Catholic Star Herald

07/18/2025

07/17/2025

Acknowledging the prayers and contemplation of the faithful as “the true glory and honor” of the Blessed Mother, Bishop Joseph Williams crowned the Marian statue at St Mary of Mount Carmel Parish on her feast day, July 16, as part of a Eucharistic celebration marking the 150th anniversary of the faithful’s devotion to Our Lady in Hammonton.

After Mass, nearly 1,000 people joined Bishop Williams, priests, members of The Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Society, Hammonton, NJ, priests, and others for the annual procession of Mary and the saints through the streets of Hammonton.

Faithful walk with Mary and the saints through the streets of Hammonton during the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Feast

07/17/2025

The Catholic Star Herald has more than 100 photos from the celebrations yesterday in !

Check out photos from the Mass and canonical coronation at St Mary of Mount Carmel Parish! The Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Society, Hammonton, NJ OSV News
📸Lori M. Nichols

https://catholicstarherald82.pixieset.com/150thourladyofmountcarmelcelebrationinhammonton/

07/17/2025

07/17/2025

“Draw us after you, ever-Virgin Mary, and we will follow in your footsteps.”

Sitting shoulder-to-shoulder in Saint Joseph Church this afternoon, hundreds of faithful heard this message as Bishop Joseph A. Williams celebrated Mass on the 150th anniversary of the Feast of in .

Clergy, religious and seminarians joined faithful from the Diocese of Camden and beyond, The Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Society, Hammonton, NJ , Knights of Columbus and more for the feast day celebration and canonical coronation – decreed by Pope Francis – of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel statue. A crown was placed on the head of the child Jesus, since the head of Our Lady was already crowned.

“The canonical crowning is the pope sending his blessing … to acknowledge the historic value of the statue but also the procession,” said Father David Rivera, pastor of St Mary of Mount Carmel Parish. “This is the pope himself, through our Bishop, blessing the statue.”

The crowning acknowledged the Blessed Mother’s significance to local faithful. “I love Our Lady so much; I’m here to honor her and the saints, who’ve helped me on my life’s journey,” said AnnaMarie Mahieu, who has been attending the celebration for 40-plus years.

After Mass, a procession through the streets of Hammonton saw multitudes carrying images of Mary and saints such as Martin de Porres and Lucy Filippini.

The Mass comes in the middle of a weeklong celebration for Our Lady of Mount Carmel; the festival runs until July 19 and includes games, rides, food and live music.

Check back to CatholicStarHerald.org for the full story and photo galleries, and pick up this week's issue of the paper!
📸Lori M. Nichols
OSV News

07/16/2025

Today is the day!

Join Bishop Joseph Williams in for the canonical coronation and celebration of !

Mass starts at 2 p.m. at St Mary of Mount Carmel Parish, Saint Joseph’s Church, 226 French St., followed by the procession!

The Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Society, Hammonton, NJ Diocese of Camden

The Choir of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception from Washington, D.C., performed at Saint Mary

07/16/2025

, pray for us!

On this of , we recall the Blessed Virgin Mary’s promise: “I am always thinking of you and helping you to secure Eternal Life.”

, patroness of the Carmelites, !

07/15/2025

07/15/2025

Don't forget!

The seminarians of the Diocese of Camden are joining young adults on Thursday to discuss discernment and discipleship.

Join them and other speakers at Landmark Americana for food and faith! Among the speakers is newly ordained Father Thomas Piro of Saint Bridget University Parish in Glassboro.
Landmark Americana Glassboro Rowan Catholic Campus Ministry
Discipleship & Leadership Office, Diocese of Camden

The seminarians of the Diocese of Camden are hosting an event for young adults July 17 to help them understand

07/15/2025

Saint Bonaventure, pray for us!

"If you learn everything except Christ, you learn nothing. If you learn nothing except Christ, you learn everything." -

Today, we celebrate the of , Franciscan, Bishop, Doctor of the Church.