Bishop Williams is formally welcomed to NJ with Mass of Welcome

Standing before more than 1,000 faithful, clergy, religious, and dignitaries from across New Jersey and beyond, Coadjutor Bishop Joseph A. Williams expressed his confidence that the Diocese of Camden is where Jesus wants him to be.

“I couldn’t be happier to be with you,” he said during the Mass of Welcome celebrated Sept. 10 at Saint Agnes Church, Our Lady of Hope Parish, Blackwood.

The afternoon liturgy, in both English and Spanish, included not only Bishop Dennis Sullivan, bishops, clergy and religious from around New Jersey, nearby states and the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis – Bishop Williams’ former archdiocese – but also Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States; Cardinal Joseph Tobin, C.Ss.R., of the Archdiocese of Newark; and Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Archdiocese of Newark Auxiliary Bishops Michael A. Saporito, Gregory J. Studerus, Elias R. Lorenzo, and Manuel Aurelio Cruz also attended.

LIVESTREAM: MASS OF WELCOME

“I thank the Holy Father for giving us the gift of Bishop Williams,” Bishop Sullivan remarked at the beginning of the Mass. Acknowledging Cardinal Pierre, he said the cardinal’s presence as Pope Francis’ representative to the Catholic Church in the United States “honors this local Church.”

Cardinal Pierre took part in the Rite of Welcome by reading the papal bull from Pope Francis that appoints Bishop Williams as coadjutor bishop of Camden.

Calling Bishop Williams “a faithful pastor and evangelizer” in his 22 years of ordained ministry, Cardinal Pierre expressed confidence that the bishop “will find in this local Church new opportunities to minister the Gospel.” He urged Bishop Williams to “live by the words of your episcopal motto, which are the words of Christ: ‘I desire mercy.’  Remember that the Lord is happy to show his mercy throughout you, and he desires to be merciful to those whom you serve in his name.”

After the nuncio’s words, Bishop Williams happily weaved his way through the church, displaying his papal bull to the College of Consultors and the faithful gathered.

In his homily, Bishop Williams reflected on the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, in which Jesus immediately took the 12 men to be with the people. “The apostle is not an apostle for himself. He is an apostle for the people of God … ordained for the multitudes,” Bishop Williams said.

Jesus’ decision to create these holy witnesses was not done lightly, he added, noting that before Jesus called his apostles, he had spent the night in prayer. “What a consoling thought that is,” he said to his brother clergy. “Our calling is the fruit of Jesus’ prayer.”

As well, Bishop Williams reminded all in attendance and watching via livestream that the call of discipleship is the call of the Church. The Mass of Welcome “isn’t about a single person – it’s about all of the baptized of the Diocese of Camden. What does Jesus want for you? Missionary discipleship. The consoling, comforting and delightful joy of evangelization has to be our primordial joy.”

“We don’t need another mission statement,” he continued. “Jesus already gave us that mission statement in Nazareth: Bring glad tidings to the poor … proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.”

Before the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the Universal Prayer was read in the various languages of the Diocese of Camden: English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Polish, Creole, Tagalog, Igbo, Korean and American Sign Language.

Following Holy Communion, Bishop Williams asked Cardinal Pierre to “express my affection to our Holy Father Francis for this moment. From the moment I received your call on May 11 [appointing him as coadjutor bishop], a profound joy entered my heart, an excitement,” he said, recalling the words of the prophet Isaiah: “As the bridegroom rejoices in his bride, so I rejoice in you.”

Directing his words to the people of Camden, Bishop Williams said, “Having a people to love is a special gift, and I can’t wait to fall in love with you.”

As the Mass came to an end, the Diocese’s seminarians presented Bishop Williams with a reproduction of the 17th century work “Pentecost,” by Dominican friar Juan Bautista Maíno, which depicts the Mother Mary and the apostles receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Through their gifts and words of praise, family, and old and new friends of Bishop Williams expressed excitement and hope for his new ministry in South Jersey.

“He’s already at home [in Camden],” said Archbishop Hebda, adding that his former auxiliary bishop has “a peace that comes from his deep relationship with the Lord.”

Adding that Bishop Williams has “a heart for the poor [and] is solidly rooted in Scripture,” Archbishop Hebda said Bishop Williams is going to be a “wonderful leader, continuing that ministry [of Bishops in Camden] going back to Bishop Eustace.”

Seventh-graders Dannielle Moreno and Sophia Byrd said they were not only excited to meet Bishop Williams, but also show their talent and hard work. The two were part of the handbell choir from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Regional School, Berlin, that participated in the Mass – one of many of South Jersey’s Catholic schools in attendance. 

“I want him to remember us welcoming him with our gifts,” Moreno said. Byrd added that she was “honored to be here and play for him.”

As religious sisters of the Misioneras de Maria Formadora from Hammonton waited to greet Bishop Williams after Mass, Sister Dulce Cruz de Maria reflected on the order’s ministry of working with the Latino community, including youth.

“We have a lot of hope that he’s going to be good for us and those we work with,” she said. “We know he loves the Latino community. We are very proud to have him with us. He is in our prayers every day.”

With tears in her eyes, Ramona Bregatta, principal of Our Lady Star of the Sea Regional School, Atlantic City, expressed similar sentiments. “It’s lovely to know that as principal of a largely Latino community, we have someone who will be a champion for our students.”

Photos by Debbie Troy & Lori M. Nichols/ Catholic Star Herald