A Catholic Anchor on Chamberlain Avenue
St. Margaret of Cortona Parish stands on Chamberlain Avenue in Little Ferry, New Jersey, a small borough in Bergen County that sits near the Hackensack River and within a short drive of New York City. The parish has marked its presence in this riverside community since August 24, 1912, when a group of laypeople built the first church on donated land along Washington Avenue. Today the parish serves both Little Ferry and the neighboring community of Moonachie, and it counts itself as a member of the Archdiocese of Newark.
The parish takes its name from a 13th century Italian penitent, Margaret of Cortona, who was canonized in 1728. After the church spent nearly three decades as a mission of St. Mary's in Hackensack, the Archdiocese of Newark formally established it as its own parish in 1940. The current pastor, Reverend Kevin E. Carter, has led the parish since 2013. He arrived only months after Superstorm Sandy devastated the area, and the church he inherited had to be rebuilt from the inside out.
Mass Schedule and Reconciliation
Weekend Masses are celebrated on Saturday evening at 5:30 PM and on Sunday morning at 9:00 AM and 11:30 AM. Weekday Mass is offered Monday through Friday at 12:00 PM. A First Saturday Mass is also celebrated each month at 12:05 PM. On Holy Days (other than Christmas and Easter), Mass is offered at 8:00 AM, 12:05 PM, and 7:00 PM.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is celebrated every Saturday from 1:00 to 2:00 PM in the church. Additional times are scheduled during Advent and Lent. Parishioners are encouraged to download a guide on how to go to confession from the parish resources.
Visitors are warmly welcomed. The Parish Center is open Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 4 PM (closed on Fridays). Anyone new to the area can stop by to register or download a registration form.
The Building and Its Treasures
By 1959, the original church had been joined by a second church on the same property, with a new rectory and convent completed in 1962. The old church was converted into a meeting hall and named Marnell Hall after the founding pastor, Reverend Robert F. Marnell. A parish school that had been dedicated in 1957 for kindergarten through eighth grade was permanently closed after a 1986 arson fire.
The defining event in the parish's modern history came on October 29, 2012, when Superstorm Sandy pushed floodwaters up to around eight feet through Little Ferry. St. Margaret's was among the buildings badly damaged, and Mass was relocated to Marnell Hall during the long repair process. After months of work, the church was rededicated and reopened on August 4, 2013, a day Father Kevin has called one of the greatest of his priesthood.
Inside the church, the stained glass windows carry traditional Catholic symbolism. A window of St. Margaret of Cortona is set in the choir loft. Above the altar, the symbols of the four evangelists are represented: the winged ox of St. Luke, the eagle of St. John, the winged man of St. Matthew, and the winged lion of St. Mark. Each color in the glass carries meaning, with red for courage and sacrifice, blue for heaven and contemplation, green for new beginnings, gold for divinity, white for purity, and violet for royalty and justice.
Statues line the interior and reflect the parish's devotional life. In front of the cry room stands St. Margaret of Cortona, with Padre Pio and Our Lady of the Martyrs nearby. Near the organ and candles are St. Michael the Archangel, St. Theresa of Lisieux, St. Gerard Majella, St. Anthony of Padua, the Infant of Prague, St. Lucy, St. Jude Thaddaeus, St. Patrick, and St. John Vianney, along with Our Lady of Guadalupe. To the right of the sanctuary is a Holy Family statue of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. In the rear of the church on the tabernacle side stands a Pieta and a statue of St. Lorenzo Ruiz.
The chapel is open Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 4 PM and on Saturdays at 9 AM. The main church is open all day on Saturdays and through Sunday mornings until the last Mass has ended.
Sacraments of Initiation, Marriage, and Final Farewell
Baptisms at St. Margaret's are celebrated during Sunday Mass when the gathered faith community can welcome the newest member. Baptisms are not celebrated during Lent. First-time parents are asked to attend a preparation program at least two weeks before the ceremony. Father Kevin serves as the coordinator. Godparents should be practicing Roman Catholics who are fully initiated into the faith.
The parish prepares engaged couples for Christian marriage through a wedding booklet and a Wedding Liturgy Form and Music List. Couples meet with the pastor and are guided through the planning process.
For families who have lost a loved one, the parish provides a Funeral Liturgy Preparation page that walks through the Order of Christian Funerals. A Funeral Liturgy Planning Form, a list of approved Scripture readings from the Old and New Testaments, and a long list of suggested hymns (from Abide with Me to On Eagle's Wings to You Are Mine) help families design a fitting farewell. The Archdiocese of Newark's video Many Travelers, One Journey is also available as a resource.
Music Ministry: The Cortona Choir and Cantors
Music is treated as an essential part of worship at St. Margaret's, and the parish embraces the beauty of song through the talents of approximately 20 volunteer musicians. The Director of Music, Eileen M. Ballone, oversees the program, which offers classical sacred standards alongside contemporary, Gregorian, Taize, and spirituals.
The Cortona Choir sings for liturgies on the first, third, and fifth Sundays of each month, plus Confirmation, Palm Sunday, the Paschal Triduum, and the Solemn Masses of Christmas and Easter. Rehearsals are held on Thursday evenings at 7:30 PM from September through June, with additional rehearsals scheduled as needed. Both men and women are welcome, the ability to read music is not required, and new members are paired with experienced singers in their section. The choir presents the parish's annual Festival of Lessons and Carols at Christmastime, a prayerful program of Advent and Christmas music that draws many from the wider parish.
Cantors are recruited separately to lead the assembly in song. Anyone interested in serving as a cantor can reach Eileen Ballone at 201-843-1097 or speak to her after Sunday liturgy. The patron saint of musicians, St. Cecilia, is honored on November 22.
Religious Education and Adult Faith Formation
The parish's religious education program provides total catechesis with attention to systematic learning and formation, beginning in first grade and continuing through eighth grade with age-appropriate curriculum. Classes are held on Tuesdays during the school year. Sacramental preparation and family- and parish-community involvement are woven into the program.
The Adult Faith Formation Board, established in 2002, extends this catechetical mission to adults, providing experiences throughout the year that help adults grow in the life of Christ, support active membership in the parish community, and prepare parishioners to act as disciples in mission to the world.
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) is the Catholic Church's process for adults who wish to enter into full communion, receive the sacraments of initiation, or complete their initiation. Sessions are held throughout the year on a bi-weekly basis and welcome baptized Catholics who want to complete the sacraments of initiation, baptized Christians from another tradition who wish to come into full communion with the Catholic Church, and unbaptized persons who seek to convert. Interested adults are invited to contact Father Kevin for more information.
Liturgical Ministries: Servers, Readers, and Extraordinary Ministers
The parish regularly welcomes new liturgical ministers. Altar Servers must be at least halfway through third grade, while Adult Altar Servers (age 18 and older) are needed in particular to help with funerals. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion must be 18 and fully initiated in the Church. Readers must be confirmed and comfortable speaking in public. Anyone wishing to share their time and talent can download a sign-up sheet from the parish.
Devotions and a Nine-Day Novena to St. Margaret
St. Margaret of Cortona has a deep devotional life rooted in the Church's traditional prayers. The Novena to St. Margaret is prayed over nine days, asking the saint's intercession on themes drawn from her life: repentance, detachment from material things, perseverance through criticism, humility, and love of the Eucharist. Each day includes an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be, repeated three times.
The parish also offers the Angelus at 6 AM, noon, and 6 PM (replaced during the Easter season by the Regina Coeli), the Rosary with the four sets of mysteries (Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous), the Chaplet of St. Michael, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and Stations of the Cross. Eucharistic Adoration is available in the chapel, and the Liturgy of the Hours can be followed online through Universalis.
The First Friday Devotion is observed in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, with the promise of final perseverance for those who receive Holy Communion on nine consecutive first Fridays. A First Saturday Devotion is also noted among the parish's spiritual resources.
Bereavement Ministry
The Bereavement Ministry provides hope for those grieving the loss of a loved one, offering a safe place to express feelings and thoughts without fear of judgment. The group meets for eight-week sessions on the second Monday of each month throughout the year, gathering after the Monday evening Mass from 7:30 to 9:00 PM. Interested parishioners can contact Mary Tarabocchia at 201-724-5492 or Anna Mattessich at 201-641-0105.
Parish Social Life and Community Outreach
The Parish Social Life Committee organizes family- and friend-focused events to raise funds for the parish, and it welcomes new volunteers for ticket sales, setup, publicity at local businesses, and more. Past events have included a St. Patrick's Dinner and Fundraiser, an Oktoberfest, a Murder Mystery Dinner, a Seder Meal, an Annual Family Picnic, and a Breakfast in Bethlehem. The annual Festival of Lessons and Carols at Christmastime remains a treasured tradition, as does the Dinner Dance held at the Empire Club.
Catholic Charities has placed a clothing donation bin at the parish, providing a way for parishioners and neighbors to support those in need.
Parishioners are also invited to remember St. Margaret's in their estate plans, whether through a specific dollar amount, a percentage of an estate, a particular asset, or by naming the parish as a beneficiary of a retirement plan or life insurance policy. Inquiries can be directed to Father Kevin at 201-641-2988.
Giving and Stewardship
The parish offers online giving through ParishSoft, with instructions available for creating an account. Text-to-give is also available by sending a donation amount to (201) 689-5641. The parish participates in the annual Archdiocese of Newark Appeal and publishes financial disclosures including the Parish Revenue and Expense History from 1993 to 2025, the Living Stones Campaign details, and a breakdown of Hurricane Sandy repair costs.
A Prayer-Filled Parish in Two Towns
St. Margaret of Cortona lives at the intersection of two small Bergen County communities, drawing Catholics from Little Ferry and Moonachie into a parish that has weathered flood, fire, and the steady rhythm of changing generations. With daily Mass, a robust choir, religious education for children and adults, the OCIA process for newcomers, traditional devotions, and a bereavement ministry that accompanies the grieving, the parish offers a full Catholic life to anyone who walks through its doors on Chamberlain Avenue.