Latest / Beyond The Beacon / 14: Bishop Sweeney on sitting with Bishop Barron at USCCB assembly, Yogi-isms, religious freedom, more

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14: Bishop Sweeney on sitting with Bishop Barron at USCCB assembly, Yogi-isms, religious freedom, more · Beyond The Beacon

• 0:07
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to Beyond the Beacon with Bishop Kevin Sweeney, a podcast of the Diocese of Patterson.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_01: I'm Jay Agnish, Communications Director for the Diocese and editor of the Beacon newspaper.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_01: With me is Bishop Kevin Sweeney.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_01: Bishop, how you doing today?
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_01: I'm good, Jay.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_01: How are you?
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_01: I'm doing I'm doing just good.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_01: Just fine.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_01: Um I'm excited because my my wife and I, we recently saw It Ain't Over with uh Yogi Berra documentary.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you obviously being a big Yankee fan.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_01: Have you seen it?
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_01: Do you do you uh I haven't seen it, but I heard that it's very good.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_00: And this uh week ago Monday, uh I played in the Yogi Berra Museum uh golf outing in Montclair.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_00: Um parishioner from Christ the King parish in uh Vernon, New Vernon.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: Uh Ron DeLucky was on the board, was kind enough to invite me and uh Father Sullivan is pastor.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_00: And um so that was a real treat.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_00: Uh as a Yankee fan.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_00: Uh Willie Randolph and Ron Gidge were the co-hosts, and uh it was the place, the club where Yogi played um uh there in Montclair.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, they featured it in the in the documentary.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, did they?
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, the opening.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_01: Um yeah, because him, Yogi Berra, and who was it, that that general man or the owner, Steinbrenner, right?
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_01: They were on the outs and yes.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_00: Well, that's they came together at the museum.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_00: Right, right, right.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, Susan Waldman, the uh broadcaster who was working, I think, for FAN radio at the time, uh, she was influential in uh getting them back together.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_00: Uh the so many years they were uh after George had fired Yogi, uh Yogi uh then he went to the Mets where they won the World Series.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_00: No, I think that was before.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: I think that was previous.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: That was yeah, that was before I'm pretty yeah, yeah.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_00: I'm sure you're right.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, Yogi wasn't uh managing the Mets in 86.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_00: Um, who was the miracle Mets.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, and how can I not remember the manager?
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_01: But anyway, um But tell me, do you have a favorite yogiism?
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: Um that sticks out to you?
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_00: It's um he he's quoted as having said, uh, you should go to other people's funerals because if you don't, they won't go to yours.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, he's got some great ones.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_01: They make you think, they make you laugh.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_01: I mine is uh it's I forget exactly how it goes, but it's if if the world were perfect, it wouldn't be.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: God bless Yogi.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_00: Uh he was very good to the church.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: I um apparently he's very supportive of Catholic charities in uh in Newark and the Archives of Newark.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: And uh yeah, good man, a man of faith.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_00: And his three sons were there at the outing, so that was nice to meet them.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_00: Uh Dale Berra uh played for the Yankees for a little while.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_01: So and he was featured in the documentary as well.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, well, before we get much further, uh why don't why don't we pray?
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_00: So today is um the feast of um Saint John Fisher and St.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_00: Thomas More.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: St.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: Thomas More is the patron saint of attorneys.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_00: I usually text my brother uh today because I still have to uh he um he went to St.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_00: John Fisher College uh and as is an attorney, so uh it's kind of a double feast day for him.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_00: But um uh Catholic uh Saint of the Day, Franciscan Media, you can and even on our we did a post uh for today, um you can learn more about St.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: Thomas More and um and St.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: John Fisher.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_00: Thomas Moore, a layman, married, um, and uh who said that I am the king's good servant but God's first, and he wouldn't agree to sign off on um the um uh an old man, I think it was Henry VIII, and uh St.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_00: John Fisher uh was maybe the only one who stood with them, the Bishop of Rochester in England, I believe.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: Um so um it's a very important feast day, and we can talk a little bit later about uh the United States bishops uh asking that this be um uh religious freedom week um for uh our country and even uh for for religious freedom, thinking about and praying for religious freedom throughout the world.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_00: So uh also yesterday was the feast of St.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_00: Aloysius Gonzaga, um, the uh Jesuit, young Jesuit, patron saint of young people, and again a great story.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_00: Um died in 23, um uh serving people who were sick and dying in Rome during the plague.
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_00: Um so it brought me back to um the challenges of COVID a few years ago.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_00: And um, but um I also uh have a special place for St.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_00: Aloyshaus because I have an aunt, Aloyish's sister Aloysius, uh, in Ireland, my mom's sister.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_00: So I sent her uh uh an email yesterday wishing her a happy feast day.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_00: So um and then this coming Saturday, as again, we'll talk about is um June 24th, which is the feast of the nativity of St.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_00: John the Baptist.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, when Mary came, uh uh excuse me, when the angel Gabriel came to Mary and told her that she would conceive by the Holy Spirit, she'd be the mother of God and that line, uh, and Elizabeth, your kinswoman, is in her sixth month, who was thought to be too old, um, obviously, with John the Baptist.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_00: Uh so John is six months older than Jesus, and uh, so because we celebrate Jesus' birthday on December 24th, we celebrate John's birthday six months before on June 24th.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: And this year it's um going to be ordination, uh priesthood ordination, and it's our Dawson feast day, patronal feast day, because our cathedral is the cathedral of Saint John the Baptist.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_00: So I thought for our prayer today that we'd um offer the prayer from the uh missal, the the prayers of the mass for both um Saint John Fisher and um and Thomas Moore, and also for the nativity of Saint John the Baptist, uh which we'll celebrate on on Saturday.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_00: Um so let us place ourselves in God's presence in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_00: Amen.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_00: As we remember that Jesus has told us wherever two or three are gathered together in his name, we gather now in the midst of him.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_00: He's present to them, and we pray for our church here in our country, here in our diocese, throughout our world.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_00: We pray in thanksgiving for the witness of the martyrs today as we celebrate Saint John Fisher and St.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_00: Thomas More, and we reflect on the mystery of God's plan of salvation as he chose Elizabeth and Zechariah to be the parents of John the Baptist who would prepare the way for Jesus our Lord.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_00: And so let us pray.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_00: O God, who in martyrdom have brought true faith to its highest expression, graciously grant that, strengthened through the intercession of Saints John Fisher and Thomas More, we may confirm by the witness of our life the faith we profess with our lips.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_00: And we pray.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_00: O God, who raised Saint John the Baptist to make ready a nation fit for Christ the Lord, give your people, we pray, the grace of spiritual joys and direct the hearts of the faithful into the way of salvation and peace.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_00: We ask these in all our prayers through our Lord Jesus Christ, your son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_00: Amen.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_00: Saint John the Baptist, pray for us.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_00: Saint John Fisher and Saint Thomas More, pray for us.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_00: Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_00: Amen.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_00: And Saint Aloishus Gonzaga, pray for us also.
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_00: Pray for us.
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_00: Uh so um beautiful feast days.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_00: And um I we were talking before, and you told me you haven't seen A Man for All Seasons.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_00: I can't believe it.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_00: Uh great Broadway play and then great movie, I forget from the 60s, I think.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_00: But um uh oh I now I'm trying to remember the guy who played Thomas More.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_00: But um anybody looking for a good movie, uh A Man for All Seasons, the life of St.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_00: Thomas More.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so check it out and let me know.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_01: It's on my list now.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_01: Well, great.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_01: So uh just last week, as we referenced in our previous episode, uh you were down in Orlando.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_01: Uh the United States Catholic uh the USCCB, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the USCCB, gathered earlier this month for their spring assembly in Florida.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_01: Throughout the gathering, the bishops spent time in prayer and fraternal dialogue with one another.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_01: It was a packed agenda with updates on the Eucharistic Revival, World Youth Day, and the Synod on Synodality.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_01: A lay ecclesial ministry task force was established.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_01: The bishops also discussed a pastoral plan to strengthen Hispanic-Latino ministry at the national, local, and parish levels.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_01: And something that made news headlines was the bishops approving a revision of the ethical and religious directive for Catholic health care services.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_01: The vote begins a process that would bar Catholic health care services from providing gender-affirming treatment to chan transgender people.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_01: Um so a lot going on at this assembly.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_01: Um I know you had a post on your on your Instagram.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_01: We're gonna get to that, but what was the uh Bishop's Assembly like for you?
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_01: And can you give us two two key takeaways?
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_00: Well, as I'm listening to, uh some say it's a lighter agenda in uh in the spring.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_00: They call it the spring, it's at the end of the spring, as we're now in summer, but uh it was last week.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_00: So um uh I got there.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_00: I had I I flew down early Wednesday morning because I had a very nice uh opportunity uh to celebrate uh mass with our Italian community at St.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_00: James Parish in Totowa on the feast of St.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_00: Anthony of Padua on on Tuesday evening.
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_00: So because that was on my calendar and I was happy to be able to do it, I had an early flight Wednesday morning.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_00: So I I wasn't there unfortunately for the morning of prayer that that they had on Wednesday morning, but I got there actually just in time for Mass.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_00: My flight going down was no problem.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_00: My flight coming back was another story, but uh uh so uh so um so we could maybe take it from the beginning as I was happy to be there for mass, kind of got checked in and had a bite of eat to eat, uh, and then the first major meeting of the whole group was around 1.30 after lunch, and so they meet in this large room and they used to have these long tables that uh in kind of um um whatever the style would be, but uh long tables going across and then facing the front.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_00: But uh in recent meetings, because they wanted a little bit more dialogue, they now do uh half circle and four at the half circle.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_00: Uh okay.
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_00: So the you could, I guess, see the pictures on the phone.
• 10:22
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, a photo on your Instagram account.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_00: Uh but um apparently there's a custom that when in your packet when you check in, you get a name card that um you put in front of you.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_00: Uh so um the bishops have think of a long tradition of at the meetings in November and in the spring, they um they go in and they put their card down to kind of claim their place with their friends that are bishops or from their region.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_00: Um and uh last November and now this year I that went out of my head and uh I checked in.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_00: I went to get to the meeting, and maybe I was, you know, just as it was starting, I was walking into the room and uh every spot is full.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_00: My personally I would like to sit at the back.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_00: That's I was a kid in class, I always like to sit in the back.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_00: But uh so uh so I worked my way towards the front looking to find a spot, and uh there in the front in the center, there's a table with just two bishops.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and so there's a space on either side.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_00: I was so happy to see a space, and as I move forward, I see one of the two bishops is Bishop Robert Barron, uh, which is a picture that I posted.
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_00: And yeah, so I uh gingerly kind of put my said okay if I was this place open.
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_00: No, sure, sure, no problem.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, um, so at a break in the um proceedings, uh I introduced myself and told him I'm a big fan, which is true, you know.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, it couldn't have been nicer.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_00: And so usually where you sit um is where you sit for all the meetings.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_00: Uh so uh Wednesday afternoon, full day Thursday, and then Friday morning, um I got to spend a little time with Bishop Barron.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_00: So that was that was uh that was a nice thing.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_01: And and for those who who don't know, which uh there can't be many who who don't know, uh I I would say Bishop Barron is probably probably aside from the Pope, one of the most notable Catholic bishops in terms of his figures and um online outreach.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_01: Um I'm a big fan, my wife's a big fan.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_01: Uh we run his column in the beacon, he's uh you know a renowned speaker and and he has his word on fire apostolate and his homily this past weekend, this past Sunday, uh on vocations and priesthood was really, really beautiful.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_00: So uh yeah, I I part of my homily preparation each week is usually uh listening to Bishop Barron's homily and then so can I ask you what you guys talked about or or can you what what can you tell us?
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_00: I asked him on Friday morning, I think, if he had seen the highlights of the uh US Open Golf vouing because uh uh golf tournament because it was being played in California and uh um uh he hadn't uh um but I know he's a golf fan.
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_00: So uh um but um you know I told him I I recommend the stuff that I've been listening to and and I said actually that how helpful to me he's been in my time as bishop because I started listening to him I think around 2018 or 19 when I was uh pastor in Brooklyn and and uh liked his homilies and then started listening to the some of the interviews and and and podcasts.
• 13:14
  SPEAKER_00: Uh but um in the time as bishop, uh he there's um he was one of the major movers um uh that brought up the Pew survey that led to the National Eucharistic Revival.
• 13:27
  SPEAKER_00: And um he had a uh a conference at a um catechetical gathering in Los Angeles um on the Eucharist that um that I shared uh with many, and uh it's I still recommend it.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_00: You can find it pretty easily.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_00: But um so now you know I've been listening to him every week, usually twice the homily and the uh and the um and the podcast.
• 13:49
  SPEAKER_00: But um so I thanked him for his help as a bishop.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_00: Uh um and uh you know he's a such a great teacher, um and his education um is just um incredible.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_00: So it was uh it was very, very nice to and I I also had a chance to tell him uh he I may have mentioned before, but uh that when Bishop David O'Connell was was murdered in Los Angeles uh a week or two afterwards, he changed his homily topic and uh and preached about his friendship with Bishop O'Connell.
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_00: And it was uh the first uh reading that Sunday was in Lent was about Abra Abram being called to leave his kinsfolk and go to a place that God would show him.
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_00: And uh and it was the gospel was the transfiguration.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_00: He talked about spending some time uh at a retreat, uh walking up a mountain, uh just he and Bishop Barron and Bishop O'Connell.
• 14:39
  SPEAKER_00: And so um I uh I I let him know how much uh I had appreciated that.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_00: Uh yeah, so so that was a treat.
• 14:45
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, uh I bet.
• 14:47
  SPEAKER_01: As far as did you get to mention Beyond the Beacon?
• 14:49
  SPEAKER_01: No, I didn't, unfortunately.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_00: I I know you texted me and I was hoping to, but it just didn't want to so uh see each other along the way, right?
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_00: Um play around the golf together, maybe.
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_00: But as far as the content of the meeting, yeah, we could spend a lot of time, but maybe um three of the things that or two maybe that you mentioned and one other.
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_00: Um World Youth Day uh is it's growing in excitement.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_00: It's uh gonna be here, we leave at the end of July.
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm really looking forward to that.
• 15:19
  SPEAKER_00: And it was good to hear about um um some of the plans for the USCCB, and there's a large number of bishops that are going, and and so uh it was exciting to get some kind of some information on that.
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_00: Uh also then um uh Bishop Andrew Cousins, who's heading up the National Eucharistic Revival, gave a wonderful uh update.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_00: And um we're gonna be putting out some information uh uh this year is a uh a year to focus in in the parish.
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_00: Uh we're engaging parishes and pastors uh and will be.
• 15:49
  SPEAKER_00: We have a committee here in the diocese working on it.
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_00: Uh and also that we're leading up to the National Eucharistic Congress, as we mentioned, uh in July.
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_00: And so there was some more information on that.
• 15:59
  SPEAKER_00: Uh so that's uh very, very exciting.
• 16:01
  SPEAKER_00: Uh the other um uh presentation that stood out for me was um Bishop Michael Burbage, again, uh a bit of a fan because he has a his own podcast, Walk Humbly, which I was just listening to this morning.
• 16:13
  SPEAKER_00: But um he's also the head of the uh committee on pro-life activities, uh respect life activities.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_00: And he gave a update, an update on um where we are one year um after the Dobbs decision, as I wrote in my column in the beacon this weekend, it'll be our Dawson Patronal Feast Day, we'll ordain two men to the priesthood, God willing.
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_00: And uh it's the first anniversary of the Dobbs decision.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, uh if you follow the news or political um activity, uh unfortunately, uh in a number of states where now, you know, the the Dobbs gave the decision on on life in the womb uh basically back to the states and a number of states that have tried to protect life in the womb, um there's been a a strong reaction against it, and and some of the votes um have not gone uh on the on the way of life and and more on the on the pro-choice, pro-abortion side.
• 17:11
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, they talk about um unfortunately it is an abortion industry and there's a lot of money, and the money that is poured into some of these elections is is a great concern.
• 17:21
  SPEAKER_00: And um, you know, uh as over this year I think we've also seen and hopefully are realizing that changing laws is one thing, but changing hearts is something else, and we have a lot of work to do uh in terms of um seeing that the value of life from the moment of conception and walking with moms in need and um and and witnessing the you know if uh I'm not sure how many, you know, look at this issue objectively and and under it's understandably emotional for some and and and uh uh we we're pro-women, we're pro-moms, we're um it's not like we're trying to control people's bodies, uh, but we said the the all the technology, I mean it's hard to uh not you know, uh objectively not say argue against that it's from conception that life begins.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_00: And so there's a child there, there's another person and well and in your column you it was beautiful.
• 18:17
  SPEAKER_01: You you mentioned how uh John the Baptist leaps.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_01: Right, that's right.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_01: Right, right.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_00: He recognized Jesus, right?
• 18:25
  SPEAKER_00: Hearing the voice of of Mary, right.
• 18:27
  SPEAKER_00: Uh so um so uh but um um whether it be autonomy or whether it be economic pressures or social pressures or thinking about careers or whatever, or of difficult family situations, uh, you know, uh unfortunately uh moms very often find that they don't have another choice and um and to abort the child at least that's what they feel.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_00: And and we want to let them know that there's help available where will be there for you.
• 18:55
  SPEAKER_00: Um so we're working on that here in the diocese.
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_00: Um it's an effort that's going on throughout the country, and um please God, um good will come out of it.
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_00: And uh, you know, many thought that Roe versus Wade would never be overturned.
• 19:09
  SPEAKER_00: It has been overturned.
• 19:10
  SPEAKER_00: Um that hasn't solved, you know, the the the this the crisis or um um what's happening in the culture, but it is um um the opportunity for us to um be faithful citizens, uh, which is something we can talk about as well, because uh now, you know, with things being in the States, uh we it it is gonna go the way that elections go.
• 19:34
  SPEAKER_00: And so um uh I know that some faithful Catholics would criticize the bishops of the church for being too much one issue when it comes, especially maybe to politics or or elections or politicians.
• 19:48
  SPEAKER_00: Um and and it should be the full spectrum of life and we have to take everything into consideration when we vote, but um but uh uh life uh if you don't have life and you don't have any of the other freedoms or uh it's it's hard to help someone if they're you know if they're if they're not alive.
• 20:07
  SPEAKER_00: And so um so uh we have to do all those things that we do as the church to um work towards justice, care for the poor, um give um you know a good quality of life as much as possible.
• 20:20
  SPEAKER_00: And uh so we and I believe that we we do that well here in the diocese and and as a church, and so um complicated, yes, but uh but we need to be faithful citizens.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_00: We need to be part of this conversation and and we can make a difference.
• 20:37
  SPEAKER_00: And uh so I also wanted to mention uh today on the Feast of St.
• 20:42
  SPEAKER_00: Thomas More and John Fisher that it's the um beginning of this week, as I mentioned, for religious freedom.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_00: And uh we have a post and we'll have information on our website, but I just wanted to reference uh what the bishops are asking us to pray for uh during this week.
• 20:57
  SPEAKER_00: If you go to their website, uh USCCB Religious Freedom, you'll find it pretty easily.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_00: Uh and so today, the feast of Saint Um Thomas More and John Fisher, who obviously died for um their uh witnessing to the faith and and they didn't have religious freedom, they they were put to death because of their religious beliefs.
• 21:16
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, I think that um we it's something we have to work at and and and not take for granted here in our country.
• 21:23
  SPEAKER_00: Um I think there's kind of different differing opinions on terms of um how threatened our our our religious freedom here is is here in this country.
• 21:35
  SPEAKER_00: Uh and we'll see, you know, in some other place of the world um it's it's it's uh a lot lot worse.
• 22:21
  SPEAKER_01: Um Yeah, I mean it's almost like you think, oh, religious freedom and and persecution, one might think like that was like something that was years ago.
• 22:30
  SPEAKER_01: Right, right.
• 22:30
  SPEAKER_01: No, it's going on and it happens to be.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_00: And the way some of the political wind is blowing here in our country, um there could be efforts and there already are to curtail our um living of our faith.
• 22:42
  SPEAKER_00: And so um so from today June 22nd through the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, two other martyrs who uh died for the for the faith for the name of the Lord, um the bishops are asking us to pray.
• 22:54
  SPEAKER_00: Just I'm gonna mention you can go to the website for more information, but I think it's worth just um uh mentioning the intentions uh that the bishops are inviting us to focus on in our prayer in this coming week.
• 23:05
  SPEAKER_00: So today June 22nd respect for sacred spaces um churches have been desecrated my hometown my home diocese in Brooklyn so you know even the tabernacle stolen and um June 23rd tomorrow the seal of confession um that governments would respect the seal of confession usually the case but not always and um sometimes we have to wonder in terms of again the way things the direction of things um here in our own country can you get into that so what do you mean not always the case so if you confess something to a priest that's usually respected by the law but um I think there have been uh I'm sure I have to get the details but there have been instances where um uh priests have been yes right to uh reveal something that um so um so again just to be aware of it um um and uh pray that governments would respect the seal of confession as the church in the United States continues to work to remove the scourge of clergy abuse it's um interesting that uh because that ultimate trust in in in the priesthood in in the sacrament of confession reconciliation um is um sacrosanct that's really the the right word for it um but uh yes the the trust has been broken here in our country over the past 20 years when not only that priests had abused children but that the bishops hadn't handled things as well as well as they should have so we're we're working to regain the trust in that area um but we're asking that um the trust that uh the people of God have in priests in in the sacrament of of reconciliation of confession would be respected by the government as part of our religious freedom.
• 24:43
  SPEAKER_00: Uh June 24th yes the feast of John the Baptist and we'll talk a little bit more about it but pray for our Catholic sisters and brothers who are suffering in Nicaragua.
• 24:52
  SPEAKER_00: We won't go into great detail at the moment but if uh the things in Nicaragua are terrible there's a bishop in jail um because he wouldn't I believe close down a Catholic uh radio station and um um he has a very long sentence and things are not looking good things are terrible in Nicaragua at the moment in terms of the government and the lack of freedom of religion June 25th uh religious student groups uh pray that religious student groups would be free to be faithful to their distinctive missions maybe especially on college campuses I think June 26th religious freedom in Nigeria um things are really bad in Nigeria it doesn't get a whole lot of press but um there's there's persecution um Christians are suffering um so again you can find more information just like 30 people killed in a church school there right terrible terrible uh June 27th which is my mom's birthday uh uh pray that business leaders would promote a culture that welcomes um faith at work so faith at work faith in the workplace second vatican council bishop baron speaks often about it that um uh the the the lay the the the laity are called to evangelize to bring the faith into the workplace into other areas of life and culture so um uh while yes we have to be professional and there's certain you we can't be you know necessarily preaching in the middle of the office um if with the job to do but um but that we can live our faith and that certain you know um as other religions um have certain holidays and um those are respected um and ours are pretty much I would say um but uh but again that we can live our faith in the workplace is important.
• 26:25
  SPEAKER_00: Uh June 28th service to immigrants and refugees um Cardinal Dolan on his uh conversations with Cardinal Dolan talked a little bit about at the US C C B meeting um there was an update that there's the talk of some in Congress that they're gonna investigate Catholic charities because we're caring for migrants as they come over the border uh interpreting that as giving some kind of incentive as as as Cardinal Dolan said, you know, when someone who's poor or in need comes to us we don't ask for their papers.
• 26:55
  SPEAKER_00: You know so we we see Jesus in front of us and um and we we and and you know I think um the government is dealing with this uh you know there's different opinions on how the government is dealing with it the the broken system and um and and what what's happening at the border and and we we as the church we have respect for laws so it's not that we're saying you know you you can you shouldn't respect the laws.
• 27:19
  SPEAKER_00: No we we um but when someone you know walks here and finds themselves here um and they're in need uh as the government cares for those who come to us uh as refugees um uh the church does a lot of caring for them as well and along the route as well so um uh so again I know there's different opinions on that but um uh on June 28th we're asked be uh being asked to pray that the Lord would protect all migrants and refugees and that those who work with people on the move would be free to serve.
• 27:50
  SPEAKER_00: And just to mention uh for those who um you know would maybe be critical of um the many who are coming to this country in so many different ways um nobody wants to leave their home and family you know uh yeah there's gotta be uh uh a desperation that they that the they again feel they have no other choice but um and many come here to try to send money home to help their families so um so uh before we um maybe jump to conclusions um yes and this is still a land of dreams and you know it is a beacon and and this is the one place where people from throughout the world want to come and um well it's people have a right to live a peaceful you know existence and live in a safe environment.
• 28:38
  SPEAKER_00: Right if they don't have that where they are they're gonna look for that also feel they have to leave you know and um so um uh it came up um recently in some place um uh uh at um uh a um a tri-county gathering the uh uh group that does great work supporting scholarships for uh children in um in many of our Catholic schools uh there was a gathering recently and they talked about having helped children from Ukraine who have come to us and uh the person said that a number of those students have gone back and the and the person said well I'm not sure why they would go back to Ukraine.
• 29:11
  SPEAKER_00: Um and then uh she checked herself and she said well it's their home maybe it's not so strange that they want to go back even you know the conditions are are are what they are over there.
• 29:21
  SPEAKER_00: So um so it's a complicated world and um and many people are going through difficult situations.
• 29:27
  SPEAKER_00: Uh we try to have that compassion and and pray for discernment that the Holy Spirit guide us to be those faithful citizens, you know uh bring our faith um in this light of the earth um salt of the earth and light of the world that's who we're called to be um and a friend of yours and a former uh I guess colleague or fellow bishop DeMarzio uh writes a great column yes on this issue that we wrote in the beacon yes yes yes yeah if anyone wants to learn more check that out and then finally June 29th the feast of Saints Peter's Saints Peter and Paul was also my dad's birthday uh um Catholic health care pray that governments will respect the consciences of all individuals and institutions that care for the sick and the vulnerable um again that's uh that's a bit of um uh a challenge to say the least at the moment uh as you mentioned as you referenced there looking at Catholic health care guidelines and we haven't made uh there's no policy been set there hasn't a vote hasn't been taken but there's that I think there was a vote to allow the committee to do its work to yeah there's gonna be wide consultation and uh many of the bishops advocated for that uh and um yeah I know Cardinal Tobin our neighbor cardinal and bishop in Newark spoke.
• 30:37
  SPEAKER_00: Yep.
• 30:38
  SPEAKER_00: So um so um you know uh it's it's uh a wonderful opportunity to twice a year to especially as a still feeling like a new bishop three years now into it but um to have that the fraternal dialogues that we have and uh just in between the meetings just uh getting to meet bishops from all over the country and hearing about their experience uh that's a um that's a a a great blessing and and realizing that we're we're one church and and as large as the Catholic Church here is in the United States is part of the universal Catholic Church, so uh the one holy Catholic Apostolic Church and and so um that um the bishops wouldn't just stay in his own diocese all the time yes that's the majority and his a responsibility and um but from time to time that the bishops could come together to pray together.
• 31:29
  SPEAKER_01: We pray together it's that's that's a beautiful experience and uh and have that opportunity to share um experiences and and dialogue and and and try to make decisions together uh interpreting uh in a synodal way you know uh and uh um uh we're looking forward to the formal process of the synod beginning in the fall as we have the working document so um uh so speaking of the synod I yeah I have a I have a question for you uh on that so so the Vatican just the other day released the the working document for the first session of the Synod of Bishops in October this is a big moment for the church we can finally see the light at the end of the synod tunnel uh we've learned a lot about our church through this process uh but this document brings up some of the difficult questions we've encountered along the way uh especially when it comes to unconditionally loving those who do not feel accepted in the church so I want to pose a question to you which comes directly from the new working document um as a suggestion for prayer and reflection.
• 32:31
  SPEAKER_01: I was I was kind of it's a 60 page document.
• 32:34
  SPEAKER_01: I didn't did not read the whole thing but I was I haven't read it all fully myself.
• 32:37
  SPEAKER_01: I was working on it.
• 32:38
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah I was perusing it and I'm like wow these are amazing questions to reflect on and think of and so here's kind of a two it's a two for it's um so how can we create spaces where those who feel hurt by the church and unwelcomed by the community feel recognized, received free to ask questions and not judged what concrete steps are needed to welcome those who feel excluded from the church because of their status or sexuality and they they reference remarried divorcees people in polygamous marriages and LGBTQ plus people etc Well I would I think the polygamists might be in other parts of the country but hopefully there are not too many around here but uh uh but I as you were speaking and asking the question uh I was um uh thinking about uh um some faithful faithful Catholics who um were in a marriage uh and it married in the church and it didn't work out and um then met somebody else and um and eventually remarried and I think very often um they would have wanted to be married in the church but they had already been married in the church and um yes we believe as Jesus said um what God has joined men must not divide.
• 33:59
  SPEAKER_00: So then if they're in that second relationship um uh then they're you know they're not able to receive Holy Communion.
• 34:06
  SPEAKER_00: Um and and there are um I think it's becoming less I'm not sure exactly uh the background to some of that some of it could be good some of it maybe not uh you know um um maybe less attention to what the teaching of the church is but um but we have to teach the truth with love and uh so um in in my parish experience uh before coming here uh I did I started doing a lot of work probably my last five years um uh as as pastor w working with um couples who uh or individuals who needed an annulment too uh and serving in an immigrant community um you know many have been married in Mexico or Ecuador Dominican Republic and uh other places uh and finding documents the uh uh you know we as we're talking we should have a uh an episode on on the annulment process uh one of these days because uh uh Father Mark Mancini is our vicar general and uh a number of priests and others work in our marriage tribunal uh and and there's there needs to be education still about what the annulment process is but um you said Father Mark Mancini is the uh Judicial Vicar.
• 35:16
  SPEAKER_00: Judicial vicar judicial vicar, yes uh and also Pastor of St.
• 35:19
  SPEAKER_00: James Parish in Totowa.
• 35:20
  SPEAKER_00: Um so but there is a process of um looking at that first marriage and if there was something that got in the way of um him giving herself him giving himself completely her or her giving herself completely to him um uh or lack of understanding or lack of maturity or a pressure that they were under um on on the spiritual level it could be said uh there was something that prevented the bond from taking place where God joins the two together as one and what God has joined men must not divide.
• 35:56
  SPEAKER_00: Um there was something missing there and and so um the church can through that process say okay uh in a sense on the spiritual level that that the sacrament that joined the two together as one wasn't able to take place.
• 36:12
  SPEAKER_00: Even though it everybody was there and they heard the words and they said the vows and they you know walked down the aisle and um but the um family history, uh age sometimes maturity uh you have to freely you know give yourself in marriage when you make those vows and be aware uh and you might say yes to the question are you here freely and without you know uh pressure to uh yes uh I d um but um uh but um maybe the person is trying their best you know and and ended up there in front of the altar and anyway there's um uh um many different um variations of the circumstances that could take place that could that could be as we call grounds for annulment and then if the person able to go through that annulment process some people say why is it so long why is it so important I went through the annulment process okay so um it was a it was a long uh it was a long experience it took it took a while you know but I got through it luckily I was not getting married during I didn't have plans to get married during that process and it was a few years later that I got remarried.
• 37:19
  SPEAKER_00: But you know so so much of that goes back to uh Jesus speaking very clearly about marriage.
• 37:25
  SPEAKER_00: We say he raised marriage to a sacrament right because marriage was around uh basically since Adam and Eve and it was certainly part of the Jewish covenant and um the ceremony of um uh marriage uh reflecting the covenant of love God is people um but uh so that was uh before the incarnation before the Messiah came and and then Jesus you know was questioned about marriage and divorce and uh he said uh you know have you not read the scriptures that man leaves his father uh and mother and clings to his wife and the two become flesh and and then he says what God has joined men must not divide so um we can't take that lightly okay it was you know that didn't work out so there's no marriage there well wait um but if we take the time reflect look at what was happening at the time of the marriage then um through a very thorough process the just you know the the decision can be made there was something that was missing or not right there that um this on the sacramental level um the two were not able to be joined together as one so so it's declared null um is annulled and then the person is free to marry again in the sacramental and it when I when I actually did it with through Patterson and I believe I interviewed with Father Mark it was um it was a fair and you know it was yes it was a gradual process but it was very done very smoothly and it was fair and I and I feel like you know my side was was heard and and it went in my favor, our favor and uh it can be a healing process and there are still some and I understand again faithful Catholics who say you know I made my vows I was faithful to my vows.
• 39:05
  SPEAKER_00: How can this be bar marriage be annulled?
• 39:08
  SPEAKER_00: And uh I think we have to just gently walk with people um through that um uh explanation and process and um hopefully over time um the Lord can give us all healing and peace if Jesus says if you ask you receive if you seek you'll find so we have to um keep doing that.
• 39:28
  SPEAKER_00: And so um I was glad that you uh referenced that um uh part of the synodal document uh that yes talks about some challenges to um that we certainly heard in the synodal process that there are some who don't feel welcome and that's the last thing we would want right we we want everyone to feel welcome in God's house as part of God's family and on a human level we don't always do that as well as we should but um um yes uh certainly the LGBTQ community um um it it's a challenge to um make let it let everyone know that everyone is welcome.
• 40:10
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, this is what we believe this is what the church teachings are um walking that uh path of um we're all God's children was a document written by the USCCB many years ago about ministry um and and accompaniment maybe that word wasn't as a popular when the document was written but certainly it's a word that Pope Francis encourages us to and it's part of the symbol process that we accompany one another on the journey.
• 40:34
  SPEAKER_00: So we may not have everything figured out right now but please feel welcome please yeah come uh and uh and let's dialogue let's listen let's encounter one another let's get to know one another and then um uh who knows what what God can do as part of that process so um that hearing that um message as part of the synodal process we have a responsibility to um try to be a little bit more intentional about about uh who are those who may not feel welcome and how can we reach out to them and um and and um offer that welcome without judgment you know uh so um so it's uh it's on the list there to the things to do and uh yeah and we're working on it and uh we can we can do more but we will be doing doing what we can to uh um uh get that message out there that um that we want everyone to feel welcome in God's house.
• 41:31
  SPEAKER_01: Amen.
• 41:32
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah and I'm looking at the time here and we we are uh goes by probably soon to let's we need to wrap up soon I think so I any uh any last thoughts or uh yes words that you want to as I mentioned in the um beacon article uh thank God and Bishop Saratelli uh Bishop Saratelli or Bishop Emeritus uh worked so hard for uh promoting vocations and particularly priestly vocations here in the diocese and uh so in August of twenty twenty um I was ordainable able to ordain five men to the priesthood a month after I had been ordained as bishop because they had been supposed to be ordained in May and in 2020 it was delayed and Bishop Savitli made that decision that the new bishop should ordain the priests and so that was five there were then two more two other men in uh May of 2021 um seven men uh just a year ago um in 2022 and now you interview two of them on the podcast father Steve and uh and who was with Father Steve um oh wow uh father jose um uh so um um and now two others uh starly castellanos um who's from St.
• 42:42
  SPEAKER_00: Anthony's parish in Padua it's not in Padua the St.
• 42:46
  SPEAKER_00: Anthony's Padua in Patterson uh Father Ada Reyes is the parish uh I I mentioned in the article that both of the men Starley and Christoph Deacon Christoph Tishko um who be God willing as of Saturday Father Christoph and uh um with Father Starley uh uh uh Christoph born and raised in um uh um uh at least raised in uh uh Holy Rosary Parish uh Stranda St.
• 43:13
  SPEAKER_00: John Paul II and Passaic uh parents from Poland and uh that wonderful Polish parish there in Passaic and uh Father Stefan Las the pastor and so it's really wonderful to see these two young men who you know grew up in their parishes uh grew up in the diocese um heard the call responded to the call I think they both went to the college seminary um then uh Deacon Starley continued his studies at um American Conception Seminary at Seton Hall and um Deacon Christoph at the North American College in Rome.
• 43:43
  SPEAKER_01: So um and you had this awesome rooftop interview with him last year on on your Instagram account.
• 43:49
  SPEAKER_00: So please pray for them uh and and for vocations to to priesthood and religion and religious life as well and and holy marriages and single life.
• 43:58
  SPEAKER_00: Somebody I wouldn't want to mention um I haven't had a chance to respond to the email yet but somebody um wrote to me in terms of um um honoring mothers on mother's day and fathers on father's day and and what about those uh who are single or those who don't have children who are married and don't have children and uh um uh I I hope that nobody sees us honoring um moms and dads as some kind of a slight to those who who aren't parents that uh um the as the person said um uh we we we all are God's children and and and we each have a vocation uh and and and the church has always recognized that maybe not communicated and maybe it seems like we talk about priest and religious life and we talk about marriage and um but um uh so um so uh of course there's godfathers and that's right father figures too right right and um you know aunts and uncles uh that play such an important role and uh and you know uh uh that married couple their vocation is love right God is love and there's no greater love than to lay down your life for the one who you love and yes the mystery of uh those who receive children or many children and those who would like to have their own children but uh are for whatever reason are not able to um uh that's that's that's nothing less than uh it's not a uh a competition it's uh it's it's a discernment of okay Lord what are you asking for me but that that couple that that is married uh and and and hasn't been blessed with their own children they they have that vocation to bring God's love into the world and and they can have impacts on families and parishes and in the workplace and uh and and just in their relationship with each other that um uh so um uh I will reply to the person that that sent the email but um but um we we um we thank God for the gift of life and that we honor some doesn't mean that we're we're we're slighting others uh hopefully that's understood and so um again praying for all vocations and that we each try to live that vocation of holiness from baptism uh please pray for starley and and um christoph as uh god they'll be ordained god willing on this coming Saturday our patronal feast day and uh and pray for life as well because uh it is the um the first anniversary of the Dobbs decision and a a reminder that uh that with God all things are possible and yes there's a lot of work to do but there's I mean so many wonderful people that um are literally walking with moms in needs and uh and and many places where the gospel of life is being preached and shared and lived and and and people are seeing that truth that that life begins a conception and um and and and trying to be there for one another.
• 46:31
  SPEAKER_00: So um big day on on Saturday June 24th so 10 30 definitely something uh wonderful to check out come to the cathedral if you've never been to an ordination if you're free on Saturday morning it's it'll be beautiful um uh then there'll be a little bit of uh uh Stalli's parents from the Dominican Republic and Chris was from Poland so they'll be part of the uh beauty of our um immigrant church as well and and the different uh flavors uh of Catholicism in terms of uh culture and language and music and dress and and so uh uh there'll be that nice combination uh uh on on Saturday at the ordination yeah looking forward to it all right well thanks so much bishop for your time and thank you all for spending some time with us join us again for the next episode of Beyond the Beacon please subscribe to this podcast wherever you're listening give us a positive rating write a review and if you're watching this episode on Bishop Kevin Sweeney's YouTube channel be sure to like the episode follow the channel and ring the bell for notifications.
• 47:26
  SPEAKER_01: Email questions and podcast topic ideas for the bishop to beyond at patterson diocese.org.
• 47:33
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for listening to Beyond the Begin thank you God bless you have a great day