About St. Rocco/St. Brigid · Union City, New Jersey
St. Rocco & St. Brigid Roman Catholic Church is a Roman-Latin rite parish of the Archdiocese of Newark located at 4206 John F. Kennedy Boulevard in Union City, Hudson County, New Jersey. Founded in 1912 by Italian immigrants in the Union Hill neighborhood, it was staffed for over sixty years by the Pallottine Fathers and is now a bilingual (English/Spanish) parish serving a diverse community. The parish offers daily Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, religious education (including OCIA), a monthly food pantry, and a popular annual Feast of St. Rocco procession.
- Established
- 1912
- Patron
- St. Rocco (San Roque); St. Brigid
- Rector
- Rev. Joseph D. Girone
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Newark
Why belong here
St. Rocco / St. Brigid offers the rare combination of a historic Italian-immigrant parish (founded 1912) and a thoroughly contemporary bilingual Catholic community, with Masses in English and Spanish every weekend and on most weekdays. Parishioners can participate in daily Eucharistic Adoration in the rectory chapel, the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) program directed by Rita Méndez, ongoing religious education for children, and a monthly food pantry serving Union City, North Bergen, and Weehawken. The annual outdoor Feast of St. Rocco procession is a beloved cultural and devotional tradition that draws the wider Hudson County Italian-American community.
Mass times at St. Rocco/St. Brigid
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 3:30 PM (and by appointment)
- Weekdays after the 9:00 AM Mass (Mon–Fri)
Adoration times
- Monday through Friday, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM in the Adoration Chapel of the Rectory
History of St. Rocco / St. Brigid Parish
St. Rocco parish was officially inaugurated on July 14, 1912, by the Rev. J. N. Grieff, Pastor of Holy Family, Union City, who had been delegated by the Most Rev. Raphael O'Connor, Bishop of Newark. Father Sinisi celebrated the first Mass. The first rectory was the second floor of a converted cobbler shop on Liberty Street and Hudson Boulevard in Union Hill. The original wooden church burned down in 1924, and the present church was rebuilt under Father Grisciotti, who saved the relics and Blessed Sacrament from the flames. The Pallottine Fathers staffed the parish from 1922 to 1984; diocesan priests have served it since then. In the 1950s the parish transitioned from an entirely Italian community to a multicultural one, and the first Spanish Mass was celebrated on the first Sunday of February 1968.
- Founded 1912 by Italian immigrants in Union Hill
- First pastor: Father Sinisi (1912–1922)
- Pallottine Fathers staffed parish 1922–1984
- First Spanish Mass celebrated February 1968
- Present rectory dedicated June 24, 1951
Religious Education and OCIA
St. Rocco / St. Brigid runs a Religious Education (CCD) program for children, with inquiries handled through [email protected] or the rectory office at 201-863-1427. The parish also offers the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), the restored name for the RCIA process, directed by Rita Méndez, for adults preparing for Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.
- Religious Education (CCD) for children
- Contact: [email protected]
- OCIA Director: Rita Méndez
- Adult initiation (Baptism / Confirmation / Eucharist)
Food Pantry and Outreach
The parish operates a monthly Food Pantry on the first Monday of the month from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Service is restricted to residents of Union City, North Bergen, and Weehawken. Inquiries can be directed to the Rectory Office.
- First Monday of each month, 9:00–11:00 AM
- Eligible residents: Union City, North Bergen, Weehawken
- Coordinated through the Rectory Office
Feast of St. Rocco and Devotions
Each year the parish celebrates the Feast of St. Rocco with an outdoor procession through the streets of Union Hill, drawing the wider Hudson County Italian-American community. Parishioners may also arrange personalized vigil candles for the living or deceased by calling the rectory. The parish mission statement commits the community to celebrating the Eucharist and other sacraments, daily prayer, and pondering the Word of God.
- Annual St. Rocco procession (Sunday in August)
- Personalized vigil candles available by request
- Parish Mission Statement emphasizes Eucharist, daily prayer, and Gospel witness
Parish Staff and Leadership
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Joseph D. Girone. Luz V. Orejuela serves as Secretary / Business Administrator, and Rita Méndez directs the OCIA program. Parish Trustees are Carolyn Angelosante and Keith Crichlow.
- Pastor: Rev. Joseph D. Girone
- Secretary-Business Administrator: Luz V. Orejuela
- Director of OCIA: Rita Méndez
- Trustees: Carolyn Angelosante and Keith Crichlow
Visiting, Office Hours, and Contact
The Rectory Office at 4206 John F. Kennedy Blvd. is open Monday through Thursday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Friday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with a daily closure for lunch from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. The office is closed on Saturday and Sunday. Phone lines are 201-863-1427 and 201-863-0160 (fax 201-863-3877); a WhatsApp line is also maintained at 201-863-1427. Email is [email protected].
- Rectory: 4206 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Union City, NJ 07087
- Phone: 201-863-1427 / 201-863-0160
- Fax: 201-863-3877
- Email: [email protected]
- Office closed Saturdays and Sundays
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Father Sinisi1912–1922
Founder and first Pastor of St. Rocco; celebrated the first Mass at the dedication on July 14, 1912.
- Rev. Father Grisciotti, S.A.C. (Pallottine)1922–
Pallottine Father who replaced Fr. Sinisi; oversaw rebuilding of the church after the 1924 fire and saved relics and the Blessed Sacrament from the flames.
- Pallottine Fathers (Society of the Catholic Apostolate)1922–1984
Religious order that staffed St. Rocco for over sixty years. Individual Pallottine pastors served successively during this period; full names of intervening pastors not listed on the parish website.
- Diocesan priests of the Archdiocese of Newark1984–present
Took over staffing of the parish after the Pallottines departed in 1984.
- Rev. Joseph D. Gironecurrent
Current Pastor; named on the parish Directions page and weekly bulletin.