Our Lady of Lourdes is located at 390 County Road 523 in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, where a Catholic community shaped by immigrants has worshiped since 1923. The parish is known for a century of Catholic life, a daily and weekend Mass schedule, a church renewed around the Eucharist, and ministries that bring children, adults, and families together in worship, service, and prayer.
From Immigrant Families to a Parish Petition
At the beginning of the twentieth century, the first immigrant Catholic families in what was then a predominantly Dutch, English, and German community began buying small tracts of land, farming, and raising families in Readington Township. By 1920, a recognizable community of Catholic families had formed. Catholic worship was still limited: people traveled to St. Magdeline's in Flemington or to churches in Raritan Borough. Polish families in the northern part of the township often preferred St. Joseph's Slovak Catholic Church in Raritan because of familiar traditions and language.
In 1922, a committee asked Bishop Thomas Walsh of Trenton to establish a parish for Whitehouse. Seventy to eighty people signed the petition. On December 7, Father Mieczyslaw A. Konopka, a Polish-speaking priest and associate pastor in South Amboy, was sent to investigate. He found about 150 Catholic families: roughly half were Polish, while others included Italian, Irish, and German families. That mixture became the first shape of the parish.
Father Konopka was appointed first pastor in June 1923. His first Mass was offered June 10 in a barn owned by Wladyslaw and Josephine Szablowski on Pulaski Road, and worship continued there through that summer and fall. The parish was incorporated on June 19 as the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, Whitehouse, N.J., with George Salch and Wladyslaw Szablowski as its first lay trustees. Father Konopka initially rented a room in Hyman Danzig's mill house on Mill Road.
The First Church Rose from a Barn on Pulaski Road
After two corner plots were donated and two adjoining plots purchased for $800, ground was broken on August 19, 1923. The church and rectory, property, and insurance cost $45,506.47, paid from the Diocese of Trenton's Conservation of the Faith Fund. On Thanksgiving Day, November 29, the cornerstone was laid and the building blessed by Msgr. John H. Fox, with more than a dozen priests attending.
The first church was a simple country church of painted wood, a wooden communion rail, plain pews, and hard wooden kneelers. It seated about 250 and regularly held two Sunday Masses, the earlier for English speakers and the later for Polish speakers. The red-brick rectory included parish offices, a dining room and kitchen downstairs, and rooms for the pastor and visitors upstairs. Some excavation work was done by volunteers, including the driveway and cellar.
The parish's first sacraments came quickly. Two infants were baptized on July 4, 1923. The first marriage was celebrated on September 16, while the first marriage in the new church took place on May 14, 1925. Forty children received First Communion on June 8, 1924. Father Konopka also organized the Children of Mary Sodality in 1932 and the Polish Rosary Society in 1934.
Anti-Catholic hostility also marked those early years. Cross burnings in a field across from the little church were intended to terrorize the young Catholic community. Father Konopka continued for nearly twelve years before leaving in 1935, having established the parish's worship, sacramental life, and first devotional societies.
Two Languages and a Growing Catholic Community
A parish hall changed the scope of community life in 1929. First called the Auditorium, it cost $2,205.32 and opened with 350 guests. It hosted dances, movies, wedding receptions, meetings, and religious education classes for more than fifty years. When space for a larger church became necessary, the building was razed in 1980, a loss remembered as the sacrifice of a structure built by the first generation of parishioners.
Father Albert A. Tomaszewski, known as Father Tom, succeeded Father Konopka in 1935. His fourteen years included a Holy Name Society, an honor roll for 43 men in the armed forces, and 137 parish sons who served in World War II, five of whom died. He also developed children's religious education, supported by Sisters of Loretto. The Depression and war years left the parish with $51,466.78 in debt; the Diocese forgave more than $36,000 in 1944, leaving about $15,000.
Father Joseph T. Wade arrived in 1949 as the first non-Polish-speaking pastor. He retained Polish confession at Christmas and Holy Week, the Forty Hours Devotion, Easter food blessings, and a Polish-language Holy Week triduum as late as 1974. Sunday Masses expanded from two to four. The Holy Name men built a grotto that Bishop George Ahr dedicated in 1954, and Father Bernard Coen, who followed in 1957, brought the building projects to a close when the remaining $15,000 was paid in 1959.
Father Nicholas C. Murphy followed in 1961. During his six years the rectory and driveway were repaired, a garage addition was built, memorial and building funds were opened, and the parish marked its 40th anniversary in 1963. Religious education continued through the Sisters of Loretto, and about 80 children received First Communion each year by the middle of the 1960s. The improvements to the physical plant were accompanied by a growing parish school and community life centered on the church.
A 700-Seat Church and Lourdes Community House
Father James N. Cammisa took over in 1967 as the parish grew from about 500 families to more than 800. He formed a religious education advisory council, established the Catholic Youth Organization, and introduced folk-style Mass music with a youth choir. He renovated the sanctuary for the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council, including an altar facing the people and a shrine for the reservation of the Eucharist. Parish growth under Father Andrew Cogan led to five Sunday Masses and two Saturday vigil Masses.
Plans for a 700-seat church began in 1979. Ground was broken on February 10, 1980, and the building was ready in February 1981. Bishop John C. Reiss dedicated it on April 5, 1981, with a reception in the former church, now the parish center. The old auditorium had been removed to make room. At the end of that year, the Diocese of Trenton was divided, and Our Lady of Lourdes became part of the newly formed Diocese of Metuchen.
Father Gregory Toft was installed in 1983. A parish census counted 1,000 families; he reduced Sunday Masses from five to four and gave renewed attention to liturgical practices and ministries. In 1984 Father Florian J. Gall began a long pastorate and developed a full parish staff, beginning with Sister Suzanne Faulkner as pastoral assistant. Youth ministry was renewed, adult, youth, and bell choirs grew, and ministries to bereaved people, people who were homeless, people who were poor, and divorced or separated people began. A Pre-Cana program, the Lourdes Players, Eucharistic reservation areas, and devotional shrines for the Sacred Heart, Our Lady of Lourdes, and St. Joseph also took shape. The parish encouraged lay participation and established a finance council.
By 1991 the parish had about 1,500 families and needed education, social, and office space. The $1.8 million Lourdes Community House was blessed by Bishop Edward T. Hughes on April 21, 1991. Membership reached about 1,700 households by 1998. Small Church Communities, a formal welcome process, pre-baptism preparation, a preschool program, family ministry, and adult religious education were developed through the 1990s as the parish tried to preserve a welcoming communal life while growing.
Renewing the Church for Its Diamond Jubilee
For the parish's 75th anniversary, the church interior was restored between October and December 1997. Faulty plasterboard walls were replaced with new barriers and plasterboard, and a brick wall was added behind the sanctuary. Quarry tile covered the floors, while new lighting and audio systems were installed. The narthex was enlarged, a glass atrium was added, and new rooms were created for reconciliation, pastoral work, and video.
The marble font, originally in St. Mary's Cathedral in Trenton, was enlarged to allow baptism by immersion. Flexible seating was arranged around the font and sanctuary, and a Chapel of the Eucharist was constructed. New altar and liturgical furnishings enlarged the shrines to Our Lady of Lourdes and the Sacred Heart. A nineteen-rank pipe organ built by Randall Dyer and Associates completed the renovation.
The seventeen-month Diamond Jubilee observance began in June 1997 and ended at Thanksgiving in 1998. Bishop Vincent de Paul Breen presided at the central Jubilee Mass, followed by Exposition, Evening Prayer, and Benediction. The church was rededicated, the organ was blessed, and the Lourdes Players presented their annual production during the observance. The parish also acquired more than three and a half acres of adjacent property, which included a rectory, a former rectory offered to the sisters as a convent, and space considered for overflow parking.
Mass, Friday Adoration and Reconciliation
Our Lady of Lourdes keeps a steady rhythm of worship. Saturday Vigil Mass is celebrated at 4:30 PM, with Sunday Masses at 8:30 AM and 10:30 AM. Mass is also celebrated Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday at 8:30 AM and Thursday at noon. The parish office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Friday from 9:00 AM to noon.
Mass is understood as the central act of Catholic worship, divided into the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Parish teaching places the Eucharist at the center: the risen Jesus is truly and substantially present in the consecrated bread and wine, a change the parish names transubstantiation. The service moves from Scripture, the psalm, and homily to the Creed, communal prayers, the preparation of the gifts, and reception of the Eucharist.
Friday morning is given to Eucharistic Adoration. The Blessed Sacrament is exposed from 9:00 AM until noon after the 8:30 AM Mass. The church invites people to pray, read the Bible, say a rosary, or sit quietly, and asks parishioners to sign up for one-hour intervals so that someone is always present for prayer and meditation.
Reconciliation is offered from 3:30 PM to 4:00 PM on Saturdays. The parish describes the sacrament as spiritual healing that includes contrition, confession to a priest, absolution, and penance. Its teaching names forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God and the Church, peace of conscience, and spiritual strength among the effects sought through the sacrament.
The parish also teaches that dangerous travel conditions can excuse a person from the Sunday obligation, while affirming that Mass will always be celebrated. For those who cannot attend, it provides the traditional prayer of Spiritual Communion, expressing faith in Christ's presence in the Blessed Sacrament and the wish to be united with him spiritually.
Children Learning the Faith
Weekly religious education is offered from September through April for grades 1 through 8. Families must first become registered parishioners. Grades 1 and 2 are preparation years for First Penance and First Communion, while grades 7 and 8 prepare students for Confirmation. The program combines the children's weekly catechesis with parent participation, retreats, required activities, and preparation sessions led by the parish's catechetical team.
For First Communion, families attend two parent information meetings. Students regularly attend Sunday Mass and Holy Days of Obligation, complete one full year of formal faith formation and make satisfactory progress through a second year, finish the First Penance and First Communion curriculum, and attend the required activities and retreats. The parish places particular emphasis on understanding the Eucharist and the changes it brings to the person receiving it.
Confirmation candidates complete seventh grade, pass the Catholic Basics assessment, finish that grade's requirements, satisfactorily complete the eighth-grade preparatory program, and meet spiritual, service, and project requirements. They also attend the Confirmation retreat. The sacrament is described as renewing baptismal promises and giving the Holy Spirit, through chrism and the laying on of hands, to strengthen commitment to the Church and its mission.
The youth faith formation program depends on volunteers as catechists, aides, and substitutes. Training and support are provided, and families may inquire about a child's placement through Nina Forestiere, the parish catechetical leader. Music ministry also welcomes adults, youth, and children as singers and instrumentalists, while altar servers in grade three and older assist at Mass and sometimes at funerals, baptisms, and weddings.
Baptism, Marriage and the Anointing of the Sick
Family membership and preparation are the starting points for a child's Baptism. A pre-Baptism class is required, and parents must attend a preparation session. Baptisms are generally celebrated on the first and third Sundays of the month except during Lent. The parish teaches that water, oil, light, and the white garment recall cleansing, entry into the life of Christ, victory over death, and the call to share Christ's light with the world.
Matrimony is described as a visible sign of God's love for the Church and a covenantal union that gives spouses the grace for a lifelong bond of unity. The parish office helps schedule wedding celebrations. The latest a wedding may begin is 2:00 PM Monday through Saturday, Sunday celebrations can be arranged with staff, and weddings during Advent and Lent are discouraged.
The Anointing of the Sick is offered for healing and comfort in illness, not only at the time of death. The parish emphasizes that physical healing is not its only meaning: the sacrament also brings the eternal presence of God into human suffering and is ideally celebrated with the wider community and the Church's prayers. The emergency line is 908-391-5292; non-emergency requests are handled by the parish office at 908-534-2319.
Serving Beyond the Church Doors
Shepherd's Meal is one of the clearest expressions of the parish's outward-facing work. The meal is prepared and served in the Community Hall for anyone who wants to come and share it. Volunteers may prepare a salad, meal, or dessert, or join for setup, service, cleanup, and the meal itself. The ministry combines practical preparation with the practice of sitting and sharing food with the people who come.
Shepherd's Meal also makes room for service in many forms. A volunteer can provide a hot dish or dessert, assist with setup, serve, or clean, or simply join the table. That mix of behind-the-scenes work and shared dining captures the ministry's purpose: no one comes only to work; everyone is invited to eat together.
That work has deep roots. During Father Gall's pastorate in the 1980s, the parish began ministries to people who were homeless, people who were poor, bereaved people, and divorced or separated people. Parish life also includes a Men's Prayer Group, Women of Grace, a Youth Ministry Team, a general prayer group, and active Knights of Columbus participation, including rosary and chapter meetings. Deacon Chris Curran leads a Tuesday Bible study after the morning Mass, while Deacon Tony Woods leads a Thursday evening Bible study following Divine Office.
Pastoral and practical support extend through the parish's sacramental ministries, volunteer teams, youth activities, and the Saint Monica Ministry's focus on rosary and prayer. The parish also sustains its work through online giving and its gift shop, which carries books, devotional items, and gifts. These efforts connect the parish's worship life with service carried out in the community hall and beyond.
Music and the Work of the Liturgy
Music is a major part of parish worship. The church's nineteen-rank pipe organ anchors a music ministry made up of singers, cantors, handbell players, band members, and orchestral instrumentalists. James Cole serves as liturgical music director and leads the parish's volunteer musicians. Choirs for adults and youth, along with a bell choir, have been part of parish life for decades, and the ministry explicitly welcomes adults, youth, and children.
The ministry has also adapted worship through recorded ensemble work. A virtual choir collection and concert performances are available through the parish's YouTube channel. The repertoire includes “Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!,” “Look to the Day,” “Joy to the World,” “Christ Is Alive!” and “I Will Sing With the Spirit.”
Beyond music, the liturgical volunteer ranks include altar servers, lectors who proclaim the Word, and Eucharistic ministers trained to assist with the Body and Blood of Christ. These roles allow adults, youth, and children to take a more active part in the parish's worship.
A Prayer Garden for Quiet Reflection
One of the most personal places on the parish grounds is the Fr. Gall Prayer Garden, a 40-by-40-foot space created in honor of Father Florian Gall's love of nature and gardening. Four planting beds represent the four Gospels, a calla lily recalls the emblem used during his pastorate, and five benches offer places for prayer and quiet reflection. Memorial stones honor former pastors, the founding trustees, and loved ones remembered by parishioners.
The grounds also hold a Marian grotto whose foundation was laid in 1953 and which Bishop Ahr dedicated in 1954. Inside the church, devotional areas honor Our Lady of Lourdes, the Sacred Heart, and St. Joseph, and the restored sanctuary includes places for Eucharistic reservation. Together, the garden, grotto, shrines, and adoration hours give the parish several ways to pray.
The People Serving Our Lady of Lourdes
Pastor Rev. Jason Pavich, known as Father Jay, grew up in South Amboy and studied biology and education at Richard Stockton College before entering Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall. Ordained in 2012, he has served at St. Bernard of Clairvaux, in diocesan vocations work, and as chaplain and administrator at St. Peter University and Community Parish. He says his hope for Our Lady of Lourdes is that parishioners will serve one another and deepen the hope found in Jesus.
Rev. Maurice T. Carlton provides pastoral support. Deacons Chris Curran, Sylvan Webb, and Tony Woods assist the parish's worship and ministry, and Charles Paolino serves as deacon emeritus. Nina Forestiere leads religious education, and James Cole directs liturgical music. The parish office remains the central point for sacramental records, worship information, and pastoral coordination, with its main line at 908-534-2319. At 390 County Road 523, Our Lady of Lourdes continues a Catholic tradition that reaches from an immigrant parish of roughly 150 families to a church serving generations of Whitehouse Station.