Brief Parish History

St. Henry Church, Bayonne, has served the Roman Catholic faithful of the area for over 130 years.  St. Henry was established in 1889 with 50 families of Bavarian descent.  The parish currently serves approximately 1,900 families.  The church, of modified English Gothic design, began construction in 1912 and was completed in 1915.  The beautiful and ornate interior and exterior of the over 100 year old structure has been meticulously repaired and restored in recent years.  Through a large variety of parish ministries  touching all ages, interests and talents, St. Henry Parish continues to meet the many spiritual, emotional and social needs of its faith family and warmly welcomes new parishioners with a friendly and loving invitation each day.

Chronology

–  1888 Letter written to Bishop Wigger to establish a German Catholic Church in Bayonne
–  1890 First church on the corner 0f 26th Street and Avenue D (Broadway) dedicated
–  1891 Benedictine Sisters of Elizabeth arrived
–  1905 Father Peter E. Reilly became pastor
–  1907 Pastor Reilly purchased a city lot between Kennedy Blvd. and Avenue C
–  1912 Corner stone laid for the new church on Avenue C
– 1915 Church dedication
– 1919 Pastor Reilly died in the rectory
– 1919 Father Michael J. Mulligan became the pastor
– 1921 Father Mulligan instrumental in forming the Bayonne Visiting Nurses Association
– 1940 Pastor Mulligan purchased the closed #8 School on the corner of Ave. C & 28th Street
– 1941 New school on Avenue C dedicated
– 1964 Parish Center, former school, on 30th Street burned down
– 1966 After 47 years, Monsignor Michael J. Mulligan stepped down as Pastor
– 1966 Father Charles J. Covert became the pastor
– 1967 – 1969 major  renovation in the church and school
– 1980 First carnival held on school grounds
– 1982 New rectory and parish center were finished
– 1984 Sale of old rectory and convent approved
– 1985 Saint Henry School closed and Benedictine Sisters left
– 1989 Parish centennial celebrated with yearlong events
– 1992 Monsignor Edward J. Hajduk became the 10th pastor
– 1996 – 1997 Renovation of the church and school
– 2000 Jubilee 2000 Committee established to celebrate the new century
– 2004 Bishop-elect Thomas A. Donato became pastor, the first Bishop in St. Henry Church history
– 2012 Capital Campaign established to support renovation projects on the Church Interior/Exterior, Rectory/Parish Center and School
– 2014 Parish 125th Anniversary celebrated with yearlong events
– 2015 Parish 100th Anniversary of Church dedication