​Bishop issues challenge to proclaim 'Good News'
to young adults at St. Paul Inside the Walls
by By MICHAEL WOJCIK
MADISON — Bishop Serratelli challenged young adults of the Paterson Diocese to follow the example of Andrew, the first Apostle of Jesus, who realized that Christ was the Messiah, after having cultivated a close relationship with him and immediately began shouting the "Good News" of the Gospel to people.
Bishop Serratelli issued that challenge Jan. 17 during his Mass with the young adults of the diocese at St. Paul Inside the Walls: the Catholic Center for Evangelization Center at Bayley-Ellard here. The staff expected 50 young adults, but scrambled to accommodate the more than 200 people who eventually filled the center's chapel. The Vigil Mass was followed by a reception, also attended by the bishop, who was main celebrant and homilist of the special liturgy.
"Only when there is a purpose in what we are doing is there satisfaction in our hearts and joy in our lives," said Bishop Serratelli, who recounted the story in Jn. 1: 35-42, when John the Baptist points out Jesus at the Messiah to Andrew, his first Apostle, who, with great joy, goes to spend time with him. "One on one, Andrew encounters Jesus and knows immediately that his work preparing for the Messiah has not be in vain, for this is the road that brought him to Jesus. He sees even more clearly those conversations with Jesus, where he could enter into a deeper friendship with Jesus and, therefore, into a deeper relationship with God himself," the bishop said.
Then, Andrew shouts the "Good News," after he realizes that, though a personal relationship with Jesus, that he is the Messiah. "So too when each of us knows the Lord Jesus personally, others will come to Jesus because of our faith. And then, there will be great joy," Bishop Serratelli said.
The Mass attracted members of St. Paul Young Adults — one of St. Paul's first outreaches — and young adults from other parish-based groups or individually. Concelebrating were: Father Paul Manning, St. Paul's executive director and diocesan vicar for evangelization; Father Kevin Corcoran, priest-secretary to the bishop and diocesan vice chancellor; and Father Przemyslaw Nowak, parochial vicar of Assumption Parish, Morristown, who brought members of the Morris County faith community's Young Catholic Professionals group. The music ministry of St. Paul's Young Adults led congregants in songs of praise.
"So many people came — young adults who come to our regular 11 a.m. Mass on Sundays and others. I welcome all of you," said Father Manning, who thanked Bishop Serratelli for visiting St. Paul's for the Mass. "Young adult ministry is one of our priorities [at St. Paul's and in the diocese]. The bishop [who dedicated St. Paul's in 2010] decided that this could be a place, where the Gospel is heard, loved and proclaimed."
The six-year-old St. Paul's Young Adults has helped bring young people back to the faith through activities geared for their generation, including socials, faith-based discussions; liturgies, service projects and contemporary Catholic music concerts. Members of this tight-knit group support each other in the significant milestones during this dynamic time in their lives, including jobs, marriages, children — and even vocations. Ultimately, St. Paul's strives to inspire these young adults to become active in their local parishes.
After last Saturday's Mass, Trevor Jones, who ministers to young adults at St. Paul's, called Bishop Serratelli's Mass with the young adults "a good sign for the diocese and the Church." The bishop "makes people feel important in the Church," which will encourage them to come back — to St. Paul's and the Church, he said.
During the reception, 32-year-old Peter Palumbo from St. Paul's Young Adults talked to The Beacon how he discovered a revitalized faith — and love — through the group. This infrastructure project manager drives up from the Metuchen Diocese to participate in the group's activities and helps plan its social outreaches. Palumbo's said that his participation at St. Paul's also led him to meet his girlfriend.
"Four years ago, I was looking to get back into the faith. I loved the wonderful homilies and music at the Sunday morning Masses. It was energetic and drove me to know more about my faith," said Palumbo, who noted that St. Paul Young Adults fills an critical need — sponsoring an outreach to young adults that most parishes do not offer. "The people here genuinely care about your journey of faith."
After the Mass, Bishop Serratelli called the presence of the young adults, who filled St. Paul's chapel "a great encouragement to me and my brother priests with me here tonight" and "a sign of your faith and personal response to Jesus." He told the congregation that in the Gospel, Jesus often called people, who were in relation to one another, like his call to his cousin, John the Baptist.
"Families and relationships are important and that's why we need to come together with our families as often as we can or with the family of God that is the Church," said Bishop Serratelli, who made note of both recent violent attacks on religious freedom around the world and the ongoing "hollowing out of traditional Christianity." "If there is any time for us to know the Lord, know his Gospel and witness to it, it is today."
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