Filipino priests mix faith and fun at Mahwah event

Filipino priests from New Jersey and beyond came together for Mass and friendly competition on Aug. 6 to mark the feast day of St. John Vianney, a patron of priests, at Immaculate Conception Parish in Mahwah. The saints’ feast day is observed on Aug. 4.

During the event, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney celebrated a Mass. It was concelebrated by 110 Filipino priests in attendance, including several from the Archdiocese of Newark. The priests also competed in an array of games, called the PariLympics or “Priests’ Olympics” — part of this annual celebration.

*The priests line for prayer before the games. (COURTESY OF FATHER VIDAL GONZALES, JR.)*

Participants played sports, such as basketball, volleyball, badminton, and soccer, and games, such as Scrabble, chess, and mahjong. Immaculate Conception is located in the Newark Archdiocese.

The name PariLympics combines “pari,” the Filipino word for “priest” in Tagalog, and a short form of “Olympics.” Coincidently, the Paris 2024 Olympics took place then and ended on Aug. 11.

The Paterson priests were Father Vidal Gonzales, Jr., pastor of Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Parish in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood of Hanover Township and diocesan consultant and advisor for the Diocesan Commission for Catholic Filipino Ministries; Father Emerson Francisco, parochial vicar of St. Philip the Apostle Parish in Clifton; and Father Jun Vizcara, parochial vicar of St. Therese Parish in the Succasunna neighborhood of Roxbury Township.

Priests came from around New Jersey, California, Florida, Maryland, New York, Illinois, and Pennsylvania.

“The event strengthened the camaraderie among the priests,” Father Gonzales said.

This article was republished with permission from the Beacon, the news source for the Diocese of Paterson.

Featured image: COURTESY BEACON | JENNIFER MAHON