{"id":3493,"date":"2026-08-02T11:58:54","date_gmt":"2026-08-02T15:58:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/patersonhistory.com\/?page_id=3493"},"modified":"2026-08-03T09:37:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T13:37:14","slug":"st-gerard-majella-church","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/patersonhistory.com\/index.php\/st-gerard-majella-church\/","title":{"rendered":"St. Gerard Majella Church"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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St. Gerard Majella Church<\/strong> is one of Paterson’s newer Roman Catholic parishes, established during the city’s post-World War II expansion. Located at 501 West Broadway<\/strong> in the Hillcrest section, the parish was founded to serve Catholic families moving from older neighborhoods into western Paterson.<\/p>\n

Founding of the Parish<\/h3>\n

The origins of St. Gerard Majella began in 1959<\/strong> when Esterino B. (“E.B.”) Leone<\/strong>, owner of the Glen Rock Lumber Company, offered a large parcel of land on West Broadway for a public purpose. Monsignor Carlo Cianci<\/strong>, 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.<\/p>\n

With the approval of Bishop James A. McNulty<\/strong>, the land was donated to the Diocese of Paterson, and it was decided to establish St. Gerard Majella<\/strong> as a mission church of St. Michael’s.<\/p>\n

Building the Church<\/h3>\n

Construction began in September 1961<\/strong>, 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.<\/p>\n

The new church was dedicated on October 7, 1962<\/strong>, and Father Eugene Romano<\/strong> celebrated the first Mass. Designed to seat approximately 500 worshippers<\/strong>, the church quickly became the center of Catholic life in the Hillcrest community.<\/p>\n

Becoming an Independent Parish<\/h3>\n

As the congregation continued to grow, St. Gerard Majella became an independent parish in 1965<\/strong>. On January 6, 1965<\/strong>, Father Thomas Trapasso<\/strong> was formally installed as the parish’s first pastor by Bishop James J. Navagh<\/strong>, reviving the Diocese of Paterson’s tradition of formally installing new pastors.<\/p>\n

During Father Trapasso’s tenure:<\/p>\n