![Parish celebrates 100 years as pioneering Wayne church #Catholic - On Nov. 9, Holy Cross Parish celebrated a century of vibrant faith and service as the Roman Catholic mother church of Wayne, N.J., during a Mass with Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, who served as the celebrant and homilist.
The Mass was concelebrated by Father Peter VB Wells, pastor of Holy Cross and its twin parish, Our Lady of the Valley (OLV), also in Wayne, and director of cemeteries of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey; Father Edward Lambro, a retired diocesan priest and a weekend assistant of the two parishes; and Father Duberney Villamizar, pastor of St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morristown, N.J., diocesan vicar of Hispanic Affairs, and a former parochial vicar of the parishes.
The first Roman Catholic church in Wayne, Holy Cross, officially began in 1925 as a mission of the Franciscan Friars of St. Bonaventure’s Monastery in Paterson, N.J. Today, Wayne is home to four other parishes established after Holy Cross: OLV and Immaculate Heart of Mary, both in 1960, and Our Lady of Consolation and Annunciation, both in 1963. Holy Cross is on Van Duyne Avenue in the Mountain View section of Wayne.
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“Holy Cross is a parish of people who are faithful and dedicated. The congregation loves to sing hymns at Mass. They are also generous,” said Father Wells, pastor of OLV and Holy Cross since 2015.
Today, Holy Cross, which ministers to 300 families, offers a Mass on Sunday and another on Saturday. Parishioners conduct a Christmas outreach to St. Agnes Parish in Paterson; support Several Sources, a non-profit organization that helps pregnant women and new mothers; and donate to the food pantry of Father English Community Center, also in Paterson.
The Franciscans started offering bi-monthly Masses in the area in 1905. In 1925, they bought a home on Route 23 and renovated it as a mission chapel. Father Luke Panfoerder became the first pastor in 1929, when the mission was elevated to a parish. The cornerstone for the present church was laid in 1934, when Holy Cross consisted of 93 families.
The friars continued to serve the mission until 1945, when Bishop Thomas McLaughlin erected Holy Cross as a parish under the care of diocesan clergy. In 1950, Holy Cross opened a parish school, the first Catholic school in Wayne, which later closed. Around 2010, Holy Cross became twinned with OLV, a parish of 5,000 families. Both faith communities remain separate parishes.
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On Nov. 9, Holy Cross Parish celebrated a century of vibrant faith and service as the Roman Catholic mother church of Wayne, N.J., during a Mass with Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, who served as the celebrant and homilist.
The Mass was concelebrated by Father Peter VB Wells, pastor of Holy Cross and its twin parish, Our Lady of the Valley (OLV), also in Wayne, and director of cemeteries of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey; Father Edward Lambro, a retired diocesan priest and a weekend assistant of the two parishes; and Father Duberney Villamizar, pastor of St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morristown, N.J., diocesan vicar of Hispanic Affairs, and a former parochial vicar of the parishes.
The first Roman Catholic church in Wayne, Holy Cross, officially began in 1925 as a mission of the Franciscan Friars of St. Bonaventure’s Monastery in Paterson, N.J. Today, Wayne is home to four other parishes established after Holy Cross: OLV and Immaculate Heart of Mary, both in 1960, and Our Lady of Consolation and Annunciation, both in 1963. Holy Cross is on Van Duyne Avenue in the Mountain View section of Wayne.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
“Holy Cross is a parish of people who are faithful and dedicated. The congregation loves to sing hymns at Mass. They are also generous,” said Father Wells, pastor of OLV and Holy Cross since 2015.
Today, Holy Cross, which ministers to 300 families, offers a Mass on Sunday and another on Saturday. Parishioners conduct a Christmas outreach to St. Agnes Parish in Paterson; support Several Sources, a non-profit organization that helps pregnant women and new mothers; and donate to the food pantry of Father English Community Center, also in Paterson.
The Franciscans started offering bi-monthly Masses in the area in 1905. In 1925, they bought a home on Route 23 and renovated it as a mission chapel. Father Luke Panfoerder became the first pastor in 1929, when the mission was elevated to a parish. The cornerstone for the present church was laid in 1934, when Holy Cross consisted of 93 families.
The friars continued to serve the mission until 1945, when Bishop Thomas McLaughlin erected Holy Cross as a parish under the care of diocesan clergy. In 1950, Holy Cross opened a parish school, the first Catholic school in Wayne, which later closed. Around 2010, Holy Cross became twinned with OLV, a parish of 5,000 families. Both faith communities remain separate parishes.
Parish celebrates 100 years as pioneering Wayne church #Catholic –
On Nov. 9, Holy Cross Parish celebrated a century of vibrant faith and service as the Roman Catholic mother church of Wayne, N.J., during a Mass with Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, who served as the celebrant and homilist.
The Mass was concelebrated by Father Peter VB Wells, pastor of Holy Cross and its twin parish, Our Lady of the Valley (OLV), also in Wayne, and director of cemeteries of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey; Father Edward Lambro, a retired diocesan priest and a weekend assistant of the two parishes; and Father Duberney Villamizar, pastor of St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morristown, N.J., diocesan vicar of Hispanic Affairs, and a former parochial vicar of the parishes.
The first Roman Catholic church in Wayne, Holy Cross, officially began in 1925 as a mission of the Franciscan Friars of St. Bonaventure’s Monastery in Paterson, N.J. Today, Wayne is home to four other parishes established after Holy Cross: OLV and Immaculate Heart of Mary, both in 1960, and Our Lady of Consolation and Annunciation, both in 1963. Holy Cross is on Van Duyne Avenue in the Mountain View section of Wayne.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
“Holy Cross is a parish of people who are faithful and dedicated. The congregation loves to sing hymns at Mass. They are also generous,” said Father Wells, pastor of OLV and Holy Cross since 2015.
Today, Holy Cross, which ministers to 300 families, offers a Mass on Sunday and another on Saturday. Parishioners conduct a Christmas outreach to St. Agnes Parish in Paterson; support Several Sources, a non-profit organization that helps pregnant women and new mothers; and donate to the food pantry of Father English Community Center, also in Paterson.
The Franciscans started offering bi-monthly Masses in the area in 1905. In 1925, they bought a home on Route 23 and renovated it as a mission chapel. Father Luke Panfoerder became the first pastor in 1929, when the mission was elevated to a parish. The cornerstone for the present church was laid in 1934, when Holy Cross consisted of 93 families.
The friars continued to serve the mission until 1945, when Bishop Thomas McLaughlin erected Holy Cross as a parish under the care of diocesan clergy. In 1950, Holy Cross opened a parish school, the first Catholic school in Wayne, which later closed. Around 2010, Holy Cross became twinned with OLV, a parish of 5,000 families. Both faith communities remain separate parishes.