News - May 2024 RSS Feed

Across the Archdiocese of Newark, parishes have been honoring Mary during the month of May with processions, hymns, praying novenas, and crownings.

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In May, Catholic universities within the Archdiocese of Newark — Seton Hall, Saint Peter’s, Caldwell, and Felician — held commencement ceremonies for the Class of 2024 graduates. The class of 2024 entered college during a lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For many, it was the first time they walked for a graduation as their high school most likely canceled in-person graduations. This class will be known for its resilience.

May Crowning ceremonies are a traditional Catholic ritual that honor Mary, the Blessed Mother of Jesus, during the month of May. Around the Archdiocese, students have been honoring Mary with processions, hymns and songs, prayer services and Masses, and by crowning statues of Mary with flower garlands.

Summer is around the corner. As the hustle of school days wind down and faith formation classes are also wrapping up, we can keep the faith alive during those lazy, hot days of summer. Here are some tips compiled by Jersey Catholic:

Murzaku asserts that Pope Francis in reintroducing “the ‘Patriarch of the West’ among the historical titles might suggest a modernization of the papacy, or more accurately, the contemporary evolution of the papal office and an ecumenical openness.”

The Archdiocese of Newark recently recognized outstanding 8th-grade Catholic school students for academic excellence and demonstration of Catholic values through service to school and community.

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Vihaan Gadodia, an 8th-grader at St. Francis Academy in Union City, recently placed second at the Knights of Columbus State Spelling Bee Championship.

About 76 girls and 70 boys of the Archdiocese of Newark received First Holy Communion outfits and accessories through the St. John the Baptist Collection Drive in Hillsdale. Another 50 children received Communion outfits through The Mercy House this year.

Faithful women of the Archdiocese of Newark are supporting pregnant women and mothers at Birth Haven in Newton and The Mercy House in Elizabeth, Jersey City, and Newark in May, the month dedicated to Mary, Mother of God.

Lucia A. Silecchia is Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Faculty Research at the Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law. “On Ordinary Times” is a biweekly column reflecting on the ways to find the sacred in the simple.

Our Lady of the Lake School in Verona is marking its 100th anniversary with a series of fundraising initiatives, including a Fun Run Festival, to raise $35,000 in 100 days to construct a much-needed playground tailored for children aged 5-12.

Raising faithful Catholic kids in today’s society is not easy. Holly Taylor Coolman, assistant professor of theology at Providence College and adoptive mother of five, recognizes the many challenges and recently spoke with OSV News’ Charlie Camosy about her new book “Parenting: the Complex and Beautiful Vocation of Raising Children.”

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Research shows that children who benefit from Catholic education early in life build a relationship with God, establish a culture of humility and gratitude, and form a strong sense of personal identity.