St. Raphael Parish of Livingston celebrates its 60th anniversary
On July 6, 1961, Archdiocese of Newark Archbishop Thomas A. Boland was escorted by car around Livingston, looking for a location for a new parish. Two farms were for sale, and he selected one on the south side of Route 10.
A day later, Mount Pleasant School of West Orange hosted, and Rev. Richard Wall celebrated the first-ever Mass of St. Raphael Parish.
Fond memories for parishioners abound when discussing the genesis and journey of the parish, and Livingston Life has gathered a few.
Vincent Vitiello has been a member of the parish since 1964 when he first attended St. Raphael School. He is on the counting ministry for donations and has been an usher for over 40 years.
“I’ve read, and I’ve experienced through personal stories by parishioners what transpired from 1961 on,” he says, “and it’s a great story about how people, through dedication and resiliency, started a parish from the ground up and continued that strength and dedication to today.” Vitiello also recalls vividly the pastoring of Rev. Martin Sherry. “He was very good, very active, not only with the church but also with the school.”
Mary Soriano also joined the parish in the 1960s and has gotten more involved since Rev. Jose Erlito Ebron (better known as Fr. Lito) became pastor in 2016. “I’m a member of the Finance Committee, the Pastoral Council, Loaves and Fishes, and SAC, which is ‘Samaritans Always Care.’”
Karen Davis Kundla, a parishioner since 2006, wears many hats. She is President of the Parish Pastoral Council, a trustee, a member of the Finance Council, the lead of the Lector Council and lector ministry, and is also on the Loaves and Fishes team. “Fr. Lito is a superb leader in that he knows how to get people to do things with great joy,” she states.
Fr. Lito became pastor four years ago in July. “St. Raphael’s is a great parish. It is small, but it’s a powerhouse!” he says.
“The current memories always come to your mind first,” says Soriano. “And I have to say that because I’ve been very active since Fr. Lito has been here. Fr. Lito is a dynamo, as Karen said. But I remember this warmth going on when Fr. Burns was there, too.” Rev. G. Thomas Burns was named Pastor on Aug. 15, 1979. “Those are some of my fond memories, too. He just was all-inclusive, and it was like you were going to a family dinner every Sunday. That’s what it almost felt like because everybody was smiling, everybody was happy, everybody was engaged. And over the years, I have to say that this is probably the most generous parish that I’ve ever experienced.”
After Archbishop Boland’s selection of a spot and the first Mass, 275 families joined St. Raphael Parish, coming from St. Philomena’s in Livingston, St. Joseph’s in West Orange, and Verona’s Our Lady of the Lake. Rev. Francis Mulquinn was named the first pastor of the new parish in October 1961, and the groundbreaking for a new church and school was held in June the following year. The first Mass held at the new church building – although it was still under construction – was Christmas Eve, 1962, and construction was completed in 1963. Both the school and church were officially dedicated in January 1965. St. Raphael School closed in 1973.
Ralph Bonanno is the current church organist, and he and his family have always been active parishioners. He entered first grade at St. Raphael School in the fall of 1966. “Some of my fondest memories involve Fr. Burns. He married my sister, baptized her children, laid my mother and grandmother to rest, and was a special part of my family. He sent a beautiful note and called me from Florida when dad passed away in 2016. But beyond him, it’s the parish community over the decades. Yes, a good portion of the community has passed away, but I still have many close friends from the ‘old days’ and have made many new ones over the years. This parish has always been special to myself and my family and continues to be.”
There is a comfort to those who are parishioners or those just visiting the 60-year-old church building. Kundla explains. “People who have come to the church have said that when they sit in the church, the environment is warm. It’s not a gothic cathedral, so it isn’t very rigid, or big, nor well defined. But they always choose the words ‘It’s a warm environment. I feel that I can sit and just enjoy the quiet, or I can sit and pray.’ They also have said they like the fact that people say hi to them when they come in.”
“Everything in that vestibule is full of love and full of energy and full of dedication,” adds Vitiello. “And I think that’s what causes people, aside from the very warm and welcoming nature of our parishioners, to feel so energized and so consoled when they come into St. Raphael’s.”
For more information about St. Raphael’s Parish, visit the parish website.
This article was published in Livingston Life and was reprinted here with permission.
Featured Image: The formal dedication ceremony for St. Raphael Parish and School in Livingston in 1965. (Courtesy of St. Raphael Parish)
