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29: Talking family life with Eniola Honsberger · Beyond The Beacon

• 0:07
  SPEAKER_02: Welcome to Beyond the Beacon with Bishop Kevin Sweeney, a podcast of the Diocese of Patterson.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_02: I'm Jay Agnish, Communications Director for the Diocese and editor of the Beacon newspaper.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_02: With me is Bishop Kevin Sweeney.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_02: Bishop, how are you?
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_02: I'm doing well, Jay.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_02: How are you?
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_02: Doing well, thank you.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_02: Well, what's new?
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_02: I uh it's been a busy, busy few days for for both of us.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_02: I know you got down to to DC for the pilgrimage to the Marion Shrine.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_03: Wonderful um experience.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_03: My first one as Bishop to uh I had shared with others that I as a seminarian and priest, I had been with the Diocese of Brooklyn many times for pilgrimage to the National Shrine and there for the March for Life many years also in um in Washington, D.C.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_03: And it's such a beautiful um uh expression, I think, of um or reflection of the the church in the in the United States and the immigrant church.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_03: And there's 99 different images of our Blessed Mother in the different side altars and chapels in the lower church and upper church.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_03: And so um um when I had been there for mass many times, whether it be for the right to life or uh pilgrimages Brooklyn, I never figured I'd be the main celebrant, and uh so it was uh really something uh and Father Michael Rodak, who had was on the podcast previously, yeah, has for many years now been um organizing pilgrimages in the diocese, and uh he really does a great job.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_03: And um many of our parishes and pastors and leaders uh came in great numbers.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_03: Um and Father Rodak was saying that I think we were expecting maybe around 900 or so.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_03: Wow.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_03: About 90 or so went overnight when I met with them on Friday evening.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_02: Um so uh um He told me that the you got there were 1,500 prayer requests that came up in the basket.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_03: Yes, yes, yes.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_03: And he mentioned that some might be coming on their own, kind of in cars, and you know, it's not bad.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_03: It's four and a half hour drive.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_03: And if you leave early and come back, it's it's kind of a nice way to spend a day.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_03: Saturday was a rainy day, but um uh the first pilgrims who arrived, we was we took some pictures inside because it was kind of raining a little bit heavy, but then it it kind of quieted down, and we the next half to the last second half we were able to take a picture in front of the steps when as they came off the buses.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_03: Uh so that was uh it was great.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_03: And uh um Ro Rosary Multilingual and the Divine Mercy Chaplet and um and in the Mass and uh yes, praying for a lot of intentions.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_03: We certainly have a lot to pray for these days.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_03: Um it was also nice personally.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_03: Um my niece is a junior currently in Catholic University, and the Basilica is on the um uh campus of Catholic University.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_03: So and her sister, my older niece, uh had graduated from there in 20.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_03: And so um it was great to be able to I saw my younger niece, I miss my older niece, but uh but um it was great being there.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_03: And actually I had an opportunity to meet with uh Dr.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_03: Peter Kilpatrick, the uh the um president of Catholic University.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_03: So um so it was a great, great experience.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_03: And uh and then that was Saturday, and then Sunday we had the Vivere Christus Awards.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_03: Uh the thanks to Bishop Saratelli, uh he established the award, his Episcopal motto, Vivere Christus to live is Christ.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_03: For um St.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_03: Paul's letter to Philippians, for me, life is Christ.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_03: And uh we have so many wonderful people, as any who's with us today knows that across our diocese, uh leaders in parishes and ministry and uh service, and uh and so we once a year ask parishes to nominate um active parishioners and volunteers to um receive this Vivere Christus Medal.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_03: And uh I think we had close to 75 or 80 out of our 108 parishes that um uh had sent delegates uh um or representatives to receive the award on on Sunday afternoon in the cathedral.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_03: And um wonderful.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_03: It was uh um great to see the church.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_03: And I mentioned in my article this weekend, you know, um it's the news out of the Holy Land is is so sad these days, and um we need to pray for peace.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_03: Um and yet that journey of our faith, um the mystery of the cross, um uh the sadness and and sorrow that we experience and and experience when we see our brothers and sisters suffering and in pain.
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_03: But also um we have to be grateful for the joyful moments and uh and here in in our diocese we um had two very wonderful moments uh this weekend, the pilgrimage and uh and the um Vivare Christus.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_03: Uh it was covered um by the beacon and on social media, uh, but uh yourself, Jay, you weren't able to be with us because you had previous plans to make a pilgrimage of your own.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_03: Yes, I I did.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_03: Thanks for hockey pilgrimages.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_03: I did.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_02: I made a I made a hockey pilgrimage with my wife to Toronto.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_02: I we had actually booked a trip months ago, and I I I would have been with you in DC.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_02: But uh yeah, we it was funny.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_02: It started out as it was intended to be a hockey trip to go see a Maple Leafs game, and we went to the Hall of Fame and Hockey Hall of Fame, but we were also within like a seven-minute walk uh to the Cathedral Basilica of St.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_02: Michael, uh St.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_02: Michael's.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_02: So we went to Mass uh almost every day that we were there, and it I ended up going to confession and we were praying a rosary.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_02: So it was kind of like my own little pilgrimage.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_02: So it was a nice getaway for both of us, but uh definitely was fun to uh follow along with your journey in Washington.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_02: And um definitely um for those listening and watching, um subscribe, definitely subscribe to uh the Bishop's Instagram and our new Diocese of Patterson Instagram.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_02: We had all kinds of great coverage there.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you, Cecile and um Joel for our Spanish language coverage.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_02: Um yeah, so definitely lots there.
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_02: Um so thanks for asking, Bishop, and it's good to be back.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_02: Um just want to introduce our guest, uh Anniola Hansberger is the director of the Office of Family Life for the Diocese of Patterson, and she ministers out of the Office of Evangelization at St.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_02: Paul Inside the Walls in Madison.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_02: She's here to talk about family life and our upcoming Respect Life convocation on October 28th.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_02: You may remember Annie from episode nine of Beyond the Beacon, entitled Two Catholic Moms Discuss Their Journey of Faith and Motherhood.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_02: So go back and check that one out if you get a chance.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_02: Welcome, Annie.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for having me.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Bishop.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for being here, Annie.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_00: Of course.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_02: Bishop, can you open us up in prayer?
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_03: Sure.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_03: Place ourselves in God's presence in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_03: Amen.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_03: Today is the feast of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, one of the early martyrs of the church, and we think of those who are suffering throughout the world, um, those who are persecuted for the faith, but all those who are suffering in any way, and especially continue to pray for peace in the Holy Land.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_03: Um, and in this month of our Lady of the Rosary, the month of the Holy Rosary, we ask the help and intercession of Mary, our blessed Mother, the Queen of Peace, as we pray.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_03: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_03: Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_03: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_03: Amen.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_03: Saint Ignatius, pray for us, pray for us, Saint John the Baptist, pray for us.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_03: All holy men and women, pray for us.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_03: Pray for us in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_03: Amen.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_03: Amen.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_03: Tomorrow is the feast of St.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_03: Luke, uh, October 18th, uh, parish where I grew up in Whitestone, Queens.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, okay.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_00: Someone told me recently that you have this photographic memory for knowing feast days and things.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_00: I forget who told me.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_00: I think when you're coming out.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_03: When you're starting the seminary, more or less in high school, uh, these things and the calendar you're going through it every year, they come up.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_03: But actually, I was at Pope John High School that you mentioned this morning, uh, whose feast day was last Wednesday, uh good Pope John.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_03: But um, I was sharing with um the uh the the students about uh uh being inspired by the lives of the saints.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_03: And uh it the lives of the saints are they're wonderful gifts.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_03: So uh if and if we follow day by day, some of the I've mentioned before this uh during the pandemic, I I found this Franciscan media Catholic Saint of the Day, they do a great job.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_03: Uh so um yes, thank you.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_03: Uh it's a it's uh we have the whole family of saints that it's good to get, and they're a bunch of characters.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_03: So uh uh Carlo Acudis, young Carlo, blessed Carlo was uh just is October 12th uh last week as well.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_03: So um so uh uh and I think uh you're testing me.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_03: Uh the 19th I wanted to say is uh the North American martyrs, um Isaac Jogues and John DeBerboff.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_03: I'm not sure if we can check that.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_03: All right, everyone, check.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, it's uh it's like a hit list uh month month for sure.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_02: Well, good.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_02: So uh why did we invite any?
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_02: What are we what are we talking about today?
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_03: So any uh has been working hard with others to uh plan what is now our second annual Please God Um Respect Life convocation.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_03: Uh it was a wonderful experience for me um with any and some other pro-life leaders from really around our diocese and and the state of New Jersey to plan that uh convent convocation that we had last October.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_03: Um we had asked at that time that um parishes would uh nominate or or send at least one or two delegates so that uh the program we've talked about before, walking with moms in need, um uh trying to um let everyone know that um we're concerned, uh yes, for all life from yes, the child in the womb, but the child's mom, and uh as any will share, um, you know, uh in the past few months, especially in the summer with the movie Sound of Freedom, uh to hear um some of the terrible things that are happening in human trafficking and uh trafficking of children and slavery, modern-day slavery, and um so as the church, um we as Mother Teresa teaches us um and St.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_03: Francis and many others that uh Matthew 25, whatever we do or fail to do for the least of our sisters or brothers, we do or fail to do it for the Lord.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_03: So whether it be um uh immigrants coming to us or those or who are on the street, anybody who's suffering, um when we fail to recognize the dignity of the human person, we fail as a family, as a human, as a human family.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_03: And as the and and please God, as the church, we're uh trying to respond to our responsibility to share the good news, the gospel of life, as St.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_03: Pope John Paul II spoke.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_03: So we the church has been advocating on behalf of life for its whole existence, really, and that takes different shapes at different times, and it's a part of our history here in the United States.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_03: Um, yes, uh the Roe vs.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_03: Wade and more recently the Dobbs decision and and praying for an end to abortion, but um but also uh trying to build that culture for life.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_03: And as we talked, I think, with uh some of our leaders, uh, and any can talk about uh some of what led to this year's convocation and plans.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_03: But um would they well maybe that's even a good place to start.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_03: Uh we want to um encourage build that culture for life, right?
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_03: Which means uh being concerned for life at all stages.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_03: So Annie and I had a uh a conversation, I think, in the spring where we talked about what are we going to be doing for the fall and are we doing the convocation and Annie said she would be willing to take kind of the ball and uh run with it a little bit.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_03: And I think uh I know a lot has happened since then, so maybe you could Yeah.
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, Bishop um bringing in the convocation.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_00: This our last year was the first one.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_00: I unfortunately couldn't be there because I was having a baby, so I was doing my part.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_00: That's right, absolutely, yes, yes.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_00: Um and so, you know, the committee that uh Bishop organized last year came together again in support of um our second um convocation.
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_00: And, you know, as Bishop said, uh, you know, the respect and sanctity of life from conception until natural death.
• 12:13
  SPEAKER_00: And, you know, as we just spoke about, you know, our church, we speak a lot about the abortion issue, right?
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_00: The in the womb, right?
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_00: So conception.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_00: And then, you know, there's even we touch a little bit on um, you know, the end-of-life issues and things like that.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_00: But the until part sometimes we tend tends to go by the wayside.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_00: And so um, as Bishop mentioned, with the the movie that came out with the Sound of Freedom, and really just trying to pay attention to the other aspects that make up the totality of pro-life.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_00: Trevor Burrus, Jr.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_03: And I not to interrupt, but um I think one of the things that the Sound of Freedom did was uh kind of shine a light on what's being done in terms of human trafficking um to help those who are victims, right?
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_03: I mean here in New Jersey there were groups, right?
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_03: And I think are there gonna be involved in the Trevor Burrus, yeah.
• 13:44
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 13:44
  SPEAKER_00: So um the a movie came out that was very popular, The Sound of Freedom, based on uh a a man who um worked on helping people who had been human trafficked.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_00: It got so much press, whether it was positive or negative, it was beating out blockbuster movies and things like that.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_00: Yep.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_00: So we decided this is a good time.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_00: You know, we already had talked about how what other pro-life issues that we can bring to the surface for our community.
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_00: And so we said, let's let's bring up human trafficking with the movie and just the fact that it's something that a lot of people, it's such a silent epidemic, really.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_00: Like people don't really know that this is going on because it might not be so close to home, but it is happening right in our backyard.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_00: And so we do have um, I reached out to the uh United States Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking, and they really are leaders in this area, um, especially from um the Catholic perspective, and they're in the Midwest.
• 14:49
  SPEAKER_00: So they put me in touch because they're like, we're we're not gonna fly out to New Jersey, but we'll put you in touch with the New Jersey coalition that we work with oftentimes that will will help support.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, we're we're really looking forward to having them.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_00: Um we have so the com do you want me to talk a little bit about?
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_00: Sure, please, yes.
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_03: And maybe we'll just as uh um uh to say that uh it was at our evangelization uh center, St.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_03: Paul's Inside the Walls last year.
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_03: But um as we were uh kind of working on a few life issues, uh uh the uh monthly Mass now and uh procession that we're gonna have um on behalf of life uh uh at St.
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_03: Margaret's in Morristown because it's right near next to a few blocks away from uh Planned Parenthood facility.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_03: Um when we planned to do that in the beginning of October, we talked about maybe having that as part of our Respect Life convocation.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_03: And I think at one point we were gonna have Mass in the procession at St.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_03: Margaret's and then try to have everybody go up to Madison.
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_00: Bishop likes to get it all in, likes to pack it in.
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_00: So we said we can get it all done.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_03: But then we we realized talking to Father Du Brenay uh that St.
• 15:59
  SPEAKER_03: Marguerite was willing to host us, right?
• 16:01
  SPEAKER_03: So uh just uh you can it's gonna be at St.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_03: Margaret's.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, so it'll be at St.
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_00: Margaret's.
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_00: A big thanks to Father Du Brunet, Carlos, who's the evangelization coordinator over there.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_00: They've been such just so generous and helpful.
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_00: And so um, yeah, the day will start with a mass said by Bishop Sweeney, and uh we will do another uh we'll do a procession, a rosary procession.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_00: Um for those who might not be able to do that walk, we'll have the rosary being said at the um in the church at the same time.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_00: And so I was saying the New Jersey coalition will um they're supporting us with all of our speakers for that day.
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_00: So we have a two-pronged approach.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_00: We have two people, and it's a bilingual event as well, we should mention.
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_00: So um we have an English and Spanish uh presenters who will one tell us about human trafficking, what we think it is, what it actually is, what it's not, what to look out for if you come across someone who you think has been human trafficked, or um, just different resources for the public who might not know this information to be a resource to others.
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_00: So that's one aspect.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_00: And then we'll also have a witness component as well.
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_00: So we have two people who have been trafficked and are going to tell us their story and how um God played a role in their lives and you know where they're at now.
• 17:33
  SPEAKER_03: Wow.
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_00: So a really packed day.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_03: Um And there'll be lunch.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_00: And there'll be lunch.
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_00: There will be lunch.
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_00: Um a really great day packed with im information, um, touching stories, but also just community coming together, right?
• 17:50
  SPEAKER_03: Um And so we're asking people to register, right?
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_00: Please register.
• 17:55
  SPEAKER_03: Where do they go again to register?
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_00: They go to inside the walls.org.
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and then you click on Family Life, you can click on the Respect Life uh section, and um yeah, the convocation registration is right there.
• 18:09
  SPEAKER_00: And it's pretty easy to register, so please do, please attend.
• 18:14
  SPEAKER_00: We'd love to see you.
• 18:15
  SPEAKER_03: I'm not sure if we gave the date, October 28th, right?
• 18:17
  SPEAKER_03: October twenty eighth Saturday, October twenty eighth.
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_03: Yes.
• 18:20
  SPEAKER_03: Starting at 8 a.m.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_03: Ms.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_00: Can I hold this up?
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_03: Okay, yeah.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_00: Here we go.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_02: And I will have it on the video version of the podcast in the show notes.
• 18:28
  SPEAKER_02: And you can also access the registration page if you go to PattersonDiocese.org and we have some sliders that kind of rotate the It's everywhere.
• 18:38
  SPEAKER_02: You can't miss it.
• 18:41
  SPEAKER_03: Hopefully not Parishes.
• 18:42
  SPEAKER_03: Well, I think many of our pastors are supporting it, so please, yeah.
• 18:46
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 18:47
  SPEAKER_02: Well, we're so glad that you put this event together with the committee.
• 18:53
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, a great team.
• 18:55
  SPEAKER_02: Do we want to shift to uh family life?
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_02: Um so we have this great event.
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_02: Um what else is going on for you in in family life?
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so family life is it n doesn't stop.
• 19:09
  SPEAKER_00: Like in real like family life never stops, like at home, but also the office of family life in the same way.
• 19:15
  SPEAKER_00: So we just uh finished our uh marriage preparation weekend.
• 19:20
  SPEAKER_00: So we work with hundreds of engaged couples every year to make sure that they're being prepared for marriage as as best as we can support them through theology of the body, John Paul II's theology of the body.
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_00: It's a big book, so don't worry if you can't read it.
• 19:35
  SPEAKER_00: There are smaller versions out there, but it's really it's really beautiful if you haven't heard of it.
• 19:41
  SPEAKER_00: Um and then we also uh give them life skills, the practicals, right?
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_00: Because as faithful as we can be, there's a practical side to living out married life.
• 19:51
  SPEAKER_00: And so we really try and support them with that.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_00: And so we just had that this weekend at St.
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_00: Paul's.
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_00: Um we we do a hybrid version, actually.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_00: Um we do some online stuff, which couples tend to really appreciate.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_02: So this pre-cana, I guess.
• 20:06
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, okay.
• 20:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, pre-cana.
• 20:09
  SPEAKER_00: Or I tend we tend to call it marriage prep, but yes, pre-cana as well.
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_00: So um So what happens at St.
• 20:15
  SPEAKER_02: Paul's, it doesn't happen in the parishes, or is it a combination?
• 20:19
  SPEAKER_00: That's a great question.
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_00: So we both.
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_00: I'll say both ends.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_00: So we uh on a diocesan level run both the theol theology and sacramental component.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_00: We also run the life skills component.
• 20:36
  SPEAKER_00: And the reason why we do that, it didn't start out that way.
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_00: We were really just running the theology and the sacramental, and parishes were doing the life skills.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_00: But I think after the pandemic, we had like a I think everything just shut down.
• 20:50
  SPEAKER_00: And so we found that we had to start doing more of the life skills as well.
• 20:55
  SPEAKER_00: And so now we're we do have some parishes that are running life skills, but we're trying to get parishes back to a place where they're doing more of the life skills and we're doing more of the the theology and sacramentality component.
• 21:09
  SPEAKER_00: But it's um yeah, we love I love doing it.
• 21:13
  SPEAKER_00: I think we've changed it and try to just keep it fresh for the couples.
• 21:18
  SPEAKER_00: I'm constantly trying to learn and grow, and so is my team to try and give couples the best of what we can.
• 21:25
  SPEAKER_02: And uh couples go through the program and in any given year.
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, um, anywhere from like 500 to a thousand couples.
• 21:35
  SPEAKER_00: Wow, okay.
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, our doors are constantly rotating and and our doors are open.
• 21:42
  SPEAKER_00: And one of the most beautiful aspects of the marriage prep process is on Sundays we have the couples come and that's when they do their life skills.
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_00: But they come to St.
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_00: Paul inside the walls, they um participate and they join us for 11 a.m.
• 21:58
  SPEAKER_00: mass.
• 21:59
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 21:59
  SPEAKER_00: And so this is a lot of times where a lot of couples aren't going to mass.
• 22:03
  SPEAKER_00: Like this is their first experience of mass in a long time.
• 22:06
  SPEAKER_00: So I love the fact that we're introducing them to other young adults that they see.
• 22:12
  SPEAKER_00: We're inviting them to see like really powerful preaching from our, you know, director Father Paul and great music from our music ministry.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_00: And so it's really a great way to introduce them back to church in a different way.
• 22:28
  SPEAKER_00: It's funny.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_00: One couple who was there this past Sunday was like, This reminds me a lot of like our campus ministry mass, like where and that's where a lot of people end up falling in love with their faith is in those.
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_00: I'm one
• 22:40
  SPEAKER_03: Sometimes they'll love with each other.
• 22:41
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, exactly.
• 22:42
  SPEAKER_00: That wasn't the case too.
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
• 22:45
  SPEAKER_00: So that's something that I'm I'm really proud of that we do.
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_00: And um we just love, you know, inviting people to see the beauty and the richness of our faith in maybe a different way than they're used to seeing it growing up.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 23:01
  SPEAKER_03: I love that.
• 23:02
  SPEAKER_03: The um I I pres I haven't looked at the numbers that closely uh recently, but I think even on a national trend, unfortunately, um the number of couples being married sacramentally in the church um is um I think decreasing.
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_03: Uh but maybe there's uh somewhat of an upswing as well.
• 23:22
  SPEAKER_03: I'm not sure if you're seeing that.
• 23:23
  SPEAKER_03: I'm glad to hear uh as many still 500 or thousand in in a year, right?
• 23:27
  SPEAKER_00: Or yeah, yeah.
• 23:28
  SPEAKER_00: So you're right.
• 23:30
  SPEAKER_00: Our the numbers nationally, I mean also in our diocese, the numbers have gone down.
• 23:35
  SPEAKER_00: Um definitely over the 10 years that I've been here, I I've seen that number.
• 23:38
  SPEAKER_00: And month Kapke, Monsignor Kapke does such a good job with our numbers.
• 23:44
  SPEAKER_00: So I can always trust on him trust his um his uh stats.
• 23:48
  SPEAKER_00: So um yeah, those numbers are going down.
• 23:52
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think that's just like the national trend.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_00: That's the trend.
• 23:57
  SPEAKER_00: But what we're trying to do is, you know, give a a rich experience to those who are choosing to get married in there.
• 24:05
  SPEAKER_00: And then hopefully, with that experience and hopefully their growth and their faith, right, we start to see those uptick in that number because they're raising children that hopefully they see the value in marriage and things like that.
• 24:19
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah.
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_03: As um we continue to pray for the synod on synodality and uh just thinking of um Pope Francis and his leadership, and um uh uh there was uh he he had a synod on the family where um um drawing a blank on the name of the document, but uh Morris Latizi, I I guess was the document that came out.
• 24:39
  SPEAKER_03: And uh he um he and remember his pastoral care for even in the year of mercy, this going back probably five or six uh seven seven eight years now, I think 2015, but um um uh uh making the awareness of the annulment process and um and and making that annulment process a little bit more let's say user-friendly.
• 25:01
  SPEAKER_03: Um and so I think there's been uh some strides there, but um uh but our Holy Father loves to speak about each of us are called to be missionary disciples.
• 25:11
  SPEAKER_03: And um as we kind of confront in many ways, sadly, the culture of death, and uh so much in our culture that goes against just being a person of faith.
• 25:21
  SPEAKER_03: Um you know, institutionally the church has certainly seen a lot of change over the last number of decades.
• 25:28
  SPEAKER_03: But um, but uh uh when we um uh even thinking of uh as a parish priest working with couples, um uh it's so beautiful when um it's a couple of faith, uh young two young people of faith that are um making this step as as an as an expression of faith.
• 25:46
  SPEAKER_03: And even some who maybe you know were raised Catholic and maybe one is more concerned about getting married in the church than the other.
• 25:54
  SPEAKER_03: But but when there's an openness, uh and as a parish priest, I remember um the uh the saying to couples, you know, you have to do pre-cana, and sometimes we oh, here we go.
• 26:05
  SPEAKER_03: But they would come back.
• 26:06
  SPEAKER_03: Uh 99 out of 100 would come back from pre-Cana and say, Wow, this is great.
• 26:11
  SPEAKER_03: I'm so grateful to have the had this opportunity.
• 26:13
  SPEAKER_03: Because uh I would often talk, they there's especially culturally or materialism or um it's not bad things about uh but the wedding industry, you know, when they talk about preparing for the wedding, which is one day, and preparing for the marriage, which is life, um, there's so much focus on the preparation for the wedding with bridal parties and uh uh all that goes with it and uh the reception and fine, you know, it's a day to celebrate.
• 26:39
  SPEAKER_03: But um are you how much time are you putting in prep preparing for the wedding and how much time for the marriage?
• 26:45
  SPEAKER_03: And uh uh marriage preparation, there that's where maybe the the name is uh more fitting, right?
• 26:50
  SPEAKER_03: Because you're preparing the plenty will help them get prepared for the wedding, but you're and and the response is uh the the couples uh respond well, which is is that what you're saying, right?
• 27:01
  SPEAKER_00: They do.
• 27:01
  SPEAKER_00: We've we've had really positive um responses from our couples.
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_00: And one thing that we're trying to work on in the office is really getting couples to link up with mentor couples.
• 27:16
  unknown: Right.
• 27:16
  SPEAKER_00: I was gonna ask you about that.
• 27:17
  SPEAKER_03: I remember that.
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, we last think last time we spoke.
• 27:20
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 27:20
  SPEAKER_00: So it's you know, as as you said, preparing for the marriage, right?
• 27:25
  SPEAKER_00: Beyond the wedding day, we all want to celebrate and party, but you know, we really want to make support couples and knowing we want them to know that the church is here for them, right?
• 27:35
  SPEAKER_00: Not just on that day, but for the joys, right?
• 27:38
  SPEAKER_00: The gift of of children, if that's you know what God's calling them to, and the the challenges, which they're certain will will be.
• 27:46
  SPEAKER_00: They're gonna be there.
• 27:47
  SPEAKER_00: They will be there.
• 27:49
  SPEAKER_00: And so, you know, how do we support our our couples and and and knowing that that the church is here for them?
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_00: And so we really would love for each engaged couple to have a mentor couple, whether they feel like they need them at a resource in this moment or in the future, at least they'll have someone to go back to.
• 28:09
  SPEAKER_00: They'll have the church to reference back to.
• 28:12
  SPEAKER_00: And so that's something that's um a big initiative in in the office of family life at the moment.
• 28:18
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, the the witness, and it's tough.
• 28:21
  SPEAKER_00: I I get it because I'm a mother of of three young children, um, because you're trying to do your own family life and and live that out well, and you're stretched in so many ways, but really being a witness to and being able to share some of that time and that wisdom that our married couples have with newly married couples, I think is so invaluable, really.
• 28:45
  SPEAKER_03: And is the number of mentor couples growing or is that increasing?
• 28:50
  SPEAKER_00: Not yet, Bishop, but I'm hoping by being here today we can um, you know, people can start reaching out and you know, asking even their parish, like what w what do we have?
• 29:03
  SPEAKER_00: And if if there isn't anything, how can my office be a support to building up that culture in parishes?
• 29:11
  SPEAKER_02: We should do do a beacon article on that initiative.
• 29:14
  SPEAKER_02: It sounds wonderful.
• 29:15
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 29:15
  SPEAKER_02: Is that is that just for people in a marriage prep or is that anyone who really's looking for?
• 29:21
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, anyone.
• 29:22
  SPEAKER_00: We we definitely want that that um for our engaged couples, but I think newly married couples can share in that support for sure.
• 29:33
  SPEAKER_00: I mean the the it used to be the seven-year itch, right?
• 29:36
  SPEAKER_00: That's when but now it's actually turned into the three-year itch.
• 29:39
  SPEAKER_00: So we we got a lot of work.
• 29:42
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and those um we do the wedding anniversaries um uh once a year, 25 and 50 years.
• 29:50
  SPEAKER_03: And again, thinking back to the experience of the parish.
• 29:52
  SPEAKER_03: And I think anyone who's in involved in their parish of the church, when you see couples that have been living uh marriage for 30, 40, more years, uh and and they've been through it all.
• 30:04
  SPEAKER_03: You know, they've they've seen the ups and downs, and and when they still have that um that spark, that that energy and uh that that love for each other and and and that they're living their marriage as a vocation, um, they have so much to offer um to the uh uh younger couples.
• 30:21
  SPEAKER_03: Uh and uh again, it's it's it uh even thirty years ago uh the there was just more support that uh in in our culture, I think that uh the marriage, uh people got married and they had children, and uh it was you know, we're seeing a different understanding of the family in in many ways.
• 30:44
  SPEAKER_03: And and thank God for anyone, you know, every family is a is a gift and every life is a gift.
• 30:49
  SPEAKER_03: And uh um but uh but that uh same Pope John Paul II so often talked about as as goes the family, so goes the society, right?
• 30:58
  SPEAKER_03: And and so we need to do what we can to support um our married couples and and and those who are living the vocation of marriage.
• 31:06
  SPEAKER_03: Uh and you get to work with them on a regular basis, right?
• 31:09
  SPEAKER_00: So I do.
• 31:10
  SPEAKER_00: And it's it's a joy, and you know, it helps me in my own vocation, um, you know, with my husband.
• 31:19
  SPEAKER_00: And um yeah, I I I and the fact that we have our 25th, 50th, and 60 plus, we've had to add the 60 plus to our celebration because we we had a ton of couples who are meeting them last week.
• 31:37
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, right, right.
• 31:38
  SPEAKER_00: So that's coming up November, November 12th.
• 31:41
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, we have about 70 couples.
• 31:45
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, or 70 couples.
• 31:47
  SPEAKER_03: Do we have to do silver gold and what's the 60s?
• 31:49
  SPEAKER_00: I know this would be um we don't put something.
• 31:52
  SPEAKER_00: I know it should be something fun.
• 31:54
  SPEAKER_00: But super gold, right?
• 31:55
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, exactly.
• 31:57
  SPEAKER_03: Uh maybe just to go back to the uh convocation for a moment.
• 32:02
  SPEAKER_03: Um uh any working in our um office of marriage and family life and Dr.
• 32:07
  SPEAKER_03: Mary uh Mazzarella, who does a great job in our, I guess, respect life office, and now Salange Rodriguez, who's been on, was on two weeks ago and we talked about she was on with Brother JJ uh to talk about the uh the monthly mass in procession.
• 32:21
  SPEAKER_03: Uh and I know many others have been helping in the um preparation, but um maybe to um uh encourage those who are listening or watching, um what will what uh a parishioner, someone who cares about their faith, who cares about the life issues, um uh um they're gonna learn about um what human trafficking, as you said, is not and what we might think it is, and and hear those witness talks.
• 32:44
  SPEAKER_03: Um how else will they uh benefit by attending uh the um the convocation?
• 32:52
  SPEAKER_03: They'll certainly be in a group of people who are dedicated, right?
• 32:57
  SPEAKER_03: Wonderful people just by being there.
• 32:59
  SPEAKER_00: So we will also have um different resources and resource tables of different organizations in the respect life arena that will be there.
• 33:08
  SPEAKER_00: Um Solanji, who is our Walking with Moms and E coordinator, will also do a presentation letting people know what that's about and how they can actively start that initiative, which is a USCCB initiative at their parish.
• 33:24
  SPEAKER_03: Um Cheryl Riley, did you have um Cheryl Riley is uh in the Archdies of Newark.
• 33:29
  SPEAKER_03: I think um uh she runs crisis pregnancy centers um and um uh there's so much good work being done by so many groups, right?
• 33:37
  SPEAKER_03: And and people will get a sense of that if they're at the convocation.
• 33:40
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
• 33:41
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and so just understanding uh we've also tried uh really hard to to push our for our young people to be in attendance as well.
• 33:51
  SPEAKER_00: Um you know, one of the reasons why we want to touch on this issue as well is to let our young people know that there are other issues in the respect in the pro-life movement.
• 34:05
  SPEAKER_00: And so we want to um touch on areas that we think also affect them and where they're at as well.
• 34:12
  SPEAKER_00: So um it's for the young, it's for all ages, um, it's really going to be in English and in Spanish.
• 34:22
  SPEAKER_00: Uh all are welcome and there's there's space for you, there's an opportunity for you to grow, to be with like-minded people, to pray.
• 34:34
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 34:36
  SPEAKER_02: Well, good.
• 34:36
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, great.
• 34:37
  SPEAKER_02: Thanks, Annie, for uh telling us about that and about your work at St.
• 34:42
  SPEAKER_02: Paul Inside the Walls.
• 34:44
  SPEAKER_02: Um Bishop, anything else you want to uh ask Annie or or share with us about uh what's happening in the diocese in the upcoming.
• 34:52
  SPEAKER_03: Well, just again to ask for prayers for peace, uh as um we pray for uh the Holy Land and Israel and Gaza and um and especially the innocent people um that have been killed and and their families and um and uh uh those who have been displaced and um just uh continue to to pray for peace.
• 35:15
  SPEAKER_03: Actually, um the the church is united in her prayer.
• 35:19
  SPEAKER_03: The patriarch of um of Jerusalem has asked for you know prayers and penance and and we we are in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in in the Holy Land.
• 35:29
  SPEAKER_03: So um but uh we never know when God is gonna work a miracle, and we we hope that somehow uh peace will come to the to the Holy Land.
• 35:38
  SPEAKER_03: Uh um speaking of the Universal Church, uh this coming Sunday is World Mission Sunday.
• 35:45
  SPEAKER_03: Uh and by chance or Providence, uh it falls on the feast of uh St.
• 35:50
  SPEAKER_03: Pope John Paul II, October 22nd.
• 35:52
  SPEAKER_03: Actually, uh yesterday, October 16th, was the 45th anniversary of the election of Carol Boytiwa, who um would become Pope John Paul II, and uh he was uh um his feast day is uh October 22nd.
• 36:06
  SPEAKER_03: So um I'm looking forward to being at uh Holy Rosary Parish in Passaic, um uh the shrine of St.
• 36:13
  SPEAKER_03: Pope John Paul II, Diocean shrine of St.
• 36:15
  SPEAKER_03: Joe Paul, St.
• 36:15
  SPEAKER_03: Pope John Paul II on Sunday.
• 36:18
  SPEAKER_03: Uh and um I think Father Manning is gonna be celebrating our Diocin uh uh World Mission Sunday Mass.
• 36:24
  SPEAKER_03: Uh uh Mila Berdios uh does a great job uh uh coordinating with missionaries uh who receive support.
• 36:31
  SPEAKER_03: Uh many of our parishes, uh most of our parishes in the in the summer will host a missionary and hear about some of the great work that's being done.
• 36:40
  SPEAKER_03: Um so uh there's a lot to pray for and a lot of good things happening and a lot of work to do uh to try to build up their culture of life.
• 36:48
  SPEAKER_03: Um and any if uh a couple's looking to get married, uh uh I guess they would talk to their parish priest.
• 36:56
  SPEAKER_03: But I I I I presume on our website there there would also be places where they could go for information in terms of marriage preparation and opportunities.
• 37:04
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 37:05
  SPEAKER_00: Right on our front page, marriage, marriage prep is front and center.
• 37:09
  SPEAKER_00: Inside the walls.
• 37:10
  SPEAKER_00: Inside the wall same paul.
• 37:11
  SPEAKER_00: Inside the walls.org.
• 37:13
  SPEAKER_00: Yep.
• 37:13
  SPEAKER_00: And um obviously my face, my number, my email is there too.
• 37:18
  SPEAKER_03: So great, great, great.
• 37:20
  SPEAKER_03: Um yeah, so uh um please register, consider registering for the um Respect Light Conference.
• 37:30
  SPEAKER_03: I think this um podcast will come out on Thursday or Friday, uh, which is the uh uh 18th or 19th, if I 19th or 20th.
• 37:39
  SPEAKER_03: Uh uh and and so you'll still have another time to register, right?
• 37:43
  SPEAKER_03: Um uh Saturday, October 28th at St.
• 37:45
  SPEAKER_03: Margaret's in Morristown, the Respect Life Convocation.
• 37:50
  unknown: Okay.
• 37:50
  SPEAKER_02: Well thanks, Annie.
• 37:51
  SPEAKER_02: Thanks, Bishop.
• 37:53
  SPEAKER_02: And here in the Diocese of Patterson, we are conducting our diocesan ministries appeal, which supports Catholic charities, seminary and formation, Catholic urban education, the health care of our senior priests, and more.
• 38:06
  SPEAKER_02: Please consider helping your brothers and sisters in need by making a gift.
• 38:10
  SPEAKER_02: Visit 2023appeal.org today.
• 38:13
  SPEAKER_02: That's 2023appeal.org.
• 38:17
  SPEAKER_02: And thank you.
• 38:18
  SPEAKER_02: And thank you for spending time with us.
• 38:21
  SPEAKER_02: Join us again for the next episode of Beyond the Beacon.
• 38:24
  SPEAKER_02: Please subscribe to this podcast wherever you're listening.
• 38:27
  SPEAKER_02: 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.
• 38:37
  SPEAKER_02: Email questions and podcast topic ideas for the bishop to beyond at pattersondiocese.org.
• 38:44
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you for listening to Beyond the Beacon.
• 38:46
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you very much, and thanks, as Jay mentioned, the uh Dice Ministries Appeal.
• 38:50
  SPEAKER_03: It's always uh great to see the generosity of our parishioners throughout the diocese, and it's it's important, it supports such important work.
• 38:59
  SPEAKER_03: Um, so uh thank you for the NPU will be coming up in a couple of weeks, I think.
• 39:03
  SPEAKER_03: So, and but many have already made their pledges through the mail and gifts.
• 39:06
  SPEAKER_03: Uh so thanks to all those who are supporting the Ministry Appeal.
• 39:09
  SPEAKER_03: And thank you, Annie, very much for being with us today for all your work and and those who have worked with you to plan the Respect Life convocation and for all the work you do for us here in the diocese.
• 39:19
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, thank you very much.
• 39:20
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.