CRANFORD, NJ — St. Michael Roman Catholic Church in Cranford commemorated its 150th anniversary with a yearlong celebration featuring multiple events, a surge of community spirit and a visit from Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, archbishop of Newark.
The festivities kicked off with a day of service on Oct. 2, 2021, that saw St. Michael’s parishioners plant a tree in recognition of the parish’s deep roots in Cranford. The parish then had a series of gatherings — including a block party barbeque, a history walk/pub trivia night, a gala and the dedication of a memorial rock garden — over the succeeding months as a way of uniting its community while honoring its legacy.
As the sesquicentennial year neared its end, St. Michael Roman Catholic Church resurrected its beloved Feast of St. Michael carnival, following a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tobin then visited a few weeks later to close out the anniversary celebration, presiding over a Mass on Saturday, Oct. 22, in which he urged those gathered to listen to God and one another as St. Michael’s enters its next 150 years.
“It was good to walk with parishioners and learn about our parish’s history,” said Monsignor Timothy J. Shugrue, pastor of St. Michael Roman Catholic Church. “Over the past year, we’ve been gathering energy as we reflected on where we’ve been and what we are. Now we’re going to use that energy to power what we will be in the future.”
Much is planned for St. Michael Roman Catholic Church moving forward. According to Shugrue, the parish will soon collect feedback from parishioners regarding what changes they would like to see at St. Michael’s. Those insights will be used to create a pastoral plan to guide the parish into the future.
To learn more about St. Michael Roman Catholic Church, visit stmichaelcranford.org.
By Sean Quinn, Correspondent.
Photos Courtesy of St. Michael Church