Church mourning pastor’s death
By: Melissa Morgan
The Rev. Stephen Congdon Jr. devoted himself to his church, his family and his faith.
The 66-year-old founding pastor of the Church of Nativity of Our Lord in Monroe died Wednesday, March 20, at John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Edison. Those who knew him said it will be hard to forget the love he had for his vocation, his compassion for others and his strong commitment to a thriving parish.
"We weren’t surprised when he decided to become a priest," said his sister, Patricia Keller. "When he was younger, he never missed Mass and was always active in the church. He has always had a devotion to it."
Ms. Keller said her brother collapsed on Tuesday while standing in a processional line waiting to enter a ceremony marking the installation of the Most Rev. Paul Bootkoski as the fourth Bishop of the Diocese of Metuchen at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center in Edison. She said he was rushed to JFK Medical Center but never regained consciousness.
Kate Donahue, secretary at Nativity of Our Lord, said that Monsignor William Haughney, who was in residence at the church, has been appointed by the bishop as the church’s new administrator.
Michael Mayes, Cranbury’s mayor and an active parishioner at Nativity of Our Lord, said the Rev. Congdon left a thriving parish that he helped build from the ground up.
"He brought the church from a small, quiet one to a growing parish with a large congregation," he said. "He had a warm smile, compassion and a concern for young people."
Born in Rumson, the Rev. Congdon grew up in Monmouth Beach, where he eventually took over the family home.
He graduated from Red Bank Catholic High School and continued his education at St. Phillip Neri in Boston prior to entering St. Charles in Catonsville, Md. He attended St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore and was ordained into the Diocese of Trenton by Bishop George H. Ahr on May 26, 1962. He served in the parishes of St. Francis in Metuchen and Immaculate Conception Church in Somerville before being named pastor at Our Lady of Mercy Church in South Bound Brook, where he served for 14 years. He came to the Church of Nativity of Our Lord in 1992.
As a member of the Diocese of Metuchen Long Range Planning Committee, the Rev. Congdon helped find land for several parishes, including the site in Monroe where Nativity of Our Lord was built.
Ray Osborne, the former religious education director at Our Lady of Mercy, worked with the Rev. Congdon for 14 years and said he found a golden opportunity to build and found Nativity of Our Lord.
"We missed him when he left, but it was an offer he couldn’t refuse," he said. "It is not often you get the opportunity to start a brand new parish from scratch. I never gave it a second thought that it would be a successful parish."
Mr. Osborne said he was sure the Rev. Congdon’s new church would be such a success because of the wonderful work he did at Our Lady of Mercy, such as expanding the CCD and music programs and starting a youth group.
On a personal level, Mr. Osborne said he was always approachable and easy to talk to.
"He had a wonderful sense of humor and was very friendly and outgoing," he said. "He was a wonderful person to work for."
Ms. Keller said her brother also was active with the youth at Nativity of Our Lord.
"He was always really active with the children and started youth groups in the church," she said. "He liked to do things socially and took the altar boys to Dorney Park and out to restaurants."
Ms. Keller said he also was very found of the children in his own family.
"He was devoted to both his family and the church," she said. "He got a kick out of his nieces and nephews and it was his tradition to visit our house every Sunday to play canasta and spend the night."
Ms. Keller said he also enjoyed spending time with his family at the shore, surf casting and swimming.
Mayor Mayes said he will remember the Rev. Congdon as very traditional and strict when it came to the church’s teachings, but also very approachable and liked by everyone.
He was admired and respected and will be deeply, deeply missed," he said.
Besides his sister, the Rev. Congdon is survived by Ms. Keller’s husband, Richard; two nieces, Colleen Fuentes and her husband, Ever, and Kathy Keller; two nephews, Patrick Fuentes and Griffin Keller and a great-niece, Sarah Fuentes.
The Rev. Congdon’s body will be received into The Church of Nativity of Our Lord at 2 p.m. Friday, (today), where he will lie in state. A Mass of Jesus Christ The High Priest will be celebrated at 7:30 p.m. tonight. Bishop Paul Gregory Bootkoski of Metuchen will preside at the Funeral Liturgy of Christian Burial at 11:30 a.m. Saturday. Interment will follow in Mt. Carmel Cemetery in West Long Branch.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Building Fund at the Church of Nativity of Our Lord, 185 Applegarth Road, Monroe, N.J. 08831.