![Jefferson parish marks more than 65 years since church completion #Catholic - With joy, St. Jude Parish in the Lake Hopatcong neighborhood of Jefferson, N.J., marked more than 65 years of the construction of the church and even longer as a significant — and constantly improving — part of the spiritual and civic life of the community on Nov. 15 during a Mass with Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney.
Bishop Sweeney was the principal celebrant and homilist of the Mass. Father Kamil (Peter) Wierzbicki, pastor of St. Jude’s, concelebrated the Mass. Deacon Thomas Friel of St. Jude’s, John Meyer of St. Michael Parish in Netcong, N.J., and Timothy Dunmyer of Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Mount Arlington, N.J., who is studying for the permanent diaconate in the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey, assisted with the liturgy. The parish’s anniversary celebrations have been delayed, initially starting with COVID-19.
“The parishioners at St. Jude’s are close to each other, are good to each other, and help each other. They do what they can to make things happen. They are family,” said Father Wierzbicki, who was named the parish’s administrator in 2018 and pastor the following year. “Lake Hopatcong is a beautiful small rural community. It’s quiet, except in the summer, when people come to their vacation homes around the lake. The community recognizes St. Jude’s importance spiritually, historically, and socially and relies on us.”
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The 400-family St. Jude’s has groups such as the Rosary Altar Society, the Knights of Columbus, and the Men’s Prayer Group. The parish has supported outreaches such as food and holiday gift drives for families in need, programs such as Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Alcoholics Anonymous, and community activities, such as blood drives, carnivals, dances, card parties, variety shows, Bingo, and school events. St. Jude’s belongs to the Lakeland Association of Churches of Lake Hopatcong.
To help meet the needs of the parish and community, St. Jude’s has made improvements to its facilities, including to its parish center and the parking lot, which was repaved. Renovations to the church have included a new altar of the tabernacle, an organ, a choir loft, and the renovation of the readers’ stands.
The heritage of St. Jude parish lies in the mission churches that sprang up around Lake Hopatcong in the early 20th century to serve the needs of the resort community’s large summer population.
In the fall of 1958, church construction began, with the formal dedication occurring Aug. 16, 1959, as a mission church of Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Mount Arlington, N.J. In 1966, the mission church St. Jude was promoted to parish status and assumed responsibility for the mission church St. Joseph in the Northwood section of Hopatcong, N.J. Father Joseph W. Molloy was the first pastor of St. Jude’s, which initially served 90 families.
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With joy, St. Jude Parish in the Lake Hopatcong neighborhood of Jefferson, N.J., marked more than 65 years of the construction of the church and even longer as a significant — and constantly improving — part of the spiritual and civic life of the community on Nov. 15 during a Mass with Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney.
Bishop Sweeney was the principal celebrant and homilist of the Mass. Father Kamil (Peter) Wierzbicki, pastor of St. Jude’s, concelebrated the Mass. Deacon Thomas Friel of St. Jude’s, John Meyer of St. Michael Parish in Netcong, N.J., and Timothy Dunmyer of Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Mount Arlington, N.J., who is studying for the permanent diaconate in the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey, assisted with the liturgy. The parish’s anniversary celebrations have been delayed, initially starting with COVID-19.
“The parishioners at St. Jude’s are close to each other, are good to each other, and help each other. They do what they can to make things happen. They are family,” said Father Wierzbicki, who was named the parish’s administrator in 2018 and pastor the following year. “Lake Hopatcong is a beautiful small rural community. It’s quiet, except in the summer, when people come to their vacation homes around the lake. The community recognizes St. Jude’s importance spiritually, historically, and socially and relies on us.”
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
The 400-family St. Jude’s has groups such as the Rosary Altar Society, the Knights of Columbus, and the Men’s Prayer Group. The parish has supported outreaches such as food and holiday gift drives for families in need, programs such as Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Alcoholics Anonymous, and community activities, such as blood drives, carnivals, dances, card parties, variety shows, Bingo, and school events. St. Jude’s belongs to the Lakeland Association of Churches of Lake Hopatcong.
To help meet the needs of the parish and community, St. Jude’s has made improvements to its facilities, including to its parish center and the parking lot, which was repaved. Renovations to the church have included a new altar of the tabernacle, an organ, a choir loft, and the renovation of the readers’ stands.
The heritage of St. Jude parish lies in the mission churches that sprang up around Lake Hopatcong in the early 20th century to serve the needs of the resort community’s large summer population.
In the fall of 1958, church construction began, with the formal dedication occurring Aug. 16, 1959, as a mission church of Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Mount Arlington, N.J. In 1966, the mission church St. Jude was promoted to parish status and assumed responsibility for the mission church St. Joseph in the Northwood section of Hopatcong, N.J. Father Joseph W. Molloy was the first pastor of St. Jude’s, which initially served 90 families.
Jefferson parish marks more than 65 years since church completion #Catholic –
With joy, St. Jude Parish in the Lake Hopatcong neighborhood of Jefferson, N.J., marked more than 65 years of the construction of the church and even longer as a significant — and constantly improving — part of the spiritual and civic life of the community on Nov. 15 during a Mass with Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney.
Bishop Sweeney was the principal celebrant and homilist of the Mass. Father Kamil (Peter) Wierzbicki, pastor of St. Jude’s, concelebrated the Mass. Deacon Thomas Friel of St. Jude’s, John Meyer of St. Michael Parish in Netcong, N.J., and Timothy Dunmyer of Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Mount Arlington, N.J., who is studying for the permanent diaconate in the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey, assisted with the liturgy. The parish’s anniversary celebrations have been delayed, initially starting with COVID-19.
“The parishioners at St. Jude’s are close to each other, are good to each other, and help each other. They do what they can to make things happen. They are family,” said Father Wierzbicki, who was named the parish’s administrator in 2018 and pastor the following year. “Lake Hopatcong is a beautiful small rural community. It’s quiet, except in the summer, when people come to their vacation homes around the lake. The community recognizes St. Jude’s importance spiritually, historically, and socially and relies on us.”
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
The 400-family St. Jude’s has groups such as the Rosary Altar Society, the Knights of Columbus, and the Men’s Prayer Group. The parish has supported outreaches such as food and holiday gift drives for families in need, programs such as Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Alcoholics Anonymous, and community activities, such as blood drives, carnivals, dances, card parties, variety shows, Bingo, and school events. St. Jude’s belongs to the Lakeland Association of Churches of Lake Hopatcong.
To help meet the needs of the parish and community, St. Jude’s has made improvements to its facilities, including to its parish center and the parking lot, which was repaved. Renovations to the church have included a new altar of the tabernacle, an organ, a choir loft, and the renovation of the readers’ stands.
The heritage of St. Jude parish lies in the mission churches that sprang up around Lake Hopatcong in the early 20th century to serve the needs of the resort community’s large summer population.
In the fall of 1958, church construction began, with the formal dedication occurring Aug. 16, 1959, as a mission church of Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Mount Arlington, N.J. In 1966, the mission church St. Jude was promoted to parish status and assumed responsibility for the mission church St. Joseph in the Northwood section of Hopatcong, N.J. Father Joseph W. Molloy was the first pastor of St. Jude’s, which initially served 90 families.