www.rcan.org The community newspaper of the Archdiocese of Newark Vol. 65 No. 2 February 10, 2016 Local rector named ‘missionary of mercy’ By Melissa McNally priests who were living signs “of After the official commission, Editor the Father’s welcome to all those he will be tasked with administer- in search of His forgiveness.” Ev- ing the sacrament of reconcilia- hen Rev. Msgr. ery missionary needed a letter of tion during special Jubilee Year of Joseph R. Reilly recommendation from his local Mercy events. Pope Francis granted received a letter bishop before being selected. Those missionaries of mercy special au- from the Vatican nominated, according to the coun- thority or faculties “to pardon even in December that cil, must be “inspiring preachers those sins reserved to the Holy Whe had been selected as a “missionary of mercy; heralds of the joy of for- See.” of mercy,” he was “surprised, grateful giveness; and welcoming, loving, According to Bishop Juan Igna- and humbled” by the appointment. and compassionate confessors.” cio Arrieta, secretary of the Pontif- As rector and dean of Immacu- Msgr. Reilly is the only priest ical Council for Legislative Texts, late Conception Seminary at Seton from the Archdiocese of Newark to reserved sins are actions that can Hall University, he became aware be appointed a missionary of mercy. bring with them automatic excom- of his nomination for the special All will be commissioned formally munication. If the person is repen- role last fall during a meeting with by Pope Francis at Saint Peter’s Ba- tant, he said, the missionaries will Archbishop John J. Myers. “I still silica today, Ash Wednesday. They be able to remove the excommuni- don’t know who submitted my name will also have a private audience cation and grant absolution in those to him for the appointment,” Msgr. with the pope. cases, which normally require the Reilly recalled. “Archbishop Hebda asked me a intervention or permission of the During the Holy Year of Mercy, few days ago if I was getting excited local bishop or the Apostolic Peni- the Pontifical Council for Promot- and truthfully, I am,” Msgr. Reilly tentiary, a Vatican court. ing New Evangelization sought said before leaving for Rome. Continued on page 2 Rev. Msgr. Joseph R. Reilly Annual Appeal 2016: Sharing God’s Blessings By Al Frank la Repollet, archdiocesan Executive Stones is adding funds to existing 2015 Top Five Parishes Associate Publisher Director of Development. endowments that, together with The annual appeal—now called the funds from the appeal, make it Sharing God’s Blessings arishes that had a year off Sharing God’s Blessings—raised possible for us to support seminar- (based on percentage over goal) thanks to their participa- $7.3 million in the last fiscal year, ians and retired priests. While the tion in the $90 million We or 16 percent of archdiocesan Catholic schools portion of Living Are Living Stones capital revenues, according to the annual Stones is for tuition assistance, the 1. Holy Family, Union City campaign are resuming financial summary published in the annual appeal funds the operations Goal: $19,551.00 drives for the archdiocesan annual Jan. 20 edition of The Catholic Ad- of the schools.” Total Given: $61,834.50 P appeal. vocate. The funds are used to help “The Works of Mercy compo- About half the archdiocese’s support Catholic Charities, Catholic nent of Living Stones funded many 2. Our Lady of Mount Carmel, parishes were exempt last year as schools, retired priests, seminari- of the programs normally funded by Ridgewood they collected almost $30 million ans, religious education, campus the annual appeal,” Repollet con- Goal: $126,315.00 in pledges for Living Stones in two ministry and parishes. tinued. “It was important that while Total Given: $276,537.04 phases. The third and final group of Living Stones and the annual parishes were conducting Living about 100 parishes are now in their appeal are similar in many ways, Stones, the funds for programs not 3. Saint Francis, Hoboken “exempt year” after beginning Liv- Repollet said. be reduced. This would have been ing Stones last month. “Both support many of the same devastating to the people served by Goal: $27,808.00 Those in the first group of Liv- programs,” she explained. “Living Continued on page 2 Total Given: $54,673.00 ing Stones parishes began the annu- al appeal last weekend; those in the LENTEN REGULATIONS 4. Saint Gabriel, Saddle River second will launch in May. Page 4 Goal: $80,426.00 Even though exempt from the CLASSIFIEDS Total Given: $138,069.60 appeal last year, “there was no dif- Page 8 ference in the funds collected for APPOINTMENTS 5. Holy Family, Linden programs and ministries” because of the portion of campaign funds they Page 10 Goal: $7,904.00 AROUND THE ARCHDIOCESE Total Given: $12,205.00 collected earmarked for the Works of Mercy component, explained Car- Page 11 2 Our Archdiocese February 10, 2016 was nice to disconnect. It makes you Caldwell University students serve in Belize look at things in front of you,” said CALDWELL—Seven Caldwell Katlyn Houtz. University students spent part of Houtz said that the atmosphere their winter break serving in remote made “you take a step back from villages in southern Belize, Central what you are used to and gain in- America. sights into how they live. They ap- The group helped repair schools preciate what they have, their family, and churches in the town of Punta their religion,” she said. Gorda and in the Mayan villages This was the third time the uni- of Dolores, Santa Cruz and Pueblo versity had sponsored a mission trip Viejo. to the Toledo district on the Carib- Professor Thomson Ling, associ- bean Sea. In addition to their service ate professor of sociology and coun- work, the group attended Mass at seling, was one of the chaperones. Saint Peter Claver Church in Punta “On the first day, we constructed Gorda and took a trip to the Mayan steps that would allow children at ruins in Lubbantun. the school to reach the dumpster “No matter what the task, our when throwing out classroom trash,” students stepped up to do it,” Ling he said. They also helped build walls said. “I don’t recall a single com- to divide the one-room building into Submitted photo plaint from any of our students the separate classrooms. “I can’t imag- Caldwell student Katlyn Houtz with school children in Santa Cruz entire trip. You could really tell our ine what it was like to learn in an students were there for the right open space where there are several welcoming and polite the people of a church in the small village of reasons.” other classes and teachers all trying were. After seeing what the Mayan Pueblo Viejo and spent a day in Santa He said the trip underscored to run classes at the same time.” people go without in material terms, Cruz removing an old, rusty tin roof how people are connected. “No John McLaughlin, a junior and he said he could only tell himself, from a church and prepared the struc- matter distance or culture, there are a nursing major, said he was struck “Don’t complain.” ture for reroofing, Ling said. commonalities that we share. Just by the poverty region’s and how The group painted the exterior At first it was an adjustment to because there were cultural or lan- go without the comforts of home, in- guage differences didn’t mean we cluding Internet access and being in couldn’t come together and accom- ‘missionary of mercy’ constant contact with loved ones. “It plish great things.” Continued from page 1 Andrew’s Hall, Seton Hall’s college “I’m delighted to be chosen as seminary, and then was appointed a minister of mercy,” Msgr. Reilly rector/dean of Immaculate Concep- Sharing God’s Blessings explained. “As rector of Immacu- tion in 2012. Continued from page 1 for how we should treat others—as late Conception, much of my time As a young man in the semi- these programs. Having it all rolled if they were Christ in disguise. They is spent doing administrative tasks. nary, Msgr. Reilly initially wanted into Living Stones for one year, al- are charitable actions by which we Canon law also prohibits me from to become a missionary in Africa or lowed pastors to concentrate on con- help our neighbors in need,” she hearing confessions at the seminary. South America. “I quickly realized ducting the campaign and not having said. I’m blessed for the opportunity the that I didn’t have the temperament to take the time to also promote the “The Sharing God’s Blessings Lord has given me. This is the heart to be a missionary,” he reflected. annual appeal. I think the parishio- Appeal is our response to fulfill of being a priest.” “It’s quite a demanding life and I ners also felt better about doing it those works of mercy by serving so A Mountainside native, Msgr. wouldn’t be able to walk away from that way.” many in our community and provid- Reilly was ordained in 1991. In everything that I know.” Repollet said the faithful are ing the basic necessities to those in 1994, he served as priest-secretary Today, as a missionary of mer- invited to discern their participation need of shelter, food, and clothing, to then Archbishop Theodore Mc- cy, he gets to realize his dream. through the lens of the Extraordinary she said. “The tens of thousands of Carrick, and in 1995 joined the staff “My prayers have been answered, Jubilee Year of Mercy, which began people that support the appeal each of Seton Hall Preparatory School in a way.