On Nov. 8, St. James of the Marches Parish in Totowa, N.J., celebrated a Centennial Banquet at The Grand, also in Totowa — the final event marking 100 years of service by a small but strong faith community that has grown to 800 families. That night, 200 people associated with St. James attended the gala, along with Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney.
Also attending the dinner were Totowa Mayor John Coiro; Totowa council members Lou D’Angelo, Anthony Picarelli, and Patrick Fierro; and N.J. State Senator Kristin M. Corrado, who presented a congratulatory proclamation on the centennial to Father Marc Mancini, the pastor of St. James for more than six years. Father Joseph DeMarzo III, the parish’s parochial vicar, and Father Paul Iovino, who spent 20 years at the parish starting in 1985, retired and recently returned to live there, also attended the event.
During the year, St. James held other jubilee events, including a brunch featuring a talk about the parish’s history by Msgr. Raymond J. Kupke, diocesan archivist; a centennial Mass with Bishop Sweeney; and a concert for the dedication of a new organ.
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During the dinner, Greg Caldarone, a cantor at St. James, sang while Ted Kopec, who oversaw the parish’s centennial events, spoke. Members of the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco, Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, also attended the dinner. Salesian Sister Ramona Beltre directs faith formation for grades 1 to 6, while several Salesian sisters volunteer at the parish school.
“For this centennial, parishioners are celebrating 100 years of people living the Catholic Christian faith as members of St. James. It’s a time for our parishioners now to become inspired by what they accomplished as they move forward, guided by the pastoral staff,” said Father Marc Mancini, who became pastor of St. James in 2019.
Since its inception, St. James has served the Catholic community by celebrating the Eucharist, attending to those in need, and administering the sacraments to all who wish to receive them.
St. James began in 1924 when Catholics in Totowa organized under the leadership of Franciscan Friars at St. Bonaventure Parish in nearby Paterson, N.J. A mission was established on July 4, 1926, and a hall on Grant Avenue and Church Street was outfitted to accommodate Masses.
The Franciscans named the parish after a Franciscan saint: St. James of the Marches, a noted Italian preacher from the late medieval and early Renaissance period.
In 1928, St. James built a permanent church on Totowa Road. The mission became a parish in 1945, when diocesan clergy assumed administration of St. James. The Academy of St. James of the Marches opened the following year and continues to serve local youth. A new church was built in 1955.
St. James was originally founded by Italian Americans and today welcomes an increasing number of Hispanics and Eastern Europeans who have settled in Totowa. The parish holds periodic Spanish Masses, including those for Our Lady of Guadalupe, as well as prayer services.
