The Chapel of the Holy Family

Bishop David M. O'Connell, C.M.
Tom McCarty
Gary Mesh
Steve Brinkofski
Kevin McDermott
Caryn Wohn
Maria & Walter Cucciniello
Michael & Kathie Castellano
John & Janet Italia
James & Cheryl Manfredonia
St. Therese
St. Padre Pio

Please send us your prayer requests.  We will put them in our special "prayer basket" which is placed at the foot of the altar before the Tabernacle.  We will pray for your intentions during our private and communal prayers, during devotions, Holy Mass, and before Our Lord in Eucharistic Adoration.

CLICK HERE FOR PRAYER

When DCM first moved into what is now their Main Headquarters and Radio Studio in Ewing Township, New Jersey, Jim Manfredonia said that he wanted to have a place in the building that could be dedicated to prayer.  At first he called it a "prayer room" and then later he said he wanted a Chapel.

There were two unused radio studios in the building adjacent to each other, but in quite disarray. They had not been in operation for years, were now run down and acted mainly as storage areas.  Included in the wide array of things that were being stored there was an large blackboard, one that was very similar to the kind that Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen used to use on his television program.  Jim and DCM Spiritual Director, Fr. Tim Byerley, decided that these studio spaces could eventually be transformed into a Chapel.  So Jim began sharing this with his listeners each day on his daily radio program.  He would tell them that they needed someone who could build it, and others who could fund it.  

One day a listener came by the station and told Jim that he heard him say he needed someone who could build him a Chapel.  He asked to see the space.  When Jim showed him the area, he said that he could build it, but he would need someone else to buy the materials.  A few days later he came by with the material list and cost sheet.  He also had one more request, that there be a special space in the Chapel to honor St. Padre Pio since the man had previously received a healing through the good saint's intercession, and he want to say thank you for the favor received.   

In November, 2012, Patti Staley (Host of "Catholic Matters") had as her in-studio guest a nun from Ireland, Sister Carmel, who had a great devotion to St.Therese, The Little Flower.  After recording the program, Jim took Sister to the area that had been designated to become the Chapel.  Sister Carmel went in to the space and began talking to the young saint telling her to stay in the space and keep praying for this intention.  "You stay righ here", Sister said, "and you keep praying.  These people need this Chapel and they need it right away!"  

About two weeks later there was another knock on the radio station door.  It was yet another listener who told Jim, "I hear you saying you need a Chapel, show where you'd like it to be."  Jim explained that he had someone who said he could construct it, but they need the money to buy the materials.  "I have a cost sheet", Jim said.  "Let me see it", the man replied.  When Jim gave him the sheet, which indicated they would need about $25,000, the man said, "I'll be right back", and left.  About an hour later, he came back with a check for $15,000.  "Here's something to get you started", he said as he handed Jim the check, "When you need more, let me know."

Excited to get started, Jim called the first gentleman and said he had the money for the project. The man said he could begin right after the first of the year.  Work had just begun in January, 2013, when Bishop O'Connell from Trenton came to the station to record his monthly radio program.  Jim showed him the space, now under construction with no ceiling and just beams standing where the walls would eventually be.  "Bishop, let me show you what is going to be our Chapel." Bishop O'Connell walked into the space, looked around and said, "Jim, don't even ask me.  Yes, you can have The Blessed Sacrament here." Jim never expected that, but was so thankful that not only would they have a special place to pray, but they would also have Jesus present in the building.  Shortly after, a member of the DCM Board of Directors said that her parish had a Tabernacle in the parish basement that wasn't being used - could it be used in the Chapel.  Jim also received a letter from Bishop O'Connell which highlighted and outlined his repsonsibilities of being a Custodian of the Blessed Sacrament which would soon be reserved there.

In March, 2013, DCM led a Pilgrimage to Rome and witnessed the historical election of Pope Francis.  When they returned from that trip, the Chapel had been completed.  Father Tim Byerley came, celebrated Holy Mass, and placed Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament in the Tabernacle.  This fulfilled a great dream.

It wasn't until a few years later that Jim thought about that blackboard, similar to the one Bishop Sheen used, that was in the storage area.  Now in that space, in the station that bears Fulton J. Sheen's initials (WFJS), there was a Chapel, with a Tabernacle, with The Blessed Sacrament? There are no coincidences.