About Diocese of Trenton
The Diocese of Trenton is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory of the Catholic Church serving central New Jersey. Established on August 2, 1881 by Pope Leo XIII and carved out of the Diocese of Newark, it is today a suffragan diocese of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Newark. The diocese covers the four central New Jersey counties of Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean, encompassing approximately 5,584 square kilometers, with 97 parishes, 30 Catholic schools, and a Catholic population of roughly 830,000. Its mother church is the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in Trenton, with a co-cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine in Freehold. The current and tenth bishop is David M. O'Connell, C.M., a Vincentian priest and former president of The Catholic University of America.
- Bishop
- David M. O'Connell, C.M.
- Established
- 1881
- Cathedral
- Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, Trenton
- Territory
- Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean Counties in central New Jersey (approximately 5,584 sq km / 2,156 sq mi)
- Parishes
- 97 parishes
- Province
- Archdiocese of Newark (Metropolitan Province of Newark)
History of the Diocese of Trenton
Established August 2, 1881 by Pope Leo XIII from territory of the Diocese of Newark, the Diocese of Trenton originally covered two-thirds of New Jersey. It has been divided twice — losing six southern counties to the Diocese of Camden (1937) and four northern counties to the Diocese of Metuchen (1981) — but the Catholic population of the remaining four counties has grown nearly twenty-four-fold, from about 35,000 in 1881 to 830,000 today. The first Catholic parish in New Jersey, St. John the Baptist in Trenton, was erected in 1814, and the cathedral grounds sit on the site used as Hessian headquarters during the Battle of Trenton in December 1776.
- Established August 2, 1881 by Pope Leo XIII
- Original territory: 14 New Jersey counties, 68 churches, 23 schools, 51 priests, ~35,000 Catholics
- 1937: Lost six counties to the new Diocese of Camden
- 1981: Lost four counties to the new Diocese of Metuchen
- Centennial celebrated in 1981 under Bishop John C. Reiss
Bishops of Trenton
Since 1881 the Diocese of Trenton has had ten bishops, including two (Walsh and Kiley) who went on to become archbishops of other sees. Bishop George W. Ahr served the longest — 29 years — and presided over the greatest institutional expansion, while the current bishop, David M. O'Connell, C.M., is a Vincentian priest and former president of The Catholic University of America.
- 1. Michael J. O'Farrell (1881–1894)
- 2. James A. McFaul (1894–1917)
- 3. Thomas J. Walsh (1917–1928) — later Archbishop of Newark
- 4. John J. McMahon (1928–1932)
- 5. Moses E. Kiley (1934–1940) — later Archbishop of Milwaukee
- 6. William A. Griffin (1940–1950)
- 7. George W. Ahr (1950–1979) — longest-serving ordinary
- 8. John C. Reiss (1980–1997)
- 9. John M. Smith (1997–2010)
- 10. David M. O'Connell, C.M. (2010–present) — current bishop
Cathedral and Co-Cathedral
The mother church of the diocese is the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption in Trenton, originally dedicated by Bishop James Bayley of Newark in 1871 on the site used as Hessian headquarters during the December 1776 Battle of Trenton. The cathedral was destroyed by fire in 1956 and rebuilt under Bishop Ahr. The co-cathedral is St. Robert Bellarmine in Freehold, Monmouth County.
- Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, Trenton — dedicated 1871
- Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine, Freehold
- Cathedral destroyed by fire 1956, subsequently rebuilt
Catholic Education
The Diocese of Trenton operates an extensive Catholic school system under the Department of Catholic Schools, led by Superintendent Dr. Vincent de Paul Schmidt. The system today comprises 25 Catholic parish elementary schools and 5 Catholic diocesan/parish high schools serving students across Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean counties.
- Department of Catholic Schools headed by Superintendent Dr. Vincent de Paul Schmidt
- 25 Catholic parish elementary schools
- 5 Catholic diocesan/parish high schools
Catholic Social Services and Charities
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton — founded in 1913 — is the social-services arm of the diocese, reaching more than 120,000 individuals and families each year through over 75 programs in mental health, poverty reduction, and crisis intervention. Services are offered regardless of faith, ethnicity, or economic status. The Office of Catholic Social Services coordinates the work of Catholic Charities along with Catholic Relief Services, the Holy Innocents Society, Mount Carmel Guild, Project Paul, Project Rachel Ministry, St. Francis Community Center, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Visitation Home, Collier Youth Services, Good Counsel, and the Mercer County Catholic Youth Organization (CYO).
- Catholic Charities (founded 1913) — 75+ programs, 120,000 people served annually
- Catholic Relief Services, Holy Innocents Society
- Mount Carmel Guild, Project Paul, Project Rachel Ministry
- St. Francis Community Center, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Visitation Home
- Collier Youth Services, Good Counsel, CYO
Offices and Ministries
The Diocesan Curia is organized into six offices led by Rev. Msgr. Thomas Gervasio, Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia: Catholic Education; Catholic Social Services; Clergy and Consecrated Life; Communications and Media; Financial Administration; and Temporal Administration. Additional diocesan offices include Child and Youth Protection, Vocations, Worship, Missions, and Diocesan Pilgrimages, plus the Office of Canonical Services and Tribunal.
- Office of Catholic Education
- Office of Catholic Social Services
- Office of Clergy and Consecrated Life
- Office of Communications and Media (publishes The Monitor)
- Office of Financial Administration
- Office of Pastoral Life and Mission
- Office of Temporal Administration
- Office of Child and Youth Protection
- Office of Vocations
- Office of Worship
- Office of Missions
- Diocesan Pilgrimages
- Office of Canonical Services and Tribunal
Parishes, Deacons, and Religious
The diocese is served by 97 parishes staffed by 251 assigned and retired priests (including religious-order priests), 277 active and retired permanent deacons, 138 active and retired women religious, and 47 active and retired religious brothers. Catholic parishes and missions are located throughout Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean counties.
- 97 parishes
- 251 priests (diocesan and religious)
- 277 permanent deacons
- 138 women religious
- 47 religious brothers
Pastoral Life and Mission
The Office of Pastoral Life and Mission, under Executive Director Terry A. Ginther, oversees catechesis, evangelization and family life, pastoral planning, youth and young adult ministries, Hispanic and multicultural ministry, jail and prison ministry, pastoral care, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), campus ministry, lay associations, and retreat and houses of prayer.
- Department of Catechesis
- Department of Evangelization and Family Life
- Department of Pastoral Planning
- Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries
- Hispanic and Multicultural Ministry
- Jail and Prison Ministry
- Pastoral Care
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Campus Ministry
- Lay Associations
- Retreat and Houses of Prayer
Communications and Media
The diocese publishes The Monitor, its official weekly newspaper, and operates an active multimedia presence. Under Bishop John M. Smith, the diocese launched its website (www.dioceseoftrenton.org) in 2000 and created the award-winning teen talk show Realfaith TV, which has been televised and webcast throughout North America. Today the Office of Communications and Media runs The Monitor, the diocesan website, and the Department of Multimedia Production.
- The Monitor — official diocesan newspaper
- www.dioceseoftrenton.org (online since 2000)
- Realfaith TV — award-winning teen talk show
- Hispanic Apostolate website
- Ministry of Vocations website
- www.respectlifetoday.com
- The Monitor online (TrentonMonitor.com)
Vocations, Clergy, and Consecrated Life
The Office of Vocations (Rev. Jason Parzynski, Director) and the Office of Clergy and Consecrated Life (Rev. Msgr. Thomas J. Mullelly) recruit and form priests, permanent deacons, and religious. Bishop O'Connell, himself a Vincentian (Congregation of the Mission), has emphasized priestly formation and religious vocations throughout his episcopate.
- Office of Vocations
- Vicar for Clergy and Consecrated Life
- Ministry of Clergy Personnel
- Diaconate program (277 permanent deacons)
- Delegate for Religious (Sisters, Brothers)
Catholic Cemeteries
The Department of Catholic Cemeteries, under Deacon David O'Connor, manages the diocesan Catholic cemeteries serving the faithful of the four counties, providing burial and cremation services in keeping with Catholic tradition.
- Department of Catholic Cemeteries
- Director: Deacon David O'Connor
Contact and Chancery Office
The Diocese of Trenton's Chancery Office is located at 701 Lawrenceville Road, Trenton, NJ 08648. Office hours and main telephone: (609) 406-7400; fax (609) 406-7412. The Office of the Bishop is staffed by Most Reverend David M. O'Connell, C.M., Bishop of Trenton, assisted by Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia Rev. Msgr. Thomas Gervasio.
- Chancery Office, 701 Lawrenceville Road, Trenton, NJ 08648
- Phone: (609) 406-7400
- Fax: (609) 406-7412
- Email: [email protected]
