Latest / Beyond The Beacon / 26: Witness for life with Br. Joachim Joseph, C.F.R., and Solanyi Rodriguez

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26: Witness for life with Br. Joachim Joseph, C.F.R., and Solanyi Rodriguez · Beyond The Beacon

• 0:07
  SPEAKER_07: Welcome to Beyond the Beacon with Bishop Kevin Sweeney, a podcast of the Diocese of Patterson.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_07: I'm Jay Agnish, Communications Director for the Diocese and editor of the Beacon newspaper.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_07: With me is Bishop Kevin Sweeney.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_07: Bishop, how are you today?
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_07: I'm doing well, Jay.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_07: How are you today?
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_07: I'm doing good, thank you.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_07: What's new?
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_07: What's what's kicking?
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_05: Rough sports weekend.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_07: Yes, yes, it was.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_06: I didn't think it was that rough.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_07: I guess def depending on whose perspective is.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_05: So yes, the Jets um sport hard but lost, and um the Giants lost on Thursday, although I've been a 49ers fan, but the worst is the Yankees were mathematically eliminated.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_05: Terrible.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_05: Uh and then Notre Dame uh in the last minute losers.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_07: Yeah, what a brutal way to lose.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_05: Uh fortunately, in the rainy weekend, uh I said, I think it's the first time I two masses in a row, Saturday evening and Sunday morning, I was invited to bless an outdoor statue at St.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_05: Christopher's in Parsipony Saturday at five o'clock, and then St.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_05: Anthony's in Hawthorne on Sunday morning.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_05: Um and so uh we blessed both between the raindrops in Parsippony and almost miraculously in a a window of dryness after the 10 o'clock mass at at Hawthorne.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_05: So um we got it done.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_05: And uh yeah.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_05: And Saturday we also had the um uh Philip Mass for the Pil Filipino Martyrs, St.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_05: Lorenzo Ruiz into Cathedrons.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, it was great.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_05: And then Saturday morning, thanks to Sister Teresa Lee, uh the um um conference on healing and dealing with trauma.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_05: Um over 70 attended.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_05: I was there for mass in the morning.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_05: And so a lot of uh, thanks be to God, a lot of good things are happening.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_07: Yeah, absolutely.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_07: Well, okay, so I want to introduce our guests for this this episode.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_07: Uh to my left here is Salanje Rodriguez, uh Pro Life.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_07: How are you doing, Salange?
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_02: I'm doing great.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_02: I'm happy to be here.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_07: Yeah, it's so nice to have you.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_07: Across the way here is Brother Joachim Joseph, a uh Franciscan friar of the renewal.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_07: So Solange is a pro-life sidewalk counselor who works in our Respect Life office.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_07: She has counseled numerous moms who have decided against aborting their babies.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_07: Solange is a role model for accompanying moms through their pregnancies.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_07: She is working with Bishop Kevin and Dr.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_07: Mary Mazzarella to help our parishes implement the USCCB's Walking with Moms in Need initiative.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_07: Brother Joachim is uh, like I said, Franciscan Friar of the Renewal.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_07: He lives at St.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_07: Mary's Friary in Patterson.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_07: The Franciscan friars are known for their hands-on service to our brothers and sisters in need, particularly in impoverished neighborhoods.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_07: Uh, Brother Joachim and his brother friars also pray outside of abortion clinics and support single moms by providing diapers and baby formula.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_07: So you guys, your cross path uh your your paths cross.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_07: And uh so welcome to both of you.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_07: Thanks for being here.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_05: St.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_05: Mary's or St.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_05: Michael's St.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_05: Michael's.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_05: St.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_05: Michael's, Friday.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_05: Michael's right here.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_05: Um in uh Patterson uh great spot.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_06: Yeah, right next to uh Our Lady of Lords there.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_06: Right.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_03: And I'm just gonna pretend that I don't know you.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_03: This is our first time.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_03: How far do you go back?
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_03: Never met you before.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_03: We go we go way back, like uh back in the days when I was young.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_06: Yeah, you're not young anymore.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_02: No, I don't know how many years, maybe I don't know, three years.
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_02: Three, three or four years, yeah.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_07: So we have a special announcement.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_07: The bishop has a special announcement he wants to share with everyone.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_07: This is something new for the diocese that all the faithful are invited to be a part of.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_07: We're gonna get into that soon.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_07: And also near the end of this episode, we have some fun questions from some students at one of our schools, Assumption School in Morristown, that the bishop's gonna answer, and maybe our guests will take part in that as well.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_07: But before we get to all that, I'm gonna ask if the bishop could open us up in prayer, please.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_05: Thanks, Jay.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_05: Um, let's place ourselves in God's presence in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_05: Amen.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_05: As we come to these last days of September, um, on September 29th, we'll celebrate the feast of the archangels.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_05: Um even though it'll be a Sunday this year, we'll a Saturday this year.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_05: Um September 30th, the feast of the great Saint Jerome, the scripture scholar, and uh October 1st, the Feast of Saint Therese and the Guardian Angels on October 2nd, and um Saint Francis of Assisi on October 4th.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_05: Um we give thanks to God for the lives of the saints and their companionship, the spiritual companionship that God gives us uh by the saints who intercede for us from heaven and particularly our blessed mother, we know we always call on her and ask for her intercession.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_05: And in the month of October, we look to her as our Lady of the Rosary.
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_05: And so as we pray today, conscious of the gift of life, um, and praying for all moms, especially moms in difficult situations and families, parents, old parents, mothers and fathers, um, in thanksgiving for the gift of life and praying through the intercession of Mary, our blessed mother, together we we say, Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_05: Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_05: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_05: Amen.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_05: Our Lady Seat of Wisdom, pray for us, all holy men and women, pray for us in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_05: Amen.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_05: Amen.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_05: Amen.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_05: Bishop, do you want to kick it off?
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_05: Thanks, Jay, and thanks to Salanjay and Brother JJ for being with us.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_05: Uh something that has been on my mind and in my prayer for a long time, as uh I will share in the column in the beacum this week.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_05: Uh I um with our priests at our convocation last September, I shared with them these words um of Dr.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_05: King that have stayed with me for a long time that I heard in the movie Driving Miss Daisy.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_05: Uh I'll read them as as they're here.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_05: I think they're worth hearing.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_05: Um This is how Dr.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_05: King is quoted in um the movie Driving Miss Daisy.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_05: There are millions of people of goodwill whose voices are yet unheard, whose course is yet unclear, and whose courageous actions are yet unseen.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_05: These millions are called upon to gird their courage, to speak out, and to offer leadership that is needed.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_05: History will have to record that the greatest tragic tragedy of this period of social transition was not the vitriolic words and violent acts of the bad people, but the appalling silence and indifference of the good people.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_05: Our generation will have to repent not only for the words and actions of the children of darkness, but also for the fear and apathy of the children of light.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_05: So obviously Dr.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_05: King was speaking in a time of social transition, in the time of the civil rights movement, and he would ultimately give his life for that cause.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_05: And um maybe not everybody is aware that you know his life was so inspired by the Word of God.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_05: His father was a preacher, he came from, you know, that beautiful Christian African-American experience of so much suffering, but the the the faith um that gave strength to those who were going through that suffering and uh inspired leaders like Dr.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_05: King to stand up when things were not what they should be, and um you know, that in our country it was legal to hold someone else as a slave uh is still hard to believe.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_05: Uh and we certainly paid a price for that.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_05: And um, in these words of Dr.
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_05: King, um that call to conscience that, you know, what am I doing?
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_05: We would have asked ourselves, what you know, what if we were doing during the time of abolition, where would we be, where would we stand?
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_05: And you know, sadly, um in our country, um it's not exactly the same, but I think there are similarities certainly um that um you know our law does not recognize the life of the child in the womb.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_05: Um and since the Dobbs decision a year ago, now that decision can be made by the states.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_05: But certainly, sadly here in our state of New Jersey, um the abortion industry, um the lack of respect for the life of the child in the womb, um saying those words never condemning a mom uh who has to make those kinds of decisions, whether she has support or not from her family, where where the father stands in a particular situation.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_05: But um as I share in uh the article in the beacon, uh from that time when I was in college, really, um I was inspired by my high school principal, Monsignor Philip Riley, who started this group called The Helpers of God's Precious Infants.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_05: And through Monsignor's invitation, I had the experience of praying outside an abortion clinic.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_05: And I did that for many years as a seminary and as a priest.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_05: Um and um Bishop Daly, when he became the Bishop of Brooklyn in 1990 or 91, with he would have these prayer vigils month once a month, say a mass in a parish, lead a peaceful, prayerful vigil to a clinic.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_05: In those days, sadly in Brooklyn and Queens, there were so many of these so-called clinics where abortions were performed.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_05: And um there would be great numbers that would come and prayerfully, peacefully just pray, as others did sidewalk counseling.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_05: Um Martin O'Reilly spent a lot of time as a sidewalk counselor himself, um, with other, especially women who um like Salanjay um give themselves and um Brother JJ can share his experience.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_05: Uh uh I it's been done in other places, um, and it's certainly when we think of what's been done across the country and even across the world in the last 30 years to to go to that spot where abortions take place and be a loving presence, um a prayerful presence, uh, and to offer that mom walking in at least to know that if she wants to choose to keep her child, there's people there that will without judgment, without condemnation, but with love and compassion, will offer help, medical, financial, uh uh whatever whatever her needs might be.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_05: Um St.
• 10:51
  SPEAKER_05: Pope John Paul II talked about a culture of death and a culture of life.
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_05: And sadly, in so many ways, um, in our country, we're still um so much a culture of death.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_05: Um we see violence in many forms.
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_05: Um but the the light shines in the darkness, and and there are many who are trying to build our culture of life.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_05: None of us is perfect as human beings.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_05: And, you know, as I share in the articles, some might criticize a celibate, priest, or bishop, or brother for, you know, uh being even involved in the conversation about life.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_05: But uh life begins.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_05: I I um Solanji can testify uh um, you know, when that mom is walking into the clinic and she decides not to have the abortion but to give birth and she's holding a child, you know, it's hard to say that there's not a child there.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_05: Um again, sensitive and understanding the challenges.
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_05: But so it's been something I've been thinking about and praying about for a long time.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_05: And Brother Sean, who is a uh uh um uh um uh a brother of uh as a friar of the renewal with um Brother JJ um had spoken to me at one point about w whether we might have a a mass and procession for life here in the diocese.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_05: And it's been something I'm thinking about.
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_05: And um, so there's a um sadly a Planned Parenthood facility in Morris, uh in Morristown that um uh promotes abortion very actively.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_05: And um the parish there, St.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_05: Margaret of Scotl of Scotland, with their pastor Father Dubernay, over the last few months, they've been um having a monthly mass and procession.
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_05: Okay.
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_05: And so it's something that um I've thought about doing and I feel now is a good time.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_05: And again, just the timing that the first Saturday in October is uh October 7th, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_05: So working with Salange and uh the friars and uh Father Dubernay and um uh the parish, where I'm grateful that um I'm gonna be able to go and celebrate Mass and lead the procession.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_05: And we hope to do that um once a month on the first Saturday of each month.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_05: And um so uh as I wanted to share that information, I wanted maybe to give the opportunity for our listeners or viewers to hear from some of those who have had those experiences um at those clinics.
• 13:06
  SPEAKER_05: And um uh so um Brother JJ and Salanjay thanks again for being with us.
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_05: And maybe Brother JJ, you could talk about um maybe somewhat of your own vocation or um how you maybe um was it through the friars, was it before them that you um saw the value of life from conception and and advocacy um on behalf of of of both the mom and the child?
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_06: Yeah, it was uh it was just certainly before I ever um considered it a vocation.
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_06: I was already I was living in in Florida.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_06: I would go out uh to the abortion clinic out there uh on Saturday mornings and pray the rosary.
• 13:43
  SPEAKER_06: Uh we'd have mass and go out there.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_06: Um And so that was already already happening.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_06: And so when I found uh a Franciscan community that was was doing that, uh that was that was big for me in in my discernment.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_06: Um that witness to life, that witness um to to be non-judgmental as well, being out there uh to not be screaming, not not uh yell anything to the women going in there, to the moms going in there, but but to just be there to love them um and to let them know, hey, we're we're here.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_06: Um I thought that was a beautiful prophetic witness.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_05: So And how you got started in that?
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_05: Uh did somebody invite you to come pray outside the clinic?
• 14:24
  SPEAKER_05: Uh, were you how old were you at that time?
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_06: Or yeah, I was in my early twenties, and the first time I went was on a Good Friday.
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_06: And um I I was nervous about going out.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_06: I didn't know what to do.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_06: I um and and we would just go out there, pray the rosary, and walk in circles aro around uh the abortion clinic.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_06: And um we we had cars swerf toward us and everything else.
• 14:48
  SPEAKER_06: So it was it was a little crazy.
• 14:49
  SPEAKER_06: I was like, what are we doing?
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_06: Um were the sidewalk counselors there?
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_06: There were sidewalk counselors there.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_06: And and that first time that on that Good Friday, I saw a woman turn.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_06: And that's what what kind of clicked for me is like, okay, so this does make sense.
• 15:05
  SPEAKER_06: Um and though I never felt called to go and talk, I was like, prayer is powerful.
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_06: Just to be there, you know, I don't have to go and counsel somebody, I could just be there and simply pray the rosary.
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_06: Um maybe take the brunt of not the car hitting me, thanks be to God, but but you know, when people people yell things back at us, you know, to be able to take that.
• 15:26
  SPEAKER_05: Right, right, right.
• 15:27
  SPEAKER_05: And Silange, uh, you've thanks for coming back on the podcast and for the work that you've been doing uh in our diocese with Dr.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_05: Mary in the Respect Life office.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_05: Uh and uh another uh confrere, uh Father Augustino, uh, had made the connection uh with Salange and helping us out with our Respect Life Mass last year.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_05: And um so, but you had your own experience of um being invited to pray outside a clinic and then take another step to uh actually start doing some cyborg counseling.
• 15:59
  SPEAKER_05: So maybe you can share with us a little bit about that experience.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_03: Yes, of course.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_03: Um yeah, I think it's about that.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_03: It's that invitation.
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_03: Sometimes people don't know that they can.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_03: Um uh usually where I do it is in Montclair.
• 16:13
  SPEAKER_03: And um we've had people say, Can I?
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, I'm I'm Catholic, I pray the rosary.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_03: Can I pray?
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_03: Of course, yes, so they can be across the street.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_03: Um, just because usually where I am, it's by the door.
• 16:24
  SPEAKER_03: So that's where the sidewalk advocates are to be able to talk to the mamas.
• 16:28
  SPEAKER_03: So we like to have that type of respect for those that are praying, and then there's a difference in those who are actually speaking to the mamas.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_03: But it that's all it takes.
• 16:37
  SPEAKER_03: Sometimes it's an invitation or someone passing by and saying, Can I join?
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_03: Of course.
• 16:41
  SPEAKER_03: And then we see um, especially if you're 40 days for life and and all of that, all of that great stuff.
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_03: And that's how I started.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_03: I started with the organization Life Net.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_03: Um, I had met, I had met them.
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_03: I had seen their table and what they were doing and uh looking for speakers and um whether it was, you know, regarding chastity and pro-life talks, and then they invited for um for us to attend, uh, to be there at the at the abortion center.
• 17:08
  SPEAKER_03: And it started with prayer.
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_03: It started by being there with my mom, my sisters, and a group of other people.
• 17:14
  SPEAKER_03: We we become a family.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_03: Um, and that's the beautiful part of it all.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_03: And then little by little, God was tugging at my heart to truly cross that street.
• 17:21
  SPEAKER_03: That's how I always say to cross that street and make that move of um of talking to these mamas.
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_03: I felt like maybe I didn't have, you know, I don't have what it takes.
• 17:29
  SPEAKER_03: I needed to be trained.
• 17:30
  SPEAKER_03: And yes, there is a protocol for that.
• 17:33
  SPEAKER_03: Um actually, I'm giving a training this upcoming Saturday in the Bronx with Sidewalk Advocates for Life.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_03: Um, it's all in Spanish because of the Bronx, there's a need for SciWalk Advocates.
• 17:42
  SPEAKER_03: So I'll be doing that.
• 17:43
  SPEAKER_03: And then there's another one coming up in English.
• 17:45
  SPEAKER_03: So I'm always willing and loving to guide people on how to go about it because there's a language.
• 17:50
  SPEAKER_03: As you were mentioning before, we have to have empathy.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_04: Right.
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_03: Um, we're not condemning in any way.
• 17:55
  SPEAKER_03: We're not saying, oh, well, whether you've already had one, they'll tell you sometimes like I've been here, done that.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_03: I I'm so sorry that they've even had to go through that, that they didn't have someone that showcased love.
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_03: So it's all about that.
• 18:07
  SPEAKER_03: It's all about just letting them know that we're there to walk with them.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_03: That's why I love the initiative of the USCCB, walking with moms in need, because it's exactly that, making sure that our parishes are aware.
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_03: Um, and of course, we get into detail about all of that at you know, any other moment as well.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_03: But the beauty of Parish is saying we can truly do this, like our community or maybe getting together with another parish and joining forces, let's say, and whatever careers they're in, um, saying, Well, I can do this, and then you can do that, and and all just coming together because it's beautiful what we see out there, and as Brother JJ said, um, which is funny, I always call him Brother JJ, and people say his whole name, and I'm like, I don't know all of that.
• 18:48
  SPEAKER_05: I just call him Brother JJ.
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_03: You know, but um, as he says, um, just you know, like regarding the way that we, you know, approach the mamas, and um it's just all about that love that we're we're giving to them and we're not there to judge them for whatever it is that has happened, which I think there is a misconception on that sometimes that we're just gonna tell them, you know, we're just gonna like scream at them.
• 19:11
  SPEAKER_03: And it it's all about uh peaceful, uh a peaceful time of prayer and of um of love in all types of ways.
• 19:20
  SPEAKER_03: So yeah, and and there's ways for us to come together again.
• 19:24
  SPEAKER_05: The support so the prayers are supporting the sidewalk counselors and the moms.
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_05: This Monsignor Riley um would also talk about, and we do pray for those, you know, involved in performing the abortions, those who work there, um they need our prayers as well.
• 19:38
  SPEAKER_05: And and miracles happen, conversions of heart, and so um and the truth that makes us free.
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_05: But um also, Solangey, when um a mom says she's not sure or um maybe she does really want to keep her child and you're offering help, there is help real help there, right?
• 19:57
  SPEAKER_05: If you've experienced that um from uh groups, crisis pregnancy centers, um medical um uh maybe talk a little bit about an encounter with a mom where you were able to help her um get some resources to to encourage her to be able to say yes.
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_03: And I think that that's another thing.
• 20:15
  SPEAKER_03: And um just this past weekend I have been outside of the abortion center just to give you like a little bit of what tends to happen.
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_03: Um, and I I was talking to this one girl, long story very short, I didn't know she was recording me.
• 20:29
  SPEAKER_03: And she she posted on TikTok, right, which is major right now, right?
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_03: She posted it and it had like half half a million views and so many comments, and people were many people were applauding.
• 20:42
  SPEAKER_03: Um like Was she looking to interrupt you or she was looking to she was going in for an abortion.
• 20:48
  SPEAKER_03: Um well, where we're at.
• 20:50
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, sometimes there's a Planned Parenthood that may not do that, but then there's other ones that do.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_03: In this case, there's abortion center.
• 20:56
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, that's all they do, all right.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_03: So um I was just you know talking life into her love.
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_03: So she was recording that.
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_03: Thank God that all I was saying was, you know, goodness.
• 21:05
  SPEAKER_03: But she recorded that.
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_03: So people, some people commented on what I said and people of faith.
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_03: Um, and then others just made such negative comments, like all these protesters out there.
• 21:15
  SPEAKER_03: And she says, I really didn't didn't think that this was real, but these protesters and they were dressed like Jesus because there were nuns out there.
• 21:22
  SPEAKER_03: We had the sisters with us, and she said they had like this big cross, which was a rosary, and it was all in love, thank God.
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_03: Everything was very peaceful.
• 21:29
  SPEAKER_03: But imagine we would have been, I don't know, if we we weren't protesting, we truly weren't even doing that.
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_03: Just um, and and yeah, again, there is a language, there's a way to talk to them.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_03: And I was just saying, there's help.
• 21:41
  SPEAKER_03: There, you know, we have the resources, we have all of that.
• 21:44
  SPEAKER_03: And people will come and yeah, right.
• 21:46
  SPEAKER_03: Like, are they gonna be there for the birth of this baby?
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_03: Are they gonna be the ones having this baby?
• 21:49
  SPEAKER_03: What resource do they have?
• 21:50
  SPEAKER_03: What are they gonna do?
• 21:51
  SPEAKER_03: And and I and I wanted to just say all these things.
• 21:55
  SPEAKER_03: Um, but uh long story short, I see that, and I all I can do is just.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_03: pray because people don't realize that we are here to help.
• 22:03
  SPEAKER_03: We have the resources.
• 22:04
  SPEAKER_03: We have the organizations that if they're going through something financial, we call them up and now they're going to walk with them.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_03: Okay, how many months are you?
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_03: What's going on?
• 22:12
  SPEAKER_03: What is your situation?
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_03: And they'll pay.
• 22:14
  SPEAKER_03: They'll go ahead and they'll cover them throughout, you know, the pregnancy and even after just trying to find ways for them to become independent as well.
• 22:21
  SPEAKER_03: Because at the end of the day, we want them to also grow and just be able to flourish in every way.
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_03: Not only the mama, but this is all also for a father.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_03: Right?
• 22:30
  SPEAKER_03: We don't discriminate and say, oh no, it has to be a single mom.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_03: No, no.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_03: There's so many types of different, you know, difficult situations.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_03: Sometimes they already have other children.
• 22:38
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 22:38
  SPEAKER_03: So the material, that's something sometimes like much easier to get.
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_03: Like as as you tend to do diapers and clothing and all of that goodness and um milk.
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_03: But then there's other things behind the scenes, which again is the financial issues.
• 22:54
  SPEAKER_03: It's not having insurance.
• 22:55
  SPEAKER_03: It's coming to this country and not knowing where to get prenatal care.
• 22:59
  SPEAKER_03: Then being nine months, I literally walked with this mama, I met her when she was eight and a half months or so, um, had came from Haiti.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_03: We didn't speak the same language.
• 23:10
  SPEAKER_03: She spoke Creole.
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_03: I speak Spanish and English and I can pretend or like I'm just like you know sign language.
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, we're doing, you know.
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_03: And I said we may not speak the same language in that way, but we speak love.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_03: I was be able to be there for the birth of her child, which um I'm I'm the godmother she she she calls me comadre.
• 23:29
  SPEAKER_03: So she knows certain little words now in Spanish and God willing will be able to baptize baby.
• 23:34
  SPEAKER_03: But um I met her when she was ready to give birth.
• 23:37
  SPEAKER_03: You know and I'm just like I felt so I was so hurt to know that she hadn't received any type of prenatal care, that no one was seeing her and thank God, all the glory to God, she's healthy, baby's healthy but it was it's quite the process and people don't understand that we are there to do these things.
• 23:53
  SPEAKER_03: Of course not everyone may do it the same way I do it, the same way you do it, the same way the bishop or Jay you know we're all so different but we we want to help.
• 24:00
  SPEAKER_05: And and the friars is have have their own way right of uh advocating on behalf of life both praying and some I'm sure counseling um outside of clinics in a number of different places but then also whether it be in St.
• 24:13
  SPEAKER_06: Michael's or in Newark or some of the other um uh challenging neighborhoods in where you live and serve uh you're um offering resources to moms and families right that are are in need and yeah there there's quite a few people we have a a a food handout that every Monday there's quite a few people who come through that and and many of them have little kids, you know, and and they'll ask us do you have diapers?
• 24:36
  SPEAKER_06: And we'll go in and look and sometimes we have them sometimes we don't but we'll tell them come back you know at a certain time and and we'll have to go you know just shopping for diapers which is an interesting thing seeing the friar shopping for diapers is a little wild but we do it.
• 24:50
  SPEAKER_06: You know, we do it.
• 24:51
  SPEAKER_06: And we have benefactors people who bring us diapers to the friary and and we're able to help out formula as well.
• 24:57
  SPEAKER_06: We do like to to go and and look at the situation to make sure because there are some people who like to take advantage of situations.
• 25:04
  SPEAKER_06: So we like to go in and then if we're building that relationship we continue that you know and be able to help maybe even a little bit more.
• 25:12
  SPEAKER_05: Right, right right um and how long again have you been in the Friary in Patterson?
• 25:17
  SPEAKER_06: I've been in Patterson three years.
• 25:18
  SPEAKER_06: Three years.
• 25:18
  SPEAKER_06: Yeah I was in New Mexico before that Nicaragua before that and the Bronx before that.
• 25:22
  SPEAKER_06: So join the Friar and see the world right that's right.
• 25:26
  SPEAKER_05: Yes.
• 25:27
  SPEAKER_05: So um uh again uh it was I think providential that brother Sean's um uh encouragement and Salange's work and um you know the circumstances at Morristown um both the community at St.
• 25:42
  SPEAKER_05: Margaret's and the uh there's uh so many groups that uh advocate on behalf of life.
• 25:47
  SPEAKER_05: Morris County Right to life has been active for many many years and I've been with them a few times at the Planned Parenthood facility on a Good Friday to pray.
• 25:56
  SPEAKER_05: But um I think again that um that maybe more frequent or um um that that opportunity to go at least once a month uh and and offer prayers uh in a public way in a peaceful way uh is is really important so um you can find information on our website and um everyone is welcome to join us just to mention that it'll be prayerful it'll be um no yelling or screaming that um uh but uh um but that that witness on behalf of life so um um jay the yeah I just want to say I love it Bishop I think it's a fantastic idea because I mean for me personally I'm not a brother I'm not a sidewalk counselor and it's it's you know how can I help?
• 26:40
  SPEAKER_07: How can I help what you're doing.
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_05: Prayer makes prayer is um right.
• 26:44
  SPEAKER_05: And you know as as citizens as well I think and um you know Jesus said when you pray you can go to your room close your door and your father hears and and those prayers are real important.
• 26:53
  SPEAKER_05: And we ask the prayers of those who might be shut in who may not be able to come out but also then as citizens we have to share our faith and witness to our faith and and and exercise our our rights for um uh as people of faith to to share what we believe even on the sidewalk uh and um so I think the for those maybe who haven't had the experience uh come and be at mass and uh you can walk along and uh and I think you'll as Solange talked about and I'm sure brother Joachim can uh attest that there is that sense of community right when we're praying together in in that public way um uh for for moms that are in those difficult situations and that that they may be able to say yes to that gift of life.
• 27:38
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah certainly and I think Solange was saying was so perfect too we we don't go out there to protest we go out there to pray and to counsel right and offer help right and I think the beauty to have seeing men um this past weekend when I was there at the again when I was at the abortion center there were two gentlemen from Cien Hall University who were there accompanying the sisters and it's just so wonderful because sometimes these men who are coming into the abortion center with the girlfriends or a friend can have a word with another guy and be able to say hey and they'll say hey brother what's going on like you know how can we help you then that's a different conversation that I may not be able to have with them.
• 28:14
  SPEAKER_03: I can only try then I can talk to the girl you know then as as that's happening.
• 28:18
  SPEAKER_03: And we've seen that when there's a guy out there with us um the beauty of of it all and uh we're getting into Respect Life Month which is now in in October and it's just such a beauty to be able to do this this procession again uh sometimes people say all I can do is pray and I'm like hey you know the beauty of when they're praying across the street and I'm there talking to a mama it's powerful.
• 28:41
  SPEAKER_03: So it's not just I mean it's it's a beautiful wonderful needed thing and prayers for our sidewalk advocates um not only saying it for myself uh which sometimes my family says you know I just want you to be careful I want you to be good.
• 28:54
  SPEAKER_03: We're seeing so many that are getting you know are face are getting locked up they're facing jail.
• 28:59
  SPEAKER_05: Uh right now we have um um Joan Bell or Joan Andrews Bell a parishioner um was just um uh convicted for a rescue in Washington along with others and uh so we certainly pray for her and pray for them who are willing to make that sacrifice um to go to jail to witness on behalf of life and and you know there are I think um different approaches to this um issue and challenge and uh uh we all have to ask the Lord to guide us in discernment and um so um uh we um we we ask for prayers and uh we're offering this opportunity and um you know sometimes I think those who may not uh agree with our approach or or with the approach of being outside uh a clinic or also even amongst you know Catholics of goodwill who say well the church is too focused focused or the bishop are too focused maybe on politicians or um on on the child in the womb.
• 29:57
  SPEAKER_05: But what about the other life issues as we say and yes we we're concerned about the dignity of the human person and um our respect life convocation at the end of the month uh is going to talk about another challenge that we're facing as a society and culture which is um the terrible tragedy of human trafficking.
• 30:15
  SPEAKER_05: Solanja maybe you want to say a word about the preparations for our upcoming um convocation at the end of October?
• 30:21
  SPEAKER_03: Yes of course so we're we're working on that right now it's going to be happening October 28th that is from 8 a.m to 2 p.m and we'll go ahead um and and continue promoting and and showcasing what it is that we're doing but it's a beautiful thing because when we think of the dignity of life um we're made in God's image and likeness and and the beauty of it all sometimes people think as Catholics or the bishop or the priests only focus, okay they're only going to talk uh pro-life abortion they're only gonna speak about that right and there are so many other issues in it as you mentioned with human trafficking so we are going to get into that especially since the movie Sound of Freedom came out not too long ago when we got to see it opened up uh people's hearts, minds, eyes to what is really happening as we're speaking right now.
• 31:09
  SPEAKER_03: This is happening here uh in the United States one of the biggest uh um like the largest amount of human trafficking happens here and then obviously there's other countries but to be aware and that's a way for us to care about the dignity of the of the human life right so um yeah we just want to make people aware we're gonna talk a little bit about it all I will also talk about the initiative of walking with moms in need um just as a reminder and to bring everything um like the full circle of it all but yeah we're excited.
• 31:37
  SPEAKER_05: Thank you thank you Jay you're gonna have both um the flyers up for the October 7th the Mass and procession and then the uh Respect Life convocation on October 28th right um yep so I'll have the flyers will be on the YouTube version of the podcast up on the screen it'll be in the show notes for both the audio version and the video version.
• 31:58
  SPEAKER_07: So link check out the links please join us for either or both of these incredible events.
• 32:05
  SPEAKER_07: Looking forward to them.
• 32:06
  SPEAKER_05: And we'll maybe take a pause here just uh in terms of uh uh moving towards uh I want to answer the uh questions of the um and invite our guests to stay with us but if uh the class is going to be watching the podcast as they did or listen to it they might pick it up at uh at this point um if um some of the previous conversation might not be uh what's needed for a a sixth grade classroom but uh um but who knows I mean uh um but uh we did want to respond to the questions because uh there were some great questions and so then um we might be coming out of a break and uh the teacher could pick it up there.
• 32:43
  SPEAKER_00: Hi folks my name is Father Paul Manning the vicar for evangelization for the diocese of Patterson.
• 32:48
  SPEAKER_00: Our diocese has a most interesting man who is hosting with me a podcast called Coffee with Kupke, Monsignor Raymond Kupke, diocesan archivist and pastor of St.
• 32:59
  SPEAKER_00: Anthony's find this on the St.
• 33:01
  SPEAKER_00: Paul Inside the Walls YouTube channel linked in the description or wherever you get your podcasts.
• 33:07
  SPEAKER_01: Hello everyone I'm Freddie Garcia and I just want to tell you about another show produced by the Diocese, the Paul Street Journal, a podcast all about Catholic economics.
• 33:16
  SPEAKER_01: If you're interested in Catholic social teaching or economics, which I really think you should be, you should come check out our show.
• 33:23
  SPEAKER_01: You can find it on the St.
• 33:24
  SPEAKER_01: Paul Inside the Walls YouTube channel linked in the description or wherever you get your podcasts.
• 33:30
  SPEAKER_07: I want to thank um our students from Assumption School sixth grade right yeah so we got a we got a great email from one of our teachers at Assumption uh school in Morristown she said uh congratul dear Bishop Sweeney congratulations on your new podcast Beyond the Beacon my sixth grade students and I listened to your September 14th episode School Can Be Fun which featured our very own sister Maris Larkin and Father John Hart that was a super fun episode.
• 33:58
  SPEAKER_07: We enjoyed learning of their upbringing and their insight into a Catholic school education and um Mia I'm not sure sure how to say her last name I'm sorry Mia Shosh Shoshe.
• 34:12
  SPEAKER_07: So for homework this week her sixth grade students were tasked with brainstorming questions to submit to the Bishops podcast.
• 34:20
  SPEAKER_07: All 44 students thought of wonderful questions and it was narrowed down to five five questions I'm just gonna start firing away here Bishop so uh the first one is from Josh R.
• 34:32
  SPEAKER_07: He asks in what ways does God speak to you?
• 34:37
  SPEAKER_05: Great question uh Josh uh and thank you for doing your homework to the students uh as Jay said the word I still sometimes get a feeling when I hear the word homework I wasn't a big fan but you need to do it so uh um you did it the class did a great job and so in what ways does God speak to you?
• 34:54
  SPEAKER_05: Great question Josh thank you I sometimes like to um go to the book of Samuel when young Samuel was called uh he heard his God calling his voice and he went to uh Eli the prophet who was sleeping and he said you call me and Eli said no I didn't call you um go back to sleep and second time and the third time Eli says realized that God was calling and he said gave Samuel a beautiful prayer that I like to share especially with young people he said when you uh if the Lord if you hear the Lord calling again just say um here I am Lord speak your servant is listening here I am speak Lord your servant is listening so um Josh when you ask in what ways does God speak to you he speaks through his word right in the Bible he speaks through people who love us um he he speaks in silence right when we give him some time in prayer he can speak through music uh so uh but we the sometimes the question is not so much is God speaking but are we listening uh so um encourage the uh students uh and all to uh give that time to speak to us and I think Salange maybe and and brother JJ you could uh say a word on how maybe God speaks to you.
• 36:03
  SPEAKER_06: Yeah for myself uh it's certainly scripture and you know so even when you're at mass and the readings are being read to to to listen to that um also just to take that time for silence uh for myself it usually happens when I get a little break and I could go fishing.
• 36:18
  SPEAKER_06: Oh and I can really sit and listen and I have no other distractions so be able to really hear the Lord.
• 36:25
  SPEAKER_05: That doesn't work so well on the golf course that's different.
• 36:30
  SPEAKER_03: That's true.
• 36:31
  SPEAKER_03: For me um I I love that um you know sometimes we're not truly listening.
• 36:37
  SPEAKER_03: Like we want the Lord to speak but we're not giving him a chance because we're just like obviously we think so much and you know we're just going and going but just having a moment of silence and just seeing what he may say or he just wants you to be at peace with him.
• 36:51
  SPEAKER_03: But I I also feel that um in ador in adoration when I'm in front of Jesus when we're just having that moment where I'm looking at him he's looking at me and just that saying sometimes Lord I don't even know what to say but I'm here.
• 37:04
  SPEAKER_03: I'm here for you I'm here with you.
• 37:06
  SPEAKER_03: If you want to speak to me great if you want me to feel something amazing and um yeah it's it's a wonderful moment to um to connect with him and and just see what it is that he wants us to feel and do.
• 37:20
  SPEAKER_03: Sometimes we're not sure we have decisions to make right you know about whether do I do my homework or not you should be doing your homework.
• 37:27
  SPEAKER_07: What's the next question?
• 37:28
  SPEAKER_07: Okay so uh when you were younger did you ever imagine you'd become bishop?
• 37:35
  SPEAKER_03: We can't answer that.
• 37:35
  SPEAKER_03: One word answered none of us that's just that's all you right there.
• 37:39
  SPEAKER_05: One word answer no I never uh I thought of being a priest uh for the first time in seventh grade uh but and um was took a long time to figure that out um but um never thought of uh becoming a bishop until I got a phone call in 2020 and March 30th of 2020.
• 37:56
  SPEAKER_05: So great question but uh no I'd never thought about becoming a bishop.
• 38:00
  SPEAKER_07: And that was from Nick R and from Emily Y.
• 38:04
  SPEAKER_07: What was your family's reaction to the news that you would become RD a good story.
• 38:10
  SPEAKER_05: So when you get this call saying that you're gonna be a bishop you're not allowed to tell anyone the Papal Nuncio, Pope Francis representative who called me said that the Pope had chosen me as the Bishop of Patterson, um did give me permission to speak to Bishop Demarcio, my bishop at the time in Brooklyn and Bishop Saratelli, our bishop emeritus and my spiritual director but nobody else.
• 38:32
  SPEAKER_05: So uh it was uh the two weeks before Easter a little less than two weeks before Easter and um he gave me some time to think about it.
• 38:41
  SPEAKER_05: I called back the next day I said if what if the Holy Father wants it, you sure you didn't get the wrong guy but uh uh so then telling my family um Bishop DiMarzio gave me permission um uh to to um uh the night before it was going to be announced to let my family know as it turned out um we were having um a zoom call for Easter and uh I I had to tell them by a zoom call because it was uh it was um during the lockdown and we weren't able to see each other for Easter so um uh we had a zoom call for Easter and I said oh by the way I have this news no big deal right but I just wanted to say I told them on a zoom call and they were supportive um I think my brother said upper management or something along those lines uh but uh thank god for my family my brother Brendan my sister Marie their spouses uh Marie's husband Kevin and Brendan's wife Tara and my five niece and nephews have been very very supportive all along the way so thank them for that oh that's great okay so I got got two more so Tyler P so you um it was the Papal nuncio who you spoke with right when he notified but you have since you've met Pope Francis so what was what was that like uh thank you uh Taylor right for that question what was it like meeting Pope Francis I've met him once since I became bishop uh the new bishop's orientation program sometimes called Baby Bishop School we have to go to school too uh I couldn't go in 20 or 21 because of the pandemic but I got to go last September of 2022 with 140 other bishops from all throughout the world and uh we had six days it was wonderful in um of classes classes and uh meetings and prayer uh and the last day we got to meet Pope Francis and he gave us so much time just asking for questions back and forth conversate conversation and then at the end we each got to go up and uh say hello to him and uh uh he said a word to each of us and uh congratulated us and thanked us and and gave us a rosary as well.
• 40:46
  SPEAKER_05: So uh but um at that point you know spending some time with him and getting to meet him he's such a blessing and he's so filled with the spirit and uh I saw more of that from a distance but uh at World Youth Day in uh in Lisbon in Portugal uh were you at World Youth Day?
• 41:03
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah it was wasn't it wonderful God bless him right and he connected with all million five hundred thousand right one point six million people they all thought he was there just for them God bless him pray pray for the Holy Father Pope Francis please okay so our last question is from William L what is the most important part of the Catholic faith for you so I Jay shared the questions with me a little bit earlier and boy we could spend a long time on this answer but I won't I'll try not to because it reminds me that um when I became bishop as many things that I learned uh the bishop chooses a motto for uh this kind of shield that he has or a crest um and I went back to those three words that I come to um be some of my favorite words from the Bible from the scriptures John's St.
• 41:53
  SPEAKER_05: John's words God is love right um it's um it's nine letters I think in three words and um so when you ask what is the most important part of our Catholic faith for you um Jesus said the most important commandment is to love God with all our heart mind soul and strength and to love our neighbor as ourself right and he said he gave us a new commandment um at the Last Supper he wanted us to love one another as he loves us.
• 42:21
  SPEAKER_05: Love is easy to talk about um it's uh when we love as Jesus teaches us and calls us to love it means putting myself second and the and the beloved first as parents who send their children to a Catholic school, right?
• 42:34
  SPEAKER_05: Make a sacrifice in love because they want the best for their children, parents um who bring their children to church and religious education, um parents who are doing their best uh to raise their children, that gift of life that God has given to them, uh true love um that that Jesus teaches us that we and that God loves us no matter what.
• 42:51
  SPEAKER_05: When we sin, when we make mistakes, God never stops loving us.
• 42:55
  SPEAKER_05: And so um I if we had to give one answer in terms of what's the most important part of our faith, our Catholic faith is to know that God is love, to try to know how much he loves us and and share it with one another.
• 43:08
  SPEAKER_05: And uh because uh the Spanish speaking community had taught me that as a priest in Brooklyn and Queens I I chose God is love and Dios es amor uh those same three words in Spanish.
• 43:18
  SPEAKER_05: So um we asked uh Salange and Brother JJ just a few minutes before we started to think about what is the most important part of the Catholic faith for you.
• 43:28
  SPEAKER_06: So William you'll get a couple of answers uh in the class uh most important part of the Catholic faith to me I gotta go with the sacraments um just thinking baptism right um through baptism we have God living in us the entire Holy Trinity living within us um and so when we have a difficult decision to make we can look within ourselves because that's where God lives.
• 43:51
  SPEAKER_06: Um to to receive the Eucharist um every day, every week um God made flesh coming into my flesh.
• 44:00
  SPEAKER_06: And uh it's like having a fresh blood fr transfusion uh you know every day, every week, you know.
• 44:06
  SPEAKER_06: Uh so it's a just a beautiful thing for me, the sacraments.
• 44:10
  SPEAKER_03: Yes.
• 44:11
  SPEAKER_03: And I agree with with both.
• 44:12
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, to love love is to will the good of the other, right?
• 44:16
  SPEAKER_03: And um and you know, when we think about all these things that we're talking about even today, um, the beauty of it is that that we want to go ahead and showcase love to even to those that we do not know, right?
• 44:27
  SPEAKER_03: And have empathy and have a lot of people.
• 44:30
  SPEAKER_05: We still love them in return, right?
• 44:32
  SPEAKER_03: Yes, no matter what.
• 44:33
  SPEAKER_03: Um sometimes, I mean, even being in school, we may not agree with what someone else says or how they feel about something, but just trying to put our uh ourselves in their place.
• 44:41
  SPEAKER_03: And I also agree with the with the Eucharist, I mean, uh receiving Christ, what a beauty.
• 44:46
  SPEAKER_03: It's free, it's there for us.
• 44:47
  SPEAKER_03: I I think about that all the time.
• 44:49
  SPEAKER_03: Like, what a beauty to have that in our faith, right?
• 44:52
  SPEAKER_03: That we could go to mass, that we have the sacrament of confession, that we can really feel so pure, clean at heart, and to be able to receive him and if we wanted to every single day, not only a Sunday, right?
• 45:04
  SPEAKER_03: And to be able to have his word and and to feed us.
• 45:08
  SPEAKER_03: He's ready with that banquet for us.
• 45:10
  SPEAKER_03: And sometimes we're just settling for crumbs, we're settling for things that are truly not what the Lord wants from us.
• 45:15
  SPEAKER_03: So just seeing what is that banquet, what is that the Lord is offering me so I can continue in love and and in spirit with him each and every day more.
• 45:24
  SPEAKER_07: I'm gonna go with the Eucharist as well.
• 45:26
  SPEAKER_07: And um just want to thank Miss Shoshette and her sixth grade uh students for this wonderful wonderful opportunity.
• 45:35
  SPEAKER_07: What a what a what a fun time.
• 45:36
  SPEAKER_07: Um thanks, Bishop, for answering the questions.
• 45:38
  SPEAKER_07: And if anyone else wants to send in a question for the bishop or a podcast topic idea, you can send it to beyond at patternsdiocese.org.
• 45:49
  SPEAKER_07: And before we wind down this episode, Bishop, is there anything else you want to uh mention or or share with us?
• 45:55
  SPEAKER_07: Anything coming up?
• 45:57
  SPEAKER_05: So I'll be heading, um, we're actually taping this on a Monday and uh I'll be Tuesday to Thursday, or actually a little Friday, um, at a evangelization conference in Portland, Oregon.
• 46:07
  SPEAKER_05: I had the chance to go two years ago to this uh conference that was organized by a group called the St.
• 46:13
  SPEAKER_05: Paul's Evangelization Society, SPES.
• 46:15
  SPEAKER_05: SPES actually is a Latin word for hope, and uh so um it's a great opportunity and I look forward to it.
• 46:22
  SPEAKER_05: We'll see how the flying across the country goes, but uh we'll hope for the best.
• 46:26
  SPEAKER_05: And uh I'll be returning on um September 29th, Friday, which is Feast of the Archangels, Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael.
• 46:34
  SPEAKER_05: And uh as again, as I mentioned at the beginning, this is a great run of saints from uh the 20th St.
• 46:40
  SPEAKER_05: Vince of DePaul is even the 27th, and um uh Jerome on the 30th, Therese on the first, the Guardian Angels on the second, Francis.
• 46:47
  SPEAKER_05: You guys are on October 4th.
• 46:52
  SPEAKER_05: With many pirates will be blessing animals, and uh so uh so and then that'll lead to um um Saturday the 7th, the Feast of the Holy Rosary, and we invite everyone to come for the Mass and procession at um St.
• 47:06
  SPEAKER_05: Margaret's in Moorestown.
• 47:07
  SPEAKER_07: So you're leaving rainy New Jersey for the rainy Pacific Northwest.
• 47:12
  SPEAKER_07: Well, thank you, thank you both for being a part of the this episode and for joining us.
• 47:17
  SPEAKER_07: It's been uh such a wonderful conversation.
• 47:18
  SPEAKER_05: And for the work that you do in your ministry, thank you.
• 47:20
  SPEAKER_05: Thank you.
• 47:21
  SPEAKER_03: And I just want to give a big shout out.
• 47:23
  SPEAKER_03: I'm gonna do this in Spanish.
• 47:24
  SPEAKER_03: It's for my papa.
• 47:26
  SPEAKER_03: Feliz cumpleaños a mi papa, el cumpleaños el día de Saint Michael.
• 47:31
  SPEAKER_03: So the feast of Saint Michael and his name is Miguel.
• 47:34
  SPEAKER_04: Que bueno.
• 47:35
  SPEAKER_03: So Miguel Antonio Rodriguez, Rodriguez, he always says he's Rodriguez twice.
• 47:40
  SPEAKER_03: Um so yes, I just wanted to um say happy birthday to my papa for that day.
• 47:46
  SPEAKER_05: Thank you.
• 47:47
  SPEAKER_05: Que bueno.
• 47:48
  SPEAKER_05: Uh, my Aunt Nora, today, uh September 25th, her birthday, my confirmation sponsor.
• 47:53
  SPEAKER_05: So uh wonderful.
• 47:55
  SPEAKER_05: It's more than 90, we'll say that, but uh, she's in great health, and uh God bless her.
• 47:59
  SPEAKER_05: So happy birthday, Aunt Nora.
• 48:00
  SPEAKER_02: Happy birthday to her Aunt.
• 48:01
  SPEAKER_02: Happy birthday.
• 48:02
  SPEAKER_07: Awesome.
• 48:03
  SPEAKER_07: Okay, and I also want to tell our viewers and our listeners that 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.
• 48:20
  SPEAKER_07: Please consider helping your brothers and sisters in need by making a gift.
• 48:24
  SPEAKER_07: Visit 2023appeal.org today.
• 48:27
  SPEAKER_07: And thank you.
• 48:29
  SPEAKER_07: And thank you also for spending time with us.
• 48:31
  SPEAKER_07: Join us again for the next episode of Beyond the Beacon.
• 48:34
  SPEAKER_07: Please subscribe to this podcast wherever you're listening.
• 48:37
  SPEAKER_07: 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.
• 48:48
  SPEAKER_07: Email questions and podcast topic ideas for the bishop to beyond at patterson diocese.org.
• 48:54
  SPEAKER_07: Thank you for listening to Beyond the Beacon.
• 48:56
  SPEAKER_07: Thank you, and God bless you.