One day in 2017, Father Abuchi F. Nwosu, then the new pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (OLMC) Parish in Swartswood, N.J., approached Thomas Rivara, a longtime parishioner, with an ambitious plan for the church. The priest said, “I want to change the altar around — totally.”
Father Nwosu wanted the project completed in two weeks, in time for Palm Sunday. Rivara told the pastor that he and his crew, along with other contractors he could call in, could complete the job. But he also said the timeline was “really pushing it.”
Rivara was pushed, perhaps, but he and his workers finished the altar in time for Palm Sunday and Holy Week. A retired building contractor, he has used his construction expertise on many parish projects over the years.
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“I just do it because I feel I have the ability and the talent to do it. If I can, I will. I am helping the Church,” said Rivara, also a part-time farmer at his family’s 114-year-old Rivara Farm in Newton, N.J. “I could not get up and give a sermon because I am not a speaker. But I like doing these things and enjoy seeing the results,” he said.
Rivara, 75, has been a member of OLMC for almost all his life; the church is located in Swartswood, between Hampton and Stillwater townships in New Jersey.
On Oct. 19, 2025, Rivara was one of many faithful of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., to receive the Vivere Christus Est Medal from Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney during a presentation at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J. The diocesan award honors individuals, couples, or families from each parish for their service to the Church.
Some of Rivara’s other church projects as OLMC include replacing the ceiling in the church hall, renovating both the men’s and women’s bathrooms, repairing sidewalks, and replacing the rectory windows. He also added a kitchen, installed new flooring, jackhammered the old floor of the parish garage and replaced it, and cleared the property of snow as needed.
“It’s an honor that Father Abuchi calls me and has confidence in me to do these projects that help the church and its ongoing success,” Rivara said.
In addition to his construction talents, Rivara has also served as an usher at 7:30 a.m. Mass on Sundays for the past 30 years. His two grandchildren are altar servers at the same Mass. He also helps with the collection, ensuring that it is properly deposited.
Praising the award recipient, Father Nwosu said, “Thomas Rivara is a dedicated and faithful member of our parish whose quiet service and commitment have made a lasting impact on our community.”
“Thomas is known as the person who can always be counted on whenever repairs are needed around the parish, whether fixing gutters, doors, bathrooms, church pews, or addressing countless other maintenance needs that help keep our church in excellent condition,” Father Nwosu said. “He is a man of deep faith, devotion, and generosity. His love for the Church extends to his family,” the priest said.
