2023 Bishop’s Annual Appeal

With renewed best wishes, I remain Yours in Christ,

Catholic Charities

Last year alone, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen served over 63,000 individuals throughout Middlesex, Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren counties. So many are still feeling the ripple effects of the pandemic and hurricane Ida. Some are experiencing long-term health issues and others need assistance to recover or replace stormdamaged property.

Inflation is another factor bringing more people to our doors, especially struggling, working parents and seniors on a fixed income. With your help, Catholic Charities distributed over 193,000 pound of food last year and gave $600,000 in rental assistance. Others are being helped with transitional housing, affordable childcare or counseling services.

Dedicated to upholding the fundamental Catholic Social Teaching principle that all human beings, created in the image and likeness of God, have by their very existence inherent worth, Catholic Charities makes it a priority to treat every person who comes to its doors with dignity and respect. Thanks to your gift to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal, Catholic Charities continues to be an effective witness of Christ’s love in the world.

Seminarian Formation

A priest enters and serves in his ministry, not for himself but for others. The role of the priest is central in bringing the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist to the faithful and to the world. In the Diocese of Metuchen there are approximately 200 active priests, 90 parishes and over 600,000 Catholics. That is a large number of faithful to be served by a small number of priests. There is always a concern that the number of anticipated ordinations will not be enough to offset the rate of priestly retirements in the future.

We are blessed to have 21 men who are discerning the Lord’s call in their lives here in the Diocese of Metuchen. Along with the blessing of an increased number of seminarians comes the challenge of meeting the expenses involved. Providing quality formation for our seminarians—one that prepares them to attend to the spiritual and pastoral needs of the faithful—requires a sizeable investment. Your gift to the Bishop’s Annual appeal will help defray the costs of tuition, room and board, health care and other expenses for our seminarians. Your gift will also assist us in inviting more men to consider the priesthood.

Most Reverend James F. Checchio, JCD, MBA Bishop of Metuchen