ASBURY – On the patronal feast day of the Diocese of Metuchen, the Queenship of Mary, and in the open-air National Blue Army Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Bishop James F. Checchio of Metuchen ordained five men for service to the priesthood, the largest group of men to be ordained in the diocese in over 25 years.

METUCHEN – Seated feet apart in the first pew of the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi, four men faced the Bishop of Metuchen and listened as he encouraged them to “stay with Jesus.”

METUCHEN – When sin entered the world, the mirror image of God was shattered, said Metuchen Bishop James F. Checchio at a June 19 prayer service for racial harmony, peace, justice and healing of the nation, which was held at the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi.

Speaking to a group of young black people, all Catholic high school students in the Diocese of Metuchen, the Most Rev. James F. Checchio, Bishop of Metuchen, said, “I’m here to listen to you.”

METUCHEN – While the universal Church prepares to celebrate Pentecost, the Holy Spirit is already moving for Catholics in the Diocese of Metuchen, even in the midst of a global pandemic.

PISCATAWAY – A third-party reporting service is now in place to receive claims of abuse against U.S. Roman Catholic Bishops. The Catholic Bishop Abuse Reporting (CBAR) service was launched by the U.S. Bishops in March as part of their ongoing commitment to carrying out Pope Francis’ Motu Proprio Vos estis lux mundi – or "You are the light of the world" – issued in May 2019.

On Thursday, May 14, all Catholics and believers of all religions and people of goodwill, are invited to spiritually unite themselves in a Day of Prayer, Fasting and Works of Charity for the good of all humanity.

Parishes throughout the four-county Diocese of Metuchen, which includes Somerset, Hunterdon, Middlesex and Warren, will mark the start of Lent with the distribution of ashes to the faithful, a reminder of their sinfulness and the power of God to create holy people out of sinners.

CENTRAL JERSEY – Religious Teacher Filippini Sister Mary Louise Shulas, principal of St. Augustine of Canterbury School in Kendall Park, beamed with pride as four of her students presented their recycled hydroponic system to a standing-room only crowd at the State House in Trenton on Jan. 27, the second day of nationally-recognized Catholic Schools Week.

PISCATAWAY – Fr. Thomas Ganley, who pleaded guilty in April to sexual assault, was sentenced today to four years in prison.

PISCATAWAY – Bishop James F. Checchio of the Diocese of Metuchen participated in a series of three separate votes to hold bishops accountable for instances of sexual abuse.

PISCATAWAY – Starting June 15, the New Jersey Independent Victim Compensation Program (IVCP) will begin accepting claims related to the sexual abuse of minors

Mark Dolak, identified on the list of names of credibly accused clergy released by the Diocese of Metuchen, had his priestly faculties removed by the Diocese of Metuchen over twenty years ago