Paterson rector hailed for inspiring hope and supporting children #Catholic – The community of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J., beamed with pride on Oct. 18 as Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh presented the Key to the City to Msgr. Geno Sylva, St. John’s rector, for “being a champion for children and a beacon of hope for Paterson.” The mayor made the presentation that day at the end of the 11:30 a.m. Mass. Msgr. Sylva has served as rector of St. John’s, the mother church of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., for about eight years. He also serves as diocesan vicar for special projects. In 2023, Pope Francis appointed him to the Dicastery for Evangelization at the Holy See, reflecting his commitment to evangelization. Under Msgr. Sylva’s leadership, St. John’s has expanded its outreach to children. The cathedral established Compostela, a faith-filled after-school and catechetical program for K- 8; Young Prophets youth ministry; a Special Needs Ministry with a monthly Mass; and a Cathedral Summer Camp. It’s active music ministry includes a Children’s Choir. St. John’s also welcomed KIPP Paterson Elementary Prep, a K-4 public charter school housed in its Catechetical and Educational Building. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. St. John’s holds Bethlehem in Paterson, a major holiday outreach and gift-giving program that transforms the cathedral area, also known as the Block of Mercy, into a festive setting to share the spirit of Christmas. The cathedral has also expanded its social justice ministries and outreach to Hispanic Catholics among many other initiatives. After the Mass, Mayor Sayegh called Msgr. Sylva “an MVP: Most Valuable Priest,” on social media. “He’s also a champion for children, especially our youth at the Paterson Prep School and the Young Prophets program,” Mayor Sayegh said about Msgr. Sylva. “He’s a credit to our community, and he has been a blessing everywhere he has served, including the Vatican. Please join me in celebrating and congratulating a Mighty Man of God!” he said. Msgr. Sylva called the Key to the City presentation “a beautiful celebration of our mission here to the children of the city through the school and Compostela. We are blessed.” In his homily at the Mass before the presentation, Msgr. Sylva thanked all those involved in St. John’s, Compostela, KIPP Paterson Prep, diocesan leadership, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, and Paterson emergency services and government, including Mayor Sayegh. “As I receive the key to the City of Paterson, I find myself thinking about the children of this city and about [William] Wordsworth’s beautiful image of those children trailing clouds of glory. What a responsibility and opportunity we have to give our children the keys of beauty, truth, and goodness with which to unlock the gates of heaven. Nothing more merciful than that,” Msgr. Sylva said in his homily. “Mr. Mayor, thank you for presenting us with the key to the City. I promise, we will keep working to place these keys in the hands of our children, for Wordsworth was right: children come into this world trailing clouds of glory. Our responsibility is to make sure that as they grow older, those clouds of glory do not simply disappear into the darkness of the world, but lead them to the eternal Compostela, that heavenly field of stars,” the rector said. Ordained a priest in 1993, Msgr. Sylva also sits on the Board of the Paterson Prep Charter School as one of its founding members. He also serves as chaplain for the Paterson Police and Fire Departments, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department, and the New York Division of the FBI.  

The community of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J., beamed with pride on Oct. 18 as Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh presented the Key to the City to Msgr. Geno Sylva, St. John’s rector, for “being a champion for children and a beacon of hope for Paterson.” The mayor made the presentation that day at the end of the 11:30 a.m. Mass.

Msgr. Sylva has served as rector of St. John’s, the mother church of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., for about eight years. He also serves as diocesan vicar for special projects. In 2023, Pope Francis appointed him to the Dicastery for Evangelization at the Holy See, reflecting his commitment to evangelization.

Under Msgr. Sylva’s leadership, St. John’s has expanded its outreach to children. The cathedral established Compostela, a faith-filled after-school and catechetical program for K- 8; Young Prophets youth ministry; a Special Needs Ministry with a monthly Mass; and a Cathedral Summer Camp. It’s active music ministry includes a Children’s Choir. St. John’s also welcomed KIPP Paterson Elementary Prep, a K-4 public charter school housed in its Catechetical and Educational Building.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

St. John’s holds Bethlehem in Paterson, a major holiday outreach and gift-giving program that transforms the cathedral area, also known as the Block of Mercy, into a festive setting to share the spirit of Christmas. The cathedral has also expanded its social justice ministries and outreach to Hispanic Catholics among many other initiatives.

After the Mass, Mayor Sayegh called Msgr. Sylva “an MVP: Most Valuable Priest,” on social media.

“He’s also a champion for children, especially our youth at the Paterson Prep School and the Young Prophets program,” Mayor Sayegh said about Msgr. Sylva. “He’s a credit to our community, and he has been a blessing everywhere he has served, including the Vatican. Please join me in celebrating and congratulating a Mighty Man of God!” he said.

Msgr. Sylva called the Key to the City presentation “a beautiful celebration of our mission here to the children of the city through the school and Compostela. We are blessed.”

In his homily at the Mass before the presentation, Msgr. Sylva thanked all those involved in St. John’s, Compostela, KIPP Paterson Prep, diocesan leadership, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, and Paterson emergency services and government, including Mayor Sayegh.

“As I receive the key to the City of Paterson, I find myself thinking about the children of this city and about [William] Wordsworth’s beautiful image of those children trailing clouds of glory. What a responsibility and opportunity we have to give our children the keys of beauty, truth, and goodness with which to unlock the gates of heaven. Nothing more merciful than that,” Msgr. Sylva said in his homily. “Mr. Mayor, thank you for presenting us with the key to the City. I promise, we will keep working to place these keys in the hands of our children, for Wordsworth was right: children come into this world trailing clouds of glory. Our responsibility is to make sure that as they grow older, those clouds of glory do not simply disappear into the darkness of the world, but lead them to the eternal Compostela, that heavenly field of stars,” the rector said.

Ordained a priest in 1993, Msgr. Sylva also sits on the Board of the Paterson Prep Charter School as one of its founding members. He also serves as chaplain for the Paterson Police and Fire Departments, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department, and the New York Division of the FBI.

Paterson rector hailed for inspiring hope and supporting children #Catholic –

The community of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J., beamed with pride on Oct. 18 as Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh presented the Key to the City to Msgr. Geno Sylva, St. John’s rector, for “being a champion for children and a beacon of hope for Paterson.” The mayor made the presentation that day at the end of the 11:30 a.m. Mass.

Msgr. Sylva has served as rector of St. John’s, the mother church of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., for about eight years. He also serves as diocesan vicar for special projects. In 2023, Pope Francis appointed him to the Dicastery for Evangelization at the Holy See, reflecting his commitment to evangelization.

Under Msgr. Sylva’s leadership, St. John’s has expanded its outreach to children. The cathedral established Compostela, a faith-filled after-school and catechetical program for K- 8; Young Prophets youth ministry; a Special Needs Ministry with a monthly Mass; and a Cathedral Summer Camp. It’s active music ministry includes a Children’s Choir. St. John’s also welcomed KIPP Paterson Elementary Prep, a K-4 public charter school housed in its Catechetical and Educational Building.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

St. John’s holds Bethlehem in Paterson, a major holiday outreach and gift-giving program that transforms the cathedral area, also known as the Block of Mercy, into a festive setting to share the spirit of Christmas. The cathedral has also expanded its social justice ministries and outreach to Hispanic Catholics among many other initiatives.

After the Mass, Mayor Sayegh called Msgr. Sylva “an MVP: Most Valuable Priest,” on social media.

“He’s also a champion for children, especially our youth at the Paterson Prep School and the Young Prophets program,” Mayor Sayegh said about Msgr. Sylva. “He’s a credit to our community, and he has been a blessing everywhere he has served, including the Vatican. Please join me in celebrating and congratulating a Mighty Man of God!” he said.

Msgr. Sylva called the Key to the City presentation “a beautiful celebration of our mission here to the children of the city through the school and Compostela. We are blessed.”

In his homily at the Mass before the presentation, Msgr. Sylva thanked all those involved in St. John’s, Compostela, KIPP Paterson Prep, diocesan leadership, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, and Paterson emergency services and government, including Mayor Sayegh.

“As I receive the key to the City of Paterson, I find myself thinking about the children of this city and about [William] Wordsworth’s beautiful image of those children trailing clouds of glory. What a responsibility and opportunity we have to give our children the keys of beauty, truth, and goodness with which to unlock the gates of heaven. Nothing more merciful than that,” Msgr. Sylva said in his homily. “Mr. Mayor, thank you for presenting us with the key to the City. I promise, we will keep working to place these keys in the hands of our children, for Wordsworth was right: children come into this world trailing clouds of glory. Our responsibility is to make sure that as they grow older, those clouds of glory do not simply disappear into the darkness of the world, but lead them to the eternal Compostela, that heavenly field of stars,” the rector said.

Ordained a priest in 1993, Msgr. Sylva also sits on the Board of the Paterson Prep Charter School as one of its founding members. He also serves as chaplain for the Paterson Police and Fire Departments, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department, and the New York Division of the FBI.