Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-10-12
FIRST ALTAR WAS
DOOR ON BARRELS
From Crude Beginning East Or
ange Catholics Have Made
Wonderful Progress.
TWO CHURCHES RESULT
OF THIRTY YEARS LABOR
Early Financial Problems and
Prejudice Long Since Have
Been Overcome.
BY cHURcHMAN

The Catholics of East Orange to-
day have a just reason to feel proud
They ran look back for thirty years
and. in retrospective contemplation
behold the wonderful progress they
have made and the powerful infu-
ence their religion enjoysein that Sc
Iect community.
In the spring of 1882 the .Rey. Mau-
rice P. O'Connor, at present the rector
of the Holy Cross Church IN Harm
sion, celebrated the first public mass
ever said in East Orange. On ac-
count of lack of better facilities he
was compelled to say that mass on
an old door supported by W. barrels.
which served as a temporary altar.
This was lone in National Hall, then
located at Main and Grove streets.
The service was attended by a mere
handful of Catholics who prior to
this time had been compelled to jour
ney to st. Johns in Orange or to ST.
Joseph's in Newark. =
Catholic services were thereafter
held weekly for some time in this old
hail or until the completion of the
frame church which Father O'Gonnor
caused to be built on what WAS then
known as Mulberry street, now North
Clinton street. This structure is now
standing in the real of the present
beautiful edihce and used as a par
3sh hall.
Growth Was Slow at, First.
Father O'Connor was c~onnecfed
with thesnew parish only q few years
after Rtilding the first edifice. He
was succeeded by Fathers Pierce Nc
1Carthy and Michael j.. Kerwin. Dur
ing the administrations of those
three prieAts, all of whom labored
~xealously, the parish had a very slow
growth. of course, the natural growth
of new parishes is always very slow,
but there we're other obstacles-ob-
stacles that arose from prejudiced
surroH ndings.
When Father O'Cbnnorssald hrs first
mass A 1882 there were not a dozen
Cathola, families, numbering less
than 100 other COMMITMENTS, of that
faith In! East Orange, which was then
quite a lown. having a population of
1900 pea,ple. The majority of these
Catholics. were engaged in mechani-
ral. labor and domestic employ1nents.
Under his administration and at the
time he ldft East Orange the number
of CatholA IS increased SO per cent.
and under the administrations of
Frathers Ma ,Carthy and Kerwin, with
conditions .more favorable, a similar
increase in numbers was gained.
In September, 1894, Rev. John p.
Callaghau w as assigned to the parish
as admin ~sstt'ator, owing to the very
serious il.mess of Father Kerwin.
Father Keywin died six months later
from paral. ysis' and Father Callaghan
was then a ppl7inted rector.
On assumi ne charge of the parish
Father Callagihan found he had a
rarish of not over thirty-flve fami-
lies and $50 other communicates.
However. he yea lousy commenced his
activities. and 1T is from this time
on that the won derful growth of the
parish Of our Il ady Help of Chris
tians, East Drama g, began to develop.
Parish Ert remedy Poor.
The parish was in an extremely
door financial coEldition. In speak
ing of this to the writer recently he
often was digcoup ged, not knowing
where to raise su Aic.ent funds with
which TO pay current expenses" Con-
- a. ~, ..na sigI MN n fu-N
story building, which was then used
as A hall, as well as an educational
inetitution. but inadequ ate for the re-
ouirements of either purpose. The
number Of scholars was not over
eighteen and they we've looked after
fsv a lay teacher.
Father calla CHAN gradually over
came what seemed almost insur-
~naountable obs acles and in the early
parr of 1895 he had the property run
ming on a gratifying business basis,
and so much so that the commenced
negotiations for the building Of the
nresent magnificent edehce. of which
ali East Orange is proud.
While struggling with his early
a~nancia problems Father Callaghan
devoted considerable time toward
building up the parochial school. This
was in 1895, when he succeeded in lay
4ng the cornerstone of thel new editce
and remodeling the old school. Since
mat time wonderful PROGRESS has
been made until today, when the
nsrish has one OF the most magnih-
cent editices in the State. if not in
snv state; owns a handsome large
brick rectory, two convent houses, a
anarish hall and n of the most up
Violate schools in the county.
The present communicate member
shin. Including children. Is nearly
4 200. which requires h services OF
shree assistant priests. The school
children number close to eoo poys ana
girls. who are under the directAon OF
nine sisters of Charity.
The parish also maintains an