About St. Vincent de Paul · Bayonne, New Jersey
St. Vincent de Paul R.C. Church is a historic Roman Catholic parish in Bayonne, New Jersey, founded in 1894 to serve the city's growing Irish, Scottish, and German immigrant communities. It belongs to the Archdiocese of Newark (Deanery 13) and is best known for its striking Lombardy Romanesque church, completed in 1930 and designed by the renowned Boston firm Maginnis & Walsh. The church contains the only complete set of Harry Clarke stained-glass windows in North America and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011. Today the parish continues its ministry in both English and Spanish, with daily Mass, a weekly Centering Prayer group, and a parish life rooted in the charism of its patron saint of charity.
- Established
- 1894
- Patron
- St. Vincent de Paul
- Rector
- Rev. Alfie A. Pangilinan
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Newark (Deanery 13)
Why belong here
St. Vincent de Paul offers the rare combination of a small, family-sized parish and a building of national architectural significance — worshipping inside one of the few Harry Clarke stained-glass ensembles in the world. The parish community gathers several times daily for Mass in English and Spanish, gathers every Friday afternoon for Centering Prayer in the rectory basement, and welcomes newcomers through the Centering Prayer group, faith formation, and ongoing parish activities. With its historic Avenue C location, strong immigrant-rooted identity, and bilingual liturgical life, St. Vincent de Paul is a parish where devotion, heritage, and Bayonne neighborhood life meet.
Mass times at St. Vincent de Paul
Weekly Mass schedule
About St. Vincent de Paul Parish
St. Vincent de Paul R.C. Church is an active Roman Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Newark (Deanery 13), located at 979 Avenue C in Bayonne, New Jersey. Founded in 1894 to serve Irish, Scottish, and German immigrants in uptown Bayonne, it has worshipped at its present Avenue C location since 1906 and inside the present granite Romanesque church since 1930. The parish mission statement reads: 'We the people of St. Vincent de Paul Church see ourselves as a congregation of believers among whom Jesus is living. We do what we believe we are called to do and we educate ourselves to proclaim our commitment to build, strengthen and enliven our parish community… We devote ourselves to serving one another and all others in our community as did our patron, St. Vincent de Paul.' The parish is bilingual, celebrating Mass in English and Spanish.
History of the Parish
The parish was established in 1894, primarily to serve Irish, Scottish, and German immigrants in the uptown section of Bayonne. The congregation first gathered for Mass in a converted hall on Centre Street; that original space still survives as the upper floor of Altamura's Bakery at 12 West 48th Street. In 1905 a wooden Gothic Revival church was built on Avenue C between 46th and 47th Streets, dedicated on January 28, 1906. That second church was torn down in 1927 so the present building could be constructed, and work on the new Lombardy Romanesque church was completed in 1930 under the direction of Father Joseph Dolan.
- 1894 — Parish founded; first Mass in a rented hall on Centre Street.
- 1905 — Construction of the second church, a wooden Gothic Revival structure on Avenue C.
- January 28, 1906 — Second church dedicated.
- 1927 — Second church torn down; groundbreaking for the third and present church.
- 1930 — Present Lombardy Romanesque church completed.
- December 2008 — Local landmark designation from the Bayonne Historic Preservation Commission.
- June 3, 2011 — Added to the New Jersey Register of Historic Places (No. 4920).
- August 24, 2011 — Added to the National Register of Historic Places (No. 11000590).
Architecture & Historic Designation
The present church is a Lombardy Romanesque (granite Romanesque Revival) structure designed by the ecclesiastical firm Maginnis & Walsh of Boston. Its more than forty stained-glass windows were fabricated in Dublin by the celebrated Harry Clarke Studio — the only complete set of Clarke church glass in a North American church. The Hinners Organ Company pipe organ was installed in 1930 and rebuilt in 1993 with a computerized digital system. A Celtic cross is carved into a cut-stone at the top of the front façade as a tribute to the Irish families who built the parish.
- Style: Lombardy Romanesque / granite Romanesque Revival
- Architect: Maginnis & Walsh, Boston
- Stained glass: 40+ windows by the Harry Clarke Studio, Dublin, Ireland
- Organ: Hinners Organ Company (1930); rebuilt 1993
- Façade detail: Celtic cross carved into cut-stone
- NRHP: added August 24, 2011 (No. 11000590)
Clergy & Parish Staff
The parish is currently served by Rev. Alfie A. Pangilinan as pastor and Rev. Hermes Díaz as parochial vicar. Father Pangilinan was first appointed administrator in July 2023 and named pastor by Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., effective July 1, 2024, with a term running to June 30, 2030. Barbara Sherry coordinates the Centering Prayer Group and can be reached at (201) 443-2115.
- Rev. Alfie A. Pangilinan — Pastor (since July 1, 2024)
- Rev. Hermes Díaz — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Sergio O. Nadres — Pastor (through June 30, 2023)
- Father Joseph Dolan — Pastor during the 1927–1930 construction
- Barbara Sherry — Centering Prayer Group coordinator
Mass & Liturgical Schedule
The parish celebrates Mass in both English and Spanish. The Saturday Vigil Mass is at 5:00 PM in English, and Sunday Masses are at 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM in English, and 12:30 PM in Spanish. Weekday Mass is offered Monday through Saturday at 8:00 AM, with an additional 9:00 AM Mass on Federal Holidays.
- Saturday Vigil: 5:00 PM (English)
- Sunday: 8:00 AM (English), 10:00 AM (English), 12:30 PM (Spanish)
- Monday–Saturday: 8:00 AM (English)
- Federal Holidays: additional 9:00 AM (English)
Parish Life & Ministries
Parish life at St. Vincent de Paul is rooted in the example of St. Vincent de Paul, the patron saint of charity. The Centering Prayer Group gathers every Friday afternoon at 1:00 PM in the rectory basement under the coordination of Barbara Sherry, and visitors and newcomers are warmly invited to attend. The parish also celebrates an annual Blessing of the Animals (each autumn) and hosts wedding ceremonies in Robinson Hall.
- Centering Prayer Group — Fridays, 1:00 PM, rectory basement (Barbara Sherry, 201-443-2115)
- Annual Blessing of the Animals (October)
- Wedding ceremonies in Robinson Hall
- Bilingual (English/Spanish) liturgical ministry
- Weekly parish bulletin and online calendar
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the Eucharist daily and on Sundays in both English and Spanish, and is available for the celebration of weddings in Robinson Hall. For other sacraments — including baptisms, First Communion, Confirmation, marriage preparation, and Anointing of the Sick — parishioners are encouraged to call the rectory at (201) 436-2222.
- Sunday and daily Mass (English and Spanish)
- Wedding ceremonies (Robinson Hall)
- Rectory contact for baptisms, First Communion, Confirmation, marriage prep, and Anointing of the Sick: (201) 436-2222
Visiting & Contact
St. Vincent de Paul Church is located at 979 Avenue C (at 47th Street), Bayonne, NJ 07002, in Hudson County. The parish rectory can be reached at (201) 436-2222. The parish maintains an active Facebook page (@Stvin979) and publishes a weekly bulletin online at its website.
- Address: 979 Avenue C, Bayonne, NJ 07002
- Phone (rectory): (201) 436-2222
- Centering Prayer contact: Barbara Sherry, (201) 443-2115
- Website: https://stvincentdepaulchurchbayonnenj.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Stvin979/
Notable Facts
Beyond its daily parish life, St. Vincent de Paul holds a unique place in American Catholic architecture and art history. The church is the only North American church to contain a complete set of stained-glass windows by the Harry Clarke Studio of Dublin, and its 1930 granite Romanesque building has been recognized at the local, state, and national landmark level.
- Only complete set of Harry Clarke stained glass in any church in North America
- On the National Register of Historic Places since August 24, 2011
- Designed by Maginnis & Walsh, one of America's leading ecclesiastical architecture firms
- Site of the parish's 1894 origin survives inside Altamura's Bakery at 12 West 48th Street
- Celtic cross on the front façade honors the Irish founders
- Hinners organ rebuilt with digital system in 1993
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Joseph Dolan
Pastor during the 1927–1930 construction of the present Lombardy Romanesque church; described as a well-traveled priest obsessed with Romanesque architecture.
- Rev. Sergio O. Nadresthrough June 30, 2023
Pastor; reassigned by the Archdiocese of Newark as pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish, Secaucus, effective July 1, 2023.
- Rev. Alfie A. PangilinanJuly 1, 2023 – present
First appointed administrator (July 1, 2023), then named pastor (July 1, 2024) by Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., with term running to June 30, 2030.