Extensive renovations make Passaic parish hall shine once again #Catholic - On Nov. 28, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Passaic, N.J., to celebrate a bilingual Mass. During his visit, the bishop rededicated the recently renovated parish hall and blessed a new statue of St. Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint, in recognition of the parish’s growing Filipino community.
Three years ago, St. Anthony’s closed its parish center because it was unusable due to leaks and other damage. Then the parish began fundraising for the improvement project, which included new floors, lighting, doors, air conditioning, and decorations. The renovation started in March.
“The project was made possible by the hard work and help of the St. Anthony’s community,” said Father Javier Bareno, pastor of St. Anthony’s.

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Concelebrating the Mass with Bishop Sweeney were Father Bareno; Father Alexis Coffi Gonzalez, parochial vicar of St. Anthony’s; Father Hernan Cely, pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in the Stirling neighborhood of Long Hill Township, N.J. and a former St. Anthony’s pastor; Father Jose M. Zuniga, parochial vicar of St. Vincent Martyr Parish in Madison, N.J., and a former parochial vicar at St. Anthony’s; Father Duberney Villamizar, pastor of St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morristown, N.J., and vicar for Hispanic Affairs for the Paterson Diocese; and Father Vidal Gonzales, Jr., pastor of Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Parish in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood of Hanover Township, who was born in the Philippines.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
 [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  
Extensive renovations make Passaic parish hall shine once again #Catholic - <img width="150" height="150" src="https://beaconnj.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/StAnthony_8624-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="" loading="lazy" /><p><strong>On Nov. 28, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited</strong> St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Passaic, N.J., to celebrate a bilingual Mass. During his visit, the bishop rededicated the recently renovated parish hall and blessed a new statue of St. Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint, in recognition of the parish’s growing Filipino community.</p> <p>Three years ago, St. Anthony’s closed its parish center because it was unusable due to leaks and other damage. Then the parish began fundraising for the improvement project, which included new floors, lighting, doors, air conditioning, and decorations. The renovation started in March.</p> <p>“The project was made possible by the hard work and help of the St. Anthony’s community,” said Father Javier Bareno, pastor of St. Anthony’s.</p> <hr> <h6 style="text-align: center"><a href="https://beaconnj.org/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.</span></a></h6> <hr> <p>Concelebrating the Mass with Bishop Sweeney were Father Bareno; Father Alexis Coffi Gonzalez, parochial vicar of St. Anthony’s; Father Hernan Cely, pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in the Stirling neighborhood of Long Hill Township, N.J. and a former St. Anthony’s pastor; Father Jose M. Zuniga, parochial vicar of St. Vincent Martyr Parish in Madison, N.J., and a former parochial vicar at St. Anthony’s; Father Duberney Villamizar, pastor of St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morristown, N.J., and vicar for Hispanic Affairs for the Paterson Diocese; and Father Vidal Gonzales, Jr., pastor of Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Parish in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood of Hanover Township, who was born in the Philippines.</p> <div style="text-align: center;margin-bottom: -24px"><strong>BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI</strong></div> <div> [<a href="https://beaconnj.org/extensive-renovations-make-passaic-parish-hall-shine-once-again/">See image gallery at beaconnj.org</a>]  </p> </div> - <img width="150" height="150" src="https://beaconnj.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/StAnthony_8624-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="" />On Nov. 28, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Passaic, N.J., to celebrate a bilingual Mass. During his visit, the bishop rededicated the recently renovated parish hall and blessed a new statue of St. Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint, in recognition of the parish’s growing Filipino community. Three years ago, St. Anthony’s closed its parish center because it was unusable due to leaks and other damage. Then the parish began fundraising for the improvement project, which included new floors, lighting, doors, air conditioning, and decorations. The renovation started in March. “The project was made

On Nov. 28, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Passaic, N.J., to celebrate a bilingual Mass. During his visit, the bishop rededicated the recently renovated parish hall and blessed a new statue of St. Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint, in recognition of the parish’s growing Filipino community.

Three years ago, St. Anthony’s closed its parish center because it was unusable due to leaks and other damage. Then the parish began fundraising for the improvement project, which included new floors, lighting, doors, air conditioning, and decorations. The renovation started in March.

“The project was made possible by the hard work and help of the St. Anthony’s community,” said Father Javier Bareno, pastor of St. Anthony’s.


Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Concelebrating the Mass with Bishop Sweeney were Father Bareno; Father Alexis Coffi Gonzalez, parochial vicar of St. Anthony’s; Father Hernan Cely, pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in the Stirling neighborhood of Long Hill Township, N.J. and a former St. Anthony’s pastor; Father Jose M. Zuniga, parochial vicar of St. Vincent Martyr Parish in Madison, N.J., and a former parochial vicar at St. Anthony’s; Father Duberney Villamizar, pastor of St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morristown, N.J., and vicar for Hispanic Affairs for the Paterson Diocese; and Father Vidal Gonzales, Jr., pastor of Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Parish in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood of Hanover Township, who was born in the Philippines.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI

Extensive renovations make Passaic parish hall shine once again #Catholic –

On Nov. 28, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Passaic, N.J., to celebrate a bilingual Mass. During his visit, the bishop rededicated the recently renovated parish hall and blessed a new statue of St. Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint, in recognition of the parish’s growing Filipino community.

Three years ago, St. Anthony’s closed its parish center because it was unusable due to leaks and other damage. Then the parish began fundraising for the improvement project, which included new floors, lighting, doors, air conditioning, and decorations. The renovation started in March.

“The project was made possible by the hard work and help of the St. Anthony’s community,” said Father Javier Bareno, pastor of St. Anthony’s.


Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Concelebrating the Mass with Bishop Sweeney were Father Bareno; Father Alexis Coffi Gonzalez, parochial vicar of St. Anthony’s; Father Hernan Cely, pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in the Stirling neighborhood of Long Hill Township, N.J. and a former St. Anthony’s pastor; Father Jose M. Zuniga, parochial vicar of St. Vincent Martyr Parish in Madison, N.J., and a former parochial vicar at St. Anthony’s; Father Duberney Villamizar, pastor of St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morristown, N.J., and vicar for Hispanic Affairs for the Paterson Diocese; and Father Vidal Gonzales, Jr., pastor of Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Parish in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood of Hanover Township, who was born in the Philippines.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI