St. Paul Parish in Clifton celebrated the Feast of St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta with a Mass and special blessing on Sept. 5, her feast day.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney celebrated a bilingual Mass in St. Paul Church, concelebrated by Father Leonardo Jaramillo, the parish’s pastor. Deacon Joseph A. Puskas assisted with the Mass.

Then, worshippers moved to the Mother Teresa Chapel in the Parish House. Bishop Sweeney gave a blessing using St. Paul’s relic of the saint. The electric perpetual candles in memory of parishioners’ loved ones also were lit.

Bishop Sweeney posted on social media that day, “St. Mother Teresa was not only a contemporary, co-worker, and close friend of the Great St. Pope John Paul II, they were both inspiring witnesses on behalf of the dignity and value of every Human Life from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death.”

“They were great ‘Evangelists’ in the truest sense of the word. They inspired so many to hear and put into practice the words of Jesus, perhaps, especially the words of Matthew 25:31-46, “… whatever you do (or fail to do) for the least of these little ones, YOU DID IT FOR ME.”

— MICHAEL WOJCIK

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI