Connected with the church is an athletic association, whose quarters are in a building in the rear of the church. The gymnasium is equipped with all the paraphernalia of such an organization, as well as club rooms of St. John's Union.
ST. MICHAEL'S MONASTERY.
The first Catholic Church in North Hudson was located within the present limits of the Town of West Hoboken, and before its establishment here the people of that faith either had to journey to lower Jersey City or to New York City, and many people worshipped in the old Catholic Church in Barclay street, in the latter city.
In the latter part of the year 1840, Father Cauvin, a priest who then lived in Hoboken, used to journey up the Hillside on Sunday mornings to celebrate mass for the scattered Catholics of West Hoboken, and the surrounding villages, coming even as far as from Guttenberg and Hudson County.
The building used as a church at that time (and which was in reality the first Catholic Church hereabouts) was the coach-house of Mr. James Kerrigan, on the old Homestead.
The people worshipped in the coach-house until the year 1851. Early in that year work was commenced on a frame church named "Our Lady of Mercy," more familiarly known as (St. Mary's), on the corner of Clinton avenue, and what was then known as Kerrigan's Lane, now High street. The land, half an acre in extent, was the gift of Mr. Kerrigan.
The parish was then in New York, the diocese of Newark not having been formed until October, 1853, and in the latter part of the year 1851, Archbishop Hughes, of New York, dedicated the church.
On the front of this old church, as old-timers will remember, was a framed inscription, as follows:—
"MATER MISERICORDAE."
"Mother of Grace, O, Mary hear."
"Mother of Mercy, lend thine ear."
"From raging foes our souls defend."
"And take us when our life shall end."
This church was presided over for ten years by Faithful Father Cauvin, and on Sunday, September 29, 1860, Fathers Gaudentius and Anthony, of the Passionist Order, opened a mission in St. Mary's Church. It was most successful, and soon after, the Rt. Rev. Bishop James Roosevelt Bailey, first bishop of the Diocese of Newark, invited the Passionists to establish themselves in his diocese.
