About Our Parish

Our Beginnings

In 1883, the increasing Catholic population in the Sea Bright and Rumson area cited the need for the formation of a new parish. In May of that year, Bishop Michael J. O'Farrell commissioned the Reverend John H. Fox of St. Joseph's Church, Bound Brook, to organize a parish in Sea Bright, New Jersey.

The  parish was incorporated on March 3, 1884, with papers filed on March 4th. The corporate name was "The Church of the Holy Cross, Sea Bright, N.J.;" a name which continues to this day, even though the church itself is now located in Rumson. The contract to build the church was awarded to John Burke of Asbury Park for the sum of $8,440 and the architect was Charles Keely. On August 30, 1885, the cornerstone was laid and while the initial cost was only $27.87, the enthusiastic pastor received donations amounting to $626.00 from a collection taken right at the ceremony.

The new church was dedicated on June 27, 1886 by Bishop O'Farrell, who saw the fruition of his first commission to Father Fox only a few years previous. Shortly after the dedication, the Bishop made another visit to the Parish of the Church of the Holy Cross; this time to administer the sacrament of Confirmation.

Building on 125 Years...

2009 marked our 125th Anniversary, an event celebrated with the preparation of "DeoGratias" (The Legacy of Our Heritage)  to mark the occassion and preserve our history.   Today, we share this document with you and invite you to read "DeoGratias" to learn about our community and history.