Established July 4, 1926
Dear Friends in Christ,
In our yearly celebration of Easter, we joyfully mark God's renewal of his creation and his renewal of our lives through Christ's victory over sin and death. At the dawn of creation God said: "Let there be light" (Genesis 1:4) and his powerful word made light to guide the crown of his creation, the human person.
Jesus Christ is the Light that redeems us and leads us to eternal life. While we will not be able to celebrate all of the beautiful rites of the Easter Vigil this year, such as the blessing of the new fire and the solemn preparation and lighting of the Paschal Candle, we can do something to express our certain hope for the Light of Christ to banish despair. I invite all of the faithful to place a small electric light outside of their home or in their window at sunset on the night before Easter Sunday, the vigil of the Day of Resurrection, to unite our hearts in hope and to express our undying faith in our Risen Lord who is the Light that never will be vanquished. As the electric candle or light is illumined I invite you pray with your household: "May the Light of Christ rising in glory dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds."
God continues to enlighten the world through our faith in the Lord Jesus and in the countless acts of sacrifice of so many selfless individuals during this difficult time.
May God deliver from harm all of those who suffer in the midst of this pandemic and protect all who attend to their care. May he keep each of us safe in his loving embrace.
With a prayer for the Lord's blessing, I am
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Arthur J. Serratelli, S.T.D., S.S.L., D.D.
Bishop of Paterson
email: [email protected]
phone: 973-777-8818
web: http://www.patersondiocese.org