Cardinal Tobin: We Are His Witnesses, In the Footsteps of Saints
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Vol. 6. No. 20
My dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
On Sunday, June 29, we will celebrate the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. We are all familiar with these two saints. Peter is “the rock” whom Christ chose to be the foundation on which his Church is built. Paul is the great missionary who proclaimed the Gospel in his words and actions, and who helped St. Peter and the other Apostles move beyond their comfort zones in the Church’s earliest days.
If we look closely at these two giants of our faith, we see that they were ordinary people—like you and me—who were asked by Christ to do extraordinary things. Peter was a fisherman. The Gospels show him to be passionate, impulsive and weak (in spite of his bravado). He protests loudly, “Lord I will never betray you!” but when put to the test, he falls far short of his well-intentioned promise.
Paul was a zealous Pharisee who persecuted the early Christians. He was present when the first Christian martyr, St. Stephen, was murdered. Paul’s conversion was dramatic, and the assignment the Risen Lord gave him—to be the Apostle to the Gentiles—was incredibly difficult and important. Through the letters and missionary example of St. Paul, Christ continues to be made known to people of many different cultures, languages and religious backgrounds in every corner of the world.
Peter and Paul were both Spirit-filled evangelizers, missionary disciples who allowed the Holy Spirit to enter into their minds and hearts. Empowered by the Spirit, they overcame their weaknesses, their prejudices, and their fears. On fire with Gospel joy, both men worked miracles of faith and healing. They both built up the Body of Christ in the Church’s earliest days, when proclaiming the Gospel was a dangerous and extremely difficult thing to do!
Pope Francis once said with characteristic bluntness that we Christians should not be sourpusses (“vinegar faces” in the original Spanish), even when confronted with obstacles, doubts or fears. We shouldn’t act like our faith is a burden, or that Christian life is made up of an endless series of oppressive rules and regulations. We should be joyful—rejoicing in our freedom and in our abiding sense of confidence in God’s love for us.
Saints Peter and Paul were men who suffered intense agony and death for the sake of the Gospel. But they were also men who discovered the true meaning of freedom, and the experience of authentic joy, that can only come from a personal encounter with our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the years that I have served here in the Archdiocese of Newark, I have come to know and love you, the people of this great archdiocese, and I am frequently amazed by what I see in parishes, schools and ministries throughout northern New Jersey. Inspired by the example of these two great saints, I want all of us to be open to the Holy Spirit and to discover what God is calling us to be and do right here and right now. In the spirit of our new archdiocesan initiative, We Are His Witnesses (see below), in order to be successful as witnesses of our Lord Jesus Christ, we have to acknowledge our weaknesses, prejudices, and fears so that we can let go of them and allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through us, Christ’s missionary disciples.
As Pope Leo XIV reminds us in the selection below, “in every age, the Church carries the responsibility of reading the signs of the times and of interpreting them in the light of the Gospel, if she is to carry out her task. In language intelligible to every generation, she should be able to answer the ever-recurring questions which people ask about the meaning of this present life and of the life to come, and how one is related to the other” (Gaudium et Spes, 4). The four questions posed by We Are His Witnesses (see below) represent our archdiocese’s attempt to read the signs of the times and to discern God’s will for the Church in northern New Jersey in the years ahead.
One thing is absolutely clear: our mission as Spirit-filled evangelizers is a shared responsibility. Without the grace of God, and without the prayerful support and help we receive from one another, we can do nothing. May these two great saints, Peter and Paul, be examples for all of us as we accept the pope’s challenge to be spirit-filled evangelizers and missionaries for Christ!
Sincerely yours in Christ the Redeemer,
Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R.
Archbishop of Newark
We Are His Witnesses is a pastoral initiative launched by Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark, on Pentecost in June 2025. It invites all of us to walk together on a journey called We Are His Witnesses—a path of pastoral conversion inspired by the Word of God, rooted in Pope Francis’s Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel).
This initiative invites the entire Church to reimagine parish life, mission, and ministry in response to a changing world. Here are some responses to frequently asked questions:
What are the goals of this initiative?
- Renew our sense of purpose as missionary disciples.
- Deepen parish vitality through evangelization, pastoral care, and sustainability.
- Engage all members of the Church in listening, discernment, and shared action.
Why are we doing this? Why now?
The landscape of the Archdiocese of Newark has changed. Parish membership, Mass attendance, and Sacramental participation have all declined. The number of priests to serve as pastors is decreasing. Yet our region’s population is growing—offering new opportunities for evangelization. Faith is no longer a dominant cultural influence. In this new era, each of us—bishops, priests, deacons, religious, and laypeople—shares responsibility to live as disciples and bring Christ to the world.
How has the landscape of the archdiocese changed over the last 20 years?
Over the last two decades, the Archdiocese has experienced significant changes in participation, sacramental life, and clergy availability:
Decline in Key Areas (Since 1998):
- Mass attendance has decreased by 53%
- Baptisms are down 61%
- Marriages have declined by 75%
- Funerals are down 56%
Fewer Priests Available to Serve:
- There are currently 381 priests in active ministry (including religious order and retired priests)
- 254 priests (66%) are age 50 or older
- 127 priests (34%) are under age 50
- By 2044, most priests currently 50+ will have retired (assuming retirement at age 70–75)
- In 2023, 205 priests were available to serve as pastors
- By 2044, that number is projected to drop to between 104 and 131, depending on ordinations (estimated at 1–4 per year).
A Growing Opportunity for Evangelization:
This means more people—Catholic and non-Catholic alike—offering a renewed opportunity for outreach and evangelization. While Church participation has declined, the overall population in the Archdiocese’s territory is expected to grow by 3% or more in every county.
What questions are guiding this renewal?
- Where are we now?
- Where is God calling us to go?
- How will we get there together?
What values guide We Are His Witnesses?
- Synodality: Walking together, listening deeply, and discerning the Spirit’s voice.
- Subsidiarity: Trusting local communities to shape their own future.
- Solidarity: Embracing our unity as one family of God, responsible for one another.
What are the focus areas of We Are His Witnesses?
Evangelization & Outreach
- Inviting people into intentional discipleship
- Reaching beyond parish walls (e.g., schools, campuses, marginalized communities)
- Providing formation and training for discipleship
- Promoting intercultural understanding and inclusion
Pastoral Care
- Celebrating vibrant and inclusive liturgies
- Supporting lifelong faith formation and Catholic education
- Strengthening collaboration across ministries and cultures
- Ensuring the presence of trained and compassionate leaders
- Engaging youth, young adults, and families
Sustainability
- Embracing collaborative leadership in response to fewer priests
- Responding to demographic changes and sacramental trends
- Aligning parish facilities and resources with mission
- Encouraging inter-parish cooperation and shared services
Who is involved?
Each one of us is involved in this journey, including:
- Clergy (bishops, priests, deacons)
- Religious and lay leaders
- Parishioners of all ages and backgrounds
- Community members
Bishop Michael Saporito and an Archdiocesan Commission on Pastoral Planning will help guide collaboration across the Archdiocese, but this effort belongs to the whole Church. Cardinal Tobin is eager to hear from as many people as he can.
How will decisions be made?
Everyone will have a chance to be heard—bishops, priests, deacons, religious, and laypeople. This process is meant to include listening, sharing, and working together. While everyone’s voice is important, Cardinal Tobin will make the final decision.
Is this initiative about closing parishes?
We Are His Witnesses will focus on how we evangelize, care for one another in our parishes, and ensure our parishes are strong and sustainable for the future. This process calls for an honest evaluation of current practices and structures. Some ministries will be renewed; some parish alignments may change. Over time, mergers or closures will be necessary. These conversations and decisions will not always be easy, but as members of one body—the Church—we will support one another throughout this journey.
How can I participate?
- Take part in parish discussions and listening sessions when they are announced
- Share your feedback with your pastor and parish leaders, especially when new models or ideas are presented
- Be open to change and support the efforts of your parish community’s efforts
- Encourage and support one another through this process
- Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit
- Live and share the Gospel with renewed joy and hope
What’s next and how can I stay informed?
Stay connected to your parish and the Archdiocese to follow the progress of this important initiative. Visit WeAreHisWitnesses.org to:
- Watch a brief video message from Cardinal Tobin.
- Learn more about the goals and purpose of the initiative.
- Explore helpful resources and see the latest updates.
A Message from Pope Leo XIV: In the one Christ, we are one
Building a culture of encounter through dialogue and social friendship
Dear brothers and sisters, welcome!
The Risen Lord always goes before us, even at times when injustice and death seem to prevail. Let us help one another, as I said on the evening of my election, “to build bridges through dialogue and encounter, joining together as one people, always at peace.” This is not something that happens by chance, but is rather an active and continuous interplay of grace and freedom.
Pope Leo XIII, who lived in an age of momentous and disruptive change, sought to promote peace by encouraging social dialogue between capital and labor, technology and human intelligence, and different political cultures and nations…. On such important issues, the Church’s social doctrine is called to provide insights that facilitate dialogue between science and conscience, and thus make an essential contribution to better understanding, hope and peace.
This doctrine helps us to realize that more important than our problems or eventual solutions is the way we approach them, guided by criteria of discernment, sound ethical principles and openness to God’s grace.
[We] have the opportunity to show that the Church’s social doctrine, with its specific anthropological approach, seeks to encourage genuine engagement with social issues. It does not claim to possess a monopoly on truth, either in its analysis of problems or its proposal of concrete solutions. Where social questions are concerned, knowing how best to approach them is more important than providing immediate responses to why things happen or how to deal with them. The aim is to learn how to confront problems, for these are always different, since every generation is new, and faces new challenges, dreams and questions.
This is a fundamental aspect of our attempts to build a “culture of encounter” through dialogue and social friendship. For many of our contemporaries, the words “dialogue” and “doctrine” can seem incompatible. Perhaps when we hear the word “doctrine,” we tend to think of a set of ideas belonging to a religion. The word itself makes us feel less disposed to reflect, call things into question or seek new alternatives.
In the case of the Church’s social doctrine, we need to make clear that the word “doctrine” has another, more positive meaning, without which dialogue itself would be meaningless. “Doctrine” can be a synonym of “science,” “discipline” and “knowledge.” Understood in this way, doctrine appears as the product of research, and hence of hypotheses, discussions, progress and setbacks, all aimed at conveying a reliable, organized and systematic body of knowledge about a given issue. Consequently, a doctrine is not the same as an opinion, but is rather a common, collective and even multidisciplinary pursuit of truth.
“Indoctrination” is immoral. It stifles critical judgement and undermines the sacred freedom of conscience, even if erroneous. It resists new notions and rejects movement, change or the evolution of ideas in the face of new problems. “Doctrine,” on the other hand, as a serious, serene and rigorous discourse, aims to teach us primarily how to approach problems and, even more importantly, how to approach people. It also helps us to make prudential judgements when confronted with challenges. Seriousness, rigour and serenity are what we must learn from every doctrine, including the Church’s social doctrine.
In the context of the ongoing digital revolution, we must rediscover, emphasize and cultivate our duty to train others in critical thinking, countering temptations to the contrary, which can also be found in ecclesial circles. There is so little dialogue around us; shouting often replaces it, not infrequently in the form of fake news and irrational arguments proposed by a few loud voices. Deeper reflection and study are essential, as well as a commitment to encounter and listen to the poor, who are a treasure for the Church and for humanity. Their viewpoints, though often disregarded, are vital if we are to see the world through God’s eyes. Those born and raised far from the centers of power should not merely be taught the Church’s social doctrine; they should also be recognized as carrying it forward and putting it into practice. Individuals committed to the betterment of society, popular movements and the various Catholic workers’ groups are an expression of those existential peripheries where hope endures and springs anew. I urge you to let the voice of the poor be heard.
Dear friends, as the Second Vatican Council states, “in every age, the Church carries the responsibility of reading the signs of the times and of interpreting them in the light of the Gospel, if she is to carry out her task. In language intelligible to every generation, she should be able to answer the ever-recurring questions which people ask about the meaning of this present life and of the life to come, and how one is related to the other” (Gaudium et Spes, 4).
I invite you, then, to participate actively and creatively in this discernment process, and thus contribute, with all of God’s people, to the development of the Church’s social doctrine in this age of significant social changes, listening to everyone and engaging in dialogue with all. In our day, there is a widespread thirst for justice, a desire for authentic fatherhood and motherhood, a profound longing for spirituality, especially among young people and the marginalized, who do not always find effective means of making their needs known. There is a growing demand for the Church’s social doctrine, to which we need to respond.
I thank all of you for your commitment and for your prayers for my ministry, and I cordially bless you and your families, and all that you do. Thank you.
(Adapted from Pope Leo XIV’s First Address to the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation (CAP) on May 17, 2025.)
My Prayer for You
Please join me in the We Are His Witnesses prayer:
God of Mercy, you call the Archdiocese of Newark to witness to our faith in Jesus Christ.
As we undertake the journey of pastoral conversion, endow us with your gifts of communion, courage and compassion.
Help us to fulfill the mission of Jesus and his Church through convincing outreach, vibrant parishes and effective ministries.
Raise up selfless and energetic leaders to serve the Church with fidelity and zeal.
May we, the Church of Newark in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Union Counties, be sustained and strengthened by your grace.
May we the People of God discern and follow the promptings of your Holy Spirit.
May we your holy people dedicate our lives as firm disciples of Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Mary, wherever we go.
We ask this and all our prayers through Christ our Lord.
—Amen