'Father Brian McCormick Way' will honor priest and his years of service to the poor
November 15, 2024 at 3:09 p.m.
Father Brian McCormick autographs copies of his book during an event held in October, 2023 in Sacred Heart Parish, Trenton. Mary Stadnyk photoOn Nov. 20, the portion of East State Street that’s near Chambers Street in inner-city Trenton is undergoing a significant name change to Father Brian McCormick Way.
During a noon ceremony, a new street sign will be unveiled in honor of Father Brian McCormick and all he had done in that area of Trenton through his nearly 50 years of service as president of the Martin House Community Justice Foundation. Father McCormick, who retired from Martin House in 2012, had tirelessly devoted his priestly life to working among, ministering to and championing for thousands of poor adults and children living in one of the poorest sections of the City of Trenton by helping them to improve their lives through housing and educational opportunities.
Father McCormick, was born in November, 1940 in Denville. A year after his birth his family moved to Somerville and he attended St. Joseph School, Raritan, and St. Peter the Apostle Hight School, New Brunswick. After high school he traveled north of the border to study in St. Jerome College, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Upon graduating from college he entered Immaculate Conception Seminary, Darlington, and was ordained to the priesthood May 28, 1966, by Bishop George W. Ahr in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton.
Father McCormick’s first assignment was as parochial vicar in St. James Parish, Woodbridge, where he worked in youth and young adult ministry, including heading up the Catholic Youth Organization. Through his CYO affiliation he put his passion for social justice into practice when he founded the Bunns Lane Youth Association, which provided outreach to youth tending to delinquency. He was also active in the Catholic Family Movement.
In 1969, Father McCormick was appointed vocational director of Middlesex County and chaplain of the New Brunswick Serra Club. Around this time, the Diocese of Trenton had begun the planning for Martin House, a new ministry that would respond to the needs of the poorest in Trenton in the wake of rioting in the city. Father McCormick was chosen by Bishop Ahr to be the first director of the new program in October1970, and it had been his life’s work ever since. Under Father McCormick’s leadership, Martin House expanded to include a number of programs such as: Better Community Housing of Trenton, Inc.; Martin House Learning Center; Martin House Clothing Store; Doorway to Hope and the Youth and Adult Men of Trenton Initiative. Among the many accomplishments of Father McCormick are the building of hundreds of affordable housing units; the construction of a 28,000-square foot learning center that houses a pre-school, after-school safe haven program and other youth and education programs, and the founding of a transitional housing program for homeless mothers that helps them achieve self-sufficiency.
When Father McCormick retired in 2012 and took up residency in Villa Vianney, the diocesan facility for retired priests in Lawrenceville, Martin House underwent operational changes and ceased being a diocesan-sponsored agency. While the Learning Center became an operation of the Catholic Youth Organization of Mercer County and is now known as the CYO East State Street Center, the Better Community Housing of Trenton, Inc., continues to serve the Trenton community on its own as a 501C(3) nonprofit corporation and focuses its mission on providing affordable housing and operating the thrift store and Doorway to Hope programs. In retirement, Father McCormick has served as the foundation’s staff and board in an advisory capacity and has spoken about the Church’s need to be involved in addressing society’s unjust response to the poor.
In recent years, two books have been written about Father McCormick – “A Radical Heart: Making Black Lives Matter by Faith in Action” by Mary R. Callahan, which details his life and works and “You Are the World: Creating Global Oneness” by Linda Smythe Oliaro and Father McCormick, which explains his philosophy that we are all one, and that what one person does affects the whole.
Among those expected to participate in the Nov. 20 ceremony and reception to follow at the CYO building include Barbara Thompson, former director of Doorway to Hope, who will sing a song of praise; the Rev. Mildred Morris who will lead the invocation; Pearleen Waters, executive director of BCHT, and Robert Donaldson, former director of Martin House Learning Center.
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Father Brian McCormick autographs copies of his book during an event held in October, 2023 in Sacred Heart Parish, Trenton. Mary Stadnyk photoOn Nov. 20, the portion of East State Street that’s near Chambers Street in inner-city Trenton is undergoing a significant name change to Father Brian McCormick Way.
During a noon ceremony, a new street sign will be unveiled in honor of Father Brian McCormick and all he had done in that area of Trenton through his nearly 50 years of service as president of the Martin House Community Justice Foundation. Father McCormick, who retired from Martin House in 2012, had tirelessly devoted his priestly life to working among, ministering to and championing for thousands of poor adults and children living in one of the poorest sections of the City of Trenton by helping them to improve their lives through housing and educational opportunities.
Father McCormick, was born in November, 1940 in Denville. A year after his birth his family moved to Somerville and he attended St. Joseph School, Raritan, and St. Peter the Apostle Hight School, New Brunswick. After high school he traveled north of the border to study in St. Jerome College, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Upon graduating from college he entered Immaculate Conception Seminary, Darlington, and was ordained to the priesthood May 28, 1966, by Bishop George W. Ahr in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton.
Father McCormick’s first assignment was as parochial vicar in St. James Parish, Woodbridge, where he worked in youth and young adult ministry, including heading up the Catholic Youth Organization. Through his CYO affiliation he put his passion for social justice into practice when he founded the Bunns Lane Youth Association, which provided outreach to youth tending to delinquency. He was also active in the Catholic Family Movement.
In 1969, Father McCormick was appointed vocational director of Middlesex County and chaplain of the New Brunswick Serra Club. Around this time, the Diocese of Trenton had begun the planning for Martin House, a new ministry that would respond to the needs of the poorest in Trenton in the wake of rioting in the city. Father McCormick was chosen by Bishop Ahr to be the first director of the new program in October1970, and it had been his life’s work ever since. Under Father McCormick’s leadership, Martin House expanded to include a number of programs such as: Better Community Housing of Trenton, Inc.; Martin House Learning Center; Martin House Clothing Store; Doorway to Hope and the Youth and Adult Men of Trenton Initiative. Among the many accomplishments of Father McCormick are the building of hundreds of affordable housing units; the construction of a 28,000-square foot learning center that houses a pre-school, after-school safe haven program and other youth and education programs, and the founding of a transitional housing program for homeless mothers that helps them achieve self-sufficiency.
When Father McCormick retired in 2012 and took up residency in Villa Vianney, the diocesan facility for retired priests in Lawrenceville, Martin House underwent operational changes and ceased being a diocesan-sponsored agency. While the Learning Center became an operation of the Catholic Youth Organization of Mercer County and is now known as the CYO East State Street Center, the Better Community Housing of Trenton, Inc., continues to serve the Trenton community on its own as a 501C(3) nonprofit corporation and focuses its mission on providing affordable housing and operating the thrift store and Doorway to Hope programs. In retirement, Father McCormick has served as the foundation’s staff and board in an advisory capacity and has spoken about the Church’s need to be involved in addressing society’s unjust response to the poor.
In recent years, two books have been written about Father McCormick – “A Radical Heart: Making Black Lives Matter by Faith in Action” by Mary R. Callahan, which details his life and works and “You Are the World: Creating Global Oneness” by Linda Smythe Oliaro and Father McCormick, which explains his philosophy that we are all one, and that what one person does affects the whole.
Among those expected to participate in the Nov. 20 ceremony and reception to follow at the CYO building include Barbara Thompson, former director of Doorway to Hope, who will sing a song of praise; the Rev. Mildred Morris who will lead the invocation; Pearleen Waters, executive director of BCHT, and Robert Donaldson, former director of Martin House Learning Center.