By Christina Leslie | Correspondent

It took two days to celebrate a beloved 10-year-old’s birthday in Forked River’s St. Pius X Parish, and in this instance, the guest of honor was the one giving all the gifts.

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The Ocean County parish hosted a family festival and anniversary Mass the weekend of Oct. 15-16 to mark the 10 years since its new church was dedicated to serve the spiritual needs of the expanding faith community.   

On Saturday, the sprawling campus on Lacey Road was filled to overflowing with carnival games, food stations, musical acts, superheroes and other costumed characters as more than 150 volunteers toiled to create an entertainment mecca for parishioners. Hula hoops, family Bingo games, a photo booth and painting classes kept both young and old joyful and busy under sunny skies. Inside the church and parish hall, the various parish ministries set up displays of their good works for St. Pius X members and the community at-large.

“Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place,” asserted Father Richard Basznianin, pastor, as he greeted the faithful at the 10 a.m. anniversary Mass of Thanksgiving Oct. 16.

Hundreds of parishioners and well-wishers filled the pews of the 10-year-old house of worship with its soaring white ceiling and rafters punctuated by clear windows which allowed beams of light to stream down upon the joyous congregation. “Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place,” the choir sang as Father Basznianin, deacons, acolytes and faithful processed up the wide center aisle to celebrate a decade of faith in Forked River.

Principal celebrant for the Mass was Father Stanley P. Lukaszewski, pastor of St. Barnabas Parish, Bayville, and episcopal vicar for Ocean County.  In his homily, Father Lukaszewski related a brief history of the parish, originally formed as an outgrowth of St. Mary Parish, Barnegat, as a mission church formed in 1951.

At the time, Father Alexander Burant, pastor of St. Mary Parish, had traveled between the two mission churches to serve the 35 member families in Lacey Township. Two years later, to accommodate the rapidly-growing congregation, ground was broken for the first church and dedicated Oct. 17, 1954. St. Pius X became a parish June 15, 1961, with Father Burant as its first pastor, Father Lukaszewski said.

"This is a church where all God’s people could worship together,” Father Lukaszewski said. “It is a community centered on the command of Jesus to ‘love one another as I have loved you.’ As we look back, look to now and look to the future, everything belongs to God.”

St. Pius X Parish continued to grow in both membership and facilities. Over the ensuing decades, a parish center, rectory, new classrooms and a chapel for the elderly and handicapped were added by 1987. The parish underwent a total refurbishment and rededication for its 40th anniversary in 1994.

Father Basznianin was named the faith community’s fifth pastor by Bishop John M. Smith and installed in February, 2001. During his tenure, the explosive growth of the parish necessitated a new, larger church. The parish’s 50th anniversary was celebrated in October, 2004, with a groundbreaking ceremony, and two years later, Bishop Smith returned to Forked River for the church’s dedication ceremony.

St. Pius X currently counts about 2,500 member families and boasts more than 37 vibrant parish ministries and organizations. Its religious education program educates more than 850 children.

“There is no doubt in my mind that all which is Catholic, spiritual and true, all these members have enhanced the quality of making this parish,” Father Lukaszewski continued. “Together you are a vibrant, strong, faith-filled church.”

He concluded, “On behalf of Bishop [David M.] O’Connell, I want to thank you for your dedication to your parish and the wonderful ways you will continue to spread the world of the Gospel. When we do things together, we can make things happen. May the joy and love you experience today be always with you.”

In a strong voice, Father Lukaszewski sang, “May the blessing of God be upon you and be with you all of your days,” then said, spoke in Latin.

“Ad multos annos,” he said, wishing the congregation many continued years of success. Then, turning towards Father Basznianin, he chuckled, “And I know your pastor knows what this means,” uttering the Polish blessing, “Sto lat,” as the congregation laughed and applauded.

Following the Mass, to illustrate the congregation’s faith and acknowledgement that faith is a cornerstone of the community, the congregation participated in a Eucharistic procession around the outside of the church. Members of the parish’s Knights of Columbus council held high a white canopy over the golden monstrance held by Father Lukaszewski while deacons, choir members and members of the Forked River church fell into step, each waving a red-tasseled streamer triumphantly.

After ritual prayers were read and the Blessed Sacrament was reposed, the mood quickly turned to joy as the revelers filed into the parish center for a breakfast celebration. As a video of Bishop Smith blessing the groundbreaking 10 years before played in the narthex, parishioners shared how their deeply rooted faith made St. Pius X church their spiritual home.

“This is my forever church,” declared Courtney Siano as her two-year-old son, Lucas, played with a decorative gourd at her table, and her husband, Michael and seven-year-old daughter, Olivia Tramontano, stood nearby. “I made all my Sacraments here, and now my children will be, too.”

The family of Marty Murphy had been spiritually supported by the St. Pius X family during their daughter’s premature birth and many surgeries. He said, “Throughout all of it, the Knights were there to support us, and I wanted to join them to give back.”

Daughter Morgan, now seven, smiled as she spread cream cheese on a bagel and shared that she now holds a black belt in karate. Murphy’s wife, Tara, added, “I wasn’t Catholic when we were married, but two years ago I went through RCIA here.”