Welcome Letter from Reverend Michael J. Sheehan, Pastor

We invite you to share in the life of Jesus with us. We believe that we are united in faith and guided by the Holy Spirit, a community of people loving, serving and sharing in the mission of Jesus Christ. Together we ask that Spirit to unlock the creative energies of our many hearts and bring forth from us a living faith that the Kingdom of God may be our abiding reality.

This Annunciation Roman Catholic Church was founded in a community of small, family-owned farms in northern New Jersey, and has grown over the years to a large, suburban parish. The growth continued into the new millennium, as we brought something wonderful to the Annunciation Community--the total renovation and restoration of our church. With the dedication of our newly-renovated church building on April 1, 2000, the parish celebrated the fulfillment of a long-held dream and the fruit of the sacrifice and commitment made by so many in the course of faith. In 2002, we marked our Fiftieth Anniversary as a parish community here in Paramus, NJ.

We realize that a large parish can bring a certain depersonalization and that our busy lifestyles can make us feel detached and separate from each other. Our welcome to you is designed to make every effort to overcome these difficulties and to say in a truly warm and loving way that we want you to belong with us.

We are many ages, coming from many backgrounds and places. It must be our strong faith in the Lord Jesus that draws us together and our real and loving concern for each other that brings faith to life. Our goal is to become living stones that form the House of God.

Please acquaint yourself with the many ministries and programs our parish has to offer. They are open to everyone; we invite and encourage everyone to participate. Our contemporary lives are diverse and often difficult; but at the Eucharistic table, we find our center and our challenge.

Worship with us; share the living Word of the scriptures with us; join us for fun and celebration. May we together grow in the Lord.

Sincerely,
Fr. Mike

Rev. Michael J. Sheehan, Pastor

Parish History

More than 100 years ago, the Sisters of Charity purchased property at the corner of Midland Avenue and Route 17 to establish The House of Divine Providence for the Incurably Ill. By 1925, they had 200 acres and 187 patients in their care. However, the House burned down that year. They had also just finished construction of Mount St. Andrew Villa. When economic conditions blocked the rebuilding of Divine Providence, the sisters began to sell off the property, which the Archdiocese bought in 1952, constructing on it the Church of the Annunciation. The parish was established the next year. In 1998, a capital campaign was launched to renovate the church while still maintaining its Gothic architecture, original stained-glass windows and Stations of the Cross. An addition was to create an environment suitable for the renewed liturgy that had been celebrated for more than 30 years.

The 50th anniversary, observed in 2002, marked the church's ability to change as the community grew into a vibrant parish of more than 1,300 families.

Source: Ciccarino, Christopher (Reverend). (2003). The Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey. China: Sun Fung Offset Binding Co., Ltd.