It is the mission of St. John’s Parish
to enhance the worship experience of our
congregation while presenting in a loving
and gentle manner the teachings and
Traditions of the Catholic Church.
As a community we are committed to
developing our relationship with
God through prayer, worship and service.
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Fr. Fitzgerald with a group of parish children on the steps of the tower entrance. |
Catholics settled in Hunterdon County New Jersey as early as the 1740s, and for nearly 100 years they were cared for by Jesuits from Old St. Joseph Church on Willings Alley in Philadelphia or by Augustinians from Philadelphia. With the establishment of St. John Parish in Trenton, Father Daniel McGorian and Father John Gillian would occasionally visit Lambertville. By 1840, with nearly 100 members, land was purchased and the original church was built, which was dedicated on June 8, 1843. In 1853, Father Patrick Hannegan was assigned the first resident pastor.
As the town grew, additional property was purchased, and a school was opened in 1865. In 1887, the original church was closed, and plans were made for the present structure, which was dedicated on October 23, 1893. The church was renovated several times, most especially by Father Thomas Ridge in 1954 with new marble altars.
In 1965, Father Russell Loughman initiated a fund drive for a new school building, which was dedicated by Bishop George W. Ahr on October 21, 1967. While the school closed in 1973 due to declining enrollments, the building serves parish religious education needs.
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In 1983, The Jesus School, a preschool program, opened during the pastorate of Father (now Msgr.) Seamus Brennan. In 1993, a major restoration of the church was completed during the pastorate of Father Edward M. O’Neill in time for the 150th Anniversary of the parish and the 100th Anniversary of the dedication of the church.
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Our Sisters of Mercy and priests at the Jubilee Dinner in June 1946. |
Additional repairs have been completed, and a Hispanic apostolate was begun by Msgr. Leon J Kasprzyk, pastor from 1995 until his retirement in 2009.
Father Robert Kolakowski, J.C.L. served Saint John the Evangelist Parish for 18 months as administrator before being installed as pastor on September 11, 2010 by Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski.
St. Agnes Mission Church in Stockton was established in 1919. Catholics in Stockton have gathered since 1900 at the Daniel Bodine Hall. A donation from Mrs. Agnes Foran Shields of Flemington made it possible to dismantle a house on the site, and its stones were used in the construction of the chapel, which has been under care of St. John the Evangelist Parish since 1920.
To read more historical information on the Catholic Church in Hunterdon county New Jersey, please visit the History page on the following websites: www.diometuchen.org and www.dioceseoftrenton.org.
Father Robert Kolakowski and Bishop Paul Bootkoski at Installation Mass.