Fr. John Basil's Thoughts on St. Mary's

For the past ten years it has been an honor and joy to assist at St. Mary’s in Barnegat and Manahawkin. May God grant continued presence of loving people to continue for many more years.

In Christ

Fr. John Basil

Fr. Harry Cullen's Recollections and Reflections on St. Mary's 75th Anniversary

On a Saturday evening in November in the year 1983, I knocked on the door of the old elegant rectory on 724 W. Bay Avenue in Barnegat. Bishop Reese had directed me to present myself for weekend duty to Fr. Gerry McCarron, who had been appointed pastor of the parish shortly after the death of the previous pastor, Fr Janos. Little did I anticipate at that time, that this was to be the place where I would exercise my priestly ministry every weekend for the next 23 years. Fr. McCarron showed me the small, quaint, wooden, church across the road on Bay Ave. I celebrated Mass there that evening and was introduced to the wonderful liturgical music and charm of Bernice Kephart and her daughter Christine. The following morning Fr. McCarron directed me to go to the Parish Center for the “Country Western style” (his words) for Mass in the parish Center in Manahawkin. This music at this Mass was provided by Steve and Judy Seeley and their three beautiful and talented daughters, and this proved to be a popular and uplifting family affair for almost ten years until the girls moved on with their lives and left Manahawkin.

As a marker of how Barnegat and Manahawkin has changed over the last 25 years, at that time, even though it only held 100 to 150 people, the little wooden church was adequate to hold that number of parishioners who came to Mass there regularly. Bay Avenue in Barnegat was a lightly travelled country road without any of the housing developments that dot the western part of the avenue. There were no traffic lights until you hit Rte. 9. If I arrived late for Mass, it was never because of the traffic.

It was not long however before Barnegat and Manahawkin was discovered by people from the northern part of the State, and the housing boom hit the area. Fr. McCarron wisely anticipated the building boom and set about building the present church on Bay Ave. Such was the rapid development in the area that before the church was finally opened, we all realized that the church would not be adequate to accommodate the rapidly growing population in the area, and discussions ensued about the feasibility of extending the new church, but there was no definite movement on this although plans were drawn up.

Around this time, Fr. McCarron decided that Manahawkin, and the Parish Center was the perfect spot as a venue for regularly scheduled “Friday Night Fights” which proved to be quite popular. By the time Sunday came around, all signs of 'Gorilla Monsoon' and other similarly charming characters were obliterated and the Center was ready for a very different kind of celebration. This chapter in the life of the Parish Center did not last too long. I could never get a clear answer from Fr. McCarron as to why, other than his comment about there being “too much aggravation” attached to the endeavor.

I remember a succession of parish administrators shortly after the new church was built and Fr. McCarron was transferred to another parish, and there ensued an elongated period when a succession of administrators were sent to guide the growing parish. None of them stayed for very long, giving rise to the plaintive cry from many parishioners: “What’s wrong with us? How come nobody stays as pastor?” Parishioners were beginning to think that the bishop must hate them. That period of uncertainty came to an end, of course, when Fr. Tuzeneu was appointed as pastor, and as the saying goes, “the rest is history”. The parish took off literally from being a quiet, even sleepy place, to one of the largest parishes and most vibrant parishes in the Diocese of Trenton.

I moved on to become pastor of St Jerome’s Parish in West Long Branch in 2005. I took with me, and still carry with me to this day, a whole host of warm, exciting memories of great people, great friends, and great faith amongst the parishioners of St Mary’s parish. Although I was there for the turning of the sod before the building of St Mary of the Pines, I had moved on before the new church, school and parish center were built and opened. The memories I carry with me are the memories of the quaint and old and easy going place that I remember and cherish,and where I exercised my priestly ministry for the longest period since my ordination. My thoughts and prayers are always there for this great place and the wonderful people of the parish, not just as it celebrates its 75th Anniversary , but always and forever.

Fr. Harry Cullen

Fr. Eugene Marcone

Father most generous, in Christ Jesus, your Son, you have given us all things. Grant that we may never fail to sing your praises as we do on this 75th anniversary.

Fr. Eugene Marcone

In Memory of

Msgr. Larry Cull

Fr. Thomas Kenny

Fr. David McLeod

Fr. Charles Paris

Msgr. Francis Reinbold

Fr. John Wightman