especially when traveling with your smartphone or laptop. The URL is http://divineoffice.org.
REVISED Procedure for Ministering Outside of the Archdiocese
Click HERE for the latest guidelines.
The memorandum dated May 8, 2013 from Deacon McKenna has been incorporated into the Deacon Manual at the end of the last Appendix. See "Handbook for Permanent Deacons" in "Archives" at the right for details.
The Permanent Diaconate in the Archdiocese of Newark
Some general information about the Permanent Diaconate can be found HERE.
It has been more than fifty years since the ordination of the first class of permanent deacons in 1975. At that time 77 men were ordained by Archbishop Gerety, considerably reduced from 200 who had applied and the 144 who began the probationary period. Since that time, the permanent diaconate program in Newark has seen many changes as both the theology and the praxis of the diaconate has developed and evolved under the influence of experience and guidance of the Holy Spirit. As in almost all areas of the world where the permanent diaconate has taken root, it has grown and generally has exceeded expectations, not only in the numbers of men called to this ordained ministry, but in the quality of its witness "as icons of Christ the servant." A listing of significant events in the history of the permanent diaconate in Newark is given in Appendix A from the booklet "A History of 25 Years of Service" presented at the Annual Assembly of Deacons in the Jubilee Year 2000.
Pax et Bonum
Intercessory Prayer for Religious Freedom
The prayer below was composed by Deacon Jim Tobin and posted here with approval of Deaon John McKenna. It is a suggestion for use at Masses in our Archdiocese:
That American Catholics will listen to the teachings of the US Catholic Bishops; become aware of the intrinsic evil being forced on Catholic institutions by the HHS Mandate and pray that the leaders of this country will have a change of heart and allow religious liberty, "Our first and most Cherished Freedom"
Let us pray to the Lord.
Madonna Murillo
From the Directory for Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons, Congregation for the Clergy, n. 57, we are given this exhortation: "Love for Christ and for His Church is profoundly linked to love of the Blessed Virgin Mary, handmaid of the Lord. With her unique title of Mother, she was the selfless helper of her divine Son's diaconia (cf. John 19:25-27). Love of the Mother of God, based on faith and expressed in daily recitation of the rosary, imitation of her virtues and trust in her, are indeed signs of authentic filial devotion. With deep veneration and affection Mary looks on every deacon....This love of the Virgin Mary, handmaid of the Lord, which is born and rooted in the word, will cause deacons to imitate her life. In this way a Marian dimension is introduced into the Church which is very close to the vocation of the deacon.
Director of Selection and Formation
Rev. James Teti
Director of Deacon Personnel
Deacon John J. McKenna
Associate Directors
Deacon Joseph Yandoli Deacon James Tobin
Continuing Education
Deacon Andrew Saunders
Council of Permanent Deacons
Executive Committee
President Vice President Secretary
Deacon Michael York Deacon Walter Wiggins Deacon Steve Lipski
County Representatives
Bergen
Deacon Andrew Golden Deacon Andrew Zucaro
Essex
Deacon Emeruwa Anyanwu Deacon Walter Wiggins
Hudson
Deaon Steve Lipski Deacon Michael Missaggia
Union
Deacon David Farrell Deacon Michael York
Hispanic
Deacon Jorg Montalvo Deacon Pedro Herrera
Publicity
Deacon Ed Campanella
For information about the diaconate program in the Archdiocese of Newark, or questions about the diaconate in general, email us at john.mckenna@rcan.orgi.