By: Richard L. Smith
After serving generations of families in East Newark for 125 years, St. Anthony’s Church will celebrate its final Mass on Sunday, November 22, bringing an end to a longstanding religious tradition in the Hudson County community.
The church, located on North 2nd Street, opened in 1901 to serve Italian immigrants and eventually became a spiritual home for generations of local residents.
According to the Archdiocese of Newark, declining attendance, ongoing financial challenges and a broken heating system that forced winter closures contributed to the decision.
Following the final Mass at 12:30 p.m., parishioners will transition to Holy Cross Church in neighboring Harrison, about half a mile away.
A statue of St. Anthony will be relocated to Holy Cross, where it will be displayed near a side entrance as a reminder of the church’s history.
St. Anthony’s became part of Holy Cross Parish in 2018.
Church leaders acknowledged that the closure will be especially difficult for families with generations of ties to the congregation.
The decision was approved by parish trustees and an archdiocesan review committee. Sacred items will be removed and preserved, while the property is expected to be repurposed for non-religious use that respects its history.