OVER 300 YEARS PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST !!!
CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF GRACE
1851 - The parish of Our Lady of Grace had its beginnings.
In July, Archbishop John Hughes of New York (at that time Hoboken was under the jurisdiction of the New York Archdiocese) sent Rev. Anthony Cauvin to New Jersey to care for the "Mission of Hoboken."
1854 - Rev. Cauvin purchased from the Hoboken Land Improvement Company three lots of ground on Willow Street, fronting the public square. Bishop Bayley laid the cornerstone of the first Church located on the corner of 5th and Willow Ave.
1855 - June: The first Church called "St. Mary's" opened for worship.
1856 - The Society of the Living Rosary is established in December. One of the first Rosary Societies in the country, it is still active.
1859 - A small, select school opens and operates with one teacher from 1859 until 1864.
1864 - September 20: The parish of "The Church of Our Lady of Grace" was incorporated under the laws of the State of New Jersey.The first Catholic school, the current Kelly Hall, opened. The Sisters of Charity conducted the education of the children.
1866 - The Sisters of Charity start to build a hospital and asylum. St. Mary Hospital was blessed on May 6, 1866.
1874 - May 18: Work commenced on the building of the present Church located on the corner of 4th and Willow.
1878 - November 10: Bishop Corrigan dedicated the new Church.
1891 - The school of Our Lady of Grace opened.
1902 - An orphanage was constructed and housed 14 orphans of deceased parishioners. The Sisters of Charity cared for the children.
1909 - The Grand Organ was installed.
1915 - The Convent was built to accommodate the thirty-three sisters who taught at the school and cared for the orphans.
1980 - The Grand Organ was renovated.
1994 - January 30: A capital campaign toward Church renovation began. The goal was $1,000,000.00.
1996 - The Church was listed both on the New Jersey List of Historic places and on the List of Historic Places by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
1998 - Restoration work began both on the exterior and on the interior of the Church.
1998 - December 7: Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick celebrated a Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving and the new altar of sacrifice was consecrated.
1999 - Spring: Phase III of restoration work commenced.
CHURCH OF ST. JOSEPH
1871 - St. Joseph's had its beginnings with a Mass offered in a hall at Grand and Newark Streets.
1874 - St. Joseph's was incorporated as a parish under the laws of the State of New Jersey.
1889 - St. Joseph's became a Territorial Parish to administer to all people, regardless of their national origin.
1897 - The present St. Joseph's Church opened for worship. (It may be of interest to note that the Church was built on 451 piles.)
1904 - The present rectory was built.
1907 - The school and the convent were built on Jackson Street.
1918 - New electrical fixtures were installed in the Church and the interior of the Church was redecorated for the first time since it was built.
1924 - The Golden Jubilee of the incorporation of the parish was celebrated.
Late 1960s - Under the auspices of Father Eugene Zwahl, Pastor, an amalgamation of the English and Spanish speaking communities began.
A NEW ERA BEGINS
In 2005, Fr. Alexander M. Santora was appointed the 16th pastor of OLG Church and administrator of St. Joseph. He instituted the annual FunFest, Flea Market & Used Book Sale, Spaghettiaoke, and musical concerts to attract people to the parish. In 2006, with the establishment of a ministry to young adults, a Sunday evening Mass was added in order to attract the young adults of the parish. The Parish Council was formed in 2007. In 2010, holiday collections fund the installation of a new organ console and also fund the start of the renovation of the old convent into a parish center.
In 2008, the two Churches merge to become The Church of Our Lady of Grace and St. Joseph.
The facilities and plants are currently undergoing restoration and renewal.