History of the Catholic Church in Paterson, N.J. / with an Account of the Celebration of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Establishment of St. John's Church

by Charles A. Shriner

In 1827, the construction of the Morris Canal brought many Irishmen to Paterson. Religion followed in the track of commerce. The first church no longer afforded room for the largely increased congregation. While realizing the need of additional accommodation the parishioners did not venture to do more than secure the lot on Oliver street, and determine to build a suitable church. In 1832, Father Duffy was sent to Paterson as pastor, and it was under his administration, that in 1833 the first half of the stone church on Oliver street was built. It is the 50th anniversary of this building that we this day commemorate with becoming pomp and solemnity. Its erection marked the third stage in the growth of religion. The missionary days were passing away to be replaced by fixed and well ordered ministrations.

Here let us pause a moment to give "praise to men of renown, and our fathers in their generation." They that were born of them have left a name behind them, that their praises might be related. And there are some, of whom there is no memorial; and are perished as if they had never been; and are born, as if they had never been born, and their children with them. "But these were men of mercy, whose godly deeds have not failed." ... "Their bodies are buried in peace; and their name liveth unto generation and generation. Let the people show forth their wisdom, and the church declare their praise."

So with praise and with prayer we wisely honor the memory of the Gillespies and McNamees whose homes had welcomed the priest. Like Zacheus they sought to see Jesus, and Jesus came to abide in their houses and bless them, when the holy and unbloody sacrifice was offered up under their roof. With them, in just meed of honor, we join the Kerrs, the Burkes, the Wades, and the Bradleys; the Lynches, Griffiths and Farnons; the McNallys, Bannigans, Powers and Butlers; the Quins, Morrises, Mulhollands and Plunketts; the McDonalds, Mooneys, Warrens and McEvoys. Nor can we omit the names of others of later date, who are held in veneration for their good deeds, munificent generosity and exemplary lives, the O'Neills, the Hamils, the Raffertys, the Watsons and numberless others.

We have brought our narrative along through the early struggles, the humble beginnings, and the great triumph of the Catholics of Paterson, until the day when with exulting hearts they assembled for the solemn dedication of their new church edifice in 1833, while the Rev. P. Duffy was their pastor. Rev. Mr. Duffy was removed from Paterson in 1836 and sent to Newburgh, where he died in 1853.

Father Duffy was succeeded by Rev. Philip O'Reilly, an ex-Dominican, and at one time Chaplain to the Duke of Norfolk, and he gave way in 1845 to the Rev. James Quin. On Easter Monday of 1846 Rev. Mr. Quin began the enlargement of the church, making it 113×55 feet, and with the galleries giving seating accommodations for 1300 persons. It cost $15,000. On the 6th of February, 1847, the enlarged and improved church was dedicated by Bishop Hughes.

In 1851 Father Quin died, and was succeeded by his brother the Rev. Thomas Quin.

This brings us to the erection of the State of New Jersey into a separate diocese, which was placed under the Episcopal administration of the Rt. Rev. James Roosevelt Bayley. The See of Newark was erected on the 29th of July, 1853, and Bishop Bayley, preconized on the same day, was consecrated on the 30th of October, 1853. On the first of November he was installed in his Cathedral, and promptly began the work of caring for the interests of religion.

From the outset of his administration two ideas became fixed and unchangeable in Bishop Bayley's mind. He saw that whatever else might be useful and needful in a diocese, its first wants were churches and priests,—schools and teachers. You who knew him so well, who so often listened to his earnest words pleading the cause nearest his heart, do not require to be told that in those days your Bishop was wrapped up in the carrying out of these ideas. Always gentle, always kind, ever pleasantly smiling, yet he was ever urgent and determined that the churches and schools should be ready as they were needed to meet the necessities of the flock over which he was placed. Bishop Bayley understood clearly that churches and schools which the people's money might build would avail little without priests and teachers. He had the advantage, a great advantage, of being the first Bishop of a diocese, and one whose prospects for growth and prosperity were most promising. He was fresh, vigorous and anxious to spend and be spent. He had the moulding and directing of the work before him according to his own judgment and the carrying out of his own ideas unhampered,—untrammeled. His plans embraced a college and theological seminary as a nursery and training school for priests; a Mother House and Novitiate for a religious community of teaching Sisters. Hence as early as 1856, he founded Seton Hall College and Seminary at Madison, removing them in 1860 to South Orange. Soon after he began the formation of the community of Sisters of Charity at Newark, transferring the Mother House to Madison in 1860. These few words describe the small beginning of each institution; the results of their successful achievements are best estimated by the fact that priests from this seminary cover the State of New Jersey, and 400 Sisters of this community are for the most part engaged in the school-room. The sentiment expressed by the Bishop in his "History of the Church on the Island of New York" was given effective play in his work as a Bishop. He wrote: "If we desire to keep the children in the faith of their fathers, we must, above all things, take measures to imbue the minds of the rising generation of Catholics with sound religious principles. This can only be done by giving them a good Catholic education. In our present position, the school-house has become second in importance only to the House of God itself." When Bishop Bayley was translated from Newark to Baltimore he had the happiness—and for him it was a great one of knowing that there was scarcely a mission in the diocese he was leaving without a Catholic school, and that the foundations for the continuance of the good work were so broad—so solid—that they never could give way.

Soon after taking charge of the new diocese of Newark, Bishop Bayley changed the Rev. Thomas Quin from Paterson to Rahway, where he remained until his death. Father Quin was amiable and unassuming, but lacking in the energy and determination demanded by the requirements of the rapidly developing congregation of St. John's. The Rev. Dominick Senez was sent to this mission to replace Father Quin. Father Senez's success as a pastor in many missions was a guarantee that the populous and important parish of Paterson would not suffer under his leadership. The development of many industries called for artisans and laborers. After the famine in Ireland in 1846 and 1847, the prime of the industrial classes flocked to our shores, and many found their way to centres of employment like this city. St. John's of Paterson was a large and growing congregation when Father Senez came here. Much had been prepared for him by others; and much remained for him to do. His great work has always been in the pulpit, in the confessional and in pastoral visitations. With excellent administrative ability he has never allowed debts to accumulate beyond easy control. Soon after taking charge of Paterson he brought to his help the Sisters of Charity of Mt. St. Vincent. The first of these religious women, and the first of any community that worked in the State of New Jersey were brought to Newark on the 18th of October, 1853, by Bishop Bayley, and placed over a girls' orphan asylum and the parochial school for girls. The Sisters of Charity of Newark and Paterson returned to Mt. St. Vincent as soon as the new community founded at Newark, now at Madison, was able to replace them. The Sisters who were at Jersey City on the same terms did not leave according to agreement.

On Father Senez's change of field of work to Cincinnati he was replaced by Father Beaudevin, and he by Father Callan, transferred from St. James', Newark.