Madison parish says goodbye to beloved pastor

About 800 people from St. Vincent Martyr Parish in Madison and the surrounding community on Sept. 24 came out to bid farewell to Msgr. George Hundt, its beloved pastor, who served there since 2009.

Last Sunday, St. Vincent’s held a farewell program for Msgr. Hundt, who will become pastor of St. Gerard Majella Parish in Paterson on Oct. 2. On that date, Father Owen Moran, former pastor of St. Luke Parish in the Long Valley neighborhood of Washington Township, will become St. Vincent’s new pastor.

“It was a joyful and tearful day. People waited in line to share their gratitude with Father George and take pictures with him,” said Jan Figenshu, St. Vincent’s pastoral associate and the program’s master of ceremonies.

The program included talks, presentations, prayers, and musical performances by members of and ministries of the parish. “He was a special pastor who touched so many lives. He shines with the light of Christ and will bring that from Madison to Paterson.” Msgr. Hundt will preach at all Masses at St. Vincent’s this weekend.

He previously served as St. Gerard’s pastor from 1995 to 2002. Effec­tive July 1, Msgr. Hundt became administrator of St. Gerard’s while continuing as pastor of St. Vincent’s. He takes over St. Gerard’s from the Vocationists, members of the Society of Divine Vocations, who assumed leadership of St. Gerard’s from the Paterson Diocese in 2008 at the request of Bishop Emeritus Arthur J. Serratelli.