Robert Scarpone, a parishioner of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Flanders, has been one of the only people to appear on two of television’s most popular game shows. Last month, Scarpone was in the “hot seat” on “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” during the show’s “Teacher Appreciation Week.” At the beginning of the show, Chris Harrison, host of “Millionaire,” said, “Welcome to Teacher Appreciation Week, where each day, we’re giving some of the best teachers in the country a million dollar pop quiz.”

Soft notes of a piano and cello introduce the ballad “Do Not Be Wise in Your Eyes,” before a female voice starts to deliver in an equally gentle melody this surprisingly urgent message for today’s listeners — avoid making mistakes in life by following the Lord’s clear and moral path.

Living up to its motto “Esto Dignus” which translates to “Be Worthy,” the St. Kateri Columbian Squires in Sparta reached out to help a city thousands of miles away following a devastating earthquake in Norcia, Itazly. The Squires at St. Kateri, whose members range in age from 10 to 18, led the effort to help the town, where many buildings were destroyed in the earthquake last fall.

Bishop Serratelli made a pastoral visit to Our Lady of Good Counsel (OLGC) Parish in Pompton Plains on June 11, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. During his visit, he administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to 54 young people of the parish, who prepared for the sacrament through the parish’s Confirmation program for the past two years.

Graduating with the highest honors and a 4.0 GPA, Sister Monica Ama, of the Daughters of Charity of the Most Precious Blood in Paterson, had the honor of giving the valedictory address at Passaic County Community College (PCCC)’s 45th commencement May 18 to a class of more than 1,100, one of the largest in history.

Bishop Serratelli gave heartfelt congratulations to 19 priests who are marking milestone anniversaries of their ordinations this year during the annual “Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving Jubilee Celebration for Priests of the Paterson Diocese” June 6 in St. Vincent Martyr Church in Madison. He praised the jubilarians, who are commemorating their 60, 50, 40 and 25 anniversaries, for their “willingness to bring others to Christ and the Church.”

In this edition of The Beacon, we salute the Class of 2017 in a special 16-page section. By now, the graduates’ heads are filled with the words of wisdom their classmates, teachers and commencement speakers have shared with them. Everything that can be said has been said, or so it seems. So our message to the Class of 2017 consists of just three words. “Never give up!”

Bishop Serratelli made a pastoral visit to Sacred Heart Parish in Dover on Thursday, May 25 where he was the main celebrant and homilist of a Mass for the Feast of the Ascension, a Holy Day of Obligation.