St. Catherine of Siena Parish
Farmingdale, New Jersey

FTMM Update-2016-05-08

To all of the good people and friends of St. Catherine of Siena Parish,

Over the past few weeks, I have begun sharing information about a major endowment campaign underway at our parish and throughout the Diocese of Trenton. This week I will be sharing the next initiative of the Faith to Move Mountains Campaign for the Diocese and our parish:

Ordained Ministry: With approximately 170 priests serving more than 800,000 Catholics within our Diocese, every priest is essential, and building the number of priests in active ministry has never been more important. Below is how the Diocese plans to ensure that every one of our parishes within all four counties has the pastoral support they need to serve future generations of Catholics:

Retired Priests: One of the greatest needs of the Diocese is the care for retired priests, especially the infirmed and those requiring acute care. In the next 10 years alone, 44% of our current priests will be eligible for retirement. This will require an additional $800,000 each year to provide care for those who have dedicated their lives to their parish communities. Amid increasing healthcare costs, we must be prepared to meet growing demands by increasing the current endowment for our retired clergy. This will provide a renewed opportunity to give back to our priests who have given so much to us.

Seminarians: The extraordinary news is that our current class of seminarians has grown to more than 30 men! Bishop O’Connell has set the goal of bringing that number to 50 seminarians in formation over the coming years. This growth will present a welcome challenge, as the cost to educate one seminarian is approximately $40,000 per year for five years of post-college education. Recognizing the seminaries’ indelible impact on our Church, the Diocese will establish a priestly formation endowment to address these growing costs.

Deacons: With more than 300 deacons currently in service, the Diocese of Trenton has been blessed with one of the largest diaconate programs in the country. As the need for permanent deacons continues, so too must the Diocese’s investment in preparing men that can support our priests and minister to their congregations with engaging homilies, sacramental preparation and spiritual direction.

In the coming weeks, I will continue to share further details about how the campaign funds will directly impact both our Diocese and our community here at St. Catherine of Siena Parish. Everyone will soon be invited to participate in this graced effort. In the meantime, anyone is welcome to approach me before or after Mass with any questions you may have.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support!

God bless,
Father Angelito