On May 17, 260 youth from the Paterson Diocese, N.J., joined hundreds of peers from across the Garden State for the annual N.J. Catholic Youth Rally at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, N.J.
The Metuchen Diocese organized this year’s event, while the Trenton Diocese prepared the closing Mass.
Father Martin O’Reilly, pastor of Mary, Mother of the Church Parish in Bordentown, N.J., and episcopal vicar of Burlington County, celebrated the Mass.
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Many priests from other New Jersey dioceses concelebrated the Mass. Among them were Father Charles Lana, vocations director of Paterson, and Franciscan Father John Aherne, pastor of St. Mary’s Parish in Pompton Lakes, N.J.
At the amusement park, the young people enjoyed rides, games, food, and fellowship. The day offered both excitement and a sense of belonging.
For more than 30 years, the five dioceses of the state of New Jersey — Paterson, Camden, Metuchen, Trenton, and the Archdiocese of Newark — have hosted the event. John Cammarata, executive director of St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison, N.J., and diocesan director of Youth Ministry, coordinated the day for the diocese.
