The Paterson Diocese, N.J., recognized 67 individuals, couples, and families for being the visible Body of Christ to others in their parish communities with the Vivere Christus Award. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney presided at the awards ceremony in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J., on Oct. 18.
Bishop Sweeney thanked the recipients —deacons, religious, laity, and parish ministries — for their generosity of time, talent, and treasure.
Families, friends, fellow parishioners, priests, and religious filled St. John’s to watch the honorees receive this special award — a brass medal, three inches in diameter. The medal bears the Latin inscription “Vivere Christus Est,” meaning “To live is Christ.” Recipients were nominated by their parishes.
Bishop Emeritus Arthur J. Serratelli created the award in 2009. The Diocesan Office of Worship coordinated the event. After the ceremony, award recipients enjoyed an opportunity to take a photo with Bishop Sweeney and attend a reception.
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Many parishes announced their Vivere Christus recipients in their bulletins, praising them for their dedication to their faith communities and the Church.
In the bulletin of St. Paul Parish in Clifton, N.J., Father Leonardo Jaramillo, pastor, lauded Alvaro and Elizabeth Leal, husband and wife recipients, for their more than 15 years of combined dedication, which he called a “true blessing” to the faith community.
Alvaro is currently St. Paul’s director of education, also known as the parochial catechetical leader. Before that, he taught catechism for four years. He is also a lector at Mass, a member of several parish committees, an active participant in the Guadalupano parochial group, and the current local youth protection coordinator. Alvaro also assists with the Pre-Cana ministry.
Elizabeth is a trustee on St. Paul’s finance committee and has been a catechist for more than four years. She also collaborates with the Pre-Cana group and is also a member of the Guadalupano parochial group.
The Leals have four children: Alejandra, Adriana, Emily, and Alvaro Jr.
“Together, Alvaro and Elizabeth have embodied a spirit of generosity, faith, and love for the Church. Their service has strengthened the parish community and stands as a testament to God’s grace working through dedicated disciples. St. Paul R.C. Church is blessed by their continued presence, leadership, and devotion,” Father Jaramillo wrote.
In its bulletin, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in the Flanders neighborhood of Mount Olive, N.J., congratulated its recipient, Monica Schiksnis. She instructs extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist, prepares the Holy Thursday adoration space, provides evangelization and outreach to those needing prayers, and helps wherever needed.
“She is the visible Body of Christ to others in our parish, an inspirational example of true faith and discipleship. We are grateful for the service that she generously, unselfishly gives in so many ways, in her dedication to our parish,” St. Elizabeth Ann Seton wrote about Schiksnis.
2026 Vivere Christus Award Recipients
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Morristown
Phyllis & Joseph DeChiaro
Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson
Cy Yannarelli
Church of Christ the King, New Vernon
Emilio & Regina Egea
Corpus Christi Parish, Chatham Township
Mark Kapsky
Good Shepherd Parish, Andover
Marie Bilik
Holy Rosary Parish, Passaic
Tomasz, Malgorzta & Michael Tyszko
Holy Trinity Parish, Passaic
Elias Lopez
Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Parish, Cedar Knolls
Michael and Carol Critchley
Our Lady of Consolation Parish, Wayne
The Trentacost Family
Our Lady of Fatima and St. Nicholas Parish, Passaic
The Galindo-Martinez Family
Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Pompton Plains
Patricia Perugino
Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Paterson
Pedro & Pierina Perez
Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Whippany
Walking with Moms in Need
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Boonton
John & Bonny O’Mullane
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Swartswood
Mr. and Mrs. Ronan Da Rocha & Family
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Passaic
Yadira Ureña
Our Lady of the Lake Parish, Mount Arlington
Carol Shay
Our Lady of the Magnificat Parish, Kinnelon
Marianne Garibaldi
Our Lady of the Mountain Parish, Long Valley
Laura & Timothy Taverna
Our Lady of Victories Parish, Paterson
Sindi & Israel Torres
Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish, Lake Hopatcong
Veronica Hellner
St. Padre Pio Parish, Paterson
The Makowski Family
Resurrection Parish, Randolph
Manuel & Delia Vince-Cruz
Thomas Loikith
Sacred Heart and Our Lady Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Parish, Dover
Elkin & Luz Gomez
Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Rockaway
JoAnn Daly
Sacred Heart Parish, Clifton
Mirtha Rodriguez
Sain Ann Parish, Parsippany
Geri and Ken Catala
St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Paterson
Maria Almodovar
St. Anthony Parish, Hawthorne
Thomas Hauer
St. Bernard Parish, Wharton
Matthew & Bethanne Strasser
St. Brendan and St. George Parish, Clifton
Alvaro Castaño
St. Catherine of Bologna Parish, Ringwood
Mary Oliveira
St. Catherine of Siena Parish, Mountain Lakes
Virginia De Lalla
St. Cecilia Parish, Rockaway
Jeffrey Zuber
Saints Cyril and St. Methodius Parish, Clifton
Joseph & Maria Gnida
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Flanders
Monica Schiksnis
St. Gerard Majella Parish, Paterson
Michael Stracco
St. James of the Marches Parish, Totowa
Valerie Amendola
St. John Kanty Parish, Clifton
Sr. Ewa Biniek, MChR.
St. John Vianney Parish, Stockholm
Tascha & Elena Spagna
St. Joseph Parish, Mendham
Luke, Jennifer, Mark, Brian & Lydia Walsh
St. Joseph Parish, Newton
Denise Thibault & Sandra Fratangelo
St. Joseph Parish, Passaic
Bozena & Janusz Dziedzic
St. Joseph Parish, Paterson
Maria y Luis Payano
St. Joseph Parish, West Milford
Elizabeth Satkowski
St. Jude Parish, Budd Lake
John Castiglia & Donna Lynnot
St. Jude the Apostle Parish, Hardyston
Kinga Galica
St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish, Sparta
Joanne Miceli
St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish, Chester
Thomas & Carla Fuscaldo
St. Luke Parish, Long Valley
Phil & Barbara Carangelo
St. Margaret of Scotland Parish, Morristown
Ricardo & Elsa Gonzalez
St. Mary Help of Christians Parish, Paterson
Marcos Moya
St. Mary Parish, Denville
Deacon Jack Flynn
St. Mary Parish, Dover
Jane & Michael MacDermant
St. Phillip the Apostle Parish, Clifton
Debra DeLuca
St. Paul Parish, Clifton
Alvaro & Elizabeth Leal
St. Peter the Apostle Parish, Parsippany
Deacon Robert Lang
St. Pius X Parish, Montville
Virginia & Mary Lou Aquino
St. Rose of Lima Parish, East Hanover
Alan & Gerri Swetz
St. Simon the Apostle Parish, Green Pond
Joseph Breczinski
St. Stephen’s Parish, Paterson
Maria A. Hernao de Cruz
St. Therese Parish, Succasunna
Patricia Passannante
St. Thomas of Aquin Parish, Ogdensburg
Tom & Maryann Schwork
St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Oak Ridge
Cheryl Prescott
St. Vincent Martyr Parish, Madison
Josephine Allocca
St. Virgil Parish, Morris Plains
Michael Scannelli
