ABOUT US
Our Lady of Fatima Parish (Para español click AQUI)
A historical background: In an effort to provide spiritual assistance to the newly-arrived Spanish-speaking families of his Diocese of Trenton, Bishop William A. Griffin welcomed the Claretian Missionaries to New Jersey in 1945. The first missionaries to arrive, Frs. James Tort, Joaquín de Prada, Severino López and Arthur Valve, worked among the “braceros” who were employed by the railroad companies. When the “braceros” left, those missionaries also left. In October of 1947, however, Father Tort resumed the missionary work in the Diocese, centering his activity in Perth Amboy. During the spring of 1948, Bishop Griffin authorized the purchase of a two-family house in Laurence St. for use as a Mission Center. Fr. Tort took possession of the building which was to be known as the “Immaculate Heart of Our Lady of Fatima Mission” in May, 1948. Because of ill-health, Fr. Tort had to leave and Frs. Andrew Roy and Leo Labrador replaced him. As the Spanish population grew and Portuguese-speaking immigrants began to arrive a neighboring house was purchased and remodeled to become the ¨Fatima Social Club¨.
A historical background: In an effort to provide spiritual assistance to the newly-arrived Spanish-speaking families of his Diocese of Trenton, Bishop William A. Griffin welcomed the Claretian Missionaries to New Jersey in 1945. The first missionaries to arrive, Frs. James Tort, Joaquín de Prada, Severino López and Arthur Valve, worked among the “braceros” who were employed by the railroad companies. When the “braceros” left, those missionaries also left. In October of 1947, however, Father Tort resumed the missionary work in the Diocese, centering his activity in Perth Amboy. During the spring of 1948, Bishop Griffin authorized the purchase of a two-family house in Laurence St. for use as a Mission Center. Fr. Tort took possession of the building which was to be known as the “Immaculate Heart of Our Lady of Fatima Mission” in May, 1948. Because of ill-health, Fr. Tort had to leave and Frs. Andrew Roy and Leo Labrador replaced him. As the Spanish population grew and Portuguese-speaking immigrants began to arrive a neighboring house was purchased and remodeled to become the ¨Fatima Social Club¨.
Fr. Thomas Maticheck, popularly known as Fr. Thomas Matin, was named pastor in 1955. Soon afterward, the Social Club was changed into a small church. In 1958, Fr. Matin began to rent the former Ukranian Church of the Assumption on Wayne St., calling it “La Asunción”. The missionary zeal of the Claretians extended even beyond Perth Amboy into Ocean County, where two more mission churches were opened under the patronage of St. Anthony Claret., first in Cassville and later in Lakewood.
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The first group of Missionary Catechists of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary arrived from Mexico in 1958. They took charge of the religious education program for children and families. The first community was made up of Sisters María Victoria Rodríguez, Rosa de Carmen Castro, Guadalupe Alemán and Josefina Maldonado.
In 1960, Fr. Matin was replaced y Fr. Walter Mischke, as pastor of Fatima, which now included the Mission Church of La Asunción, and the two missions in Ocean County. By this time Perth Amboy had undergone tremendous changes. The heavy influx of immigrants from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Portugal, had made of Our Lady of Fatima Parish a mosaic of Spanish and Portuguese cultures. The Parish was officially incorporated under the laws of the State of New Jersey in December of 1960, even though it had already been canonically erected in 1952.
Racial disturbances broke out in Perth Amboy in July of 1966. The intervention of Fr. Raymond Bianchi, the recently appointed pastor, was a factor in restoring peace. For twelve years Fr. Bianchi guided the parish-community through some of its greatest moments of growth. When the Highway Department decided to raze the chapel on Laurence Street to make way for the 440 highway, Fr. Bianchi acquired an apartment building on 348 Smith Street, and the ample garage was used as a chapel for a time. Bishop George Ahr dedicated this chapel on March 10, 1968. This building remained in use until the dedication of the new Our Lady of Fatima Church on September 18, 1971.
In 1960, Fr. Matin was replaced y Fr. Walter Mischke, as pastor of Fatima, which now included the Mission Church of La Asunción, and the two missions in Ocean County. By this time Perth Amboy had undergone tremendous changes. The heavy influx of immigrants from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Portugal, had made of Our Lady of Fatima Parish a mosaic of Spanish and Portuguese cultures. The Parish was officially incorporated under the laws of the State of New Jersey in December of 1960, even though it had already been canonically erected in 1952.
Racial disturbances broke out in Perth Amboy in July of 1966. The intervention of Fr. Raymond Bianchi, the recently appointed pastor, was a factor in restoring peace. For twelve years Fr. Bianchi guided the parish-community through some of its greatest moments of growth. When the Highway Department decided to raze the chapel on Laurence Street to make way for the 440 highway, Fr. Bianchi acquired an apartment building on 348 Smith Street, and the ample garage was used as a chapel for a time. Bishop George Ahr dedicated this chapel on March 10, 1968. This building remained in use until the dedication of the new Our Lady of Fatima Church on September 18, 1971.
For a time Our Lady of Fatima Parish served all the Hispanic and Portuguese population, but as the population grew it was necessary to split the parish. A school belonging to the Hungarian church was remodeled by Father Vidal Martínez and was given the name of La Asunción Church and eventually became a parish. The old Asunción Church was renamed as Nossa Senhora Do Rosario de Fatima to serve the Portuguese people. The church on 380 Smith Street retained the title of Our Lady of Fatima.
At present: |
Our Lady of Fatima continues to minister to a number of about 1,300 families, the majority of which are of Hispanic origin. The larger numbers are from the Dominican Republic, from Puerto Rico and from Mexico. But there are people from practically every nation of Latin America. The parish presently serves in a bilingual capacity (Spanish and English) since the younger generations (third, fourth generations of the first immigrants) are either bilingually fluent or do speak only in English.
We consider that our main mission here is to offer to all those immigrants a welcoming community where, first of all, they can feel at home; secondly, they can develop their faith and continue their Catholic religious customs, at the same time that they learn to accept and be enriched in sharing their lives with peoples of other cultures and religious customs.
The motto of our parish is “Many Cultures, Only One Faith.” Though we have people of many nationalities, we emphasize the need to form a united community of faith. Most national groups form their own associations and through them organize their own cultural celebrations: Feast of their patroness, typical dances, songs, etc. But all of those activities must be parish activities where everyone is invited.
We consider that our main mission here is to offer to all those immigrants a welcoming community where, first of all, they can feel at home; secondly, they can develop their faith and continue their Catholic religious customs, at the same time that they learn to accept and be enriched in sharing their lives with peoples of other cultures and religious customs.
The motto of our parish is “Many Cultures, Only One Faith.” Though we have people of many nationalities, we emphasize the need to form a united community of faith. Most national groups form their own associations and through them organize their own cultural celebrations: Feast of their patroness, typical dances, songs, etc. But all of those activities must be parish activities where everyone is invited.