Wearing a Philadelphia Phillies baseball cap, Bishop Dennis Sullivan looks at a green Irish Phillies shirt. Both the cap and shirt were presented to him by Holy Family Parish, Sewell, where he celebrated Mass Feb. 17. Also pictured is Deacon Gerard Jablonowski.
Photo by James A. McBride
SEWELL – Five days after his installation as the eighth bishop of Camden, Bishop Dennis Sullivan celebrated 11:30 a.m. Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Family here Feb. 17, reminding the faithful that Lent is “the time to get serious about our spiritual and personal development.”
Bishop Sullivan said before he was installed that his first priority was to “listen” and to learn about the diocese by visiting parishes and meeting with clergy and others. He also has emphasized the importance of parish life, saying, “To me, the church is the parish.”
Last week, he expressed to Father Robert Hughes, pastor and diocesan chancellor, his desire to celebrate Sunday Mass at parishes in the diocese. Father Hughes suggested his own parish, Holy Family.
Speaking to parishioners during his homily, Bishop Sullivan said he was grateful for Father Hughes for picking him up at 30th Street Station in Philadelphia on the morning of Jan. 8, the day of the announcement of his appointment to Camden, and welcoming him to South Jersey.
Bishop Sullivan also called on the faithful during these 40 Days of Lent to, in the words of St. Benedict, “add to the usual measure of our service something by way of private prayer and abstinence from food or drink, so that each of us will have something…to offer God of his own will with the joy of the Holy Spirit.”
“The 40 Days of Lent can be daunting, but they are not impossible,” Bishop Sullivan said. “We all need fresh time and fresh space to let God’s love, presence, and action take over.”
As Jesus spent 40 days in the desert amid temptation, so must our journey take us into the “desert, but with God and the Holy Spirit, we overcome,” he said.
Bishop Sullivan also spoke of the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, calling on those gathered to “admire the pope’s courage (which) came from dependence and confidence in the Lord.”
Toward the end of the Mass, Father Hughes presented the bishop, a New York Yankees and Giants fan, with a red Phillies cap and green Irish Phillies shirt.
“Since the Yankees and Phillies are in different baseball leagues, you can root for the Phillies,” Father Hughes said to Bishop Sullivan. “We’ll work on the Eagles.”
The bishop’s sports allegiances notwithstanding, Holy Family parishioners were excited at the opportunity to meet the new shepherd of Camden.
“I thought it was important for my children to come and meet the new bishop,” said Kelly Zellner, who was with Nicholas, 10, and Angela, 6.
“I found (Bishop Sullivan) very warm; he’s reaching out to all of us. We’re very happy he’s here.”
Al O’Hagan came to Mass with his wife Cathy; daughter Sheila McGirl; and his grandchildren Sean and Kayla.
“I’m very impressed with him,” O’Hagan said. “The diocese is in good hands.”
“It’s very important for the bishop to make his presence known in the parishes,” said Father Hughes, “so the faithful can see him, so they can begin to develop a relationship with him and understand what vision he has for the church, and where he’d like to see the diocese go.”
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