Our History and Plan

Holy Angels Parish | Woodbury, NJ

OUR HISTORY
Established on April 21, 2010, Holy Angels Parish was formed as a merger of the parishes of St. Patrick, Woodbury, Most Holy Redeemer, Westville Grove (Deptford) and St. Matthew, National Park.

The original parishes were not only geographically proximate, but they also share a common history. St. Patrick Parish was founded in 1877. St. Matthew, originally a mission of St. Patrick, was incorporated in 1915 and became a parish in 1942. St. Anne in Westville—also a mission of St. Patrick—served Westville Grove until Most Holy Redeemer was established as a parish in 1958.

St. Patrick, a mission of St. Mary, Gloucester from 1859, became its own parish in 1877 with Father M.A. McManus as its first pastor. The first record of services in Woodbury is of a Baptism administered in 1793. The first church was built on Salem Avenue in 1865 and enlarged in 1877. The first rectory was completed in 1879. The cornerstone of the new and present church was laid in 1909; the building was enlarged in 1923. The interior of the church was completed during the parish’s Golden Jubilee. In 1944, the Green Estate was purchased for a school and convent and the school opened in 1944, staffed by the Dominican Sisters of Newburgh, N.Y. The Franciscan Sisters of the Infant Jesus followed in 1973 until 1984.

St. Matthew was incorporated September 18, 1915. Father Mathew Lavey of St. Lawrence, Laurel Springs, offered the first Mass in the Kelly home on Wesley Avenue. Father Michael Dolan of Woodbury was rector. Ground was purchased for the proposed new church and a tent set up where Mass was celebrated weekly by Father Lavey during the summer months. By the winter of 1917, Mass was being offered in a house on Simpson Avenue and in Jennison’s Broom Factory. During the winter of 1919 Mass was offered in the National Park Hotel. A new church was constructed and dedicated by Bishop Walsh of Trenton in September 1920. St. Matthew was established as a parish on January 26, 1942.
Mass was celebrated first in a small stocking mill behind the Steinberger home in Westville Grove in 1932 by Father James Ryan, pastor of St. Anne, Westville. Two First World War pre-fab classrooms were purchased and moved to Park Avenue, Westville Grove. Parishioners dug the basement and erected the church. In 1934 the cornerstone was laid and the building was blessed. Father (later Monsignor) Martin J. Killeen, as pastor of St. Anne, continued the encourage development in Westville Grove.
In August 1954, Most Holy Redeemer mission purchased a sizable tract of land on Delsea Drive. In May 1956 Bishop Eustace broke ground for a new church on this tract. The Church was built under the direction of Father (later Bishop) James L. Schad, pastor of St. Anne, and dedicated on April 7, 1957. In June 1958, Father
Schad moved from Westville to the newly-established parish in Westville Grove.

​

---

Now, midway through the second decade of the 21st century, it is time for this generation of Catholics to make their mark on the history of the diocese. The Campaign for the Catholic Community of South Jersey, titled Catholic Strong, is seeking to secure a minimum of $50 million, which will primarily benefit our local parishes. Seventy percent of the funds raised through this effort will be allocated for parish needs as determined locally and 30 percent will fund the diocese's coordination and support of various ministries.
​

Our Goal
$1,275,000

Gifts to Date
$281,000

% of Goal
22%

Our Parish History & Plan

Catholic Strong - FAQs

Catholic Strong Components

---

Our Plan

The Catholic Community of South Jersey continues to reaffirm its commitment to promote the healing, redemptive, and teaching presence of Jesus Christ to those seeking solace, forgiveness, and instruction. We have followed Christ’s invitation to love one another, to be a community of faith, and to share our gifts in a spirit of stewardship and gratitude.

As vital and active members of the Diocese of Camden wishing to make our contribution, we are beginning the Catholic Strong Campaign to provide the resources needed to strengthen our parishes and Catholic education, expand our outreach, and enhance our social services. A successful campaign will ensure the vitality of our faith communities and ultimately meet the evolving needs of our Diocese.

Every parish in the Diocese will share in these efforts with an allocated goal from the Diocese. Our parish target for Catholic Strong is to raise a minimum total of $1,275,000 over the next five year period, of which we will receive 70% (or a minimum of $892,500) that will go towards our parish needs that are outlined below. Additionally,​ we will receive 80% of all funds raised over our parish target.

---

Enhancing Our Parish Community (Capital Improvements) | $767,500

Programs and Ministries | $125,000

• Renovation of the recently purchased Parish Office building ($125,000)

• Roof repairs to both churches, St. Patrick rectory, and the ministry center ($250,000)
• Repair of the retaining wall at St. Matthew Church ($10,000)

• Replacement of hot water heater in the Worship Center ($10,000)​

• Replacement of aging air-conditioning units ($100,000)
• Replacement of aging heating units ($200,000)
• Sidewalk and asphalt repairs ($50,000)
• Create emergency Parish Upkeep & General Maintenance Fund ($22,500)

• Youth Ministry Programming 
• Evangelization and Outreach to families with school-aged children
  
  *Above costs are projections and require diocesan consultation and approval. All projects are considered pending until campaign funds are realized.