Dear OLP Family,

Last Sunday I was officially installed as your Pastor by our Bishop Checchio. I was very happy to see so many of you, parishioners of OLP, and many parishioners from my two previous parishes – St. John Neumann in Califon and St. Matthias in Somerset. I am truly grateful to all the different ministers who made it a nice celebration in the church; and thanks to our wonderful staff and the Columbiettes who did the set up and serving at the reception.

Dear OLP Family,

I am very happy to welcome Bishop James Checchio to our community today, as he comes to install me as the Pastor of Our Lady of Peace Parish during the 10 AM Mass. Although I had already begun my new assignment here as your Pastor on August 1st, we celebrate this Rite of Installation liturgically today not only to ask God’s blessings on me for my ministry as your shepherd, but also because it reminds all of us of an essential part of being a disciple:

Dear OLP Family,

As you know, I was away for a pilgrimage and am very happy to be back to our parish. I wish to thank the priests who helped us with Masses in my absence - Fr. Sean Winters, Fr. Ken Kolibas, Fr. Justin Akkara - and in a special way Fr. Sebastian Kaithakkal who is our resident priest helping us in many ways.

We were 60 pilgrims in this trip to Poland, Czech Republic and Italy with Fr. Antony from Phillipsburg and myself as chaplains.