Father Marchand celebrates 60 years of priestly service
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
By Christina Leslie | Staff Writer
“I’ve only had three assignments. I’m a steady man,” Father Gerald A. Marchand asserted as he looked back upon his 60 years of service to the Church. The priest, who now serves as weekend assistant in St. Martha Parish, Point Pleasant, has reflected this steady, unwavering rhythm of faith and counsel with thousands throughout the decades using his God-given talents as musician, author, historian and confidant.
Father Marchand was born in 1928 in Bayonne and attended the town’s St. Vincent Parish and Grammar School. Its pastor, Msgr. Edward F. Wojtycha, proved to have a lifelong influence on the young boy’s life, as well as that of many other Bayonne youth.
“I was a member of the St. Vincent’s Drum and Bugle Corps,” Father Marchand declared about the parish military-style marching band which was the pride of the entire community. In a book he later wrote about the corps’ history entitled “All for One and One for All,” Father Marchand noted, “Every youngster in Bayonne wanted to join…. the discipline and training… builds strong members of the community.”
“There were [eventually] 300 of us, we travelled in competitions in 41 states and we won 16 national [VFW and American Legion] championships,” he recalled. But the two statistics of which he was most proud had little to do with music, instead reflecting Msgr. Wojtycha’s character and influence. “Twenty of us members became priests because of him,” Father Marchand said, “and I was fortunate to give the eulogy at his funeral in 2009.”
The drumbeat of the priesthood increased in volume upon the young man’s graduation from the Jesuit-run high school St. Peter’s Prep, Jersey City, and he weighed his life’s direction in conversations with corps founder and pastor Msgr. Wojtycha. Father Marchand earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Seton Hall University, South Orange, and a master’s degree in divinity from Immaculate Conception Seminary, Darlington. He was ordained to the priesthood in the Archdiocese of Newark May 29, 1954, in St. Patrick’s Pro-Cathedral, Newark, by Archbishop Thomas A. Boland.
After ordination, he began a 24-year term as parochial vicar in St. Paul the Apostle Parish, Irvington, simultaneously serving as chaplain to the city’s police and fire departments and sharing in the public servants’ joys and sorrows. In 1978, Father Marchand became the fourth pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, West Orange, where he saw a familiar face among the members of his new flock.
“Archbishop Boland had retired by then,” Father Marchand recalled, “and moved to a gated community right across the street.” The former prelate teased his new pastor by referring to the town’s neighborhoods by ethnic nicknames; Father Marchand, ever the historian, researched the origins of the odd appellations. Chuckling, the priest recalled the exchange and the valuable lesson he learned. “If you’re going to run a parish, you’d better know the territory,” Father Marchand summarized.
During his 20-year pastorate in Our Lady of Lourdes, Father Marchand once again combined his twin loves of writing and research as he completed the history of the 75-year-old West Orange parish. He then began a monthly newsletter about the St. Vincent Drum and Bugle Corps of his youth entitled “The Beat Goes On,” for its 350 known alumni and was a contributor for 13 years.
Father Marchand retired from active ministry in the Archdiocese of Newark in 1998 and moved to his beloved house by the lagoon in Point Pleasant Borough. He currently serves as weekend assistant in the shore town’s St. Martha Parish.
The priest, author and historian reflected upon his six decades of priestly ministry and carefully considered his advice to a man pondering the priesthood. Remembering his long-ago mentor’s steady counsel, Father Marchand suggested, “He should find a priest he could feel free to talk to and confide in, who can tell him the inner workings. It’s absolutely necessary. You need a confidant so you don’t go in blind[[In-content Ad]]
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By Christina Leslie | Staff Writer
“I’ve only had three assignments. I’m a steady man,” Father Gerald A. Marchand asserted as he looked back upon his 60 years of service to the Church. The priest, who now serves as weekend assistant in St. Martha Parish, Point Pleasant, has reflected this steady, unwavering rhythm of faith and counsel with thousands throughout the decades using his God-given talents as musician, author, historian and confidant.
Father Marchand was born in 1928 in Bayonne and attended the town’s St. Vincent Parish and Grammar School. Its pastor, Msgr. Edward F. Wojtycha, proved to have a lifelong influence on the young boy’s life, as well as that of many other Bayonne youth.
“I was a member of the St. Vincent’s Drum and Bugle Corps,” Father Marchand declared about the parish military-style marching band which was the pride of the entire community. In a book he later wrote about the corps’ history entitled “All for One and One for All,” Father Marchand noted, “Every youngster in Bayonne wanted to join…. the discipline and training… builds strong members of the community.”
“There were [eventually] 300 of us, we travelled in competitions in 41 states and we won 16 national [VFW and American Legion] championships,” he recalled. But the two statistics of which he was most proud had little to do with music, instead reflecting Msgr. Wojtycha’s character and influence. “Twenty of us members became priests because of him,” Father Marchand said, “and I was fortunate to give the eulogy at his funeral in 2009.”
The drumbeat of the priesthood increased in volume upon the young man’s graduation from the Jesuit-run high school St. Peter’s Prep, Jersey City, and he weighed his life’s direction in conversations with corps founder and pastor Msgr. Wojtycha. Father Marchand earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Seton Hall University, South Orange, and a master’s degree in divinity from Immaculate Conception Seminary, Darlington. He was ordained to the priesthood in the Archdiocese of Newark May 29, 1954, in St. Patrick’s Pro-Cathedral, Newark, by Archbishop Thomas A. Boland.
After ordination, he began a 24-year term as parochial vicar in St. Paul the Apostle Parish, Irvington, simultaneously serving as chaplain to the city’s police and fire departments and sharing in the public servants’ joys and sorrows. In 1978, Father Marchand became the fourth pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, West Orange, where he saw a familiar face among the members of his new flock.
“Archbishop Boland had retired by then,” Father Marchand recalled, “and moved to a gated community right across the street.” The former prelate teased his new pastor by referring to the town’s neighborhoods by ethnic nicknames; Father Marchand, ever the historian, researched the origins of the odd appellations. Chuckling, the priest recalled the exchange and the valuable lesson he learned. “If you’re going to run a parish, you’d better know the territory,” Father Marchand summarized.
During his 20-year pastorate in Our Lady of Lourdes, Father Marchand once again combined his twin loves of writing and research as he completed the history of the 75-year-old West Orange parish. He then began a monthly newsletter about the St. Vincent Drum and Bugle Corps of his youth entitled “The Beat Goes On,” for its 350 known alumni and was a contributor for 13 years.
Father Marchand retired from active ministry in the Archdiocese of Newark in 1998 and moved to his beloved house by the lagoon in Point Pleasant Borough. He currently serves as weekend assistant in the shore town’s St. Martha Parish.
The priest, author and historian reflected upon his six decades of priestly ministry and carefully considered his advice to a man pondering the priesthood. Remembering his long-ago mentor’s steady counsel, Father Marchand suggested, “He should find a priest he could feel free to talk to and confide in, who can tell him the inner workings. It’s absolutely necessary. You need a confidant so you don’t go in blind[[In-content Ad]]