About St. Elizabeth of Hungary /Our Lady of the Angels Parish/ · Goshen, New Jersey
Our Lady of the Angels Parish is a Roman Catholic community of the Diocese of Camden, centered on its main church at 35 East Mechanic Street in Cape May Court House, New Jersey. The parish operates a mission church, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, on Route 47 in the small village of Goshen within Middle Township, Cape May County, which celebrates Mass during the summer season only. The parish describes itself as a Eucharistic community 'powered by the Holy Spirit,' striving to be a welcoming place of worship and friendship that offers guidance, education, and service through work, play, and prayer.
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Angels (parish patron); St. Elizabeth of Hungary (patron of the mission church in Goshen)
- Rector
- Rev. Thomas (Tom) Barcellona
- Diocese
- Diocese of Camden
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Angels offers a complete parish life on Cape May Court's doorstep: a 450-seat main church with daily Mass and three to four Sunday Masses, plus the summer-only historic mission chapel of St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Goshen. The parish is anchored by a thriving faith-formation program (Religious Education Levels 1–8 plus Confirmation), a year-round Youth Group for grades 6–12, a Young Adult Ministry for ages 20–35, a Knights of Columbus Council #12184, a Prayer Shawl Ministry, a Bereavement & Consolation Group, an OCIA (RCIA) journey for adults, and active outreach such as the monthly Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwich collection for the Atlantic City Rescue Mission. Newcomers register in person at the Parish Center on Steel Road and quickly find a place in the parish's ministries, daily Rosary, weekday Eucharistic Adoration, and a strong partnership with Bishop McHugh Regional Catholic School.
Mass times at St. Elizabeth of Hungary /Our Lady of the Angels Parish/
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM at Our Lady of the Angels (also by appointment)
Adoration times
- Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM in the Our Lady of the Angels Chapel
Parish Overview & Mission
Our Lady of the Angels Parish describes itself as a Eucharistic community powered by the Holy Spirit. Its published mission statement reads: 'As a Eucharistic community powered by the Holy Spirit, our mission at Our Lady of the Angels is to be a welcoming place of worship and friendship. Through work, play, and prayer, our parish will offer guidance, education, and service to all.' The parish operates from three sites: the main church on East Mechanic Street in Cape May Court House, the Parish Center on Steel Road (which handles registration, faith formation, and administrative work), and the seasonal mission chapel of St. Elizabeth of Hungary on Route 47 in Goshen.
- Main Church: 35 East Mechanic Street, Cape May Court House, NJ 08210
- Parish Center: 410 Steel Road, Cape May Court House, NJ 08210
- Mission Church: St. Elizabeth of Hungary, 561 South Route 47, Goshen, NJ 08218
- Part of the Diocese of Camden
History & Buildings
The parish's official website does not publish a full historical narrative, but architect and diocesan records document that the main Our Lady of the Angels church in Cape May Court House was completed in 1994. The 9,000-square-foot building seats 450 and combines masonry bearing walls with a structural steel frame, heavy timber roof trusses, and a brick-faced exterior, all set on a 2.6-acre landscaped parcel with 132 parking spaces. St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Goshen is described locally as a 'beautiful, historic chapel' — it pre-dates the Cape May Court House church and survives as the parish's summer-only worship site. During the Diocese of Camden's 2008 reconfiguration, Our Lady of the Angels was retained as a stand-alone parish.
- Main church completed 1994 (architect: The Design Collaborative Architects & Planners)
- 9,000 sq. ft., 450 seats, 132 parking spaces
- Masonry bearing wall / steel frame / heavy timber roof trusses / brick exterior
- St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Goshen — historic mission chapel, summer Mass only
Clergy & Parish Staff
Our Lady of the Angels is led by a pastor supported by two deacons (one of whom serves only in summer) and a small administrative and formation team. Contact emails for each staff member are published on the parish website and in the weekly bulletin.
- Rev. Thomas (Tom) Barcellona — Pastor — [email protected]
- Deacon Peter Davidson — [email protected] (year-round)
- Deacon George Ferland — [email protected] (Summer only)
- Mrs. Susan Phillips — Coordinator of Religious Education (CRE) — [email protected]
- Mr. Scott Pezzano — Youth and Young Adult Ministry — [email protected]
- Mrs. Wendy Adams — Office Administrator — [email protected]
- Mrs. Anne Facendo — Administrative Assistant — [email protected]
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish's faith formation program is run by Coordinator of Religious Education Susan Phillips from the Parish Center on Steel Road. Classes run weekly from mid-September through May and serve children in Levels 1 through 8, plus Confirmation preparation in Years 1 and 2. Tuition is tiered, and the parish explicitly invites families in financial difficulty to reach out rather than skip registration. Registration opens each spring through Parish Giving, and a late fee applies after September 1.
- Religious Education Levels 1–8 plus Confirmation Years 1 & 2
- Weekly program: mid-September through May
- Tuition: $150 (one child), $175 (two), $200 (three or more) for 2025–2026
- Tuition assistance available — contact the CRE
- Classes held in St. Gabriel Hall and St. Michael's Learning Center
- Office of Faith Formation: (609) 465-5432 ext. 12 — [email protected]
OCIA (RCIA) — Becoming Catholic
The parish invites anyone 15 years or older who would like to be baptized, or who has not yet received Holy Communion and/or Confirmation, to join the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults. A team of parishioners meets weekly with inquirers to share faith and walk through the stages of the OCIA process.
- For adults and teens 15+ seeking Baptism, Eucharist, or Confirmation
- Weekly meetings with a parish team of sponsors
- Liturgical Rites celebrated in step with the universal Church (Rite of Welcoming, Rite of Election at the Cathedral, Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil)
- Contact the Parish Center at (609) 465-5432 to begin
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the usual sacraments and notes on its website and in its bulletin that one must be a registered parishioner to celebrate Baptism or Marriage, or to obtain letters of eligibility for sponsorship at Baptism or Confirmation. Marriage requires at least twelve months of preparation and a diocesan-approved marriage preparation program.
- Baptism — celebrated at weekend liturgies; preparation session for parents required; register first
- First Communion — through Religious Education
- Confirmation — through Religious Education (Years 1 & 2)
- Marriage — arrangements begin at least 1 year ahead; diocesan-approved prep program required
- OCIA — for unbaptized adults and baptized Christians seeking full communion
Ministries & Parish Groups
Our Lady of the Angels sustains a wide mix of parish groups: men's, women's, youth, young adult, bereavement, prayer, and outreach ministries. Most groups meet in either St. Gabriel Hall or St. Michael's Learning Center on the parish campus.
- Knights of Columbus Council #12184 — 2nd Monday, 7:00 PM, St. Gabriel Hall (Grand Knight Joe Capuzzi)
- Women of Faith Bible Study — Tuesdays 6:30 PM, St. Michael's Learning Center
- Prayer Shawl Ministry — Thursdays 2:00–4:00 PM, Parish Office
- Bereavement & Consolation Group — 2nd Wednesday, 1:00 PM, Chapel
- Youth Group (Grades 6–12) — October through May; contact Scott Pezzano
- Young Adult Ministry (ages 20–35) — 2nd & 4th Mondays, 6:00–7:00 PM, St. Michael's Learning Center
Outreach & Charity
Outreach is woven into parish life, both through the Knights of Columbus and through parish-wide collections.
- Monthly Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich collection benefiting the Atlantic City Rescue Mission (3rd Wednesday, 5:00–5:30 PM, St. Gabriel Hall)
- Knights of Columbus tuition assistance for parish children attending Bishop McHugh Regional Catholic School
- Gift Card fundraiser (Wawa, ShopRite, Acme, WalMart) — sold before/after weekend Masses; parish receives the full value
- Food Pantry support as published in parish bulletins
Catholic School Partnership
Our Lady of the Angels Parish partners with Bishop McHugh Regional Catholic School in Cape May Court House, whose pastor board includes Father Barcellona. The Knights of Columbus Council #12184 actively fundraises so parish children can attend Bishop McHugh.
- Bishop McHugh Regional Catholic School, 2221 Rt. 9 North, Cape May Court House, NJ 08210
- Principal: Mrs. Alicia Farren
- School phone: (609) 624-1900
- Pastor board includes Rev. Thomas Barcellona
Becoming a Parishioner & Contact
New parishioners are always welcome. Registration is handled in person at the Parish Center; the parish notes that being registered is required in order to celebrate the Sacraments of Baptism or Marriage, or to be granted sponsor letters of eligibility at Baptism or Confirmation.
- Register in person at the Parish Center, 410 Steel Road, Cape May Court House
- Parish Center hours: Monday–Thursday 9 AM–3 PM; Monday–Friday 9 AM–2 PM (Faith Formation)
- Parish phone: (609) 465-5432 — Fax (609) 465-7647
- Pastor email: [email protected]
- Bulletin published weekly by John Patrick Publishing (church-bulletin.org/564)