The Jubilee of Deacons

As we mark the Jubilee of Deacons in the Diocese of Paterson on August 9th, let us reflect on the biblical foundations of the diaconate. In the Acts of the Apostles, when the early Church faced tension over the care of widows, the apostles called the community together and said: “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table [...] select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:2-4). These men, including St. Stephen, were set before the apostles, who prayed and laid hands on them. This moment is the scriptural origin of the Catholic diaconate: a ministry of service established in the Bible.

Here at Corpus Christi, we are especially grateful for the faithful witness of Deacon Frank Vezzuto, who lives out this calling among us. Whether proclaiming the Gospel at Mass, celebrating baptisms, teaching in our OCIA program, or preaching the Gospel on Sundays, Deacon Frank reminds us that at the heart of Catholic leadership is service. As the deacons of our diocese gather for their convocation this weekend, let us pray in thanksgiving for Deacon Frank, and for all those who serve the Church as deacons.

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The Jubilee in Scripture: Understanding the Scriptural Origins of the Jubilee Year of Hope

As we live this Jubilee Year of Hope, it’s important to recall that this Catholic Jubilee has its roots in Scripture. In Leviticus 25, God commands a sacred “Year of Jubilee” (in Hebrew שְׁ נַ ת הַ יּ וֹ בֵ ל Shenat HaYovel) every fiftieth year; a time when land was to rest, debts were forgiven, and those in bondage were set free. It was a year of renewal and mercy, and a reminder to God’s people that all things belong to God: “You shall treat this fiftieth year as sacred. You shall proclaim liberty in the land for all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to your own property, each of you to your own family” (Lev 25:10).

Jesus affirms this Old Testament practice when he stands in the synagogue and says, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me […] to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord” (Luke 4:18-19). In Christ, we find true freedom as children of God (Rom 8:21), freedom from sin (Col 2:14), and the restoration of right relationship with the Father. To live the Jubilee of Hope this year is to enter more fully into that grace, and to echo with Scripture that “now is the acceptable time […] now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor 6:2). May this holy year renew our faith in God, who redeems even time itself.

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Jubilee of Young People

Beginning Monday, the Church enters into one of the most joyful moments of the Jubilee of Hope: the Jubilee of Young People, taking place in Rome from July 28 to August 3. This international gathering invites young Catholics, especially those aged 18 to 35, to renew their relationship with Christ. Pope Francis repeatedly emphasized that young people are not simply the future of the Church, but its active and essential present. In the concluding paragraph of Christus Vivit, his apostolic exhortation to young people, he wrote, “Dear young people, my joyful hope is to see you keep running the race before you, outstripping all those who are slow or fearful. Keep running, attracted by the face of Christ, whom we love so much, whom we adore in the Holy Eucharist and acknowledge in the flesh of our suffering brothers and sisters. May the Holy Spirit urge you on as you run this race. The Church needs your momentum, your intuitions, your faith. We need them! And when you arrive where we have not yet reached, have the patience to wait for us.”

As chaplain for the Young Catholic Professionals of North Jersey (YCP NJ), I see this lived out locally. YCP is a national apostolate that forms young adults in their 20s and 30s to integrate their faith with their professional life. Our chapter gathers monthly for speaker events, executive mentorship, and spiritual formation. Here at Corpus Christi, we host their Advent and Lenten retreats, where young professionals spend time in silence, adoration, confession, and fellowship. As the Church prepares to enter this sacred week, let us pray for the young people of our parish and YCP NJ. May this Jubilee awaken in them the courage to follow Christ wholeheartedly, and the conviction that true hope is anchored in God.

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Jubilee of Armed Forces, Police and Security Personnel (8-9 Feb)

Earlier this year, on February 8-9, the Church celebrated the Jubilee of the Armed Forces, Police, and Security Personnel. In recognizing those who serve the cause of peace and public order, often at great personal risk, the Catholic Church recognized the moral and spiritual significance of their efforts. The Second Vatican Council taught something that is just as true today as when it was promulgated in 1965: “Even though recent wars have wrought physical and moral havoc on our world, the devastation of battle still goes on day by day in some parts of the world […] Those who devote themselves to the military service of their country should regard themselves as the agents of security and freedom of peoples” (Gaudium et Spes, 79). Such service, whenever is it performed virtuously, is “a genuine contribution to the establishment of peace” (Ibid.). St. Augustine, in The City of God, argued that peace, even when secured with force, must always aim at a deeper good: the tranquility of order (tranquillitas ordinis). The just exercise of force, therefore, is subordinate to its goal of human flourishing. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, “peace is not merely the absence of war [...] it is the work of justice and the effect of charity” (CCC 2304).

This Jubilee was a moment of gratitude. It acknowledged the burdens carried by military and law enforcement personnel and offered the spiritual resources of the Church: the grace of the sacraments, the guidance of moral theology, and the intercession of the saints. May all who serve, both past and present, continue to draw strength from Christ, the Prince of Peace, and look to the example of saints such as Martin of Tours, a soldier turned monk and bishop, who reminds us that authentic Christian service is courageous, disciplined, and faithful. As we continue to journey through this Jubilee Year of Hope, may the witness of those who protect and serve remain a sign of hope, justice, and peace for our world.

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The Jubilee of Artists

The Jubilee of Artists, celebrated in February, was a moment to consider the artists who illuminate the human spirit through beauty and imagination. In every age, the Catholic Church has turned to artists to give shape to the invisible and to lift our hearts in liturgy and prayer.

Pope Benedict XVI frequently spoke of how sacred music, art, and architecture can affect the soul and lift it toward the mystery of God. In his “Address to Artists” in the Sistine Chapel on November 21, 2009, he spoke about beauty’s role in the new evangelization. He called on artists to be “custodians of beauty” and taught how artists participate in divine creativity. That speech was given ten years after St. John Paul II’s “Letter to Artists” (1999), in which he wrote, “Beauty is a key to the mystery and a call to transcendence. It is an invitation to savour life and to dream of the future” (par. 26). Both letters are worth reading in their entirety.

The via pulchritudinis, or “way of beauty,” complements the via veritatis (way of truth) and via bonitatis (way of goodness), forming a trio through which the human heart is drawn to God. For example, a painting by Caravaggio or a sculpture by Michelangelo are like theological texts. They can be read not just with the eyes, but with the soul. Here lies a challenge for the modern visitor to museums and churches: to contemplate, not to consume. In our rushed age of smartphones and selfies, we risk missing what these works are meant to offer: silence, awe, thought, and contemplation. Rather than rushing through a museum just to “hit” all the masterpieces before moving on to the next thing, a museum can become a place of contemplation and divine encounter. This is why the Church has always been a patron of the arts. Sacred beauty evangelizes not through argument, but through splendor. In a disillusioned world, where many are closed off to God’s revealed truth and skeptical even of goodness itself, beauty remains a gentle yet influential evangelist. It does not argue; it attracts. But only if we stop long enough to see it. So next time you’re in a museum, a church, or even surrounded by the beauty of nature, don’t rush. Choose one work of art and sit before it for a while. Ask not just what it depicts, but what it reveals.

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The Jubilee of the Eastern Catholic Churches

The Jubilee of the Eastern Catholic Churches, celebrated on June 28, provides an opportunity to reflect on the diverse traditions that form part of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church. These “non-Roman” Catholic Churches preserve ancient liturgies, languages, and theological expressions that stretch back to the earliest centuries of Christianity. The Eastern Catholic Churches are in full communion with the Pope, unlike the Orthodox Churches. Historically, most of these Churches emerged from communities that sought communion with Rome sometime after the Great Schism of 1054 between East and West. As St. John Paul II once said, the Church must learn again to “breathe with both lungs” – East and West – drawing life from the full breadth of the Christian tradition.

Today, Eastern Catholics live all over the world. While many are found in traditional homelands – such as Lebanon, Greece, Ukraine, Egypt, Iraq, and Ethiopia – large communities now exist in the United States. Here in New Jersey, there are several Eastern Catholic churches, including the Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel in Passaic, which is part of the Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church. I had the privilege of meeting Bishop Kurt Burnette, the eparch, during my time in Rome. May God bless and protect all the members of the Eastern Catholic Church.

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The Jubilee of Priests

The Jubilee of Priests, celebrated June 25-27, was a moment to give thanks for the gift of the priesthood and to pray for those who have been ordained to serve Christ and the Church. As St. John Vianney, the patron saint of parish priests, once said: “The priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus.” 

There are many kinds of priests. Some are pastors, others are missionaries, still others are scholars, teachers and hospital chaplains. Each priest responds to the same call from the Lord and strives to be configured to Christ the High Priest. In my own life, I have been formed by many priests, especially during my years of study at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. The Jesuit priests I encountered there were intellectually rigorous, pastorally attentive, and had a deep spirituality. They modeled for me a priesthood that integrates serious theological study with humility and humanity. I remain especially grateful to Fr. Jean-Pierre Sonnet, SJ, who supervised my doctoral dissertation. His brilliance, patience, and reverence for the Word of God profoundly impacted my own approach to Scripture and service. 

Here at Corpus Christi, we are grateful for the many priests who have served our parish over the years. As we celebrate this Jubilee, let us pray in a special way for all priests, and especially for those who have affected our lives for the better!

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The Jubilee of Seminarians

The Jubilee of Seminarians, celebrated on June 23-24, is a special moment to pray for and encourage those discerning a call to the priesthood. Pope Francis reminded us that seminarians are not only preparing for ministry; they are signs of hope for the future of the Church. We are blessed that Fr. Joseph DeMarzo III, who grew up in our parish, was ordained a priest on June 7th and celebrated his First Mass on Pentecost morning here at Corpus Christi. Fr. Joseph’s First Mass was a sign of hope for the Diocese of Paterson, and I was honored to be his Master of Ceremonies for it.

In addition to celebrating with Fr. Joseph, we have accompanied seminarian Jairo Jaramillo during his time in College Seminary, who will begin First Theology next year at the Immaculate Conception Seminary of Seton Hall University and join a new parish community for his pastoral assignment. We wish him all the best! Jairo’s response to his vocation and his commitment to formation has encouraged us all to support those who are discerning the priesthood. As we celebrate this Jubilee, let us pray for Jairo and all seminarians of the Diocese of Paterson. May our parish always be a place where vocations are welcomed, nurtured, and sent forth in the joy of the Gospel.