{"id":20,"date":"2023-06-29T19:39:52","date_gmt":"2023-06-29T19:39:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/st-johns\/?page_id=20"},"modified":"2023-07-18T18:05:21","modified_gmt":"2023-07-18T18:05:21","slug":"renaissance-and-new-apostolates","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/st-johns\/home\/renaissance-and-new-apostolates\/","title":{"rendered":"Renaissance and New Apostolates"},"content":{"rendered":"

Monsignor Hourihan<\/h3>\n

In the latter 20th century, the parish once again appeared to be dying. According to newspaper reports there were only twelve parishioners in 1969 and, in 1977, just two families. Its geographic boundaries were Market Street to the south, Broad Street to the west, Bridge Street to the north, and the Passaic River to the east \u2013 an area of diminishing private residences. St. John\u2019s was not a desirable parish on the list of most priests.<\/p>\n

But then, in 1972, Archbishop Boland appointed Monsignor John Hourihan, a human hurricane, as pastor (pastor, 1972-1997). Four years later, as the parish celebrated its 150th anniversary, Monsignor Hourihan considered St. John\u2019s as a poor, but very much alive, parish.<\/p>\n

In a letter to volunteers who offered to paint the church and rectory in 1976, Joseph F. Zoppi, Jr., wrote: \u201cFather John of St. John\u2019s refuses to accept the story that Newark is a dying city, and that St. John\u2019s will not survive as a church of Newark.\u201d Zoppi organized dozens of volunteers as well as donations of paint and supplies from various hardware stores and paint manufacturers such as Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore.<\/p>\n

150th Anniversary Press Release \u2013 1976<\/h3>\n

A press release after the 150th anniversary of the parish summarized Hourihan\u2019s impact through a description of the activities of the anniversary year.<\/p>\n

In recent years as the city\u2019s prominence declined so did St. John\u2019s. For years it struggled along\u2026and there were frequent reports it might be closed. Then, four years ago, Monsignor Hourihan became its pastor\u2026and all changed for the better.<\/p>\n

The 150th celebration year was literally one memorable event after another.<\/p>\n

The parish commissioned a pen and ink sketch of the church by Greenwich artist Philip Camporeale and presented it to Archbishop Gerety; the Archbishop himself blessed and distributed ashes to hundreds of worshipers at St. John\u2019s on Ash Wednesday; a $10,000 Meditation Garden, built entirely by volunteers and donated funds, was dedicated next to the church; an unusual Italian Mass was held to mark the first Italian language sermon at Mass at St. John\u2019s 100 years ago. Monsignor Hourihan joined with Episcopal Bishop Rath to celebrate Newark\u2019s Brotherhood Week\u2026 and to cap it all, the United States Department of the Interior placed the church on the National Register of Historic Places.<\/p>\n

St. John\u2019s is also well-known for its charities to the poor, the handicapped, aged, elderly, and ill. In 1975 the church served 6,000 meals to the needy who came to its doors \u2013 and with the help of young college volunteers it visited, fed, consoled,and nursed the numerous ill and elderly who live in furnished rooms nearby.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

160th Anniversary Booklet \u2013 1986<\/h3>\n

Ten years later, further progress and activities were described in a booklet printed to commemorate the parish\u2019s 160th anniversary. The booklet showed that the parish\u2019s mission was firmly grounded in theological principles.<\/p>\n

Today, St. John\u2019s, which is a symbol of survival in a city that is experiencing a renaissance, is a small parish with a mammoth mission. It serves the commuters, the handicapped, the homeless, and the hungry. Its pastoral thrust has caught the attention of the media because it represents authentic Christianity interpreting the teachings of Christ by word and example in order to meet the needs of people in meaningful ways.<\/p>\n

The faith of its founders lives on in those whose faith today gives new life to this old church.
\nThe mission of the People of God at St. John\u2019s is based on a mystical model described in the statement made at Baptism which proclaims that the new Christian is \u201cone with Christ \u2013 Priest, Prophet, and King.\u201d<\/p>\n

This mission is to give witness in love and truth to Christ in these three roles. Giving such witness, the parish becomes part of salvation history, a wonderful encounter of the divine and the human. Its witness is unique because it is given by a faith-community consisting of parishioners and comuters who work in the business district.<\/p>\n

St. John\u2019s gives witness to Christ as Priest through forms of worship and ministries that are meaningful; namely, through liturgies that are related to our growth in love of God and neighbor at home and at work and through opportunities which allow a freedom of religious expression based on all the options given to the People of God.<\/p>\n

The Parish gives witness to Christ as Prophet through updated doctrine that is reflected in homilies, catechesis, evangelization, and ecumenism which reflect the teaching of our Archbishop and Pope. It is also refected in action through the various apostolates performing the Corporal Works of Mercy.<\/p>\n

Its people gives witness to Christ as King, alive in a world in which salvation involves temporal matters. This means that building Christian community includes the prudent use of material things with a Christ-like approach to organization and administration. As such it presents a model different from worldly models.<\/p>\n

In striving to accompllish this mission the pastor and people through cooperation and consultation want to be a Resurrection people in a re-born Newark.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Monsignor Hourihan and Volunteers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Monsignor Hourihan brought energy and imagination to the parish that it had not seen since the days of Father Moran, more than a century earlier. He not only recognized the needs of the growing numbers of poor and often homeless people in Newark, but he also addressed them.<\/p>\n

Hourihan was active beyond the boundaries of the parish, and beyond the boundaries of Newark and New Jersey. He was a member of President Kennedy\u2019s advisory committee on teacher training. In addition, he served as an advisor to the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare during the administration of Lyndon Johnson. President Jimmy Carter also appointed him as vice chairman of the National Conference on the Handicapped.<\/p>\n

The Gateway Mass<\/h3>\n

He described the parish as \u201can oasis in a desert of parking lots.\u201d In order to reach out to the neighborhood and its transient population of commuters, he initially set up chapels in the nearby Gateway Center office complex. There Mass was celebrated on holy days. On Ash Wednesday, 1977, more than 3,000 people attended more than 17 Masses in these two locations. In 1978, a permanent Interfaith Chapel was built in the Gateway Center. For many years, Mass was celebrated in this chapel.<\/p>\n

Gateway Interfaith Chapel Plaque<\/strong><\/p>\n

In May 1974
\nThe First Religious Services
\nLeading to the Erection of an
\nInterfaith Chapel
\nWere Held Here
\nThe Gateway Center
\nHonors those Clergy and People
\nWhose Personal Experience Of
\nFaith and Love in the Chapel
\nGives Hope to All Who Use
\nTheir God-given Talents
\nIn the Market Place
\nMay 1984<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Soup Kitchen<\/a><\/h3>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Indoor Dining on Holidays<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The city of Newark has a large population of poor people. Initially, Hourihan and two deacons brough meals to homeless people in nearby welfare hotels. He soon established St. John\u2019s Soup Kitchen, which has served over three million meals since its inception. It is staffed by volunteers from the suburbs, school children, university students, and workers from nearby corporate offices. It is supported by free-will donations from thousands around the state and nation and receives no help from the archdiocese or the civil government.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Our Volunteers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Soup Kitchen describes its mission very simply.<\/p>\n

\n

Helping Those in Need<\/h4>\n

St. John\u2019s Soup Kitchen has one mission and that is feeding the hungry. For over 40 years we have been providing food to those who have none in the Newark area. Few people know what it\u2019s like to go without food, but every day guests come to our kitchen to eat. Today with your help, we can continue helping many of our fellow men, women and children who have fallen on hard times. It is up to all of us to make a difference in the communities we live in.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n