About Our Lady of Grace · Fairview, New Jersey
Our Lady of Grace is a Roman Catholic parish in Fairview, Bergen County, New Jersey, part of the Archdiocese of Newark. For more than a century it was served by the Pallottine Fathers and Brothers (Society of the Catholic Apostolate), who arrived in 1923 and first celebrated Mass for local Catholics in a converted movie theater before laying the cornerstone of the present church on Delano Place in 1934. The parish is a strikingly multilingual community — Sunday Masses are offered in English, Spanish, Italian, and (Saturday evening) Portuguese — and is closely tied to the adjacent Academy of Our Lady of Grace, a Pre-K through 8th-grade Catholic school. The Pallottines concluded their pastoral administration of the parish on June 30, 2026, with the Archdiocese of Newark assuming direct pastoral care; during the transition Fr. Manuel Raj Innasia Pillai, S.A.C., continues to serve as Temporary Administrator.
- Established
- 1923
- Patron
- Our Lady of Grace
- Rector
- Rev. Manuel Raj Innasia Pillai, S.A.C. (Temporary Administrator, during pastoral transition from the Pallottines to the Archdiocese, effective June 30, 2026)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Newark
Why belong here
Our Lady of Grace is one of the most linguistically welcoming parishes in Bergen County, with regular Sunday Masses celebrated in English, Spanish (1:30 pm), and Italian (5:00 pm), plus a Saturday-evening Mass in Portuguese (6:30 pm), and confession in both English and Spanish on Saturday afternoons. Generations of Fairview families have been formed here through the parish school (Academy of Our Lady of Grace, Pre-K–8), the Tuesday CCD program for public-school children, weekly Rosary and novena devotions to St. Anthony and St. Jude, and a century of sacramental care once shepherded by the Pallottines and now transitioning into the direct pastoral care of the Archdiocese of Newark.
Mass times at Our Lady of Grace
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm (English)
- Saturday 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm (Spanish / Confesiones en Español)
Adoration times
- Sunday 2:15 pm — Coronilla Divina Misericordia & Exposición (Divine Mercy Chaplet and Exposition)
About Our Lady of Grace Parish
Our Lady of Grace is a Catholic parish at 395 Delano Place in Fairview, Bergen County, New Jersey, part of the Archdiocese of Newark. For 103 years it was shepherded by the Pallottine Fathers and Brothers of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (S.A.C.), a missionary congregation founded in Rome in 1835 by St. Vincent Pallotti. The Pallottines concluded their pastoral administration of the parish on June 30, 2026, and the Archdiocese of Newark has assumed direct care of the parish through a transition process; during this period Fr. Manuel Raj Innasia Pillai, S.A.C., serves as Temporary Administrator alongside associate Fr. Jaismon Francis, S.A.C.
- Archdiocese of Newark parish (Bergen County)
- Founded 1923; cornerstone of present church laid 1934, completed 1935
- Currently in pastoral transition from Pallottines to the Archdiocese (effective June 30, 2026)
- Multicultural community: Sunday Masses in English, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese
Parish History
The Pallottines came to Fairview in 1923 and first served local Catholics in a converted movie theater. Archbishop Thomas Walsh laid the cornerstone of the present church in 1934 and the building was completed a year later. By 1960 the parish had grown to roughly 1,700 families, and in 1964–65 then-pastor Fr. Joseph Mungari opened the parish school — first in the rectory and then in a new building — staffed in collaboration with Pallottine Sisters. Fr. Peter T. Sticco arrived in 1978 and served ten years as parochial vicar and twenty-eight as pastor, later becoming Provincial Rector; his death in 2025 preceded the Pallottines' decision to end their administration of the parish after more than a century.
- 1923 — Pallottines arrive in Fairview; Mass first celebrated in a converted movie theater
- 1934 — Archbishop Thomas Walsh lays cornerstone of new church
- 1935 — Current church completed
- 1964 — Fr. Joseph Mungari begins the school in the rectory
- 1965 — Our Lady of Grace School (now Academy of Our Lady of Grace) opens
- 1978 — Fr. Peter T. Sticco arrives as parochial vicar
- c. 1988 — Fr. Peter becomes pastor; serves 28 years
- 2025 — Fr. Peter dies; Borough of Fairview renames Kamena Street to 'Father Peter T. Sticco Way'
- June 30, 2026 — Pallottines conclude 103-year pastoral administration
Clergy & Staff
During the current pastoral transition, Our Lady of Grace continues to be served by Pallottine priests while the Archdiocese prepares to install a new full-time pastor or administrator. The parish staff and school leadership are listed on the official bulletin.
- Rev. Manuel Raj Innasia Pillai, S.A.C. — Temporary Administrator
- Rev. Jaismon Francis, S.A.C. — Associate
- Mrs. Filomena D'Amico — School Principal, Academy of Our Lady of Grace
- Mark Bottoni — Choir Director & Organist
- Kathleen Gleason — Parish Secretary
Devotions & Other Services
Beyond the regular Mass schedule, the parish sustains a weekly rhythm of devotions and faith-formation gatherings rooted in its Catholic and Pallottine tradition.
- Rosary & Novena to St. Anthony and St. Jude — Tuesday evenings at 7:15 pm
- Coronilla Divina Misericordia & Exposición (Divine Mercy Chaplet & Exposition) — Sundays at 2:15 pm
- Teaching of the Good News (CCD) — Tuesdays at 3:15 pm
- Anointing of the Sick — by request through the Rectory for home or hospital visitation
Sacraments
The parish prepares parishioners for and celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments, with policies outlined in its weekly bulletin and website.
- Baptism: celebrated on the second Saturday of each month at 11:30 am; parents attend an instruction on the Friday before; please call the rectory in advance
- Penance (Reconciliation): Saturday 3:30–4:30 pm (English) and 3:00–4:30 pm (Spanish)
- Eucharist: see full Mass schedule
- Anointing of the Sick: call the Rectory at any time for home or hospital visitation
- Marriage: couples must contact the parish at least one year before the proposed wedding date
Academy of Our Lady of Grace (Parish School)
Adjacent to the church on Kamena Street, the Academy of Our Lady of Grace is the parish's Pre-K through 8th-grade Catholic elementary school, opened in 1965 by then-pastor Fr. Joseph Mungari and staffed for decades in collaboration with a community of Pallottine Sisters. The school is named in honor of the late Fr. Peter T. Sticco and continues the Pallottine educational charism of St. Vincent Pallotti, whose feast day is January 22.
- Grades served: Pre-K 3 through Grade 8
- Principal: Mrs. Filomena D'Amico
- Phone: 201-945-8300
- Website: aolgfairview.org
- Address: 400 Kamena, Fairview, NJ 07022
- Patron saint of the Pallottine mission at the school: St. Vincent Pallotti
- Pallottine Sisters continue to minister at the school after June 30, 2026
Faith Formation & Religious Education
In addition to the parish school, Our Lady of Grace runs the long-standing Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) program for children attending public schools, as well as sacramental preparation for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, and Marriage.
- CCD classes — Tuesdays at 3:15 pm
- Baptismal instruction for parents — the Friday before the second-Saturday baptism
- Marriage preparation — required at least one year in advance
- Anointing of the Sick — pastoral visits on request
Music & Liturgy
The parish is served by a dedicated Director of Music and Organist who leads the liturgical music program, including choir at Sunday Masses and special occasions.
- Choir Director & Organist: Mark Bottoni
- Sunday and special-occasion liturgies
- Live streaming of Sunday Masses and special occasions on olgrc.org
Outreach & Parish Life
Our Lady of Grace has historically combined sacramental life with active lay ministry and charitable outreach, in keeping with the Pallottine call to make every Christian 'an apostle of charity and hope.' Parish leadership includes Trustees, a Parish Council, a Pastoral Advisory Council, and lay ministers of the Word and of Hospitality who serve at liturgies.
- Parish Council
- Trustees
- Pastoral Advisory Council
- Lay Ministers of the Word
- Lay Ministers of Hospitality (ushers/greeters)
- School service projects and charity events (Academy of Our Lady of Grace)
- Memorial Offerings (Sanctuary Candle; Bread and Wine)
- 'We Are His Witnesses' archdiocesan pastoral initiative (launched Pentecost 2025)
Visiting & Becoming a Parishioner
Our Lady of Grace invites newcomers to register and join its worshipping community. The parish homepage features a 'New to our church?' / 'Register Now' prompt, and Masses and confessions are open to all. The church also live-streams Sunday Masses and special occasions for those unable to attend in person.
- New parishioner registration via olgrc.org
- Live streaming of Sunday Masses and special occasions on the website
- Office hours and contact via the Rectory (201-943-0904)
- Multiple Mass times in four languages each week
Contact & Location
The parish and school share a campus at 395 Delano Place in Fairview, NJ 07022, served by the Rectory, School, and CCD Office. The site is part of the Archdiocese of Newark.
- Address: 395 Delano Place, Fairview, NJ 07022
- Rectory phone: 201-943-0904
- School phone (Academy of Our Lady of Grace): 201-945-8300
- CCD Office: 201-945-1201
- Parish website: http://www.olgrc.org/
- School website: https://aolgfairview.org/
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Newark (171 Clifton Avenue, Newark, NJ 07104)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Joseph Mungari, S.A.C.
Pastor in 1964; began the parish school in the rectory that year and oversaw construction of Our Lady of Grace School, which opened in 1965.
- Very Rev. Peter T. Sticco, S.A.C.1978–2025 (approximately)
Arrived 1978; served ten years as parochial vicar and twenty-eight as pastor. Later Provincial Rector of the Pallottine Immaculate Conception Province. Died 2025; the Borough of Fairview renamed a portion of Kamena Street 'Father Peter T. Sticco Way' in his honor and the parish school was named for him.