Newton parish welcomes Bishop

NEWTON  Bishop Kevin Sweeney made a pastoral visit to St. Joseph Parish here Aug. 1 where he celebrated the 5 p.m. vigil Mass for the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

St. Joseph Parish, founded in 1854, was the first parish established in Sussex County. Its first church was built on Jefferson Street in 1855. The present church on 24 Halsted St. was officially opened on Sept. 21, 1864 to also serve the village of Andover where many of the local miners lived. For years, the parish was designated as “The Parish of Sussex County.”