{"id":16,"date":"2023-06-29T19:38:13","date_gmt":"2023-06-29T19:38:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/st-johns\/?page_id=16"},"modified":"2023-07-10T16:23:28","modified_gmt":"2023-07-10T16:23:28","slug":"father-moran-and-the-distinctive-architectural-and-pastoral-heritage-of-st-johns-church","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/st-johns\/home\/father-moran-and-the-distinctive-architectural-and-pastoral-heritage-of-st-johns-church\/","title":{"rendered":"Father Moran and The Distinctive Architectural and Pastoral Heritage of St. John\u2019s Church"},"content":{"rendered":"

From its very beginning, St. John\u2019s has been exceptional. Soon after the church was built, new parishes in the immediate neighborhood were established \u2013 St. Mary\u2019s (Newark Abbey), St. Patrick\u2019s, later the Pro-Cathedral, St. Michael\u2019s, and eventually St. Lucy\u2019s and Sacred Heart Cathedral. These developments prevented St. John\u2019s from growing into one of the giant parishes that characterized early 20th century Newark. However, its modest size encouraged some very imaginative pastoral strategies over the centuries.<\/p>\n

After the short pastorates of Fathers Pardow, Herard, and Rafferty, the lengthy and almost legendary pastorate of Father Patrick Moran (1833-1866) began.<\/p>\n

Patrick Moran was born in Loughrea, Ireland, in 1798, educated at Mount St. Mary\u2019s Seminary in Maryland, and ordained November 9, 1832. Less than a year later, on November 3, 1833, John Dubois, the bishop of New York, appointed him rector of St. John\u2019s. On that day, Moran began a pastorate that would last more than three decades, ending with his death in 1866. Joseph Flynn, in his 1904 work, The Catholic Church in New Jersey, describes him as \u201cpossessed of good judgment, a refined and correct taste, and an educated mind.\u201d He arrived in time to celebrate Mass for the first St. Patrick\u2019s Day Celebration in Newark on March 17, 1834. On that day, seventy-six members of the Hibernian Provident Society attended Mass in St. John\u2019s and paraded through the neighborhood. Afterward, they enjoyed a banquet at O\u2019Donnell\u2019s South Ward Hotel.<\/p>\n

The parish adjusted to the rapidly changing city. The dynamic Father Moran several times expanded the church, designing its present fa\u00e7ade himself. He established many parish societies, a parish school, a night school, and a commercial school to train young men in skills that enabled them to obtain gainful employment.<\/p>\n

Moran managed the financial affairs of the small parish with great skill and, in 1835, established \u201cSt. John\u2019s Circulating Library,\u201d the first lending library in the city of Newark. His library grew quickly and, despite anti-Catholic, especially anti-Irish bigotry, he loaned books to Protestants and thereby broke down some of the barriers of prejudice. By 1858, his library had increased to over 1,300 volumes.<\/p>\n

Father Moran was a man of many talents, among them he was a skilled architect, although not professionally trained. There is some contradiction and confusion about the original construction of the church and later changes. Paul V. Flynn, in his History of St. John\u2019s Church \u2013 1908<\/em>, 16-17 writes:<\/p>\n

That the first substantial stone church erected by the Catholics in New Jersey should possess features of artistic construction comparable with the best tradition of Christian architecture, is due to the fact that the early contractors were careful to plan walls of sufficient strength to conform with later improvements, which were inaugurated by the Rev. Patrick Moran. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Flynn indicated that the original church was decorated simply, and a fa\u00e7ade added by Moran. However, the church was enlarged several times. More than likely some portions of the walls and foundation were included in the new construction.<\/p>\n

In 1838, Moran expanded the church from the rear of the building, adding space for a sacristy. The parish was growing and, in 1842, the parish purchased property for St. John\u2019s Parish School. Moran secured a two-story frame building at 168 Plane Street, near Market Street. There, in addition to his Sunday School, he opened a parochial school and arranged for free education during the evening hours for those children who could not attend day school because they worked during the day. The school was supported by weekly donations of two cents ($.02) for every adult person in the parish. The men who made the rounds collecting the fee were known as \u201cFather Moran\u2019s Beggarmen.\u201d<\/p>\n

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St. John\u2019s Church, Newark, 1851<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Potato Famine in Ireland during the late 1840s brought large numbers of Irish Catholics to New Jersey and to Newark. In 1846, Father Moran resolved to enlarge the church again and met with opposition from older parishioners who wanted to build a new church. Great drama ensued, with Father Moran denouncing the opponents of enlarging the church from the steps of the altar. The parishioners appealed to John Hughes, the bishop of New York, who came to Newark to meet with them and settle the matter. Hughes\u2019 Solomonic decision was to praise Moran, \u201cYou have, my dear brethren, a model pastor,\u201d and to support Moran\u2019s plans to enlarge St. John\u2019s. But Hughes also revealed that Moran himself was planning to purchase land for a new church that would become St. Patrick\u2019s. Hughes told the people:<\/p>\n

I sincerely hope that all will unite with your devoted pastor and aid him in his laudable efforts to improve the time-honored structure that must ever be dear to all the people of St. John\u2019s. It is your old friend to behold with pride.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Not withstanding this appeal, most of those who were clammoring for the new church never gave even one cent toward the improvement of the old. Moran enlarged St. John\u2019s, front and rear, in 1846. In 1849-1850, he oversaw the design and construction of St. Patrick\u2019s Church, later the pro-cathedral. <\/p>\n

When, in 1853, James Roosevelt Bayley was appointed the first bishop of the newly established diocese of Newark, one of his first acts was to appoint Father Moran as his vicar general. After the bishop, the vicar general is the next most important office in any diocese. This demonstrated the positive reputation of Father Moran as a pastor and an administrator as well as the esteem that the bishop had for him. These new responsibilities did not slow his work.<\/p>\n

Over the years, Moran continued to enlarge and redecorate the church, acting as his own architect. Moran designed and built the fa\u00e7ade and the towers using local brown sandstone. Bells and a carillon were put in the towers and an organ installed in the church. When the work was finished in 1858, the exterior of the church, although originally more elaborate, presented almost the same appearance as it does today.<\/p>\n

The bells comprising the chimes of St. John\u2019s are nine in number. They were cast by the \u201cMcNeely Bell Foundry, West Troy, New York,\u201d and placed in position in 1859. There is no record of the names given to them. The largest bell and the one next in size bear the inscriptions respectively of \u201cRight Rev. J. R. Bayley, First Bishop\u201d and \u201cVery Rev. Patrick Moran, V.G., Pastor.\u201d All the other bells are inscribed \u201cSt. John\u2019s Church, Newark, N.J.\u201d Bishop Bayley blessed the chimes when they were received from the foundry.<\/p>\n

Completing the fabric of the church, Moran dedicated his time and efforts to the decoration of the interior, carving the altar and making the baptismal font with his own hands.<\/p>\n

On May 4, 1858, St. John\u2019s became the first consecrated church in the diocese. Consecration is a special ceremony reserved for church buildings that have been completed and are free of debt. The consecration is shown by twelve candles on the interior walls. On the anniversary day of the consecration, these candles are lit, and the church is allowed to have a special commemorative liturgy for the Mass.<\/p>\n

The Newark Daily Advertiser<\/em> recorded the event in its May 6, 1858, edition:<\/p>\n

The consecration of St. John\u2019s church in Mulberry Street took place this morning with very imposing ceremonies such as rarely occur in this country\u2026<\/p>\n

The church has recently been thoroughly remodeled and provided with a new stone front, and the interior is elaborately ornamented in stucco\u2026In order to defray the expenses of the consecration, tickets will be issued for which $1.00 will be charged.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Eight years later, on July 25, 1866, Father Moran died. <\/p>\n

Father Moran and The Architecture of the Church Exterior<\/h3>\n