About St. John the Baptist · Jersey City, New Jersey
St. John the Baptist is a Roman Catholic parish in the Journal Square neighborhood of Jersey City, New Jersey, part of the Archdiocese of Newark. The massive granite church was begun in 1892 and dedicated on November 14, 1897, and is renowned for its 5,488 square feet of Venetian mosaics executed under Victor Zucchi of the Payne Studios. After a $750,000 top-to-bottom interior restoration completed in 2020 under its current pastor, the parish continues to serve a culturally diverse congregation that today is predominantly Filipino along with Indian, Caucasian, and Bangladeshi families. Daily Mass and devotions are offered in the adjoining Chapel, while weekend Masses are celebrated in the main Church on Kennedy Boulevard.
- Established
- 1892
- Patron
- St. John the Baptist
- Rector
- Rev. John Berchmans Antony
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Newark
Why belong here
St. John the Baptist welcomes Catholics from every background into one of the most visually stunning churches in the region — the Venetian mosaics and Romanesque-Byzantine sanctuary have been lovingly restored in 2020 and are open daily for Mass, Adoration, and the Rosary. The parish is small enough that people know each other and the pastor personally, yet diverse enough that you'll worship alongside Filipino, Indian, Caucasian, and Bangladeshi families. Between a daily Mass schedule in the Chapel, a 2000 Hail Marys devotion on first Saturdays, monthly Healing Masses, and a parish Christmas party and International Food Festival, there is a real rhythm of prayer and community life to step into.
Mass times at St. John the Baptist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays after the 9:00 AM Mass in St. John the Baptist Chapel
- By appointment — call the Parish Office (201-653-8814)
Adoration times
- Monday through Friday, 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, in St. John the Baptist Chapel
Parish History
St. John the Baptist parish was founded to serve the booming Catholic population of Jersey City in the 1890s. Construction of the granite church began in 1892 and the building was dedicated on November 14, 1897. The defining visual legacy of the parish is the 5,488 square feet of mosaics executed in Venice under Victor Zucchi of the Payne Studios — including a remarkable curved-wall reproduction of Raphael's 'La Disputa del Sacramento' above the main altar. In 1925 the original 75-foot tower was raised to 150 feet. A major $750,000 restoration of the nave, sanctuary, and mosaics was completed in 2020, and the church was rededicated on November 22, 2020 by Auxiliary Bishop Gregory Studerus.
- Founded: begun 1892, dedicated November 14, 1897
- Architects: George Pallisser and John T. Rowland, Jr.
- Stained glass by Franz Meyer of Munich (1895)
- Tower raised from 75 ft to 150 ft in 1925
- 2020 rededication by Auxiliary Bishop Gregory Studerus
The Mosaics and Architecture
St. John's massive granite Romanesque exterior hides what the parish describes as a 'lavish and glittering' Byzantine-inspired interior. Pink granite columns support Romanesque capitals; the altar is white Carrara marble decorated with onyx; the original pews are carved oak; the chandeliers, by Rambusch, are of Byzantine inspiration; and 5,488 square feet of Venetian mosaics cover the apse from floor to dome. Above the theologians in the apse mosaic are the Trinity, the Blessed Virgin, and St. John the Baptist, with the Doctors of the Latin Church (Ambrose, Augustine, Jerome, and Gregory the Great) shown among the figures. Only four U.S. churches surpass St. John's in quantity of mosaics — including the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and the Cathedral of St. Louis — and many consider the quality here unmatched.
- 5,488 sq ft of Venetian mosaics by Victor Zucchi (Payne Studios)
- Gold tesserae made by fusing pure gold leaf between two pieces of glass
- Romanesque exterior / Byzantine interior
- Subjects copied from Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces
Devotions and Spiritual Life
Beyond the Mass schedule, St. John the Baptist Chapel is the hub of a steady rhythm of weekday prayer: morning Adoration from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, the Rosary at 11:30 AM, and on first Saturdays a full-day 2000 Hail Marys devotion running from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM. Once a month a Healing Mass is celebrated with 5:00 PM Adoration, and on First Fridays the parish gathers for Prayers for Life following the 12:10 PM Mass. Hospital visitation is available by notifying the Rectory Office, since hospitals no longer notify parishes of admissions under current privacy rules.
- Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament — Mon–Fri, 11:00 AM–2:00 PM (Chapel)
- Rosary — Mon–Fri, 11:30 AM (Chapel)
- Healing Mass — 2nd or 3rd Sunday at 5:00 PM
- 2000 Hail Marys — 1st Saturday, 7:30 AM–5:30 PM
- Prayers for Life — 1st Friday following 12:10 PM Mass
Parish Staff and Leadership
St. John the Baptist is pastored by Rev. John Berchmans Antony, who was appointed administrator in July 2019 and led the 2020 restoration. He is supported by a small staff of two lay employees (an administrative secretary/bookkeeper and housekeeping/maintenance) along with the Music Minister. Parish governance is provided by two elected Trustees and a Leadership Council.
- Pastor: Rev. John Berchmans Antony
- Music Minister: Chris Haberl
- Bookkeeper / Administrative Secretary: Holjanys Santos
- Housekeeping & Maintenance: Luis Arocho and Griselda Flores
- Trustees: Girlie Romarate and Mario Ocampo
- Leadership Council: Anna Slocum
- Parish Consultant: Dennis Corcoran
Parish Community
Of roughly 500 registered families, more than half are of Filipino descent, with the rest drawn from Indian, Caucasian, and Bangladeshi communities — reflecting the multicultural character of Journal Square and the surrounding Little India neighborhood near Newark and Tonnelle Avenues. Since 2019 the parish has hosted a parish Christmas party, an International Food Festival, and flea markets, and parishioners themselves helped clean the pews during the 2020 restoration.
- Multicultural Filipino, Indian, Caucasian, and Bangladeshi congregation
- Located in Journal Square / Little India
- Annual parish Christmas party, International Food Festival, and flea markets
Parish Giving and Online Worship
The parish offers Electronic Giving through Parish Giving, which allows one-time and recurring contributions, multiple designations, billing-date selection, credit card or bank transfer, and end-of-year contribution reports — processed once a month. Weekend Mass can also be followed online via the parish's Facebook page.
- Electronic Funds Transfer via Parish Giving
- One-time and recurring contributions
- Credit card or bank transfer
- Sunday 10:00 AM Mass live-streamed on Facebook
Visit Us
St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church is located at 3026 Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07306, on the corner of Kennedy Boulevard and Van Winkle Avenue — visible from the PATH terminal in Journal Square. The Rectory Office can be reached at (201) 653-8814 or [email protected].
- Address: 3026 Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07306
- Phone: (201) 653-8814
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stjohnbjc.org
- Facebook: facebook.com/stjohnbnj
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John Berchmans Antony2019–present
Appointed administrator in July 2019; ordained in India (Tamil Nadu), came to New Jersey in 1990, incardinated into the Archdiocese of Newark in 2008, previously served parishes in Fort Lee and Saddle Brook. Led the $750,000 interior restoration and rededication of the church on November 22, 2020.