St. Gerard Majella Church is one of Paterson’s newer Roman Catholic parishes, established during the city’s post-World War II expansion. Located at 501 West Broadway in the Hillcrest section, the parish was founded to serve Catholic families moving from older neighborhoods into western Paterson.
Founding of the Parish
The origins of St. Gerard Majella began in 1959 when Esterino B. (“E.B.”) Leone, owner of the Glen Rock Lumber Company, offered a large parcel of land on West Broadway for a public purpose. Monsignor Carlo Cianci, pastor of St. Michael’s Church in Paterson, recognized the need for a new church because many St. Michael’s parishioners had relocated to the growing Hillcrest neighborhood.
With the approval of Bishop James A. McNulty, the land was donated to the Diocese of Paterson, and it was decided to establish St. Gerard Majella as a mission church of St. Michael’s.
Building the Church
Construction began in September 1961, funded largely through donations and fundraising by parishioners from St. Michael’s. Families donated individual pews, while others contributed the marble altar, pulpit, and the church’s beautiful stained-glass windows.
The new church was dedicated on October 7, 1962, and Father Eugene Romano celebrated the first Mass. Designed to seat approximately 500 worshippers, the church quickly became the center of Catholic life in the Hillcrest community.
Becoming an Independent Parish
As the congregation continued to grow, St. Gerard Majella became an independent parish in 1965. On January 6, 1965, Father Thomas Trapasso was formally installed as the parish’s first pastor by Bishop James J. Navagh, reviving the Diocese of Paterson’s tradition of formally installing new pastors.
During Father Trapasso’s tenure:
- A rectory was purchased at 501 West Broadway.
- A convent was established nearby.
- Parish organizations and ministries expanded rapidly.
St. Gerard Majella School
Recognizing the need for Catholic education, parish leaders organized a campaign to build a parish school.
- Construction began in 1964.
- The school was dedicated on August 11, 1965.
- Classes officially opened on October 3, 1965.
For many years, the school was staffed by the Salesian Sisters, who became known for their dedication to both academic excellence and religious education.
Growth and Community Life
During the 1970s and 1980s, the parish flourished.
Highlights included:
- Formation of a Parish Council after the Second Vatican Council.
- Annual parish bazaars and festivals.
- Expansion of liturgical ministries, including lectors, extraordinary ministers, ushers, and the Rosary Altar Society.
- Construction of St. Joseph’s Community Center, completed in the early 1980s, which became home to parish dinners, youth activities, senior programs, bingo, and cultural events.
Welcoming New Parishioners
A significant chapter in the parish’s history occurred in 2011, when St. Michael’s Church closed because of serious structural problems. Many of its parishioners joined St. Gerard Majella, bringing together English-, Italian-, and Spanish-speaking communities.
To meet the needs of this expanded congregation, the parish added additional Spanish-language Masses while continuing its long-standing Italian Mass, creating a vibrant multicultural parish community.
The Patron Saint
The parish is named for St. Gerard Majella (1726–1755), an Italian Redemptorist lay brother renowned for his holiness, charity, and reported miracles. He is especially honored as the patron saint of expectant mothers, childbirth, and unborn children, and devotion to St. Gerard has long attracted families seeking his intercession.
Legacy
Although founded much later than Paterson’s nineteenth-century parishes, St. Gerard Majella has become an important spiritual center for the city’s west side. Built through the generosity of parishioners and community benefactors, it continues to serve as a place of worship, education, and fellowship for Catholics of many cultural backgrounds. Its history reflects the postwar growth of Paterson and the enduring strength of its Catholic community