ST. ANDREW THE APOSTLE CHURCH
Gibbsboro, New Jersey 08026

Phone:  856-784-3878
Fax: 856-435-7508
E-mail:  Andrewapos@aol.com

Parish Office Hours

Monday
thru
Friday
8:30AM - 4:30PM


Maps & Directions

Parish Bulletin

CHURCH HISTORY

The roots of St. Andrew the Apostle Parish are found in the mission church of St. Edmund’s,  established in 1895 when Bishop McFaul of the Diocese of Trenton appointed Fr. John O’Leary to organize a parish in Gibbsboro and be its first pastor.  During those early days Mass was celebrated in the homes of various parishioners until the first public Mass was said in the old Gibbsboro school.

On October 25, 1896 Bishop McFaul laid the cornerstone of the new church and on July 4, 1897 he dedicated the church building which was located on Berlin Road at the foot of Gibbsboro Road. The parish was first a mission of St. Lawrence Church, Laurel Springs, and then of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Berlin, when that parish was established in 1903.

On February 9, 1963, Archbishop Damiano of the Diocese of Camden restructured the area community and directed that Gibbsboro and the greater portion of Voorhees Township were to become a separate parish under the patronage of St. Andrew the Apostle. The Archbishop also directed that Fr. John P. Corrigan was to be the first pastor of this parish community.  The small mission church served as a place of worship for two years. The area was growing rapidly and it was evident that larger facilities were necessary to take care of immediate needs and the future growth of the parish.

On June  28, 1963, a 15-acre tract along Kresson-Gibbsboro Road was purchased to serve as the future site of St. Andrew’s Church.  The present Parish Center was the church-hall, dedicated in May 1965.
 

During the ensuing years, Fr. John Daneri and Fr. Thomas Jarka each served terms as pastor, and plans were formulated and eventually led to the addition of eight class/meeting rooms, offices and storage space.  In 1977 the rectory building was completed with the present office complex as the parish chapel. In 1980 Monsignor Glendon Robertson became the fifth pastor of St. Andrew’s.

After twenty years of worshipping in the Parish Hall, accelerated population growth of the area forced the parish to assess its needs and desires for the future. In early 1984 the parish community began a process which culminated in the dedication of the parish’s new church building on June 4, 1989.

The Building Program, crafted by the faith community of St. Andrew the Apostle Parish, states that “our new church should speak to us about the goodness and beauty of creation and our call as disciples of Jesus to join together in community to fashion God’s ongoing creation.”

In January 1998 Monsignor Ciaran P. O Mearain became the sixth pastor of our community and strengthened the foundations of faith left by his five predecessors.
 

Over the years St. Andrew the Apostle Faith Community has been renowned for its strong emphasis on liturgy, educational opportunities for all ages, and lay participation.  Faith experiences are many and varied.

As the community continues in the 21^st century, plans are underway to add classroom/meeting space to the existing Parish Center.  The community has supported two members through ordination to the Permanent Diaconate and a third is in formation.

The formation of young people includes programs from Pre-K through Junior High and a varied high school program called Galaxy. Adult opportunities include speakers, a parish mission, retreats and international travel groups.  Music and liturgy mesh each weekend as our children’s, teens’, adult, Contemporary and Handbell choirs celebrate with the faithful.

St. Andrew the Apostle truly embraces all the worshipping faithful and reaches out to serve all God’s people.

MISSION STATEMENT

Rooted in the vision of Church proclaimed by the Second Vatican Council, the faith community of Saint Andrew the Apostle seeks to live to the fullest the gospel values of Jesus Christ through:

community:  building and nurturing the community of believers.
message:  proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ.
worship:  giving praise and thanks to the Creator.
service:  reaching out to those in need in the community and beyond.
 

CLERGY OF ST. ANDREW'S

Rev. Msgr. Ciaran P. O Mearain, Pastor

Rev. Allen Lovell, Parochial Vicar

Rev. Sung Heum, Parochial Vicar

Mr. Paul Johnson, Deacon

Mr. Vincent Okoro, Deacon

 

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