Archives and Records
The Archives document the history of the archdiocese by collecting, preserving, and making available the permanent and official records of the Archdiocese of Newark, its people, parishes, offices, and institutions.
History
The Diocese of Newark was first established in 1853 through a Papal Brief of Pope Pius IX to include all of New Jersey.
Until this time, northern New Jersey had been a part of the Archdiocese of New York and southern New Jersey was a part of the Diocese of Philadelphia. The first parish in Newark, St. John’s on Mulberry Street, was established in 1828. The first Ordinary of the Diocese of Newark was Bishop James Roosevelt Bayley, a nephew of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. He established both Immaculate Conception Seminary and Seton Hall College in 1856, naming the college in honor of his aunt.
The first division of the Diocese was in 1881 when the Diocese of Trenton was created to serve the 14 counties of South and Central New Jersey. A second division came in 1937 with the creation of the Diocese of Paterson incorporating Passic, Morris, and Sussex. This established the current territory of the Archdiocese of Newark, which includes Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Union counties.
On Dec. 10, 1937 the Diocese of Newark was elevated to the rank of Archdiocese. Archbishop Thomas J. Walsh, who had become Bishop of Newark in 1928, was installed in his new rank on April 27, 1938.
When the Diocese was founded in 1853, its seat was established at St. Patrick’s Pro-Cathedral in Newark. The site of the Sacred Heart Cathedral was acquired in Bishop Bayley’s time, but construction did not begin until 1899 under the third Bishop of Newark Winand M. Wigger. The Cathedral was completed in 1954 as the Archdiocese was celebrating its centennial year, and was elevated to the status of a basilica by Pope John Paul II when he visited there in 1995.
Chronology of Parishes
Select the time period to see the history of our parishes
1800s
1900s
2000s
| 2002 | Holy Trinity-Epiphany NEWARK (Merger) | |
| 2003 | Immaculate Heart of Mary/St. Patrick ELIZABETH (Merger) | |
| 2005 | Good Shepherd IRVINGTON (Immaculate Heart of Mary, Maplewood merged with St. Paul the Apostle, Irvington to form Good Shepherd Parish July 2005) | |
| 2005 | Holy Redeemer WEST NEW YORK (Merger of St. John Nepomucene, Guttenberg and Our Lady Help of Christians, West New York July 2005) | |
| 2005 | St. Andrew Kim MAPLEWOOD (St. Andrew Kim relocated from Orange to former site of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Maplewood) | |
| 2005 | St. Patrick and Assumption/All Saints JERSEY CITY (Merger) | |
| 2005 | St. Bernard of Clairvaux and St. Stanislaus Kostka PLAINFIELD (Merger) | |
| 2005 | Parish of the Transfiguration NEWARK (St. Rocco and St. Ann, Newark merged to form Parish of the Transfiguration) | |
| 2006 | Saint Rocco/Saint Brigid Parish UNION CITY (Merger of St. Rocco, Union City and St. Brigid, North Bergen Feb. 2006) | |
| 2008 | Our Lady of Grace and St. Joseph HOBOKEN (Merger) | |
| 2009 | St. Michael/St. Joseph BAYONNE (Merger) | |
| 2009 | St. Adalbert/SS. Peter and Paul ELIZABETH (Merger) | |
| 2010 | Divine Mercy RAHWAY (Merger of St. Mark and St. Mary, Rahway July 2010) | |
| 2014 | St. Mary JERSEY CITY (Created from the suppression of Resurrection Parish, Jersey City) | |
| 2014 | St. Michael JERSEY CITY (Created from the suppression of Resurrection Parish, Jersey City) | |
| 2016 | Blessed Miriam Teresa Demjanovich BAYONNE (Created from the merger of St. Mary Star of the Sea and St. Andrew, Bayonne) | |
| 2016 | St. John Paul II BAYONNE (Created from the merger of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Our Lady of the Assumption, and St. Michael/St. Joseph, Bayonne) |
| 1900 | Saint Ann’s Church HOBOKEN |
| 1900 | Saint Bridgid’s Church NORTH BERGEN |
| 1901 | Holy Trinity Church NEWARK (Merged with Epiphany October 2002) |
| 1901 | Our Lady of Mount Virgin Church GARFIELD |
| 1901 | Saint Anthony’s Church BELLEVILLE |
| 1901 | Saint Anthony’s Church EAST NEWARK |
| 1902 | Our Lady of the Assumption Church BAYONNE |
| 1902 | Our Lady of Good Counsel Church NEWARK |
| 1902 | Our Lady of Libera Church WEST NEW YORK |
| 1902 | Our Lady of Mercy Church PARK RIDGE |
| 1902 | Saint Elizabeth’s Church WYCKOFF |
| 1902 | Saint Stephen’s Church NEWARK (Closed) |
| 1903 | Saint Joseph’s Church ORADELL |
| 1903 | Saint Anne’s Church JERSEY CITY |
| 1904 | Saint Stephen’s Church KEARNY |
| 1905 | Sacred Heart Church JERSEY CITY |
| 1905 | Sacred Heart Church LYNDHURST |
| 1905 | Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church JERSEY CITY |
| 1905 | Saint Adalbert’s Church ELIZABETH |
| 1905 | Saint John the Evangelist Church BERGENFIELD |
| 1906 | Blessed Sacrament Church NEWARK |
| 1906 | Holy Rosary Church EDGEWATER |
| 1906 | Holy Trinity Church FORT LEE |
| 1907 | Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Hungarian) IRVINGTON (Founded in Newark, moved to Irvington in 1969, subsequently closed) |
| 1907 | Church of the Assumption ROSELLE PARK |
| 1907 | Immaculate Conception Church ELIZABETH |
| 1907 | Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church MONTCLAIR |
| 1907 | Saint Michael’s Church BAYONNE |
| 1908 | Immaculate Conception Church SECAUCUS |
| 1908 | Our Lady of Czestochowa Church HARRISON |
| 1908 | Saint Anastasia’s Church TEANECK |
| 1908 | Saint Casimir’s Church NEWARK |
| 1908 | Saint Mary’s Church RUTHERFORD |
| 1909 | Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary JERSEY CITY (Merged with All Saints) |
| 1909 | Holy Family Church NUTLEY |
| 1909 | Saint Anne’s Church FAIR LAWN |
| 1909 | Saint Elizabeth’s Church LINDEN |
| 1909 | Saint Joseph’s Church HACKENSACK |
| 1910 | Saint Charles Borromeo Church NEWARK (Merged with Blessed Sacrament in 1999) |
| 1910 | Saint John Nepomucene Church GUTTENBERG |
| 1910 | Our Lady of Victories Church HARRINGTON PARK |
| 1910 | Saint Ann’s (Lithuanian) Church JERSEY (Closed Dec. 3, 1974) |
| 1910 | Holy Name of Jesus Church EAST ORANGE |
| 1911 | Most Holy Name Church GARFIELD |
| 1911 | Our Lady of Czestochowa Church JERSEY CITY |
| 1911 | Saint Ann’s (Polish) Church JERSEY CITY |
| 1911 | Saint Joseph’s Church ELIZABETH (Closed 1986) |
| 1912 | Saint Aedan’s Church JERSEY CITY |
| 1912 | Saint Catherine’s Church HILLSIDE |
| 1912 | Saint John the Evangelist Church LEONIA |
| 1912 | Saint Mary’s Church CLOSTER |
| 1912 | Saint Michael’s Church LYNDHURST |
| 1912 | Saint Michael’s Church PALISADES PARK |
| 1912 | Saint Rocco’s Church UNION CITY |
| 1913 | Our Lady of Grace Church FAIRVIEW |
| 1914 | Our Lady of All Souls Church EAST ORANGE (Closed 1993) |
| 1914 | Our Lady of Lourdes Church WEST ORANGE |
| 1914 | Our Lady of Sorrows Church JERSEY CITY |
| 1914 | Sacred Heart Church HAWORTH |
| 1914 | Saint Andrew’s Church BAYONNE |
| 1914 | Saint Francis Xavier Church NEWARK |
| 1914 | Saint Joseph’s Church MAPLEWOOD |
| 1914 | Saint Mary’s Church DUMONT |
| 1915 | Immaculate Heart of Mary Church MAHWAH |
| 1915 | Our Lady of Sorrows Church KEARNY |
| 1916 | Church of the Epiphany CLIFFSIDE PARK |
| 1916 | Our Lady of the Most Bl. Sacrament EAST ORANGE (Closed 1993) |
| 1916 | Saint Joseph’s Church EAST ORANGE |
| 1917 | Our Lady of Sorrows Church GARFIELD |
| 1917 | Our Lady of Victories Church JERSEY CITY |
| 1917 | Sacred Heart Church NORTH BERGEN |
| 1917 | Sacred Heart Church ROCHELLE PARK |
| 1917 | Saint Francis Church HACKENSACK |
| 1917 | Saint Joseph’s Church LODI |
| 1917 | Saint Stanislaus Kostka GARFIELD |
| 1918 | Our Lady of the Rosary Church NEWARK (Closed 1992) |
| 1919 | Saint Stanislaus Kostka Church PLAINFIELD |
| 1920 | Saint Genevieve’s Church ELIZABETH |
| 1921 | Immaculate Conception Church NORWOOD |
| 1921 | Saint Bernard’s Church PLAINFIELD |
| 1922 | Blessed Sacrament Church ELIZABETH |
| 1922 | Queen of Peace Church NORTH ARLINGTON |
| 1923 | Our Lady of the Lake Church VERONA |
| 1923 | Saint James’ Church SPRINGFIELD |
| 1923 | Saint Nicholas Church PALISADES PARK |
| 1925 | Immaculate Conception Church NEWARK |
| 1925 | Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church NUTLEY |
| 1925 | Sacred Heart of Jesus Church IRVINGTON |
| 1925 | Saint Anne’s Church GARWOOD |
| 1925 | Saint Hedwig’s Church ELIZABETH |
| 1925 | Saint John the Baptist Church HILLSDALE |
| 1925 | Saint Theresaís Church LINDEN |
| 1926 | Church of the Assumption WOOD-RIDGE |
| 1926 | Immaculate Heart of Mary Church NEWARK (Founded as St. Joseph Spanish/Portuguese Church in 1926, name changed in 1965.) |
| 1927 | Saint Philomena’s Church LIVINGSTON |
| 1928 | Saint Michael’s Church UNION |
| 1929 | Saint Joseph’s Church BOGOTA |
| 1930 | Christ the King Church JERSEY CITY |
| 1930 | Immaculate Conception Church MAHWAH |
| 1930 | Queen of Angels Church NEWARK |
| 1931 | Holy Spirit Church ORANGE (Merged with Our Lady Help of Christians, East Orange, in 1983) |
| 1931 | Saint Anthony’s Church MOONACHIE (Closed 1955) |
| 1931 | Saint Joseph’s Church DEMAREST |
| 1931 | Saint Leo’s Church ELMWOOD PARK |
| 1931 | Saint Paul’s Church RAMSEY |
| 1931 | Saint Therese of Lisieux Church CRESSKILL |
| 1932 | Saint Peter Claver Church MONTCLAIR |
| 1934 | Saint Joseph’s Church WEST ORANGE |
| 1939 | Saint Thomas the Apostle Church BLOOMFIELD |
| 1940 | Saint Margaret’s Church LITTLE FERRY |
| 1942 | Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Church WALLINGTON |
| 1942 | Our Lady of Peace Church NEW PROVIDENCE |
| 1947 | Church of the Assumption EMERSON |
| 1947 | Immaculate Heart of Mary Church ELIZABETH |
| 1948 | Christ the King Church HILLSIDE |
| 1948 | Saint Bartholomew’s Church SCOTCH PLAINS |
| 1948 | Saint John the Apostle Church LINDEN |
| 1948 | Saint Paul the Apostle Church IRVINGTON |
| 1948 | Saint Peter the Apostle Church RIVER EDGE |
| 1949 | Saint Catherine of Siena Church CEDAR GROVE |
| 1949 | Saint Theresa’s Church KENILWORTH |
| 1950 | Our Lady Queen of Peace Church MAYWOOD |
| 1952 | Church of the Annunciation PARAMUS |
| 1952 | Our Lady of the Visitation PARAMUS |
| 1952 | Saint Gabriel’s Church SADDLE RIVER |
| 1953 | Church of the Ascension NEW MILFORD |
| 1953 | Saint Catharine’s Church GLEN ROCK |
| 1953 | Saint Philip’s Church SADDLE BROOK |
| 1954 | Guardian Angel Church ALLENDALE |
| 1954 | Immaculate Heart of Mary Church MAPLEWOOD |
| 1954 | Saint Pius X Church OLD TAPPAN |
| 1955 | Blessed Sacrament Church ROSELAND |
| 1955 | Church of the Little Flower BERKELEY HEIGHTS |
| 1955 | Church of the Nativity MIDLAND PARK |
| 1955 | Holy Family Church LINDEN |
| 1956 | Our Lady of Fatima Church NEWARK |
| 1957 | Saint Thomas Aquinas Church NEWARK |
| 1958 | Our Lady of Lourdes Church MOUNTAINSIDE |
| 1959 | Our Lady of Good Counsel Church WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP |
| 1960 | Our Lady of Perpetual Help OAKLAND |
| 1961 | Most Blessed Sacrament Church FRANKLIN LAKES |
| 1961 | Our Lady of Presentation Church UPPER SADDLE RIVER |
| 1961 | Saint Agnes Church CLARK |
| 1961 | Saint Raphael’s Church LIVINGSTON |
| 1962 | Saint Thomas More Church FAIRFIELD |
| 1963 | Holy Spirit Church UNION |
| 1963 | Notre Dame Church NORTH CALDWELL |
| 1963 | Our Lady of Fatima Church NORTH BERGEN |
| 1963 | Our Lady of Mercy Church JERSEY CITY |
| 1964 | Immaculate Heart of Mary Church SCOTCH PLAINS |
| 1964 | Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church NEWARK (Closed 1979) |
| 1966 | Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church LYNDHURST |
| 1967 | Our Lady Mother of the Church WOODCLIFF LAKE |
| 1968 | Saint Helen’s Church WESTFIELD |
| 1972 | Saint Andrew Kim (Korean) ORANGE (Merged with St. Venantius Parish in 1983) |
| 1973 | Our Lady of Fatima Church ELIZABETH |
| 1992 | Epiphany Parish (Portuguese) NEWARK (Merged with Holy Trinity October 2002) |
| 1997 | Resurrection Church JERSEY CITY (St. Boniface, St. Bridget, St. Mary. St. Michael, St. Peter merged in 1997 to form Resurrection Parish) |
| 1998 | Saint Joseph Korean Catholic Church DEMAREST |
| 1998 | Church of the Korean Martyrs SADDLE BROOK |
| 1999 | Blessed Sacrament/St. Charles NEWARK (Merger) |
| 1826 | Saint John’s Church NEWARK |
| 1831 | Saint Peter’s Church JERSEY CITY (Merged as part of Resurrection in 1997) |
| 1837 | Saint Peter’s Church BELLEVILLE |
| 1842 | Saint Mary’s Church (Newark Abbey) NEWARK |
| 1844 | Saint Mary of the Assumption Church ELIZABETH |
| 1848 | Saint Patrick’s Pro-Cathedral NEWARK |
| 1850 | Saint Joseph’s Church NEWARK (Closed 1980) |
| 1851 | Our Lady of Grace Church HOBOKEN |
| 1851 | Saint John’s Church ORANGE |
| 1851 | Saint Mary’s Church PLAINFIELD |
| 1851 | Saint Michael’s Church UNION CITY (Merged with Saint Joseph in 1983) |
| 1852 | Saint Michael’s Church ELIZABETH (Merged with Holy Rosary in 1985) |
| 1852 | Saint Rose of Lima Church SHORT HILLS |
| 1854 | Saint Benedict’s Church NEWARK |
| 1854 | Saint Francis de Sales Church LODI |
| 1854 | Saint James’ Church NEWARK |
| 1854 | Saint Mary’s Church JERSEY CITY (Merged as part of Resurrection in 1997) |
| 1854 | Saint Mary’s Church RAHWAY |
| 1856 | Saint Joseph’s Church JERSEY CITY |
| 1857 | Holy Family Church UNION CITY |
| 1858 | Church of the Madonna FORT LEE |
| 1858 | Saint Patrick’s Church ELIZABETH |
| 1861 | Holy Trinity Church HACKENSACK |
| 1861 | Saint Mary Star of the Sea Church BAYONNE |
| 1861 | Saint Paul’s Church (Greenville) JERSEY CITY |
| 1863 | Saint Boniface’s Church JERSEY CITY (Merged as part of Resurrection in 1997) |
| 1863 | Saint Joseph of the Palisades WEST NEW YORK |
| 1863 | Saint Teresa’s Church SUMMIT |
| 1864 | Immaculate Conception Church MONTCLAIR |
| 1864 | Saint Luke’s Church HO-HO-KUS |
| 1864 | Saint Peter’s Church NEWARK (Closed 1974) |
| 1865 | Holy Cross Church HARRISON |
| 1866 | Saint Cecilia’s Church ENGLEWOOD |
| 1867 | Saint Michael’s Church JERSEY CITY (Merged as part of Resurrection in 1997) |
| 1868 | Saint Paul of the Cross Church JERSEY CITY |
| 1869 | Saint Bridget’s Church JERSEY CITY (Merged as part of Resurrection in 1997) |
| 1869 | Saint Columba’s Church NEWARK |
| 1869 | Saint Patrick’s Church JERSEY CITY |
| 1871 | Sacred Heart Church ELIZABETH (Closed 1983) |
| 1871 | Saint Joseph’s Church HOBOKEN |
| 1871 | Saint Mark’s Church RAHWAY |
| 1872 | Holy Trinity Church WESTFIELD |
| 1872 | Saint Joseph’s Church EAST RUTHERFORD |
| 1872 | Saint Michael’s Church CRANFORD |
| 1873 | Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church TENAFLY |
| 1873 | Our Lady of the Valley Church ORANGE |
| 1873 | Saint John the Baptist Church FAIRVIEW |
| 1874 | Saint Augustine’s Church NEWARK |
| 1875 | Saint Antoninus Church NEWARK |
| 1876 | Saint Mary’s Church NUTLEY |
| 1877 | Saint Aloysius Church NEWARK |
| 1878 | Sacred Heart Church BLOOMFIELD |
| 1878 | Saint Leo’s Church IRVINGTON |
| 1878 | Saint Michael’s Church NEWARK |
| 1882 | Our Lady Help of Christians Church EAST ORANGE (Merged with Holy Spirit, Orange, in 1983, to become Holy Spirit/O.L.Help of Christians) |
| 1884 | Saint Anthony’s Church JERSEY CITY |
| 1884 | Saint John the Baptist Church JERSEY CITY |
| 1884 | Saint Lucy’s Church JERSEY CITY (Closed 1986) |
| 1885 | Holy Rosary Church JERSEY CITY |
| 1886 | Holy Rosary Church ELIZABETH (Closed 1985) |
| 1886 | Saint Ann’s Church NEWARK |
| 1886 | Saint Augustine’s Church UNION CITY |
| 1886 | Saint Nicholas Church JERSEY CITY |
| 1886 | Saint Venantius ORANGE (Merged with Saint Andrew Kim in 1983) |
| 1887 | Our Lady of Sorrows Church SOUTH ORANGE |
| 1887 | Saint Bridget’s Church (closed 1985) NEWARK |
| 1887 | Saint Joseph’s Church UNION CITY (Merged with Saint Michael in 1983) |
| 1887 | Saint Lawrence’s Church WEEHAWKEN |
| 1887 | Saint Philip Neri Church NEWARK (Closed 1968) |
| 1888 | Saint Francis Church HOBOKEN |
| 1888 | Saint Joseph’s Church BAYONNE |
| 1888 | Saint Rose of Lima Church NEWARK |
| 1889 | Cathedral of the Sacred Heart NEWARK |
| 1889 | Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church NEWARK |
| 1889 | Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church RIDGEWOOD |
| 1889 | Saint Andrew’s Church WESTWOOD |
| 1889 | Saint Henry’s Church BAYONNE |
| 1889 | Saint Peter and Paul Church HOBOKEN |
| 1889 | Saint Stanislaus Church NEWARK |
| 1890 | Saint Anthony’s Church NORTHVALE |
| 1890 | Saint Francis Church RIDGEFIELD PARK |
| 1891 | Immaculate Conception Church HACKENSACK |
| 1891 | Saint Lucy’s Church NEWARK |
| 1892 | Sacred Heart Church (Vailsburg) NEWARK |
| 1892 | Saint Aloysius Church CALDWELL |
| 1893 | Saint Cecilia’s Church KEARNY |
| 1893 | Saint Mary Magdalene Church NEWARK (Closed 1927) |
| 1894 | Saint Vincent de Paul Church BAYONNE |
| 1895 | Saint Anthony’s Church ELIZABETH |
| 1895 | Saint Cassian’s Church UPPER MONTCLAIR |
| 1895 | Saint Joseph’s Church ROSELLE |
| 1895 | Saint Mary’s Church WEST NEW YORK |
| 1895 | Saint Peter and Paul Church ELIZABETH |
| 1896 | All Saints Church JERSEY CITY (Merged with Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary) |
| 1896 | Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church ORANGE |
| 1897 | Corpus Christi Church HASBROUCH HEIGHTS |
| 1897 | Saint Aloysius Church JERSEY CITY |
| 1898 | Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church BAYONNE |
| 1899 | Saint Anthony of Padua Church UNION CITY |
| 1899 | Saint Matthew’s Church RIDGEFIELD |
| 1899 | Saint Rocco’s Church NEWARK |
| 1899 | Saint Valentine’s Church BLOOMFIELD |
Suggestions to Help with Your Search for Sacramental Records
Adapted from information posted on the Archdiocese of Los Angeles website
Assuming you are looking for your baptismal certificate, did you ever receive First Communion, Confirmation, or Matrimony in the Catholic Church? Parishes celebrating these other sacraments are supposed to send that information (a notation only, not the certificate) back to the parish of baptism, so if you contact the parishes of these other sacraments that may point you back to the parish of baptism. Please note that the parish of baptism cannot give you your certificate for First Communion, Confirmation, etc.; it would just have a notation that you received that sacrament (elsewhere). Sacramental certificates are only available from the parish where you celebrated that sacrament.
For birth or marriage records, you can also contact the County’s Vital Statistics Office or Hall of Records.
Where were your sisters and brothers baptized? Sometimes siblings were baptized together, or at least at the same parish.
What address did you live at when you were baptized? Knowing this may be helpful in locating the parish that address geographically belongs.
Is there any remembrance of the parish (examples: it was named after Mary; it was in Newark, Elizabeth or Jersey City; it was run by the Franciscan or Carmelite priests, or another religious order)?
Was it in the a city or one of in the suburbs? The cities in the Archdiocese have many parishes, while each suburb usually has only one or two.
Were you baptized on a U.S. military base, either in the U.S. or abroad? If so, your records are probably at the Military Archdiocese:
Archdiocese of the Military Services, U.S.A.
415 Michigan Ave., N.E., Suite 300, Washington, DC 20017-1518
E-mail: info@milarch.org
http://www.milarch.org
Please send a written request to the Military Archdiocese, either by postal mail or e-mail.
It takes two to three weeks to receive the certificate.
Research Links
