Sights & Sounds: Blessing vehicles for summer travel
Saints Cyril and Methodius, the “Apostles to the Slovaks,” were devoted missionaries who traveled over 740 miles under difficult conditions to spread the Good News. It makes sense then that a parish serving the Slovak community should want to look after the welfare of those on the go.
On June 20 and 21, Father Tadeusz Mierzwa, parochial administrator of Holy Family Parish in Linden, NJ, invited the community to bring their cars, trucks, vans, motorcycles, and bicycles to be blessed after Mass.
“Usually, we bless cars on the feast of Saint Christopher, the patron saint of travelers, at the end of July,” Father Mierzwa told Jersey Catholic. “But these people are about to go off on vacations, so I wanted to give them a blessing, to protect them and guide them, so that they will return safely to our church!”
Tucked away in the Tremley neighborhood of Linden, Holy Family Parish serves not only the local Slovak community, but English-speaking Catholics in the area as well.
Father Mierzwa, who was born in Poland, has been learning Slovak to better serve his parishioners since his assignment to Holy Family in late 2024. His affection for everyone in his community was clear as he left Sunday Mass and crossed from the church to the parking lot next to the parish hall. Father Mierzwa went from vehicle to vehicle, blessing cars, trucks, SUVs and their owners. There were also waves and smiles for curious kids watching from their car seats.
As he sprinkled vehicles with holy water, Father Mierzwa asked Jesus to safeguard them and their drivers on the road, also invoking the protection of the Virgin Mary, Saint John Paul II, and, of course, Saints Cyril and Methodius.
Two brothers who traveled far
The two saints were brothers, born two years apart in Thessalonica during the first half of the 9th century. Each possessed different talents. Cyril was a gifted scholar, while his older brother Methodius proved to be a strong leader and skilled administrator.
At the request of Byzantine Emperor Michael III, the brothers teamed up for a series of missions, devoting the rest of their lives to evangelizing the Slavic peoples. Cyril even invented a new alphabet (Glagolitic) to translate the Bible and Christian texts into Slavic. After Cyril’s death, Methodius continued their evangelizing work, serving as a bishop and continuing to educate people in the faith. In 1980, Pope John Paul II proclaimed the brother-saints co-patrons of Europe in his Apostolic Letter Egregiae Virtutis.
Visitors to Holy Family Parish will find Saints Cyril and Methodius standing across from each other on stained-glass windows at the front door of the church.
To view more images of Holy Family Parish and the blessing of vehicles, CLICK HERE.
Each week, Jersey Catholic features the rich and inspiring “Sights & Sounds” of the Archdiocese of Newark. Visit us regularly to explore our vibrant parishes, sacred artworks, historic landmarks, and the faithful men, women, and youth who bring our Catholic community to life.
Featured image: Father Tadeusz Mierzwa blesses the vehicle after Mass at Holy Family Parish in Linden, NJ, on June 21. (Photo by John Touhey / Archdiocese of Newark)
