Bishop Sweeney celebrates St. Patrick’s Day parade Mass in Morristown

In a section of Morristown often known as the “Dublin” neighborhood, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney celebrated the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade Mass in Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Morristown on March 11. Descendants of the early Irish immigrants to this area more than a century ago and many others who consider themselves Irish by blood or by heart attended the 9:30 a.m. Mass. The popular parade stepped off at noon.

Msgr. John Hart, Assumption’s pastor, concelebrated Mass, joined by several other priests. The Mass was organized by local parishioners, the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, and the Irish American Association of North Jersey. Among those in attendance was Ryan Dawson of Mendham Township, this year’s grand marshal, his wife, Melinda, and many of the parade’s past grand marshals.

“What started as a rainy and snowy day became a beautiful day in many ways. It was a privilege for me to celebrate the parade Mass at Assumption Church in Morristown before the annual Morristown St. Patrick’s Day parade and how wonderful that, as the parade was stepping off at noon, there was some blue sky and we could see the sun,” Bishop Sweeney, the son of Irish immigrants, posted on his Instagram account.

The Morristown parade is New Jersey’s largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade, a family-friendly event that has been a Morris County tradition since 1979.