Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney installed Father Owen B. Moran as pastor of St. Vincent Martyr Parish in Madison during a Mass he celebrated on Dec. 7.
Father Alex Nevitt, administrator of St. Bonaventure Parish in Paterson; Father Yojaneider Garcia, director of the Office of Catechesis and Faith Formation for the Paterson Diocese, who lives at St. Vincent’s; and Father Jose M. Zuniga, St. Vincent’s parochial vicar, concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Sweeney. Father Jared Brogan, director of the diocesan Worship Office, was master of ceremonies with Carlos A. Vargas, a diocesan seminarian.
Mass participants included Sister of Charity Noreen Holly, the principal of the parish school; students; and the Knights of Columbus honor guard.
Bishop Frank J. Rodimer ordained Father Moran to the priesthood on Dec. 14, 1991, in Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Limerick City, Ireland. Born in London, he lived in Scotland before his parents moved to Ireland when he was 6. He graduated from Rockwell College in England in 1975.
After graduation, Father Moran went to culinary school in Zurich, Switzerland. He returned to Ireland and worked as a pastry chef before entering seminary in 1984. He graduated from St. John College in Waterford, Ireland, with a degree in philosophy and art.
After his ordination, Father Moran was assigned to St. Patrick Parish in Chatham as parochial vicar. In 2003, he was appointed pastor of St. Rose of Lima Parish in East Hanover.
Father Moran was named pastor of St. Luke Parish in the Long Valley Neighborhood of Washington Township in 2019. He was appointed pastor of St. Vincent’s on Oct. 1, 2023.
— Michael Wojcik
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
