&

grace

Gratitude

Good News

Sharing the

Diocese

Across the

The Diocese of Trenton’s

Department of Communications plays a vital role in sharing the Good News and keeping our Catholic community informed, inspired, and connected.

Through the diocesan website, social media platforms, multimedia productions, and The Monitor magazine—both in print and online—the Communications team ensures that stories of faith, service, and hope reach parishioners across our four counties. From covering major diocesan events and parish initiatives to producing videos that highlight the impact of ministries supported by the Annual Catholic Appeal, their work brings our shared mission to life.

This dedicated team manages everything from daily updates and live-streamed liturgies to digital storytelling and outreach campaigns that extend beyond parish walls. Their efforts not only inform but also strengthen the spiritual bond that unites us as one diocesan family.

The Department of Communications operates largely through the generosity of those who give to the Annual Catholic Appeal. Your support helps sustain the channels through which we share Christ’s message — ensuring that every Catholic in our diocese has access to uplifting, accurate, and faith-filled communications.

Mother of Mercy Parish, Asbury Park – Fr. Stephen Michael

Faith and

the Power of Hope

celebrated this year on September 21

was a joyful reminder of how faith is passed from one heart to another. Across the Diocese of Trenton, parish catechists, Catholic school teachers, parents, and RCIA leaders were recognized and commissioned for their vital role in sharing the Gospel with the next generation.

With the Jubilee Year theme

“Always be ready to give an explanation… for a reason for your hope” (1 Pet 3:15),

Through your generous support of the Annual Catholic Appeal, the Diocese is able to nurture and equip these dedicated catechists. Programs like the Art of Catechesis, Hope in Our ["widget_-DSbGrRcH"]Hearts Conference, and CATechist Chats are made possible by the Appeal, helping hundreds of catechists grow in both faith and skill.

Since 2021, more than 829 catechists have completed formation programs—proof that your support is making a real difference.

Being a catechist today isn’t easy, but it’s a calling filled with joy. Catechists are not just teachers—they’re storytellers of faith and witnesses of hope who inspire children, teens, and adults to encounter Christ.

Priests Remain at the Heart of

the Church’s Mission

Convocation in Galloway, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., reminded the 130 priests gathered that they are not just coworkers in ministry but true companions in Christ. Over three days of prayer, worship, and fraternity, priests reflected on their sacred calling and the joy of serving God’s people.

Redemptorist Father Kevin O’Neil
spoke of every priest as a

“gift-giver for the salvation of the world,”

while Bishop O’Connell encouraged authenticity, faithfulness, and love. He expressed deep gratitude for their daily sacrifices and for the parishioners whose generosity to the Annual Catholic Appeal makes opportunities like this convocation—and ongoing priestly formation—possible.

As the convocation ended, priests shared how renewed they felt, grateful for those who inspired their vocations and for the faithful who continue to support them through prayer and giving. 

A Catholic Response to Mental Illness

Together, we help keep the heart of the Church strong.

Bishop O’Connell wrote with deep compassion about the importance of understanding and supporting those who live with mental illness. Drawing on his years of ministry, he reminded us that many quietly carry the burdens of depression, anxiety, addiction, and other mental health challenges—often unseen and misunderstood.

He emphasized that mental illness is not a moral failure or a sign of weak faith, but a real medical condition that affects millions.

The Church, he said, must always be a

“sanctuary of hope”

—a place where no one suffers in silence and every person is met with dignity, empathy, and care.

Through the Annual Catholic Appeal, the Diocese’s support of Pastoral Care Ministry helps equip clergy and parish leaders with the resources and training needed to walk with those who struggle, offering both spiritual guidance and practical compassion. Bishop O’Connell’s message is a call for all of us to reflect Christ’s love—bringing comfort to the brokenhearted and helping all find hope and healing in God’s mercy.

Other areas 

For newsletter 

Each year, the generosity of parishioners across the Diocese makes it possible for our ministries and programs to serve others in meaningful ways. Through Social Service programs, families in crisis find comfort and stability—receiving food, clothing, counseling, and guidance that connects them with essential community resources.

Faith formation programs continue to accompany individuals and families through every stage of life,

from baptism to the end of life, helping them grow in their relationship with Christ through education, encouragement, and renewal.

And across our parishes, priests and pastoral leaders are supported through diocesan ministries that provide training, resources, and direct assistance—allowing them to strengthen their communities and meet the spiritual and practical needs of their parishioners.

Together, these efforts reflect the living mission of the Church in the Diocese of Trenton —a mission made possible through shared faith, dedication, and service.

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Christine prete blurb at the end of newsletter

A Jubilee Year of Hope and Renewal

This Jubilee Year has been a sacred journey—one filled with moments of renewal, gratitude, and witness across our Diocese. Through the ministries supported by the Annual Catholic Appeal, we’ve seen God at work: in classrooms and parish halls, through sacraments and service, in the quiet strength of our priests, and the joyful witness of our catechists and volunteers

Whether you’ve given to the Appeal or received its blessings through your parish, we are all connected in this mission. Every act of generosity strengthens the Body of Christ, and every heart touched is a reminder of the Church alive and at work. As this year comes to a close,