USA > New Jersey > The Catholic Church in New Jersey > Part 36
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which three at least are unusually large and imposing structures. All these parishes are well-organized and equipped, having each its own school for the children and religious societies for the adults. If under less favorable conditions the Church has grown and prospered so greatly in the past, will not its future growth in numbers and influence be far greater ?
Church of the Immaculate Conception, Bridgeton, N. J.
THE history of the Roman Catholic Church of Bridgeton is closely connected with the growth of the city. When in the year 1865 Mrs. Charles Miller, of Deerfield, whose name will long be held in memory by the people of the parish, presented the valu- able lot on the corner of North Pearl and North streets, it was surrounded by cornfields and was considered far out in the coun- try. Now the trend of the city's growth is such that handsome residences have been built in great numbers around the church property. The Church of the Immaculate Conception was built in 1866 by Rev. Martin Gessner, of St. Patrick's Church, Eliza- beth, N. J., and was dedicated by the Rt. Rev. James Roosevelt Bayley, in June, 1867. Previous to that time services were held in private houses, and later in Grosscup's Hall and Carl's Hall, near Commerce Street bridge, the officiating clergymen coming once a month from the Redemptorist Church of St. Peter at Fifth and Grand streets, Philadelphia.
There were up to this time in Bridgeton and the surrounding districts but twenty-five or thirty Roman Catholic families, but the little flock gradually increased and at the present time there are over 700 communicants.
Father Gessner was succeeded by Rev. Father Degen, who built the rectory and made other improvements. He was trans- ferred to Cape May in 1878, where he labored assiduously until November Ist, 1900, when he died.
Father Vivet attended to the spiritual wants of the parish for a short period, and was succeeded in 1879 by the Rev. Father Mulligan, who is now Dean of the southern counties of the Dio- cese of Trenton, and pastor of the Immaculate Conception Church, Camden, N. J.
During Father Mulligan's pastorate the cemetery was bought, and after four years of faithful labor he was transferred to New Brunswick. Following Father Mulligan, the Rev. D. D. Duggan was assigned to the rectorship of the parish and after two years
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transferred to Mount Holly, and is now rector of St. Mary's Church, Bordentown, N. J.
The Rev. Father Walsh succeeded, and after four years was compelled, owing to his ill health, to give up the charge. He died at West End, N. J., December, 1890.
Father Petri, now of Atlantic City, was the next rector, and during his rectorship the spiritual and temporal welfare of the people was attended with very fruitful results. The Rev. Father O'Farrell followed in the spring of 1894, and for nearly seven years looked after the affairs of the parish. During his pastorate the St. Mary's Lyceum was built. His successor was the Rev. Father Gammel, now of Sacred Heart Church, Vineland, N. J., who in turn was succeeded, May 29th, 1901, by Rev. M. J. Hagerty, D.D., the present incumbent.
St. Joseph's Church, Guttenberg, N. J.
THE hamlet situated in the northern part of Hudson County, which was first occupied by German refugees of 1848, was named for the inventor of printing, probably with a little side slap at the old barbarism of autocratic Europe to be superseded by American independence, yet so that the politico-irreligious spirit of 1848 becoming mani- fest in this enlightened name, should be quickened and kept alive by the two breweries that were soon to decorate and "benefit" both the eastern and the western end of Gut- tenberg.
Yet the zealous mission- aries of Hudson County were OLD CHURCH, GUTTENBERG. not afraid of a little infidelity and unfriendliness, and previous to 1865 pious and dutiful priests came to say Mass in the upper portion of Hudson County at the residence of Mrs. Jane Minnix, a pious Catholic matron, who furnished candles and other requisites for the Holy Sacrifice.
These sundry acts of courage and zeal found soon their reward in a turn of public opinion, and since Guttenberg had become an independent borough it had its town hall, and so generously and
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hospitably loaned it to the Catholics when they had a priest to minister to them on Sundays. The old school-house on Franklin Avenue also was many times sanctified by the Eucharistic Sac- rifice.
The spirit of faith and charity cannot be kept from its super- natural Catholic expansion, and it soon found vent in the efforts that were made by the faithful of Guttenberg and vicinity toward raising a church building fund. "Fear not, ye little flock," it had been said, and God's blessing and man's generosity enabled the Catholics to build a church and to have it blessed in 1865 by Bishop Bayley. In 1863 the seed had been sown that now bore its first sweet fruit, St. Joseph's brick church.
The faithful and dutiful sons of St. Paul of the Cross had evangelized the upper portion of Hudson County, and one of their number took charge of the new congregation, yet he resided in the monastery at West Hoboken. Rev. Timothy Pacetti, C.P., was the first pastor of the parish.
St. Mary's Church, West Hoboken-dear old St. Mary's, as the loving pioneers used to call it-was the mother church of Guttenberg. Hence previous to 1885 all records concerning the sacraments of baptism and matrimony were kept there.
Father Timothy served St. Joseph's from March 12th until the end of 1865. From January Ist, 1866, until July 25th, 1869, the following Passionist Fathers alternately attended to the spirit- ual wants of St. Joseph's congregation: the Revs. Vitalian Lilla, Philip Birk, Stanislaus Parezyck, Timothy Pacetti, Andrew McGorgan, Ildephonsus Obach, Nilus Nostrajanni, John B. Bau- dinelli, and paved the way toward an event great in the begin- nings of every parish. August Ist, 1869, welcomed the first resi- dent pastor, in the person of the Rev. Eusebius Sotis, C.P., who built the rectory, a frame structure, 19 by 30 feet, stone base- ment and two stories, in 1875. July, 1876, Father Eusebius was succeeded by Rev. Michael J. Kerwin, a priest of the diocese, who was subsequently transferred to St. Mary's, at East Orange.
Rev. John M. Giraud administered the parish from Septem- ber 25th, 1877, until July Ist, 1880. He also attended the chapel at Shadyside. Father Giraud was a man of great activity, zeal, patience, and perseverance. His resources were slender, but the improvements were remarkable. The high altar which for years served in the brick church was his handiwork. His zeal and for- titude found their reward even in this world, where the eternal
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Pastor vouchsafed him the vocation of St. Ignatius's sons. Father Giraud is now a Jesuit and attends Blackwell's Island.
Rev. Francis O'Neill succeeded him, and built a frame school, 70 by 35 feet, which served at the same time as the sisters' resi- dence. Four Sisters of St. Francis, belonging to the mother house of Peekskill, N. Y., conducted the parochial school.
Rev. Joseph H. Hill was pastor from December 14th, 1890, until August 2d, 1898. During this pastorate a frame church was built for German-speaking Catholics in West New York. But the number of parishioners kept on increasing, so that the
withdrawal of the former at- tendants was soon made up by new-comers.
A greater increase was to be witnessed during the in- cumbency of Rev. A. M. Kammer, who took charge on August 10th, 1898, so much so that a third Mass became an absolute necessity on Sun- days, in order to give the chil- dren an opportunity of hearing Mass; and in 1902 definite steps were taken toward build- ing a new church.
CHURCH OF ST. JOSEPH OF THE PALISADES, GUTTENBERG.
The sisters' residence, which was built on Sixth Street in 1899, 62 by 25 feet, a com- fortable frame house, was in October, 1903, removed to its new site in West New York, corner of Twenty-first Street and Palisade Avenue, opposite the new church, St. Joseph's of the Palisades.
The dear old brick church, dear to so many Catholic hearts in North Hudson, was found to be "eccentric" in the literal sense of the word; out of place, viz., in the northern extremity of the parish. Fourteen town lots in West New York were purchased from Mr. Herman Walker, former mayor of Gutten- berg.
Ground was broken on March 2d, 1903, the first blasting begun April 4th, and the first stone of the basement was laid May Ist.
The new church, St. Josephs' of the Palisades, is built of blue trap rock of the Palisades, with white trimmings; corners, jambs,
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arches, and cornice of white stone quarried at Richfield, also on the Palisades. The edifice is being erected in the Lombard Romanesque style, 144 by 56 feet, with two large towers, and rec- tory of the same stone adjacent, of the dimensions of 25 by 54 feet, basement and three stories.
The corner-stone was laid on a beautiful Sunday, September 13th, 1903, by Rt. Rev. Bishop O'Connor, attended by the pastor, Rev. A. M. Kammer, Rev. Joseph Bloem assistant, Rev. Thomas A. Wallace chancellor, Rev. William McLaughlin, who preached the sermon, Rev. Andrew Kenny, C.P., Rev. J. J. Cunnelly, Rev. J. J. Flanigan, Rev. P. D. Lill, Rev. John Rongetti, Rev. L. Hofschneider, and Rev. Walter A. Purcell, in presence of more than two thousand people.
The vicinity of New York City and the great accommodation of electric street-cars will undoubtedly soon raise this parish to great importance in Hudson County.
St. Cecilia's Church, Englewood, N. J.
IN the year 1866 the Rev. Dr. Brann, now pastor of St. Agnes's Church, New York City, established St. Cecilia's Church in Englewood, N. J. Prior to the inception of this church there was no resident pastor in Englewood, nor did any take up a regu- lar residence within the parish limits until 1868, when it was placed in charge of the Carmelite Fathers by the Rt. Rev. James Roose- velt Bayley, D.D., who was at that time bishop of the diocese. Rev. Father A. J. Smits, O.C.C., became the first resident pas- tor of the parish. In 1872 he enlarged the church, and in 1874 established a parochial school on the church property, which was used effectually and did good service until about a year ago. An addition was made to the church in 1878, and from that time the congregation grew so rapidly that in 1884 Father Theo. J. McDonald, O.C.C., the present pastor, found it necessary to double its capacity in order to accommodate its members. The pupils of the school increased in numbers from its inception, and a few years ago Father McDonald saw that he could not, with the pres- ent seating capacity of the school, accommodate the children. He therefore caused to be erected the beautiful stone building which in every detail is modern and stands as a living memo- rial to his faithful efforts in this community. The school is built of cut stone and is erected to accommodate six hundred children. The corner-stone was laid May 2d, 1901, and the dedication cere-
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monies were held January 19th, 1902, by the Rt. Rev. J. J. O'Connor, D.D., bishop of this diocese.
Connected with St. Cecilia's Church in the same parish, about a mile and a half north, a church was erected at Tenafly in 1873. The first pastor was Father Paganini, who, after a few years of hard labor, was succeeded by Father Cannon, who remained as rector until the church was returned to the Carmelite Fathers in the year 1878. This church had its own difficulties and met with considerable uphill work. It appeared so difficult to instruct the children in the Christian doctrine that the pastor then in charge, in order to facilitate his work, fitted up the parochial residence as a school. In 1889 an addition was made to it and it was built sufficiently large to accommodate the children. It is in charge of the Sisters of Charity from Englewood. The necessity for this school was thoroughly understood by Mother Xavier, the Supe- rior of the Sisters of Charity, who realized the conditions that existed and the great need for the school in that vicinity. It was, indeed, from a financial standpoint, in a poor condition, and one of the sisters who was assigned to officiate at the school was sent by Mother Xavier free of charge for many years.
Rev. Father McDonald, the present pastor, has endeared him- self to the entire community through his efforts and good work in the parish.
St. Nicholas's Church, Egg Harbor City.
THE mission of Egg Harbor City was for many years attended from Millville, and was incorporated February 14th, 1866. The Rev. Joseph Thurnes was the first resident pastor, August 12th, 1866, and during his administration were built the school and rec- tory. His successor, November 14th, 1878, was the Rev. An- thony Hechinger, who came to the Diocese of Newark from Rochester. The Diocesan Register has this record of him: "He reduced the debts, and reduced the congregation by his uncon- genial temper." He was transferred to Greenville when its pas- tor, Father Mendl, left to join the Redemptorists. He ultimately left the diocese and returned to Rochester, where he died some years ago. The Rev. Joseph Esser, born in Neuss, near Cologne, September 19th, 1851, educated at the University of Bonn and the American College, Munster, ordained priest December 19th, 1874, assistant at St. Joseph's, Jersey City, was placed in charge of the parish, November Ist, 1878. His pastorate effected much
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good. He paid off the debts, decorated the church, and brought peace and piety to the parish. He was thrown out of his carriage, April 5th, 1885, and died twenty-two days after, much regretted and mourned by all classes. The present pastor, the Rev. An- thony von Riel, was appointed June 12th, 1885. In 1893 he in- stalled three Sisters of St. Francis, from Glen Riddle, Pa., as teachers in his school.
St. Joseph's Church, Newark.
THE first steps to organize the Catholics in the growing sec- tion of Newark called the "Hill " were taken by the pastor of the cathedral, Father McQuaid, who bought the land and erected a combination church and school in 1859. For nine years this was
ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH, NEWARK.
a portion of St. Patrick's parish and attended by the priests con- nected with it, until the Rev. James F. Dalton, of the cathedral, was appointed pastor. Father Dalton was born in New York City, educated in St. Charles's, Maryland, and made his theology at Seton Hall, where he was ordained June 24th, 1865. He was very much beloved both as assistant and pastor, and despite his delicate state of health he accomplished very much for his flock. On a trip to Ireland he brought over a stone for the contemplated new church from the historic vale of Glendalough, which was laid with great pomp and ceremony Thanksgiving Day, 1872.
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The orator of the occasion was the great Dominican, Father "Tom" Burke, who electrified his vast auditory by one of his most splendid oratorical efforts. The enthusiastic greeting given to this distinguished scholar and priest, who had utterly annihilated and put to ignominious flight James Anthony Froude, the ma- ligner of the Irish race and Mary, Queen of Scots, was a sight to be witnessed but once in a generation and never to be forgotten. July Ist, 1876, Father Dalton was transferred to St. Mary's, Bayonne, and was succeeded by the Rev. Thomas J. Toomey. Father Toomey was born in Piermont, N. Y., March 23d, 1848. His studies, begun at St. Mary's, Wilmington, Del., and continued at St. Charles's, Maryland, were completed at Seton Hall, from which he was graduated in the class of '69. He was ordained in - Seton Hall Seminary, June 7th, 1873, and discharged for a time the duties of prefect in the college. In March, 1874, he was named assistant at the cathedral, where he served until July Ist, 1875. With great reluctance he obeyed the voice of his superior, as he realized the difficulty of supplanting Father Dalton in the affection which his flock bore him. Notwithstanding his diffi- dence and a certain timidity in his character, he went to work qui- etly and unobtrusively, and the congregation had the satisfaction of seeing their beautiful new church dedicated April 18th, 1880. Monsignor Doane, in his sermon, referred to the rapid growth of Catholicity in Newark. "Many were still alive and doubtless pres- ent who remembered when they had to worship in a humble room with an improvised altar. They had not forgotten that man of all men, Father Moran, the pastor of St. John's-the mother of all the Newark churches Somebody had said to the preacher the other day that there were no longer such priests as Father Moran. The Monsignor was quite unwilling to admit that, and he was quite sure the other clergy would be loath to admit it. They were all willing to give the chaplet of superiority to Father Moran. What wonder that with such a man to sow the seed the harvest has been so abundant! This church is associated with my ministry, for I used to say Mass here in the first days of the parish."
In 1885 Father Toomey built the rectory, and in the spring of 1894 the spacious and imposing school was opened. When he died, February 15th, 1894, with all the improvements made by him, Father Toomey left only $50,000 debt on the parish. His successor, who lived little more than a year, was the Rev. Peter J. O'Donnell. Father O'Donnell, born in Sligo, Ireland, Decem-
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ber 14th, 1854, made his preparatory studies in St. Francis Xavier's, New York, and later in Seton Hall. He finished his theological course in the Collegio Brignole-Sale, Genoa, and was ordained in the Cathedral of Genoa, June 7th, 1879. His priestly ministry was exercised in St. John's, Orange, during eleven years, and in Hack- ensack, of which he was made pastor, January 6th, 1890. He died of pneumonia, October 19th, 1895, and is buried in the Hudson County Catholic Cemetery. His successor was the Very Rev. John J. O'Connor, the present Bishop of the Diocese of Newark. On his return to the diocese, after his ordination, December 22d, 1877, Father O'Connor was appointed professor in Seton Hall and in the diocesan seminary. On the death of the Very Rev. W. P. Salt, V.G., he was named vicar-general, and after the death of Bishop Wigger he became administrator of the diocese. From the time of his appointment to his new field of labor, October 30th, 1895, to the day of his elevation to the greater dignity and responsibility of Bishop of Newark, Bishop O'Connor's administration was marked by quiet but effective work, stimulating to greater spiritual ad- vancement, lessening the debt, and perfecting the work and methods in the school. The Rev. George W. Corrigan was appointed by the new bishop to be his successor in St. Jo- seph's. Father "George" was born in Newark, N. J., October 20th, 1849, and is the third of that illustrious family who, raised to the priesthood, have made their name monumental by reason of the signal services rendered to religion in this diocese by this trinity of zealous and devoted brothers. His studies were made in that ancient nursery of priests, the "Mountain," at St. Sulpice, Paris, and at Seton Hall, where he was ordained August 15th, 1874. These pages have already recorded what Father " George " has accomplished in Newton, Franklin Furnace, Deckertown, Mil- burn, and St. Agnes's, Paterson. With never a thought of self he has given himself entirely to his work, and in a marked degree to the young men and the school. If the fullest success has not crowned his efforts, it surely was through no fault of his, for he has thrown himself into his work with a heartiness and abandon which others might admire but did not dare imitate. Bishop O'Connor recognized his devoted labor in the cause of religion for over twenty years by making him a permanent rector, July Ist, 1901. The following priests have served as assistants in St. Joseph's :
Rev. Nicholas Molloy, June, 1873, to August, 1875.
Rev. J. M. Giraud, August, 1875, to December, 1876.
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Rev. M. A. McManus, December, 1876, to November. 1877.
Rev. A. M. Schecken, November, 1877, to January, 1879.
Rev. M. J. Holland, from January, 1879, to August, 1879.
Rev. M. P. O'Connor. August, 1879, to April, 1882.
Rev. P. F. J. Connolly, August, 1882, to May, 1890.
Rev. H. C. Phelan, D.D., October, 1887, to February, 1893.
Rev. T. A. Conroy, July, 1890, to August, 1901.
Rev. Th. N. Stanton, March, 1893, to December, 1893.
Rev. James Mulhall, June, 1893, to February, 1901.
Rev. E. M. O'Malley, February, 1901, to July, 1903.
Rev. M. P. Corcoran, July, 1901.
Rev. E. F. Quirk, July, 1903.
St. Joseph's Church, Paterson, N. J.
THE property on which the first church was opened for the convenience of the Catholics living in the southeastern section of Paterson was purchased by the trustees of St. John's Church, on
ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH, PATERSON.
Broadway, January 28th, 1867. A stable in the rear was converted into a church, where Mass was celebrated for eight years and six months by a priest from the mother church. August Ist, 1895, it was detached from St. John's, becoming an independent parish,
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with the Rev. Nicholas Molloy as first resident pastor. Father Molloy was educated in the College of SS. Peter and Paul, Lisbon, Portugal, was ordained for the diocese of Liverpool, England, and was received in this diocese, May, 1873. He remodelled the chapel, and built the combination school and church on a more central site, on Market Street near Carroll, in 1877. He died June 23d, 1880, and is buried in Calvary Cemetery. July Ist, 1880, the Rev. Sebastian Smith, D.D., was assigned to this field, and, although more of a student than an administrator, he purchased additional ground, built the stone church and rectory, and improved the school. He published various works on canon law, and died while on a vacation for his health, alone and unknown, in a hospital in Havana, Cuba. By the merest chance his bishop was informed of his death, and his remains were interred among strangers until long after the close of the Spanish war, when they, together with the remains of the sailors of the unfortunate Maine, were brought North. In March, 1895, the Rev. Charles P. Gillin was appointed rector. Father Gillin, born June 27th, 1847, made his theological studies in Seton Hall, and was ordained in the cathedral, Newark, June 15th, 1878. He discharged the duties of assistant in St. Patrick's, Elizabeth, and St. Mary's, Plainfield, until December Ist, 1883, when he was made pastor of Mount Hope. He was transferred to St. Lucy's, Jersey City, August, 1888. Father Gillin in 1898 built a more commodious brick and stone rectory, and in 1900 the old rectory was enlarged and converted into a convent. All these buildings fell a prey to the destructive fire which visited Paterson Sunday, February 9th, 1902, and destroyed millions of dollars of property. Undismayed by their terrible loss the congregation purchased additional property, and erected a fine school, in which they assembled for divine service during the restoration and rebuilding of the church. It should be recorded that the flock of St. Joseph's received from every side the sym- pathy of all, irrespective of their creed. Some religious bodies tendered to them the use of their church, and the city placed at their disposal the national guard armory, which was used for divine service until the hall in the school was ready. The rectory has been rebuilt and the church is approaching completion. The following priests have been identified with the parish :
ASSISTANTS.
Rev. J. F. Brady, August, 1879, to February, 1880. Rev. M. S. Callan, June, 1884, to June, 1885.
Rev. E. A. Kelly, June, 1885, to November. 1886.
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Rev. J. E. McAvoy, November, 1886, to January, 1888.
Rev. Henry Murphy, November, 1889, to September, 1893.
Rev. P. F. Kirwan, January, 1894, to March, 1894.
Rev. J. J. Maher, May, 1894, to September, 1894.
Rev. J. F. Brown, October, 1894, to May, 1896.
Rev. J. P. Hangley, May, 1896, to January, 1898.
Rev. E. M. O Donnell, January, 1898, to November, 1899.
Rev. J. F. Keenahan, November, 1899, to May, 1901.
Rev. D. J. Brady, May, 1901, to July, 1903.
Rev. P. M. Schoenen, August, 1900-1903.
Rev. E. M. O'Malley, July, 1903.
Rev. Owen Clark, 1903.
St. Bernard's Church, Mount Hope, Morris Co., N. J. -
IN 1861 the Rev. Father Callan, of St. Mary's, Dover, built a hall for the Catholic congregation of Mount Hope, which until then had attended Mass at private houses, at the point where the Mount Hope road branches off from the Rockaway and Port Oram road. In this hall Mass was said once a month. For the week days it was rented to the trustees of the school district.
In 1869 the Rev. B. Quinn, of Dover, built St. Bernard's Church where it now is, on a plot donated by John Corrigan, at a cost of $2,200.
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