Before Fort Lee was established as a borough in 1904, Madonna’s Chapel on the Hill was already providing services to parishioners. Now the oldest Catholic church in Bergen County celebrates 150 years Oct. 26 with a special mass at its sister location, the Church of the Madonna, and a gala event at the Fort Lee Community Center.
Bishop Thomas Donato will preside over mass at 2 p.m. and the theme will be of thanksgiving, said Reverend Stephen Carey, pastor for the Madonna parish.
will preside over mass
According to Carey, the Chapel on the Hill located on Hoefleys Lane didn’t have sufficient funds for completion in the 1820s. When money ran out, James Henry Anderson, for which Anderson Avenue was named, helped raise funds. The first permanent resident priest was established in 1958.
"It’s a significant milestone and the chapel is on the national historic registry as a landmark," Carey said.
The parish built the Church of the Madonna on Main Street to accommodate its growing population. Since then, its played an integral part in the lives of residents through baptisms, first communions, confirmations, graduations, weddings and funerals.
The gala event, which is organized by Carey and Barbara Pastore, includes a gala reception with a buffet at the Fort Lee Community Center 3:30 p.m. So far, 200 people have purchased tickets, but Carey is hoping at least 400 will show.
"We’re grateful to the mayor [Mark Sokolich] and council to allow us to use the community center," Carey said. "We would have been limited if we had held it at a banquet hall."
The mayor and council will present a citation to the parish.
When asked how the church is coping when some parishes struggle with low attendance, Carey said, "Every parish is unique. And we’re growing everyday," Carey said. "Our Korean liturgy is a good example."
The Madonna Church is situated on the same property as the Christ the Teacher catholic school and co-sponsors the school with Holy Trinity parish in Edgewater as a means of maintaining catholic education in the county.
"Beside focus on the Catholic faith, we work to develop a certain moral responsibility through Christian identification," Carey said. "While this is a parish celebration, it’s also for the community because we’ve been a part of Fort Lee for so very long."
