ORIGINS
"In the beginning was THE WORD....."
John 1:1
And he perpetuated His message through the centuries in the person of His priests and prophets, His apostles, virgins and martyrs. His doctors, bishops and confessors; and ultimately through His son whose exemplary life still inspires holy men and women to embrace the faith and spread it.
Historically, the events that prompted the establishment and growth of our parish begin with the great famine that spread across western Europe compelling many-notably the Irish-to immigrate to the eastern shores of the United States.
In 1846, the southern half of the state of New Jersey belonged to the diocese of Philadelphia while the northern half was a part was a part of the diocese of New York. Immigrants landed in such great numbers that the see of Newark eventually emanated from the missions and parishes over which the bishops of those two sees presided.
With the appointment of James Roosevelt Bayley as first Bishop of Newark in 1853, New Jersey's entire twenty-one counties were incorporated into the new diocese. Wherever the immigrants settled the primary concern was the preservation of their faith. Immediately they focused on their spiritual needs by erecting Saint John's Church on Mulberry Street in Newark and promoting parish life. At the urging of Bishop Bayley, Father Thomas M. Killeen, founding pastor of Saint John's visited Mother Saint John Fournier at Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, on June 10, 1871. Shortly thereafter Father Killeen initiated the construction of a convent and a parish school. The sisters' arrival marked the beginning of the ministry of the Sisters of Saint Joseph in the diocese of Newark. Several years later the same Father was destined to become the fourth pastor of Saint Mary, Star of the Sea, mother parish of the city of Bayonne.
A decade or so before the arrival of Father Killeen, the Catholics of Bergen Point, as Bayonne was named then, traveled each Sunday by horse and carriage to Saint Peter's in Jersey City or by boat across the Kill Van Kull, to Saint Peter's in the New Brighton section of Staten Island to assist at Mass. The catholic population increased steadily. As a result, the Jesuit priests of Saint Peter's, Jersey City, began offering Mass in the home of John Jackson between Twenty-First Street and Twenty-Second Streets on Avenue D (now Broadway), or in the home of John Walsh on Church Street, now Lord Avenue.
In 1860, Reverend James Callan assumed the leadership of a growing mission. He purchased property on lower Evergreen Street. With his devoted followers he labored nightly after a full day's work. From the waterfront they drew lumber that had been sent from Newark via the Kill Van Kull. They erected the first simple wood frame Catholic Church in the city.
From January, 1862 until August, 1865 Passionist Fathers of West Hoboken, Vincent Nagler and Timothy and Thomas O'Connor, arrived weekly on Evergreen Street to attend to the spiritual needs of a growing mission church.
Reverend Peter P. Niederhauser, a Redemptorist priest admitted to the diocesan clergy on December 13, 1862, became first pastor of Saint Mary Star of the Sea, on July 17, 1865; he remained until 1871. He was transferred to St. John's Church, New Brunswick, where he died in 1873. At St. Mary's, Father Niederhauser was succeeded in turn by Reverend Patrick McGovern, Reverend James Dalton, and ultimately, Reverend Thomas M. Killeen.
Father Killeen recognized the necessity of providing for the education of the ever increasing number of children born into families in his parish. Since he had served at Saint John's and has been acquainted with the Sister's of Saint Joseph, he was anxious to have the same community staff Saint Mary, Star of the Sea School. He applied to Mount Saint Joseph; and, in answer, four sisters were sent to open Bayonne's first Catholic school in 1879. Father Killeen traveled on the Central Railroad from West Eight Street in Bayonne to the train station in Elizabethport where he welcomed Mother Angela, Sister Mary Pelagia, Sister Mary Blanche, and Sister Mary Sabina, forerunners of the hundreds of Sisters of Saint Joseph who would cooperate with the parents and parish priests in forming the hearts and minds of the youth, the future of society.
Constantly aware of the needs of his growing parish, Father Killeen recognized the benefit of additional expansion. He began building a new school, convent and rectory. As the size of the parish and the practice of the faith continued to increase, so did the need for another church. In 1891, Saint Henry's was organized for uptown residents and its southern boundary set at Twenty-Second Street. Father Killeen's zeal and genuine love for his parishioners evoked that same spirit from them. He labored for twenty years before his resignation in July 1896; he died on July 30, 1907. Killeen Park at the foot of Bergen Point remains to this day named in his honor.
Monsignor Isaac P. Whalen, former rector of Saint Patrick's pro-Cathedral, succeeded Father Killeen at Saint Mary's. During the next nine years, Monsignor Whalen's pastorate reflected his spiritual and financial expertise. Church records for one of the largest parishes in the young diocese indicate the generosity of the parishioners to every appeal he made.
Again in March, 1905, Bishop John J. O'Connor named Monsignor Whalen rector of Saint Patrick's pro-Cathedral and designated Reverend Andrew M. Egan new rector of Saint Mary's. Father Egan's congregation characterized by splendid generosity, liquidated the $55,000.00 debt on Saint Mary's parish buildings. Soon after, Father Egan broke ground for a new convent to house the increasing number of Sisters. The building was completed in 1910.