BEGINNINGS…..
Frank Rodimer, Bishop of Paterson established Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Roman Catholic Parish, on June 24, 1988, to better meet the needs of a growing Catholic population in Sparta and Byram Townships.
Father Dan Murphy was appointed founding pastor and was supported by the pastoral staff of Sister Barbara Moore, O.P., Pastoral Associate and Frank Padden, Deacon. Deacon Frank retired in 2000. In 2003, Father Dan Murphy became Pastor of Our Lady of the Valley, Wayne, N.J.
The first liturgy was celebrated on June 25, 1988 at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church with approximately 200 households becoming founding members. Without a physical church structure, the parish rented and borrowed space at St. Mary’s, and the gyms of Pope John H.S., the Alpine School and the Helen Morgan School.
As the congregation of Blessed Kateri continued to grow in number, so did the parish staff. In July 1989, Virginia Salvatore was hired as Director of Religious Education and Joan Lucas, who had been the Parish Music Minister for many years, became a staff member in November 1992.
The administrative staff became important to Parish Center operations when Regina Saveriano was hired in September 1989, Shirley Zackman in April 1991 and Mary Jane Bredder in July 1993. Additional support was added in May 1993 when Frank Thieke was hired as Director of Maintenance.
The Diocese of Paterson determined the physical location of the Parish in 1988 with the purchase of eight acres of property at 427 Stanhope Road. The first building to be completed was the Parish Center in September 1990. It contains staff offices, a chapel, meeting rooms and a residence for Father Dan.
A building committee of nineteen people was formed in September 1991 co-chaired by Cathy and Joe Lorentz. Each committee member had a diversified background and was blessed with their own area of expertise. Together, they began the task of having the church designed and built.
The building process included attending numerous meetings and workshops, visiting area churches, studying reports, interviewing, and surveying parishioners on their needs and hopes for their new church.
The committee selected the architectural firm of Anthony Genovese and the Construction Company of Joseph A. Natoli to design and build the church. Benoit Gilsoul of Belgium, one of the foremost authorities in the field of stained glass, was chosen to create the stained glass windows, Stations of the Cross and the crucifix.
The 20,000 square foot, 2.8 million-dollar church was completed in May 1993.
Due to the continued growth of Blessed Kateri parish plans were made to complete the lower level of the church to provide a large Community Room, kitchen, emergency food pantry, Youth Center, Parish Library, two Pre-School Religious Education rooms and a Counseling Center, as well as storage space for the various ministries. Capital Campaign II raised approximately $300,000.00 and the lower level was completed in September 1994.
As the parish continued to grow additional members of the Pastoral Staff were added to
meet the needs of the community:
1994 Mrs. Pat Connelly as Youth Minister
1994 Drew Calandriello as Permanent Deacon
1994-95 Rev. Martin Glynn as Associate Pastor
1995 Three additional Permanent Deacons ordained from Blessed Kateri: Charles Mathias, Paul Puleo, and Ed Reading
1995-2001 Mrs. Phyllis Phillips as Youth Minister
1995 Mrs. Pam Kulick became our Parish Bookkeeper
1995 Mrs. Mary Jo Mathias joined parish staff as Coordinator of Music
1995 Mrs. Pat Malecki as Parish Secretary
1995 Mrs. Olivia Dinneen as Counselor
1995-96 Mr. Kevin Corcoran as Seminarian Intern
1996 Deacon Paul Puleo assumed the position of Director of Maintenance
1996-98 Mr. Ron Hunsicker served as Music Minister
1996 Mr. Gerry Mahon became Operations Manager
1996-98 Rev. Gregory White as Associate Pastor
1997 Mrs. Judy Eagen and Mrs. Margaret Trum joined the staff as Religious Education Coordinators
1998 Mrs. Diane Belli joined staff as Youth Ministry Secretary
1998 Mrs. Joan Lucas resumed role as Music Minister
1998 Mrs. Ann Lundgren as Parish Secretary
1998 Rev. Claudio Corti as Weekend Assistant
1999 Rev. Joseph W. Kukura became our Weekend Assistant
1999-2002 Rev. Juan Carlos Ruiz as Associate Pastor
2000-01 Rev. John Andrew Connell as Temporary Administrator
2001 Mrs. Joanne DePasquale-Parent joined staff as Youth Minister
2001 Mr. James Bono as Seminarian Intern
2002 Rev. Mr. Tom Fallone as Transitional Deacon
2002 Rev. Tom Fallone as Parochial Vicar
2003 Rev. Albert J. Nix as Pastor
2004 Anne Lundgren as Pastoral Associate
2004 Portia Favreau as Liturgical Coordinator
2005 Tony Chiocco as Deacon
2005 Mike Malecki as Deacon
2005 Barry O'Brien as Deacon
2005 Jeanne Hoskin as Parish Secretary
2005 Joanne Rossi and Anita Ryan as R. E. Assistants
2005 Charlie Farrie as Sacristan
2006 Phyllis Phillips as Youth Minister
2006 Deacon Jerry Leary
2007 Deacon Glen Murphy
2007 Anne LoPuch as R. E. Assistant
2007 Mike Misakonis as R. E. Assistant
This additional Pastoral Staff shows the response of the Parish Community to meet the varied needs of a growing family of faith.
In 1997 it became apparent that the Parish Center no longer provided the adequate space to meet the needs of our parish staff to minister to the needs of the community nor the proper living space for the two priests at the time.
In the fall of 1997 a private home was purchased on Cherry Tree Lane in Sparta to provide living space for the pastor.
As Blessed Kateri Parish continued to grow in number so have we in our outreach to the larger community. Our Social Concerns funds provide support for projects e.g. Habitat for Humanity, our sister parish St. Agnes Parish in Paterson, St. Bonaventre Indian School in New Mexico, Birth Haven, Manna House, St. John Cathedral in Paterson and various other projects.
Our Parish Social Concerns Committee was formed in 1998 to enable the Blessed Kateri Community to take a more active role in global needs and advocacy. One of the first projects of the committee will be to enable Blessed Kateri Parish to adopt a third world mission in Thailand directed by the PIME Missions.
The parish continues to live out its mission as a community of Baptized Catholics using
their gifts and talents to spread the Good News of Christ. Lay leadership continues to
flourish and make a deep impact locally and outside our immediate area.
