Jersey City church marks its 100th year

St. Aedan's Catholic Church in Jersey City celebrated the parish's centennial year today with a special Mass that drew some 600 people.

Retired Assistant Bishop Dominic Marconi was the celebrant for the Mass, which also marked the churches around the globe celebrate the birth of St. John the Baptist.

McGinley Square at Bergen Avenue and Montgomery Street, a block from where the church is located, is named for the Rev. Roger McGinley, the church's first pastor.

McGinley started a school at the church and also presided over the construction of the new church building at 800 Bergen Ave.

The Rev. Charles Grandstrand, a former pastor at the church, told the congregation today that "Aedan" means "warmth" and/or "fiery." "We are here today to give thanks to all the women and men who for 100 years who have made this their parish and community their warm spiritual home and who were on fire with the love of Christ," Grandstrand said.

St. Peter's College took over operations of the church last July. The church is now named "St. Aedan's, the St. Peter's College Church."

The Rev. Vincent Sullivan is the administrator at the church for the Jesuit college.

"It's a wonderful celebration for the parish," Sullivan said after today's service. "A number of people who have moved on to other places came back to the parish for the celebration. It was a wonderful parish -- and still is."

Sullivan estimated that a total of 900 people attend the church's six Masses every weekend.

See more here:
Jersey City church marks its 100th year