A Letter from
Bishop James F. Checchio

Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,
 
What a blessed time for our Diocese!  I certainly count it amongst my blessings in life to be a part of this Church of Metuchen, and I thank God for all of you each morning.  Our Year of Spiritual Awakening of Faith continues to bear much fruit, as we strive to become even more aware of God’s love and desire for us.  St. Juan Diego responded in faith to his encounter with Our Lady because he had an open heart, a desire for God and new life in Christ as a new convert to the faith.  This past December 12^th as a diocese we were formally consecrated to Jesus through Our Lady of Guadalupe, striking a new moment of faith and grace for us.
 
Our preparation for the consecration included two pilgrimages: a walking pilgrimage through some of the most beautiful parts of our diocese and a visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico. With a renewed sense of mission, we now continue our journey. The next step is for all of us to first give thanks for this new moment of grace, and for each person in our diocese to consider what more could I do in my life to love and serve Christ and His Church? 
 
Without doubt this past year was also a very difficult time in the Church, and for us locally as we have had to deal with the aftermath of scandal from our first bishop. This, along with other sad and disturbing accounts of sexual abuse and it not properly being addressed by some Church leaders in the past.  In the midst of these failures the light of faith must still shine bright.  In our day, we are the ones who are called to carry forward the mission of Christ and His Church.  This is why our diocesan consecration was such a timely moment in our history; we need the faith of Our Lady, her example and intercession.  Ours is a time to not withdraw, but to more intentionally be part of the great mission of Christ!
 
The Gospel is always a call to trust in God’s future.  I place my trust fully in Him and His love for us.  We want our children, who are our future, to continue to receive the Gospel message, through faith and sacramental preparation and quality education so they come to know and love Jesus Christ as truly the savior of world; the one who answers the deepest questions of the human heart.  It is our privilege and responsibility to take our place in the story of the Church to cooperate with God’s grace; transforming our present moment into opportunities for cleansing, healing and renewal. We must ensure that our seminarians, deacons and lay leaders receive the proper preparation to be ready to serve this moment of challenge and grace.  The poor, the disadvantaged and the most vulnerable still depend on us to reach out with compassion and help, even amidst our own struggles, confusion and even anger. Your gift to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal is a sign of your commitment to make present Jesus promise: “I will be with you always…”
 
It is because of your love for Christ and the Church that I ask you to join me in Stepping Forward in Faith to make a sacrificial contribution to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal in proportion to your income, to put Grace in Action. Be assured that every dollar raised, without exception, will go to support the ministries listed in this brochure.
 
My brothers and sisters, thank you for your faithfulness to God and our Mother Mary, as well as to our Church.  Thank you, too, for your love and support of me as I work with whatever energy and grace God gives me to guide our local Church to a brighter future. I look forward to Stepping Forward in Faith: to put grace in action with you as together we follow Our Lady of Guadalupe leading the way to her Son.

With renewed best wishes, I remain
 
Yours in Christ,
   
Most Reverend James F. Checchio, JCD, MBA
Bishop of Metuchen