Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen

On November 19, 2021, the Diocese of Metuchen began its year-long celebration of 40 years of building the Kingdom of God. It was four decades ago that then-Pope, now St. John Paul II, decided to create the Diocese of Metuchen. It was when the Diocese of Trenton completed its centennial celebration in 1981, that the pope carved out four counties - Middlesex, Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren - to create the Church's newest diocese. The faithful in the Church of Metuchen embarked on a faith-filled journey. They have gathered in good times and bad, in their Mother Church, the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi in Metuchen for Mass, liturgical services, and even private prayer. The year 1983 saw the development of the Diocesan Mission Statement. To serve the spiritual needs of the people in the new diocese, the campaign "Forward in Faith," was established. Today it is known as the Bishop's Annual Appeal.

During its first decade, the faith of the people of the Church of Metuchen grew as new parishes were created in Perth Amboy, Califon, Skillman, Old Bridge and Three Bridges, and 11 new church buildings were erected. To welcome new members into the Catholic faith and meet the needs of new immigrants to the United States, the Office of Evangelization was established. As the faithful in the diocese continued to build the Kingdom of God, the First Eucharistic Procession was held, as well as the first Respect Life Mass to honor pro-life advocates. At the end of the decade, the Life Chain was established to protest abortion. All three continue today.

At the beginning of its second decade, the Diocese of Metuchen celebrated its 10th Anniversary by awarding its first Regina Nostra medals to outstanding lay leaders. Since then, several hundred men and women have received this honor on significant diocesan anniversaries.

On Feb. 29, 1996, the first issue of "The Catholic Spirit," the diocese's official newspaper was published. Over the past 25 years, the paper has served as a valuable resource in helping the faithful build the Kingdom of God. It raises the consciousness of its readers about the important issues facing the Church and the diocese. Through stories about how individuals witness their faith and inspirational columns, it helps its readers on their personal journey of faith.

To increase the visibility and accessibility of the diocese, in February 1998, a diocesan website was launched. It was a tool which enabled the diocese to continue building the Kingdom of God by reaching out to countless Catholics to inform them of the services and ministries available. In the ensuing years, the website was updated and expanded and today is a valuable resource for catechesis, community, and communication.

To position the diocese and its many outreaches for the 21st century, in September 1999, the diocese launched a diocesan capital campaign, "In Service to the Kingdom."

In September 2001, a groundbreaking took place for the diocese's first Catholic school building in Hunterdon County. That year, Immaculate Conception School in Annandale, opened for students in pre-K through fourth grade. The following school year, with the completion of its new school building, the school expanded enrollment through eighth grade. It was a sign that the people of the diocese were continuing to build God's Kingdom as the students at Immaculate Conception were taught to become disciples of Christ.

During its first two decades, some of the Diocese of Metuchen's administrative offices were housed in a building in Iselin and many were scattered throughout the diocese. At the end of November 2001, however, that situation changed completely with the dedication of the diocese's St. John Neumann Pastoral Center in Piscataway.

The center was created through a two year renovation of the diocese's St. Pius X High School which had previously closed and was only used periodically for workshops and programs. With its opening, the center provided ample room for offices and ministries and had a chapel plus a large conference room. It was the perfect place for the diocese to continue and expand building the Kingdom of God.

Beginning in January 2002, a major challenge faced the diocese with news of clergy sexual abuse. Immediately addressing the crisis, the diocese reviewed all clergy files, and in 2003, the bishop established the Office of Child and Youth Protection, and the Protecting God's Children program was implemented.

The diocese's Annual Blue Mass, which is still held, was re-established in 2003. Two years later the Diocesan Youth Day was established, a full-time vocations director appointed, and the House of Discernment for men considering the priesthood opened. At the end of 2005, the diocese began the celebration of its 25th Anniversary. During 2006, the diocese's first Synod was launched, papal and diocesan honors bestowed and pilgrimages held.

To help increase vocations, in 2008 more than 2,000 faith-filled pilgrims traveled to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. Then in January 2010, the building of the Kingdom of God in the diocese took a huge step forward as a new Catholic Center at Rutgers opened and became the spiritual home for more than 13,000 Catholic students.

• Formation of the Diocese - Nov. 19, 1981
• Counties - Middlesex, Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren
• Population - Estimated Number of Catholics - 620,438
• Households - 134,349
• Overall Population - 1,410,087
• Parishes - 90 (there are 15 Eastern Church parishes under the jurisdiction of their own bishops)
• Schools - 27 (23 Elementary; 4 High Schools)
• Catholic School Enrollment - 6,962 (2020)
• Religious Education Enrollment - 18,725 (2020)

• Priests - 221 (169 Diocesan; 16 Extern; 36 Religious)
• Seminarians - 22
• Permanent Deacons - 159
• Women Religious - 208
• Men Religious - 8

• Baptisms - 2,288
• First Communions - 3,440
• Confirmations - 3,856
• Marriages - 441
• RCIA Candidates - 260

• Hospitals - 1 - Saint Peter's University Hospital,[2] New Brunswick, A member of the Saint Peter's Healthcare System
• Health Care Clinics - 4
• Day Care and Extended Care - 1
• Homes for the Aged, Chronically Ill and Handicapped - 5
• Half-way Homes - 5
• Social Service Centers - 9

The blazon of the coat of arms, shown in the right sidebar at the top of this article, is Quarterly, Or and Argent, in dexter chief a tongue of fire Gules; in sinister base the letter "M" Azure, crowned Argent; overall a cross Moline Azure. The cross is taken from the coat arms of the See of Trenton from which the diocese was formed. The tongue of fire refers both to "metachen," Lenni Lenape for firewood, and the descent of the Holy Spirit. The crowned "M" refers to the queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the principal patroness of the diocese,[3] and also appears on the arms of Theodore McCarrick, the first bishop of the diocese, and Pope John Paul II, the pope who erected it. Its four quarters represent the four counties spanned by the diocese.

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