The Catholic Spirit - NJ

09/08/2026

“You are providing a treasured and specific role,” declared Advance Practice Nurse Joanie C. Lynn of St. Peter’s University Hospital during the annual “Celebrate Life” morning for grandparents and seniors sponsored by the Metuchen Diocese Office of Family Life. The program also included breakfast, fellowship and the celebration of Mass to coincide with the feast day of Saints Anne and Joachim, the patron saints of grandparents. “You are a living witness to God’s faithfulness in your life,” she added.

The seasoned nursing professional expressed her gratitude and admiration for the faith-filled contributions of the roughly 200 senior citizens seated before her July 23 in the St. John Neumann Pastoral Center, Piscataway.

09/05/2026

Saint Teresa of Calcutta, pray for us!

09/04/2026

Sponsored by The Pioneer Volunteer in partnership with Life Choices Resource Center in Metuchen, the free event provided mothers with essential baby items, educational resources and opportunities for encouragement in a welcoming, faith-filled environment.

More than 100 mothers, expectant parents, volunteers and community partners gathered May 30 at the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi in Metuchen for the “Baby in Bloom” Community Baby Shower, a day of faith, fellowship and practical support for growing families.

09/03/2026

Bible stories, science experiments, games, music, crafts – and plenty of bakery-themed treats – helped bring the Church’s teachings on the dignity of the human person to life during this summer’s Vacation Bible Camp at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish. Held June 22–26, the camp welcomed 88 children in pre-K through sixth grade for “Freshly Baked: God’s Original Recipe for Love,” a five-day program inspired by Pope St. John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body.”

Bible stories, science experiments, games, music, crafts – and plenty of bakery-themed treats – helped bring the Church’s teachings on the dignity of the human person to life during this summer’s Vacation Bible Camp at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish.

09/03/2026

09/02/2026

The one-day Life-Giving Wounds retreat, held July 11 in the diocesan Pastoral Center and sponsored by the diocesan Office of Family Life, included a keynote address by members of the Life-Giving Wounds staff, Eucharistic Adoration and Holy Mass with Father Timothy Eck, who serves as chaplain for the Metuchen chapter of the agency.

An organization which ministers to adult children of divorced parents aims to give voice to their pain and find transformative healing in Christ via a Catholic, peer-led ministry.

09/01/2026

Berwick also found a way to merge her faith with her passion for writing – and her interest in Catholic journalism recently led to her recognition as a winner of the inaugural Carlo Acutis Scholarship.

Growing up, Chloe Berwick was active in her home parish of St. William the Abbot, Howell – attending religious education classes, receiving the Sacraments, serving as a catechist and co-leading a high school youth group with her twin sister.

08/31/2026

Experiences like these are common at School of Saint Elizabeth which this year marks its 110th anniversary as well as its recent recognition as the “Best Private School” through the Somerset Hills Readers’ Choice Awards program.

Eighth-grader Victoria has been attending St. Elizabeth School, Bernardsville, since she was in kindergarten – and cannot say enough about her wonderful experience there.

08/28/2026

Donations save lives! 🩸 This September, join us across the Diocese of Metuchen to make a life-saving blood donation with New Jersey Blood Services.

Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are encouraged! Schedule yours today at nybc.org/donate.

Interested in hosting a drive at your parish or organization? Contact Shauna Lynch at [email protected] or 732-616-8736.

08/28/2026

More than 100 people attended the concert, titled Songs of Hope, which brought together more than 20 professionally trained musicians, including seven parish music directors from the Diocese of Metuchen and neighboring dioceses. The evening featured solo performances and a choral presentation centered on the Rosary, including 10 musical settings of the Ave Maria.

The Church of the Sacred Heart, South Plainfield, hosted a charity concert on June 27 that raised more than $6,000 to support the Holy Family Hospital of Bethlehem Foundation, providing enough funding to cover the cost of delivering six babies at the Catholic maternity hospital in the Holy Land.