Many of the youth who attended the Youth Evening of Praise and Worship with Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney at St. Mary’s Church in Pompton Lakes on March 23 were “blown away” by the experience of spending time in prayer with Jesus before the Blessed Sacrament—many for the first time.
Bishop Sweeney led the well-attended event, and many St. Mary’s young people participated. They included Daniela Varela and Mia Stoto, who reprised their talks from a recent Confirmation retreat about how the power of the Eucharist is transforming their faith and lives.
During the evening, Bishop Sweeney processed from pew to pew around the church to the youth worshippers carrying the Blessed Sacrament exposed in the monstrance.
“It was powerful. There was a hush of silence. It was a great moment of blessing. The youth were blown away. They felt the presence of Christ up close in prayer — many for the first time,” said Franciscan Father John Aherne, St. Mary’s pastor, who also participated in the prayer evening.
St. Mary’s music ministry members played contemporary Catholic and Christian songs for the young worshippers. The Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe run the parish.
Salesian Sister Theresa Lee, chancellor and delegate for religious of the Paterson Diocese, attended the March 23 evening. Last year, she asked St. Mary’s to host one event in a Young Adult Evening of Adoration series with Bishop Sweeney for the Year of the Eucharist.
St. Mary’s staff noticed many youths had attended last year’s young adult evening, inspiring them to host a similar event at the parish. Father Aherne, Cathy Feld, Confirmation director, and Dorothy-Mary Limey, Confirmation director, organized the March 23 event.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
