At 140 years, parish reflects vibrant history, long presence in Hightstown
June 18, 2025 at 2:32 a.m.
Banners such as this one were displayed around the parish campus announcing the 140th anniversary. John Batkowski photos
UPDATED June 18, 2025
Each spring, when Dolores DiTeresi returns to St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Hightstown, after having spent the winter in Florida, she smiles and says, “I am home.”
This spring, DiTeresi and her husband, Manny, made sure to arrive home in plenty of time to attend the June 14 Mass of Thanksgiving that Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., celebrated for their parish’s 140th anniversary.
PHOTO GALLERY: Hightstown parish's 140th anniversary Mass
“God bless St. Anthony, our pastor and all priests, deacons and laypeople who make our church such a wonderful parish,” said DiTeresi, adding that she and Manny have been parishioners since the late 1970s.
The Mass was one of numerous events the parish held since the anniversary year opened last September. The celebration will conclude later this year.
Joining the Bishop at the altar for the Mass were Father Oscar Sumanga, pastor, along with several priests, the majority of whom had served in St. Anthony of Padua at some point during their priestly ministry.
‘God in Three Persons’
As the Universal Church marked the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity June 14-15, Bishop O’Connell reflected on how the Trinity is not just a doctrine but a relationship, a perfect model of love, of unity and of communion.
“The Father gives himself completely to the Son, and the Son gives himself completely to the Father, and the Holy Spirit is the love that flows between them. This is the kind of love we are called to imitate, a love that is self-giving, sacrificial and life-giving,” he said in his homily. “As Christians, we are called to reflect this divine love in our lives. We are called to live in communion with God and with one another.”
Along with celebrating the “great Mystery” of the Trinity, “we have a happy coincidence of remembering 140 years of this parish’s existence, 140 years of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit,” the Bishop said. “So today, let’s ask ourselves, ‘How can we, all of us here, reflect the love of the Trinity in our families, our community, our parish and in our world? We have to call upon the Trinity and ask the Trinity to help us and to help our world live in God’s love.”
Highlights of St. Anthony’s History
St. Anthony of Padua was incorporated Feb. 19, 1885, by Bishop Michael J. O’Farrell, first bishop of Trenton. Work began early in 1886 on the construction of a frame church, and the cornerstone was laid by Father Anthony Smith, rector of St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, and vicar general of the Diocese. In subsequent years, the parish campus grew to include a rectory and a catechetical center. In 1967, the catechetical center was razed, and plans were made to construct a new, larger church along with classroom and meeting room facilities. Upgrades have been made to the parish buildings over the years and, in all, 25 pastors have served the parish.
St. Anthony’s in 2025
Today, Father Sumanga serves a parish with 2,500 families. Parishioners hail from various Central and South American countries as well as the Caribbean islands, the Philippines, Eastern Europe and Africa. The parish offers a variety of ministries and organizations.
“Father Oscar has always emphasized that we may all be from different backgrounds, but we’re one family,” DiTeresi said.
Father Sumanga noted that just a few months after his arrival in 2019, he was presented with the challenge of shepherding the parish through the COVID-19 pandemic. He was relentless in his efforts to reach out not only to his parishioners but the wider community as well.
When public Masses were suspended and churches were shuttered, Father Sumanga, with a background in communications, moved to have livestreaming capabilities set up so that his parishioners could continue to experience the celebration of Masses and other liturgical and pastoral observances. The parish also offered people the chance to attend Masses in their cars and offered vaccine clinics to the wider community.
With church life back to normal in the past few years, Father Sumanga and the parish have upheld various traditions and events. One is the annual multiethnic festival, which has grown into a popular event that allows parishioners to learn about other traditions through the experiences of food, dress, dance and music.
As part of the parish’s social just outreach, each November it sponsors a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for people who would otherwise have no other place to enjoy the holiday.
“There’s such a spirit among the community,” said Father Sumanga, who also serves as judicial vicar in the Diocesan Tribunal.
Parishioners carry the gifts of bread and wine to present to the Bishop during the Offertory Procession.
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Banners such as this one were displayed around the parish campus announcing the 140th anniversary. John Batkowski photos
UPDATED June 18, 2025
Each spring, when Dolores DiTeresi returns to St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Hightstown, after having spent the winter in Florida, she smiles and says, “I am home.”
This spring, DiTeresi and her husband, Manny, made sure to arrive home in plenty of time to attend the June 14 Mass of Thanksgiving that Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., celebrated for their parish’s 140th anniversary.
PHOTO GALLERY: Hightstown parish's 140th anniversary Mass
“God bless St. Anthony, our pastor and all priests, deacons and laypeople who make our church such a wonderful parish,” said DiTeresi, adding that she and Manny have been parishioners since the late 1970s.
The Mass was one of numerous events the parish held since the anniversary year opened last September. The celebration will conclude later this year.
Joining the Bishop at the altar for the Mass were Father Oscar Sumanga, pastor, along with several priests, the majority of whom had served in St. Anthony of Padua at some point during their priestly ministry.
‘God in Three Persons’
As the Universal Church marked the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity June 14-15, Bishop O’Connell reflected on how the Trinity is not just a doctrine but a relationship, a perfect model of love, of unity and of communion.
“The Father gives himself completely to the Son, and the Son gives himself completely to the Father, and the Holy Spirit is the love that flows between them. This is the kind of love we are called to imitate, a love that is self-giving, sacrificial and life-giving,” he said in his homily. “As Christians, we are called to reflect this divine love in our lives. We are called to live in communion with God and with one another.”
Along with celebrating the “great Mystery” of the Trinity, “we have a happy coincidence of remembering 140 years of this parish’s existence, 140 years of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit,” the Bishop said. “So today, let’s ask ourselves, ‘How can we, all of us here, reflect the love of the Trinity in our families, our community, our parish and in our world? We have to call upon the Trinity and ask the Trinity to help us and to help our world live in God’s love.”
Highlights of St. Anthony’s History
St. Anthony of Padua was incorporated Feb. 19, 1885, by Bishop Michael J. O’Farrell, first bishop of Trenton. Work began early in 1886 on the construction of a frame church, and the cornerstone was laid by Father Anthony Smith, rector of St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, and vicar general of the Diocese. In subsequent years, the parish campus grew to include a rectory and a catechetical center. In 1967, the catechetical center was razed, and plans were made to construct a new, larger church along with classroom and meeting room facilities. Upgrades have been made to the parish buildings over the years and, in all, 25 pastors have served the parish.
St. Anthony’s in 2025
Today, Father Sumanga serves a parish with 2,500 families. Parishioners hail from various Central and South American countries as well as the Caribbean islands, the Philippines, Eastern Europe and Africa. The parish offers a variety of ministries and organizations.
“Father Oscar has always emphasized that we may all be from different backgrounds, but we’re one family,” DiTeresi said.
Father Sumanga noted that just a few months after his arrival in 2019, he was presented with the challenge of shepherding the parish through the COVID-19 pandemic. He was relentless in his efforts to reach out not only to his parishioners but the wider community as well.
When public Masses were suspended and churches were shuttered, Father Sumanga, with a background in communications, moved to have livestreaming capabilities set up so that his parishioners could continue to experience the celebration of Masses and other liturgical and pastoral observances. The parish also offered people the chance to attend Masses in their cars and offered vaccine clinics to the wider community.
With church life back to normal in the past few years, Father Sumanga and the parish have upheld various traditions and events. One is the annual multiethnic festival, which has grown into a popular event that allows parishioners to learn about other traditions through the experiences of food, dress, dance and music.
As part of the parish’s social just outreach, each November it sponsors a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for people who would otherwise have no other place to enjoy the holiday.
“There’s such a spirit among the community,” said Father Sumanga, who also serves as judicial vicar in the Diocesan Tribunal.
Parishioners carry the gifts of bread and wine to present to the Bishop during the Offertory Procession.