The history of St. Stephen’s Parish is a story of continuous changes and growth. In this parish of St. Stephen, we find a vibrant community whose parishioners are actively involved in administering and serving their parish through the parish council, religious societies and liturgical ministries. We see a continuous growth of young people developing their spiritual lives in the parish school and religious education programs. And we look with pride at our beautiful gothic church, our school, convent and rectory.

Our beginning, however, shows quite a different picture. Until 1871, the few Catholics living in West Hudson had to travel to Newark to hear Mass. In that year, Holy Cross Parish in Harrison was established to serve the needs of these people. The area was developing so that by 1888 the number of Catholic adults living in the Arlington section of Kearny (now St. Stephen’s) had grown to fifty. Because of this concentration of Catholics, permission was granted to the priest-director of Boystown to open the chapel to the residents in the area for Sunday Mass.

The number of Catholics continued to expand and so in 1893, St. Cecilia’s Parish in Kearny was established. The new pastor, Rev. Thomas Kernan, lived at Boystown for a while and then bought a tract of land between Kearny Avenue and Chestnut Street. In a matter of months the full plant was in operation – school, convent, church and rectory.

By 1899, the number of Catholics in the Arlington section had grown to double the original number. St. Cecilia’s second pastor, Rev. James F. Mooney, realizing the need of a mission chapel for these people, purchased a Methodist Church on Chestnut Street. Mass was celebrated on Sundays and Holy Days and religious instruction was given to the children on Sunday afternoons.

St. Cecilia’s continued to grow. In 1903, its pastor, Rev. Thomas A. Conroy, recommended that the Arlington mission be made a parish. And so on January 4, 1904, the Mission of St. Stephen’s officially became a parish with its boundaries reaching from Quincy Avenue, Kearny to the town of Lyndhurst.

Rev. Samuel B. Hedges became the first resident pastor of St. Stephen’s. Father Hedges had been an Episcopalian minister before converting to Catholicism. He was ordained to the Roman Catholic priesthood in 1880 and had served in a number of parishes before coming to Arlington.

His past experiences would serve him well in surmounting the problems facing his new parish: no rectory, no school, a parish debt and a congregation that numbered only 150 adults.

After renting a house a mile from the church for several months, Father Hedges bought a permanent rectory on the corner of Midland Avenue and Chestnut Street in April of 1904. A month later he purchased an additional house to be converted into a school and convent. The school opened in September of that same year with an enrollment of 65 pupils and a teaching staff of four nuns from the Sisters of Charity, Convent station. At first the sisters lived in the school, but later moved to Beech Street so that the entire original building could be used for school purposes.

St. Stephen’s continued to increase its members. In 1907, 250 adults attended Mass and by 1912, there were 450 adults in the parish. The year 1912 brought other changes. Father Hedges was transferred to St. Bridget’s in Newark in January and Rev. John A. Westman was assigned to St. Stephen’s as its second pastor.

Father Westman was faced with two immediate problems: a huge parish debt and the need to expand the parish facilities. With the cooperation of the parishioners, the debt was paid off in four years and a decision to build a combination church and school building was made. Several different sites including the tract of land on which the post office now stands were investigated, but considering the parish’s meager resources, the pastor and trustees decided to build on the land already owned by the parish. Contracts were awarded, the old church, school and rectory were demolished and construction began on June 21, 1915. The new structure was completed and dedicated on the 30th of January, 1916. The school population at the time was just under 300 children.

In addition to the parish facilities in Arlington, St. Stephen’s was also responsible for a mission in Kingsland (now Lyndhurst). In 1909, this mission was made into a separate parish – Sacred Heart Parish.

The Catholic population in the area continued to increase. Therefore, a new mission was established in North Arlington under the name of Our Lady Queen of Peace. Mass was celebrated there every Sunday, first in the auditorium of the public school and later in a basement church which Father Westman had built. St. Stephen’s continued to service this mission until June 1922 when Queen of Peace was formed into a separate parish. The permanent boundary lines of St. Stephen’s were finally established.

Father Westman finished the parish expansion project in 1923 when he purchased a new and larger rectory on Beech Street. The old rectory was enlarged and remodeled as a convent for the Sisters. In 1925, Father Westman resigned his pastorate and was later assigned as the chaplain of Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck. He died in April of 1936.

Rev. William Donnelly was named administrator in June 1925 and served St. Stephen’s until a new pastor was named the following year.

Rev. George N. Murphy was appointed pastor of St. Stephen’s on the 6th of June, 1926. He would serve the parish for twenty-two years. Soon after arriving, Father Murphy conducted a parish census. He found he had 800 families living in his parish. In the parish review, it shows that the population growth in Kearny during the late 20’s and early 30’s was reflected in increased in Mass attendance and the rise in the school population. The enrollment increased by several hundred students in a period of six years. Once again the parish had outgrown its facilities and plans were proposed for a new church. Because it was impossible to buy any more property next to the buildings on Midland Avenue, 23 lots were purchased on Kearny Avenue between Washington and Laurel Avenues in 1933. In spite of the economic depression, the new church was begun in 1935. Two houses on Washington Avenue were remodeled to serve as the rectory and clubhouse. The cornerstone was laid on June 7, 1937 and the completed church was dedicated on September 17, 1939. The combination building on Midland Avenue was later given for the exclusive use of the school.

In November 1948, Father Murphy was made a domestic prelate, a papal honor given to priests for special accomplishments. Unfortunately, Father died that same month before being officially invested.

Rev. Joseph Carroll had a brief pastorate at St. Stephen’s. He was almost 70 years old when appointed. During his brief stay in the parish, he began negotiations for the purchase of the property adjacent to the school so that an addition to the school and a new convent could be built. However, on the 7th of September, 1952, Father Carroll died while on vacation in Milan, Italy without completing the negotiations.

In January of 1953, Rev. Adrian A. Maine was named pastor of St. Stephen’s. Father Maine completed the negotiations to acquire the property on Midland Avenue. The first of a number of parish drives was conducted to defray the cost of these new facilities. The school addition consisted of 9 classrooms, administration facilities and a cafeteria. The new convent was a three story brick structure with accommodations for 21 Sisters. Both buildings were completed for the golden jubilee year of the parish in 1954.

Another drive was conducted 5 years later for the renovation of the original section of the school and the completion of the new church. The economic depression had prevented Father Murphy from completing his original plans. A marble reredos had been planned for the sanctuary of the church. The imported screen of marble supporting 25 statues was erected as a lasting memorial to Monsignor Murphy. The funds from this drive also made the installation of a new organ possible.

Father Maine’s pastorate continued to bring change to St. Stephen’s. Among others, he was instrument for the installation of a temporary wooden altar to enable the celebrant to face the congregation while he said mass in the vernacular. With the approval of Monsignor Maine, lay lectors were introduced in the liturgy and the first parish council was established. In 1972, Monsignor retired to Spring Lake after he left St. Stephen and died many years later in a traffic accident.

Rev. Mark J. Dooley was appointed as Monsignor Maine’s replacement in January, 1973. Father’s immediate concern was the need to enlarge and remodel the parish rectory. Two rooms were added and the kitchen and office area enlarged and modernized.

Father Dooley also saw the necessity of making the temporary modifications in the sanctuary permanent. Therefore, in 1977 a new marble altar was installed to replace the wooden table. The bronze canopy and original marble altar were removed and the tabernacle for the Blessed Sacrament was moved to the Altar of St. Joseph thereby forming a chapel-like atmosphere suitable for private prayer. The new altar was consecrated in 1978.

Father Dooley has continued to expand the role of the laity in liturgical celebrations by introducing leaders of song and most recently commissioning Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist.

Throughout the years, St. Stephen’s has had many devoted a priests (pastors and associate pastors) who served the parish with great dedication and commitment. One of the most well known was Father John P. Washington, the recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross. Father Washington was one of 4 military chaplains on the torpedoed SS Dorchester who sacrificed their lives by giving away their life preservers. The Rose Window above the main entrance of the church serves as a memorial to Father Washington. At present, the parish is being served by four priests: Fr. Richard Cabezas, the pastor, Fr. Joseph Mancini, and Fr. Paciano Alexander Barbieto, as Parochial Vicars, Fr. Louis Pereira, Priest-in-Residence, and two deacons, Earl W. White and Herbert R. Gimbel.

From its very beginning, St. Stephen’s Parish has had a close relationship with the Sisters of Charity of Convent Station. Joining St. Stephen’s in September of 1904 when the doors of the school opened, these Sisters have continually served our parish by educating one generation of children after another. Their dedication has been typified by the life of Sister Rose Mary who gave more than half a century of service to our parish.

More than three quarters of a century has passed since Fr. Hedges first established the parish of St. Stephen’s. As we look back over the past 75 years or so, we see that our history has been a reflection of the world around us – a story of change. However, through all the changes our parish has experienced; in boundaries, buildings, liturgy and people, St. Stephen’s has remained a community of believers. She has and will continually be a witness, reminding the faithful that they are united in a commitment to living their faith in Christ.