Heart of Jesus Area Faith Community

WASHINGTON – The Catholic Church will hold its annual celebration of World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life on February 2, and parishes will commemorate the event over the weekend of February 5-6. This event is a special time for individual parishes to celebrate the gift of consecrated life and pray for men and women discerning a consecrated vocation with the global Catholic Church.

Instituted by Saint John Paul II in 1997, World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life is celebrated in conjunction with the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, also known as Candlemas Day, which commemorates through the blessing and lighting of candles that Christ is the light of the world. So too, those in consecrated life are called to reflect the light of Jesus Christ to all peoples.

WASHINGTON - Tensions are mounting as the United States and its NATO allies consider how best to respond to the massive build-up of Russian military forces and equipment on the border of Ukraine. In the face of these increased tensions, Bishop David J. Malloy of Rockford, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace issued the following statement:

“With the alarming situation in Ukraine, we appeal to all leaders to respect the territorial integrity and political independence of Ukraine and to engage in constructive dialogue to peacefully resolve this conflict that impacts the lives and livelihoods of 43 million Ukrainians. 

WASHINGTON - Pope Francis has appointed Rev. John S. Bonnici and Rev. Joseph A. Espaillat as auxiliary bishops of New York. The appointments were publicized in Washington, D.C. on January 25, 2022, by Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

Bishop-elect Bonnici is a priest of the Archdiocese of New York and has served as pastor of St. Augustine parish and Saints John and Paul parish in Larchmont since 2021. Father Bonnici was born February 17, 1965, in New York, New York. He received Bachelor of Science degrees in biology and philosophy from St. John’s University in Queens, New York in 1987, and studied at the Pontifical North American College and at the Gregorian University in Rome (1987-1990). He pursued his graduate studies at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute in Rome where he earned his licentiate degree (1990-1992), and at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute in Washington where he earned his doctorate (1995). He was ordained to the priesthood on June 22, 1991.