USA > New Jersey > The Catholic Church in New Jersey > Part 9
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When Father James Quin came to Paterson to take charge of St. John's congregation, his brother, Thomas, was preparing for ordination, and after Father James Quin had been here about a year he was joined by his brother, who came to Paterson as soon as he had been ordained. Father James Quin was of delicate
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health, and in addition to the assistance of his brother had the occasional services of Rev. Dr. Cummings, who frequently came to Paterson from St. Stephen's Church. Father James Quin died on the 13th of June, 1851, being at the time pastor of the church. He was the only priest who died in Paterson, and his remains are interred in the cemetery on Sandy Hill. Father Thomas Quin succeeded his brother as pastor of the church and remained about a year. He was educated at St. Joseph's Semi- nary, at Fordham, and was or- dained by Right Rev. Bishop Hughes on June 14th, 1849. His remains are interred at Rahway in this State, of which place he was pastor.
Father Thomas Quin was succeeded by Father L. D. Senez, who came in 1853 and remained until 1858. In the latter part of his pastorate he was assisted frequently on Sundays by Father G. McMahon. Father Senez came from St. Ann's, New York and when he left he went to Jersey City, where he built St. Mary's Church. He made a number of im- provements to the Oliver REV. LOUIS DOMINIC SENEZ. Born June, 1815. Died Feb. 11th, 1900 Street church in this city, and it was with the greatest regrets that the Catholics of Pater- son saw him depart for other fields.
Father Victor Beaudevin succeeded Father Senez in 1858 and remained until October, 1861. He was a member of the Society of Jesus and was ordained a priest by Rt. Rev. Bishop Hughes on May 25th, 1850. When he left Paterson he rejoined the Order of Jesuits. He was assisted by Father J. Schandel, who was sub- sequently the first pastor of St. Boniface's Church of this city, in the erection of which church he received material assistance from Father Beaudevin.
Father James Callan came to St. John's congregation in 1861 and remained about two years, leaving here in October, 1863. He was one of the most energetic priests that ever came to Paterson.
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He was quiet and unassuming, but continually busy with projects for the benefit of the Catholic Church. His death constituted one of the most romantic episodes in the history of the Catholic Church in this country. Some time after he left Paterson he
MOST REV. JOHN HUGHES, Fourth Bishop (1838) of New York. Born June 24th, 1797. Died Jan. 3d, 1864.
went on a mission to California, travelling thither by boat from New York. While going from San Francisco to his mission in Santa Barbara, the steamer on which he was, was discovered to be on fire. The wildest confusion ensued and an attempt to run the vessel ashore failed. While most of those on board were busy devising plans for their personal safety and resorting to all
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kinds of expedients to save their lives, Father Callan busied him- self giving spiritual consolation and administering the last sacra- ments and rites of the Church. He had ample opportunity to save his life, but the poor distressed on shipboard, who had been injured by the explosion which had taken place, and some of whom were dying, called for the consolations of religion, and Father Callan remained to dispense them. He died while in the discharge of his duty-the death of a hero and a martyr.
In 1863 Father William McNulty, the present pastor of St John's congregation, came to Paterson and took charge of the for- tunes and spiritual welfare of the constantly increasing congrega- tion. The Oliver Street church had become too small and could no longer hold the large numbers which crowded to it every Sun- day for the purpose of attending divine worship. Father McNulty consequently set to work preparing a new edifice. It was his in- tention to provide a church which should be large enough to afford every Catholic in the city all the conveniences of attending Mass and receiving the sacraments, and at the same time he intended to erect a structure which would be a credit to the liberality and enterprise of the congregation. He accordingly entered into negotiations with the Society for Establishing Useful Manufact- ures, and in 1865 purchased from it sixteen lots on the corner of Grand and Main streets. The new enterprise seemed to infuse new vigor into the members of the congregation, and the full amount of the purchase money of the real estate was raised in two months. Preparations were made for the construction of the new church, and on September 10th, 1865, the corner-stone was laid.
The erection of the walls of the church was at once proceeded with. The stone used in the construction of the church was brought by canal from Little Falls and dressed on the ground as required. The slate used in the roof was imported from England. The chime of bells, the only one in the city, which had been used in the Oli- ver Street church, was transferred to the new edifice. Before the completion of the main building a neat little chapel was built on the northeast corner of the property; this was at once fitted up and is at present used for confessionals and other purposes. The total seating capacity of the new church is 1,750. The time occu- pied to build the church was fourteen years.
In 1872 the congregation purchased four lots of land on Grand Street, east of the church building, from the Society for Estab- lishing Useful Manufactures, paying therefor the sum of $ 10,800. The property was bought for the purpose of erecting a parsonage,
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and work on this was begun soon after the acquirement of the real estate. The parsonage is a handsome structure, built in the same style as the church and of similar materials.
The congregation retains the old church property in Oliver Street, but a number of important alterations were made. The building was changed into a hall for lectures, concerts, entertain- ments, and the like, and is known as St. John's Hall. A portion of the building is used for school purposes to relieve the parochial school which adjoins it.
On September 7th, 1866, Mr. William G. Watson bought at an auction sale of the estate of Cornelius P. Hopper, deceased, 24.92 acres of land, on the east side of Haledon Avenue, and north of East Main Street, and the next day conveyed it to the same church, for $ 10,770, the object being to locate a cemetery there. A few interments were made in the new grounds, but an act of the legislature, approved February 26th, 1867, prohibited the location or establishment of "any cemetery or burial ground within the limits and boundaries of the city of Paterson," and further pro- hibited the use "for the purposes of burial," of "any cemetery or burial grounds established within one year within said city." May Ist, 1867, the church bought of Bartlett Smith and wife, for $15,500, three adjoining tracts of land, embracing 73.19 acres in all, at Totowa, just west of the city line, and near the Lincoln bridge, extending from the river back to the Preakness Mountain. Here was located the "Cemetery of the Holy Sepulchre," taste- fully laid out, containing 3,208 lots (1,126 consecrated and 2,082 unconsecrated), and ornamented and improved as well as the ex- ceedingly sandy soil will allow (Nelson's History).
The farmhouse situated on the property purchased from Mr. Smith was changed into an orphan asylum; since that time a number of alterations and additions have been made. The children in the institution are under the charge of the Sisters of Charity.
The children of St. John's for more than half a century have had the blessings of a Catholic teacher. First they came under the hands of the rough, but highly competent and ubiquitous Irish schoolmaster, in 1845; then, in 1853, the schools were put in charge of the Sisters of Charity, from Mount St. Vincent's, New York; and, in 1872 the Christian Brothers were brought to take charge of the boys' department.
This Catholic training has borne its fruit, as is evident from the many zealous priests, children of the parish, taking up the work of the early missionaries and reaping rewards and honors,
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the recognition of their zeal and success in the ministry. Among them the Rev. James McManus, pastor of the Sacred Heart, East Orange; the Rev. John A. Morris, Avondale; the Rev. M. A. McManus, St. Aloysius', Newark; the Rt. Rev. Monsignor John A. Sheppard, Vicar-General and pastor of St. Michael's, Jersey
RT. REV. WINAND M. WIGGER, D.D.,
Third Bishop of Newark (from 1881 to 1901). Born Dec. 9th, 1841. Died Jan. 5th, 1901.
City; the Rev. Robert E. Burke, Princeton, N. J .; the Rev. Alphonsus Rossiter, a distinguished member of the Passionist congregation; the Rev. William McLoughlin, Union Hill, and many others in this and other dioceses. Others have joined the Christian Brothers; and others still have entered the Society
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of Jesus. Among the early recruits of the nascent Community of the Sisters of Charity were daughters of the parish, and their example has been followed year after year by other devoted women, who one and all have served the Master in serving those who are dear to Him, the "little ones" in the school and the orphanage, the destitute and the sick.
Never was a parish so blessed in its children.
On the 29th of June, 1890, the last gem was added to the diadem so queenly worn by this venerable church. On that ever- memorable day was solemnly consecrated to the worship of the ever-living God the magnificent edifice on the corner of Main and Grand streets, by the Rt. Rev. Winand M. Wigger, D.D.
In his last will Charles O'Neill made the orphans an equal share with each of his children, and Robert Hamill founded a burse for the education of an ecclesiastical student-examples that others equally blessed might to their own spiritual profit and the edification of their neighbor imitate.
St. Peter's, New Brunswick.
AT a very early period Catholicity was found in New Bruns- wick. John Phelan, a native of Queen's County, Ireland, settled there in the early part of the nineteenth century, and found that other families-the Costigans and others-of his old neighbor- hood had preceded him. He was a man of prominence and abil- ity, for during the War of 1812-15 he was cashier of the Bank of New Brunswick. He afterward moved to Alabama, and his son, John Dennis Phelan, became judge of the Supreme Court of that State (Irish Settlers in North America, p. 172, T. D. McGee). Then arrived another colony from the province of Ulster, Ireland. They did not number fifty in all, and came in two divisions, the first about 1814, the second in 1816. Included among these were the McDede, McConlough, McGrady, McShane, Campbell, Hagerty, Gillen, Kelly, De Vinne, Murphy, Butler, and Hasson families. These children from the Isle of Saints form the original stock of the present Catholic population. For years they met in the house of one or the other to recite the rosary and keep burning the light of faith.
The first priest, concerning whom there is any recollection, who visited New Brunswick, was a Father McDonough. He was on his way from New York to Philadelphia. As he was . going up George Street, Mr. Butler and another Catholic were
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coming down. The pair espied the stranger and surmised from his appearance that he was a priest. He noticed that they were comparing notes concerning him, and stepped over to interview them. "You're Irishmen," was his opening. "We are," was the response. "And Catholics?" he continued. "And you're a priest," came the quick half-question, half-affirmative. "I am," was the answer, which settled their surmises and which opened for
ST. PETER'S CHURCH. Mgr. O'Grady's Church, New Brunswick.
him a welcome such as Irishmen alone could give to the first priest they had seen in their midst since they landed. The priest stayed at Butler's that night, and preached to the Catholics who gathered there that evening, and the next day started for Philadelphia.
Next came the Rev. Dr. Power from St. Peter's, New York, about 1825. He said the first Mass ever celebrated in the town, in a house occupied by Terence Rice, in the upper end of Albany
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Street. The first baptism administered in New Brunswick was to Sarah Butler in 1825. Later on, when Rice moved to the old " Bartle Mansion " on Church Street, where Zimmerman's store now is, Mass was said there once a month.
In 1829 Father Schneller came in Dr. Power's place every month. He suggested and urged the building of a church. The people were delighted with the idea. But the most difficult part of the plan was to obtain a plot. No one would sell ground for a Catholic church. In this difficulty Father Schneller borrowed $600 from a Dr. Springer, of New York, a Protestant, and entrusted it to Robert Butler, with instructions to try to buy from Dominie Jacob Edmunds the plot opposite the present public school on Bay- ard Street. Butler saw the dominie, and said he wanted the pro- perty for himself and his children-which was true as far as it went. The sale was successfully consummated in the name of Butler. But when the transfer was made to the priest, there ensued great excitement and objection on the part of our separated brethren ; nevertheless the church went up just the same, and it was called SS. Peter and Paul's.
The Rev. Joseph A. Schneller, an Austrian by birth and ordained in New York December 24th, 1827, by Bishop Dubois, was a singularly gifted priest, ever ready with tongue and pen to defend the Church against her enemies. When sent to New Brunswick he set to work with energy and zeal to build a church, and collected funds for that purpose in New York. To him be- longs the credit of sowing the seed of faith in that part of New Jersey. He remained in New Brunswick until 1833, when, con- jointly with the Rev. Thomas C. Levins, he edited the New York Weekly Register and Catholic Diary, October 5th, 1833. He was for long pastor in Albany, and afterward in Brooklyn. He died September 18th, 1862.
The church, the corner-stone of which was laid by Very Rev. Felix Varela, V G., and erected by Father Schneller, was a plain, unpretentious structure of brick, with but two windows, and unadorned in any part with paint. It was blessed by Father Schneller December 19th, 1831.
Father Schneller came once a month and said Mass till 1833. At times his place was filled by Father, afterward Bishop O'Reilly who went down with the steamer Pacific some years ago.
In 1833 Father McArdle came and took up his residence in New Brunswick, where he remained until 1839, when he was transferred to Belleville. It was in his time that the terrible
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tornado, which visited New Brunswick with such sad results in 1835, tore away the rear end of the church. The open space was closed up with boards, and so remained until 1847.
For some time the people were again without a resident priest, but Father Madranno and after him Father Donaher came every two weeks and said Mass and ministered to the faithful.
In 1842 came Father McGuire, who took up his residence with Mr. Boylan, and remained until 1846, saying Mass every Sunday in the little brick church.
Father McGuire found it necessary to extend his labors to South Amboy and Somerville. In August, 1843, he reported the number of Catholics in New Brunswick as two hundred and fifty; at Albany, fifteen miles away, sixty; and about the same number at Prince- ton and near by. In 1846 he was transferred to Brooklyn, and died pastor of St. John's, Gowanus, October 25th, 1872, aged seventy-seven years. It is related of him that Bishop Loughlin, remarking in his financial statement a very large item for "groceries," inquired what need the church had for groceries. He replied, "Brooms, my lord, brooms."
'And in 1845 came Father Rogers. A glance at his previous history will be in- teresting.
REV. JOHN ROGERS, Patriarch of New Brunswick. Born 1808. Died 1887.
He was born in County Fermanagh, Ireland, and was well advanced in the classics when he met Bishop Dubois at his cous- in's in Dublin. The bishop gained the good will of the young student, who soon after left home and came to New York at his lordship's invitation. Before leaving home he went to the curate, between whom and himself there was a warm friendship, to seek his blessing. "God bless you," said the priest; "and maybe I'll soon be after you to the big land." "Little did I then think," said Father Rogers some time since, "that I would ever see him
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again, much less that I would one day succeed him here as pas- tor of St. Peter's." The curate alluded to was the Rev. Father McArdle, the first resident pastor.
Having finished his studies at Chambly and Montreal, he was ordained priest in 1834 by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Lartigue. For some months, on request of Bishop Lartigue, he remained in Canada, to administer the sacraments to some of the English- speaking residents; but his own superior, Bishop Dubois, recalled and appointed him to the parish of Onondaga, N. Y. As a pioneer in this section of the country much hard work was his share, but he proved equal to the burden, and soon a new church was started, and by his untiring energy and earnest cooperation of the people successfully completed. Indeed, so great was his zeal that it nearly cost him his life, for, giving all the time possi- ble to the supervision of the new structure, he was one day on the ground when a hod-carrier was taken sick. The masons were calling for mortar, and a strong effort was being made to have a certain portion of the wall finished at a fixed time. The sun sent his fierce rays down upon the workers, yet the priest seized the hod and actually carried brick and mortar till he was sunstruck himself. And it was while he was in bed under this stroke that a sick call came. He was wanted to attend a man fourteen miles off. The doctor told the priest he would never reach the place alive. Nothing daunted, the young priest ordered a bed to be put in a wagon, saying to those around him: "I took the cross, and I am not going to throw it down now that a man needs my help to get to heaven. If I only reach him-and, please God, I will-and administer the sacraments, I'm not afraid to die in har- ness." And so he, on his bed, was taken to the man in his bed. The priest prepared the sick man and was carried home. The doctor's prophecy never got a more living denial.
During the ten years he remained in Onondaga he was often known to attend sick calls at a distance of fifty miles, and on one occasion went over one hundred miles in a sleigh to administer the sacraments. Yet amidst all this he found time for teaching the children, as instanced in the case of Bishop Baltes, who received his first Latin lessons from him in Onondaga.
In 1844 he was sent to Jersey City, where he resided with Father Kelly, and went every Sunday for some time to say Mass in Hoboken.
In 1845 Bishop Hughes sent him to New Brunswick, telling him that he would have to soak the rod of firmness in the oil of
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kindness, and with it whip out the serpent of the hateful old trustee system, which there, as elsewhere, had caused much trouble. And the priest was faithful to the charge; for though the serpent raised its head the first Sunday he came, and occa- sionally afterward, he then and always beat it down stoutly, yet without any noise or commotion.
The year before he came, the church had been sold under foreclosure and bought in for the congregation for $600. Mean- time Mass was said in Mr. Boylan's, on Church Street. Father Rogers's first step was to lift this debt, and this he soon did by extraordinary work, and the church was again opened.
In 1847 he tore away the boards that enclosed the back of the church and enlarged the edifice. Next he built a school and had about thirty children in attendance. Meanwhile he lived in a lit- tle house beside the church, and some of the old folks laughingly tell that when they called on the priest he would invite them in and bid them take a chair, seating himself on his trunk beside a little wooden table. Then, allowing the visitor to remain in per- plexity for some moments, he would suddenly, as if reminded of the fact, apologize for the absence of chairs by saying in a very confidential tone that he had loaned them out the night before to a wedding party.
We might state that the time the church was built many of the remains of persons buried in the Episcopal cemetery were trans- ferred to the plot purchased by the Catholics.
Under Father Rogers the congregation continued to increase with great rapidity. New Jersey or the greater part of it was then included in the New York diocese, with Bishop Hughes presiding, and the priest was required to attend to the spiritual wants of South Amboy, Woodbridge, Somerville, Princeton, and Millstone, in addition to this city. He would have Mass at eight o'clock in this city on one Sunday, and then go in a carriage to Amboy or one of the other places mentioned and say Mass there at eleven o'clock; the succeeding week going to either one of these places on Saturday evening to hear confessions, and next morning, after having Mass at eight o'clock, would drive to this city in time to have Mass here at eleven o'clock, thus alternating between the places.
This was a thriving city then, but more in a commercial than a manufacturing aspect, the first thing in the way of a factory having been a saw mill, which was started in a deep lock by either James or Schuyler Neilson, some time about the year 1838. Dur-
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ing the summer of the year 1836 the railroad bridge was built, and subsequently the first rubber factory was started here by Mr. Horace Day, who when a boy attended a private school in this city taught by Mr. Jonathan White, a "down-east " Yankee, and an excellent scholar. Shortly after starting the factory Horace sent a rubber boat as a present to the Bey of Tunis, and received in return a valuable present set in jewels. He afterward removed to Newark. The factories increasing brought an increase of population, principally Irish, so that with those already here and those who came later it became necessary to build a larger church to accommodate them, and the property where the present St. Peter's Church stands was purchased, and during the winter fol- lowing, in 1854, the work of excavating for the foundation was commenced, many of the laborers, out of employment at the time, giving their work gratis to help the enterprise along. It was not until 1865 that the building was entirely completed, although previous to this both the basement and the upper church had been used for service. In 1867 the Rev. Major Duggan was ap- pointed assistant, with the more ample power of administrator, to relieve the burden of the venerable pastor. Father Duggan con- verted the old church into a school, introduced the Sisters of Charity, and founded several societies. Under his administration the George Street property, later used as a school, was bought, as also the present rectory, the Sisters' house built, and the chime of bells hung in the tower. His successor, September, 1873, was the Rev. Patrick F. Downes, who continued the good work inaug- urated by Father Duggan, who was transferred to St. Mary's, Hoboken. In May, 1891, the Rev. John A. O'Grady was trans- ferred from the parish of Our Lady, Boonton, which, owing to a collapse of all the industries of that once busy town, was a forlorn hope when he was assigned, but which by his able financial man- agement and persistent effort he left in a flourishing condition. In coming to New Brunswick a heavy task awaited him, but he courageously faced it, rallying the congregation to his assistance, and inspiring them with new courage and greater efforts. The heavy burden of debt has practically disappeared, the church has been adorned and beautified, a new sacristy built, and one of the finest school buildings, St. Peter's School and Columbia Hall, erected. He has raised his schools to the highest degree of effi- ciency, advanced in every way the interests of his people, and en- joys the respect and esteem of all classes.
He was honored by Bishop O'Farrell with the dignity of dean ;
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and, at the request of the Rt. Rev. James A. McFaul, D.D., he was made a domestic prelate of His Holiness Leo XIII.
The venerable Father Rogers, crowned with fulness of years, hallowed by the affection of every one without exception in the city in which during almost fifty years he had labored, answered the call of the Master and entered upon the reward of a well-spent life. He died July, 1887. In his panegyric of the good, modest, cheery old pastor, to whom he had been more than a friend, Monsignor O'Grady said :
"If I were to single out any one feature as prominent in Father Rogers's long life of half a century in the priest- hood, I would say that his characteristic virtue was fidel- ity at all times to the duties of his sacred office. To de- vote half a century to the various details of the sacred ministry, to be ever at his post, in season and out of season, requires a spirit of self-sacrifice which reaches the utmost limit of moral heroism. Another trait in the life of Father Rogers was his childlike obedience to ecclesiastical authority. He RT. REV. MICHAEL J. O'FARRELL, First Bishop of Trenton (from 1881 to 1894). lived under five different bishops, and, without changing his residence, in three successive dioceses, and through his long and varied career he was never known to be in antagonism to his superiors. This is saying much for him. The heart of man is prone to pride and rebellion. Cor- rupt nature finds it hard to bend in submission to the sway of authority, and it is no mean eulogy to say of Father Rogers that even under trying circumstances he possessed his soul in peace and always graciously deferred to the dictates of his superiors. 'Better is the patient than the strong man, and greater is he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh cities.'"
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