Assumption in Morristown celebrates 150 years

MORRISTOWN  Parishioners of Assump­tion of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish here have been filling the walls of its church with prayers and faith since it was dedicated in 1873. That faith has sustained them through political division and social movements in the United States and changes in the Church over all those decades, said Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney at a Mass on Oct. 16 to mark the 150th anniversary of Assumption Church, which was partially destroyed by fire and rebuilt in the 1980s.

Bishop Sweeney served as the main celebrant and homilist of the Mass to mark the milestone for the Gothic Revival style church — the second and current house of worship for the parish, established in 1848. It is the only Church in Morristown listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and it is the oldest Church in Morristown on its original foundation.

Concelebrating the anniversary Mass were Msgr. John Hart, pastor and director of Clergy Personnel for the Diocese of Paterson; Father Lukasz Wnuk, parochial vicar; Father Dawid Zajecki, a hospital chaplain in residence at Assumption; and Msgr. Kenneth Lasch, retired diocesan priest, who grew up here and was present at the 75th anniversary.

“What a joy and privilege to be in beautiful Assumption Church with you as this parish celebrates 150 years of this beautiful church. We reflect on the prayers that have been said here, moments of life that have been celebrated, joyful and sorrowful, and the Eucharist that we celebrate at each Mass,” Bishop Sweeney told the congregation.

In 1847, Father Louis Senez, pastor of St. Vincent Parish in Madison, paid $400 to build the first Catholic church in Morristown. The new faith community was started by Irish immigrants. Dedi­cated in 1849, the first church was wooden. In 1850, the church was opened for a Catholic school in the basement. To accommodate a growing parish, a new church was built for $40,000 from brick made in the area, trimmed with Ohio sandstone. The cornerstone was laid on June 30, 1872, and the Church was consecrated on Ascension Thursday, May 22, 1873.

Throughout the years, the church underwent several renovations, including one in 1972 for the centennial of the church. The altar railing was dismantled, and the altars of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph were removed. Sections of Mary and Joseph’s altar were used to create a new marble “table” altar, which was first used on Sept. 17, 1972.

Much of the church was destroyed by a fire on April 10, 1985. Morristown’s firefighters and Assumption’s clergy helped rescue liturgical vessels, gold crucifixes and candlesticks (1848), saint statues (1948), and Stations of the Cross (1892) before they could be destroyed by water or fire damage. Although the roof fell in, the pews were damaged, and the organ was ruined by water, the marble altar and stained glass windows (1882) all survived, except for the Rose window over the loft, which was later restored.

During the rebuilding of the church, weekend Masses were celebrated in the school gym until Christmas Eve of 1987, when Midnight Mass was celebrated on an unfinished floor in the church with the congregation seated in folding chairs. The newly restored church was rededicated by Bishop Frank J. Rodimer on Feb. 29, 1988.

In 2007 Assumption Church underwent a major renovation, reducing the size of the sanctuary area to allow for more seating and moving the baptismal font to a central location. The renovation ensured that all elements of the church remained in keeping with the church’s Gothic tradition.

“Thanks to the beautiful renovations of the church in 2007 that were accomplished under the late Msgr. Martin Rauscher, this sacred building inspires parishioners and people from all over to raise their hearts and minds to Almighty God and praise him for all the blessings He bestows on us through Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son,” Msgr. Hart told The Beacon.