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About Us
The faith community of St. Genevieve, Elizabeth, started as a mission of St. Catherine, Hillside, in March 1920. Eight years later a wing was added to the wooden chapel to house a grade school and to provide additional space for worshippers. In 1930 the parish erected the larger Church / School complex that stands today.
Ground was broken June 4, 1931 for the present wood frame convent to house the Benedictine Sisters who were to comprise the teaching staff of the new school. Today the old convent house is a meeting place for several parish ministries and organizations. In 1994, in preparation for the 75th anniversary of the parish, the church was renovated to its original beauty and an elevator was installed. Over the course of its existence, the parish has worked to transmit the faith to each new generation.
What We Believe
As told through the stained glass at St. Genevieve's
St. Genevieve
Our Patroness
St. Genevieve is the patron saint of Paris, France in Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox tradition. She was born about the year 422 in the small village of Nanterre, near Paris, to Severus and Gerontia. When she was seven years old, St. Germain of Auxerre passed through her village. Genevieve stood in the crowd that gathered around Germanus as he preached, and noticing her pious demeanor, singled her out. Speaking to her parents, he foretold of her future sanctity. Genevieve confided that she wanted only to live for the Lord, and with Germanus’ encouragement, she became a nun at 15 years of age.
When her parents died, Genevieve moved to Paris to live with her godmother, where she dedicated her life to prayer, fasting and works of charity. Around the year 451, word came that Attila and his army of Huns were marching on Paris. As the people of Paris prepared to flee, Genevieve convinced them to ward off the army through prayer and fasting. Genevieve promised the protection of Heaven and as she foretold, Attila’s armies bypassed Paris and the city was spared.
St. Genevieve died in the year 512. Her Feast Day is celebrated on January 3. She is typically pictured with a flowing gown and mantle over her shoulders.
The Four Chaplains
During World War II, on January 23, 1943, the USAT Dorchester set out from New York en route to Greenland carrying about 900 service men, merchant seamen and civilian workers. On board were four chaplains: Methodist minister the Reverend George L. Fox, Rabbi Alexander D. Goode, Roman Catholic priest the Reverend John P. Washington, and Reformed Church in America minister the Reverend Clark V. Poling.
In the early morning hours of February 3, 1943, at 12:55 a.m., the ship was torpedoed by a German submarine. The ship’s captain, alerted that the Dorchester was quickly taking water and sinking, gave the order to abandon ship. The chaplains sought to calm the frightened, tend the wounded and guide the disoriented toward safety, organizing an orderly evacuation of the ship. The chaplains opened a storage locker and began distributing life jackets. When there were no more lifejackets, the chaplains removed theirs and gave them to four frightened young men.
In less than 20 minutes, the Dorchester would disappear beneath the water’s surface. As the ship went down, survivors in nearby rafts could see the four chaplains--arms linked and braced against the slanting deck. Their voices could also be heard offering prayers.
One witness reported, "I could hear men crying, pleading, praying, I could also hear the chaplains preaching courage. Their voices were the only thing that kept me going."
According to some reports, survivors could hear different languages mixed in the prayers of the chaplains, including Hebrew Jewish prayers and Latin Catholic prayers.
A one-time only posthumous Special Medal for Heroism was authorized by Congress and awarded to the Four Chaplains by President Eisenhower on January 18, 1961. In 1988, February 3 was established by a unanimous act of Congress as an annual "Four Chaplains Day." On June 6, 1990, Cub Scout Pack #23 dedicated a tree in honor of the Four Chaplains. That tree is located on the corner of Monmouth and Livingston Roads in front of the Rectory.
Father Washington was ordained a priest on June 15, 1935. His first parish was St. Genevieve's. Father Washington, Rabbi Goode and Rev. Poling and had all served as leaders in the Boy Scouts of America
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