As pews sit empty in churches around the four-county Diocese of Metuchen because of social distancing due to the coronavirus, Catholics in the diocese are finding new ways to stay connected to their faith. In absence of being able to gather for daily or Sunday Mass, and now Holy Week, parishes around the diocese have opened their churches, virtually.

In light of further restrictions by Governor Murphy and the Decree of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Disciple of the Sacraments, Bishop Checchio promulgates the following regarding the liturgies of Palm Sunday 2020 and Holy Week 2020 throughout the Diocese of Metuchen to assist the clergy and the faithful in the spiritual celebration of the Paschal Mysteries. 

Bishop James F. Checchio has granted a dispensation from abstaining from meat on Fridays for the rest of Lent, except Good Friday which is universal law and a day of fasting and abstaining from meat, so Bishops do not have the authority to dispense. He gave the dispensation based on the difficulties of obtaining some types of food by some of our faithful and the many other sacrifices which all of us are suddenly experiencing given the coronavirus. 

The rapidly evolving coronavirus pandemic has brought challenges for so many in our local communities and unfortunately, we recently learned that the residents of St. Joseph’s Senior Home in Woodbridge, and the Little Servant Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, who faithfully operate the assisted living and nursing center, were no exception.

In directives just released by Bishop Checchio, he asked that all public Masses throughout the Diocese of Metuchen be temporarily suspended beginning no later than March 18 and resume no earlier than April 3, 2020, when the situation will be re-evaluated as circumstances unfold.

PISCATAWAY – Facing the rapidly evolving coronavirus pandemic, the Most Rev. James F. Checchio, Bishop of Metuchen, announced today that while Masses in the Diocese of Metuchen will continue to be celebrated, the faithful are not obligated to attend until the weekend of April 4 – 5, when the situation will be re-evaluated as circumstances unfold.

PISCATAWAY – Amid growing national concern over the spread of the coronavirus, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen has enacted measures in parishes across its four counties as a precaution.

EDISON – The Most Rev. James F. Checchio, Bishop of Metuchen, and Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Newark, were joined by civic and community leaders at a groundbreaking ceremony for the St. Paul the Apostle Senior Residence Feb. 25.

The Diocese of Metuchen and the Catholic pastors of the parish communities that serve the City of New Brunswick have heard the concerns voiced by coalition members on behalf of the Lincoln Annex School community and have responded to the letters we received.

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.

MONROE TOWNSHIP – Bishop James F. Checchio presided at a Mass in which three elements integral to Catholics’ faith were blessed and dedicated in the newly-renovated Our Lady of the Nativity Church Feb. 9.

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, N.J. – The Diocese of Metuchen is among the five Roman Catholic dioceses in New Jersey to announce a six-week extension for survivors of clergy sexual abuse who may still want to file a claim through the Independent Victims Compensation Program (IVCP).

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