History of the Catholic Church in Paterson Part 6

Father Hartlaub 88 --- " Fink, O. S. B. 24 8 " Schandel 775 187 " Hens 1,120 221 " Dernis ----- 1 " Geissler 109 13 " Dyonisius, O. S. F. 10 --- " Fidelis, O. S. F. 5 --- " Grieff 186 26 " Kars 29 7 ----- --- Total 2,346 463

Bishop Bayley from 1869 to 1871 confirmed 109 persons of St. Boniface's congregation; Bishop Corrigan from 1871 to 1882 confirmed 448 persons, and Bishop Wigger from 1882 to 1883 confirmed 183 persons, making a total of 740 confirmations.

The following are the societies attached to St. Boniface's Church:

St Boniface's Benevolent Society was organized by Father Schandel in 1867 and has a membership of 70.

The Rosary Society was established by Father Hens in 1873 for the purpose of providing decorations for the altar. It has 115 members.

St. Aloysius' Boys' Sodality numbers 57 members and was established by Father Grieff in 1882.

The Children of Mary numbers 87 members and was established by Father Hens in 1874.

The Confraternity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was established by Father Hens in 1878.

The Confraternity of the Poor Souls in Purgatory was established in 1877 by Father Hens and numbers 107 members.

In 1867 Father McNulty bought a piece of property on Broadway near East Eighteenth street, running back as far as Fair street. In the front part of this property he erected St. Agnes' Inst.i.tute which was very popular for a number of years. In the rear of the Inst.i.tute Father McNulty erected a large frame building which was used as a church by the Catholics who had settled in the eastern portion of Paterson. In a very short time there was a large attendance and regular services were held every Sunday. In 1875 St. Joseph's parish was created and Father Nicholas Molloy a.s.signed to it as regular pastor. Finding that there were more Catholics in a more southerly direction Father Molloy bought a tract of land on Market and Carroll streets and erected thereon the present St. Joseph's church. It is a frame building having a seating capacity of about 600. The lower floor is used for school purposes and the upper as a church. In 1880 Father Molloy left Paterson on account of ill health; he died shortly afterwards in New York city. Rev. Dr. Smith, one of the best scholars and most learned theologians of the country, is the present pastor of this church and he is greatly a.s.sisted in his many labors by the Franciscan Fathers.

In 1872 Father McNulty bought eight lots on Sherman avenue, near Union avenue, for the purpose of erecting there another Catholic Church. A substantial brick chapel was built, 4090 feet in size, and two stories high, one floor being used as a chapel and the other for school purposes. The attendance was large from the first, and in 1880 the portion of the city near it was erected into a separate parish under the patronage of St. Mary. The first priest was Father Curran, who did a great deal of energetic work in Paterson, including the establishment of a Catholic weekly paper. In 1883 Father Curran was removed to Arlington, N. J., where he continues to edit _The Catholic Times_. He was succeeded in Paterson by Father Samuel Welsh, who has still charge of the church and who by devotion and ability is rapidly building up a large congregation.

Three Carmelite Fathers came to Paterson in 1873 and established themselves on Stony road, where they had purchased a frame dwelling.

They erected a neat two-story brick house, the lower floor being used as a chapel and the upper as a residence for the friars. They were recalled to Europe, but on the 26th of August, 1876, two priests, three students, and four lay brothers of the Order of St. Francis came to Paterson and obtained possession of the property vacated by the Carmelites. The Franciscans came from Fulda, in Germany, from which place they had been driven by the German government. In February of the following year Rt.

Rev. Bishop Corrigan gave them charge of the Catholics in the vicinity with authority to form a parish under the patronage of St. Bonaventura.

On November 24th, 1878, Bishop Corrigan laid the corner-stone of a new church in the presence of a large concourse of people. The Franciscan Fathers went to work with a will and when the new church was completed the property was not enc.u.mbered by any mortgage or other claim, as the small debt that remained was in the shape of a note. The Catholic Church provides for the dedication of churches that are not paid for, but no church can be consecrated to the service of G.o.d as long as there is a claim on it the prosecution of which might result in the sale of the property and its conversion to other uses. St. Bonaventure's Church, a large and handsome structure, was consecrated on July 4th, 1880, by Bishop Corrigan. Fathers McNulty and Hens, who by their influence had done a great deal towards securing the success of the new project, acted as deacons of honor; Very Rev. Aloysius Laur, Provincial Superior of the Order of St. Francis, as a.s.sistant priest; Fathers Muller and Trumper as deacons, and Father Burk, from St. Mary's Church, Hoboken, as master of ceremonies. The cost of the new church was about $30,000. The congregation increased steadily and more priests and students arrived at the monastery, and to-day the order as well as the congregation is in a flourishing condition.

For a long time the French and Italian residents of Paterson worshipped in the churches which were most convenient to them, and no attempt was made to provide for them opportunities to attend services in their own language. In 1882 Father Hens induced some of the Fathers of Mercy from New York to come to Paterson occasionally, and services were for some time held in French and Italian in St. Boniface's Church. The numbers of attendants at these services increased, and in 1883 they rented a room in the Smith and Jackson building in Market street. Here religious services are held every Sunday, Father Porcille, one of the Fathers of Mercy in New York, coming to Paterson every Sat.u.r.day and returning to New York on Monday.

The oldest Catholic church in Bergen county, and one of the few Catholic churches out of debt, is St. Francis de Sales' Church in Lodi. It was erected in 1855 and dedicated by Bishop Bayley. It has been attended ever since its organization by priests from Paterson and Hackensack.

St. Joseph's Catholic Church at Carlstadt is another daughter of St.

John, and was organized in 1872, January 1st, and in the same year the church was built at a cost of $11,000. It has a flourishing congregation and a numerously attended parochial school.

The Catholics of Hackensack at one time formed a part of the congregation of St. John's, but in 1861 Father Annellie erected a small church. There were then only 25 Catholic families in Hackensack. In 1866 the corner-stone of the present church was laid, and the building was completed under the pastorate of Father P. Cody. The congregation is steadily increasing.

A few months ago Mr. Robert Beattie, of Little Falls, donated enough land to the Catholics in that village on which to erect a church. The corner-stone was laid by Right Rev. Bishop Wigger, and the church is now nearing completion.

Catholic priests and religious fraternities have undoubtedly done a great deal for Paterson, but the city has not been ungrateful, and a number of young men and young women from this city have devoted themselves to the service of the Almighty. The following are the priests who grew up in St. John's congregation:--

Father John P. Morris was educated at the American College at Rome and is at present pastor of the Catholic Church at Avondale, N. J.

Father M. A. McMa.n.u.s was educated at Seton Hall and is parish priest in Newton, N. J.

Father Robert E. Burke was educated at Seton Hall and is parish priest in Mt. Holly, N. J.

Father John Sheppard, also educated at Seton Hall, is parish priest in Dover, N. J.

Father Alphonsus Rossiter was educated in the convent of the Pa.s.sionist Fathers at Pittsburgh, Pa., and is at present Superior of that inst.i.tution.

The following young men from the congregation have joined the Christian Brothers in New York:

Hugh J. Gallagher--Brother Joseph, 1877.

Robert J. Foley--Brother Charles, 1877.

Joseph Fitzpatrick--Brother Daniel, 1878.

John S. Thornton--Brother Clement, 1879.

Arthur McKenna--Brother Felix, 1879.

Jeremiah A. Maher--Brother Andrew, 1880.

Patrick Lawlor--Brother B. Joseph, 1880.

Thomas Hone--Brother B. Edward, 1881.

The following are the names of Sisters of Charity at Madison, N. J., who were born in Paterson:

Sister Mary Agnes O'Neill, entered the community, Nov. 26, 1858.

" " died, Nov. 9, 1877 Sister Mary Ambrose Sweeney, entered, May 24, 1862.

" " died, Feb. 19, 1868.

Sister Mary Rosina Flynn, entered, July 21, 1862.

Sister Adele Murray, entered, Sept. 27, 1862.

" " died, April 14, 1871.

Sister M. Angela O'Brien, entered, Feb. 19, 1863.

Sister M. Genevieve Gillespie, entered, July 18, 1863.

Sister M. Regina Powers, entered, Nov. 26, 1863.

" " died, June 26, 1873.

Sister Teresa Angela O'Neill, entered, Sept. 24, 1866.

Sister Margaret Clark, entered, Feb. 12, 1869.

" " died, Aug. 23, 1874.

Sister Mercedes Sweeney, entered, July 17, 1879.

The following are the names of other Sisters of Charity in the same inst.i.tution who were not born in Paterson but who came from St. John's congregation:

Sister Mary Peter Daly, entered, July 19, 1863.

Sister M. Lucy Blake, entered, July 20, 1868.

Sister Frances Dougherty, entered May 6, 1869.

Sister M. Christina O'Neill, entered, Nov. 8, 1869.

" " died, Dec. 5, 1875.

Sister M. Pelagia Mackel, entered, June 15, 1871.

" " died, Oct. 30, 1876.

Sister M. Adele Sheehan, entered, Aug. 15, 1871.

Sister Marie Vincent Mitch.e.l.l, entered, April 20, 1872.

Sister Borgia Hanley, entered, August 15, 1873.

Sister M. Clandine Van Nort, entered, July 19, 1876.

Sister M. Placida Hunt, entered, April 30, 1878.

Sister M. Francis Lewis, entered, August 1, 1879.

Sister M. Barbara Bushill, entered, Feb. 27. 1879.

Sister M. Fidelia McEvoy, entered, July 17, 1880.

Sister M. Clotilda Kehoe, entered, July 19, 1880.

The following is a list of the names of the young ladies from St. John's congregation who joined the Sisters of St. Dominic: