About St. Aedan's (St. Peter's University Church) · Jersey City, New Jersey
St. Aedan's Church is a Roman Catholic parish in the McGinley Square neighborhood of Jersey City, New Jersey, a few blocks south of Journal Square. Founded in 1912 by the Bishop of Newark for the Irish-American workers and families of the area, the parish is named for St. Aedan (550–632) of County Wexford, Ireland. From August 2011 to March 2024 it served as the university church of Saint Peter's University under the Jesuit priests of the Jersey City Jesuit Community; Saint Peter's returned the church to the Archdiocese of Newark on April 1, 2024. Today its congregation is strikingly diverse — Filipino, Central and South American, Caribbean, Indian, African, Italian, Irish and others worshipping together at Mass in English and Spanish.
- Established
- 1912
- Patron
- St. Aedan of County Wexford, Ireland (550–632)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Newark
Why belong here
St. Aedan's offers a rare combination: a historic Depression-era church with spectacular original mosaics and architecture, perched on the highest point in Jersey City, alongside a weekly Mass schedule in both English and Spanish that welcomes a genuinely multicultural Catholic community — Filipino, Central and South American, Caribbean, Indian, African, Italian and Irish families worshipping together. With its return to the Archdiocese of Newark in April 2024 after years as a Jesuit university church, St. Aedan's continues its century-old mission of serving the people of McGinley Square and the wider Jersey City area through weekday Mass, confession, baptisms, marriages, and outreach.
Mass times at St. Aedan's (St. Peter's University Church)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 12:45 PM (inside the church)
About St. Aedan's
St. Aedan's Church is a Roman Catholic parish in McGinley Square, Jersey City, a few blocks south of Journal Square. It belongs to the Archdiocese of Newark. Once a predominantly Irish Catholic parish founded in 1912, St. Aedan's today gathers a congregation of diverse ethnic and national origins — Filipino, Central and South American, Caribbean, Indian, African, Italian, Irish and others — brought together by their Catholic faith.
- Roman Catholic parish in McGinley Square, Jersey City
- Part of the Archdiocese of Newark
- Located at 800 Bergen Ave., Jersey City, NJ 07306
- Parish Center / Office at 39 Tuers Ave., Jersey City, NJ 07306
History of the Parish
The Bishop of Newark established St. Aedan's in 1912, naming it for St. Aedan (550–632) of County Wexford, Ireland, in honor of the Irish-American workers and families settling in the neighborhood. The present church, completed in 1931 at the height of the Depression at a cost of about $1 million, sits on the highest point in Jersey City and remains unrestored, preserving its original mosaics and architectural character.
- 1912: parish established by the Bishop of Newark
- Named for St. Aedan of County Wexford (550–632), Ireland
- 1931: present church building completed during the Depression, at a cost of ~$1 million
- 1970s onward: congregation shifts from mostly Irish-American to a richly multi-ethnic Catholic community
Saint Peter's University Church Era (2011–2024)
From August 2011 to March 2024, St. Aedan's served as the university church of Saint Peter's University, the Jesuit university of New Jersey. Priests from the Jersey City Jesuit Community administered the church, serving the university while continuing parish functions. Saint Peter's University returned St. Aedan's to the Archdiocese of Newark on April 1, 2024.
- August 2011: Became the university church of Saint Peter's University
- Administered by priests of the Jersey City Jesuit Community
- April 1, 2024: Returned to the Archdiocese of Newark
Sacraments
St. Aedan's celebrates the core sacraments of the Catholic Church and supports parishioners through every stage of sacramental life. Requests and arrangements for sacraments are made through the parish office at 39 Tuers Avenue. Sacramental records are also available by submitting a request to the office.
- Holy Eucharist (Mass)
- Reconciliation (Confession)
- Baptism
- Marriage
- Sacramental records (request via parish office)
Contact & Parish Office
The Parish Center office is located at 39 Tuers Avenue, behind the church building. Office hours are Tuesday–Friday 10 AM–4 PM, Saturday 9 AM–2 PM, and Sunday 9 AM–1 PM. The office phone is (201) 433-6800, with voicemail available outside hours.
- Address: 39 Tuers Ave., Jersey City, NJ 07306 (Parish Center)
- Phone: (201) 433-6800
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Tue–Fri 10 AM–4 PM, Sat 9 AM–2 PM, Sun 9 AM–1 PM