Lives of Faith Deacon MILESTONES

Deacon Anniversary 25 years

Deacon Rene Perez

 Retired, serving in St. Aloysius Paris, Jackson

 Born in Manila, Philippines, in 1951

 Wife: Edna; two children – Ranier, 43, and Rachelle, 41; four grandchildren and five siblings

 Attended Lourdes Catholic School, Manila, Philippines, for both grammar school and high school, graduating in 1969

 Attended Ateneo de Manila University, Manila, Philippines, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management in 1973

 Attended the Graduate School of Business, Ateneo de Manila University, Manila, earning an MBA degree in 1977

 Arrived in the United States in 1983; lived in Freehold and attended St. Rose of Lima Parish, before moving to Jackson and joining St. Aloysius Parish

 Worked as a Corporate Controller, retiring in 2021

 Ordained May 9, 1998, by Bishop John M. Smith

 Started formation in the diaconate in St. Rose of Lima Parish and School, served in youth ministry, the finance council for St. Rose of Lima School and was parish business manager for St. Rose of Lima in Freehold, St. Joseph Parish in Keyport and St. Jerome Parish in West Long Branch for some years. In St. Aloysius, served in many ministries included the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, marriage prep and the baptismal prep team.

When reflecting on what has been most meaningful about serving as a deacon, Deacon Perez said that it has “brought me to a deeper appreciation of what it means to have a relationship with the Lord. I see serving others as my way of giving back to the Lord for all of the blessings he has given me in my life.”

Deacon Andrew A. Sabados, Sr. (Retired)

 St. Gregory the Great Parish, Hamilton Square

 Born in Pottsville, Pa., in 1942

 Wife: Grace Ann; three children – Lisa Ann, Michaelene and Andrew; six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren

 Attended Mercer County Community College and Trenton State

College (now The College of New Jersey), Ewing

 Employed by The Coca-Cola Company as quality assurance manager

 Ordained May 9, 1998, by Bishop John M. Smith

 Ministered as bereavement ministry facilitator, lector, Eucharistic Minister and youth advisor in St. Gregory the Great Parish

“Throughout my life I have been blessed with opportunities to have a good life,” said Deacon Sabodas. “Being ordained a deacon gave me many chances to make a difference in someone else’s life as I ministered for 25 years to the residents of nursing homes, facilitated the bereavement ministry with my wife and an opportunity to preach God’s Word to my parish family.”

Deacon Eugene A. Somma

 Christ the King Parish, Long Branch

 Born in Orange in 1947

 Never married

 Attended Kean University (Newark State)

 Employed in Long Branch public schools as 5th grade teacher for 54 years

 Ordained May 9, 1998, by Bishop John M. Smith

 Served also in St. Michael Parish, West End, and Our Lady of Perpetual Help-St. Agnes Parish, Atlantic Highlands; ministered as youth group advisor, head of liturgy, religious education teacher, RCIA leader instructor, St. Vincent de Paul chaplain, liaison to Rosary Altar Society, coordinator of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Baptism class instructor, and producer of fundraising concerts

“My faith has certainly become stronger,” said Deacon Somma. “Being a deacon allows me to assist people and families through their cycle of life from Baptism to burial. I am better able to see the needs of people in my community and better being able to assist them. I have learned a great deal about leadership, Scripture, the Church, and God. I am very lucky to have been able to share tragically sad moments and moments of great joy that the people of God experience.”

45 years

40 years

 Jesus the Good Shepherd Parish, Beverly

35 years

Deacon Anniversary

20 years

Deacon William Moore Hank

St.

Deacon Kevin J. O’Boyle

Our Lady of SorrowsSt. Anthony, Hamilton

Deacon Anniversary

30 years

Deacon

St. Gregory the Great, Hamilton Square

Deacon Michael J. O’Brien

St. Ann, Browns Mills

Deacon

St. Catharine-St. Margaret, Spring Lake

Deacon Donald M. Policastro

Our Lady of Fatima, Keyport

Deacon Thomas Watkins (retired) St. Hedwig, Trenton

Deacon James J. Knipper St. Paul, Princeton

Deacon James Scott, III St. Ann, Lawrenceville

10 years

15 years

Deacon Gerard C. Luongo

St. Joseph, Toms River

Deacon Charles Moscarello (retired) Sacred Heart, Mount Holly

Deacon Kevin M. Smith

St. William the Abbot, Howell

Sacred Heart, Riverton

St. Joseph, Toms River

Deacon George Prevosti (retired)

St. William the Abbot, Howell

Deacon Patrick J. Stesner, Sr. St. Joseph, Toms River

Deacon Richard Benner (on leave) Jesus the Good Shepherd, Beverly

Deacon David Colter St. Raphael-Holy Angels, Hamilton

Sister Marcia Hall

Continued from 4 not happen until almost four decades later when it was the mid-1990s and she was in her 40s. Her experiences after grammar school included graduating from Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, Princeton, where she attended high school, and leaving the Trenton area to pursue studies in sociology at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels. She worked in the education field, both teaching and in administrative positions, and spent several years as a college professor.

While serving on the faculty of Simmons College in Boston, Sister Marcia said thoughts of becoming a sister resurfaced and she began the discernment process, spending time in prayer and making weekly commutes to the motherhouse in Baltimore. In 1997, she realized the only way she would definitely know if she had a vocation was if she moved to Baltimore and lived and worked among the sisters.

For her, the biggest challenge she found was relinquishing her independence after having lived on her own for almost 20 years. “When you live by yourself you can do what you want. …You can’t do that in community life,” she said, then noted that among the challenges she encountered was transitioning from teaching at the college level to teaching grammar school students.

Sister Marcia entered the community as a postulant in 1998; became a novice in 1999; made her first profession of vows in 2001, and final vows in 2006. Since then, she’s held various positions including serving as principal of St. Frances Academy, Baltimore, the oldest black Catholic school in the country, founded in 1828 by Mother Mary

Lange. Sister Marcia’s current duties include serving on the community’s leadership team, as motherhouse coordinator and liturgy coordinator, and as vocation director. She also serves as a guide for Venerable Mary Lange tours and pilgrimages.

She noted that there are currently five women who entered the congregation during her time as vocation director and that there are other sisters in various stages of formation, one of whom will profess final vows on Aug. 14 and a postulant who will become a novice on Aug. 25.

“We pray for all the women who are discerning a vocation with our congregation,” she said.

For any woman who is discerning a call to religious life, Sister Marcia advises that she prays unceasingly and asks others to pray with and for her; finds a spiritual director who can aid in the discernment process; reads VISION magazine, which has helpful articles written in English and Spanish by religious men and women; listens regularly to the podcast, “A Nun’s Life,” and talks with/visits as many communities as possible.

“Being in community has provided the most enjoyment, many blessings and the most challenges,” said Sister Marcia, adding how humbling it was for her to be an Oblate Sister of Providence as the community celebrated its 175th anniversary in 2004 and processing into the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary to a standing ovation.

More recently, she said, “I was proud to be a daughter of Mary Lange on June 22 when Pope Francis declared her Venerable.

“It means that after 30 years, she is one step closer to sainthood,” Sister Marcia said, “and now more people want to know who she is and why she is important.”

The clergy, staff and parishioners of St. Rose of Lima Parish extend their sincerest congratulations to Fr. James Conover on the 45th anniversary of his priestly ordination.

Riverton, NJ extend their sincerest

Riverton, NJ extend their sincerest

Thank you for your dedicated service to God’s people and may God bless you as you have blessed others.

Congratulations to Deacon Robert Bednarek on the 10th Anniversary of his Ordination to the Diaconate.

Congratulations to Deacon Robert Bednarek on the 10th Anniversary of his Ordination to the Diaconate. We are grateful for Deacon’s Bob’s many years of service. May God’s blessing continue to be upon him.

We are grateful for Deacon’s Bob’s many years of service. May God’s blessing continue to be upon him.