St. Jerome’s Rev. P.J. waving support and hope

By Walter J. O’Neill, Jr

West Long Branch – Standing on the steps of St. Jerome’s Roman Catholic Church on Sunday morning waving to the cars that drove past was Reverend Peter James Alindogan, Pastor of St. Jerome and St. Mary of the Assumption in Deal.

Reverend Peter James Alindogan, Pastor of The Parish of Our Lady of Hope; St. Jerome and St. Mary of the Assumption Churches, stands on the steps of St. Jerome’s Church with Sister Elizabeth Seton Daiessio, principal of St. Jerome’s School, and wave to people passing by their church following all services.

Many of the cars passing would beep their horns and wave back, and some pulled in seeking conversation.

“I do this after every mass that we celebrate here at St. Jerome’s,” said Alindogan. He also added that all the masses are livestreamed on several social media platforms. “During these times when people feel alone and scared, I thought it would be nice to just show them a sign of support. I’m like a mascot out here cheering people up.”

One of the nice things Alindogan noticed is that people of all faiths seem to react to his gesture of hope and support. When a car pulls in, Alindogan stays on the steps keeping the social distance, and just talks with the vistor(s). “We talk about many things from religion to what is going on today. Sometimes people just need to say things and have someone listen,” Alindogan said.

His gesture of kindness seems to be therapeutic not only for those passing by or stopping in, but for Alindogan, too. Some people believe that priests live an isolated life to start, however that is far from the truth. They are usually surrounded by their flock of followers and involved in their parishioners lives, so this pandemic has effected them as well.

St. Jerome and St. Mary are both part of The Parish of Our Lady of Hope. Both churches had operated individual parochial schools, which were combined into the new parish. Sister Elizabeth Seton Daiessio is the educational leader and principal of the West Long Branch school. “The schools are closed, but we continue to provide the best education to our students remotely,” said Daiessio.

Both Reverend Alindogan and Sister Daiessio are following and living the words that Pope Francis shared as this pandemic started. “God asks us to view life as he views it, for in each of us he never ceases to see an irrepressible kernel of beauty. In sin, he sees sons and daughters to be restored; in death, brothers and sisters to be reborn; in desolation, hearts to be revived. Do not fear, then: The Lord loves your life, even when you are afraid to look at it and take it in hand. In Easter he shows you how much he loves that life: even to the point of living it completely, experiencing anguish, abandonment, death and hell, in order to emerge triumphant to tell you: ‘You are not alone; put your trust in me!” Pope Francis.