St. Andrew the apostle Parish
400 Mt. Prospect Avenue, Clifton, NJ 07012
Tel: 973-779-6873
Fax: 973-779-0573
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Mass Schedule:
Sundays: 5pm (Sat), 7:30am, 9am, 11:15am
Weekdays: Mon-Sat 8am
Holy Days: As announced
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Rectory Hours: Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm
(Closed Fridays in Summer)
Novena: Mondays, 7pm
Confessions: Saturdays, 3pm-4pm
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Our weekly parish bulletin may be accessed here.
Parish Logo created by Martha McGowan, 2017.
Mission Statement
The parish community of St. Andrew the Apostle is committed to:
- Supporting one another in living out the call of the Gospel to proclaim God's love to all.
- Teaching by providing lifelong Christian formation, which translates into the sound practice of our Catholic morals, values & beliefs.
- Evangelizing by sharing the Gospel message entrusted to the Apostles & his Church by Jesus Christ.
- Encouraging spiritual growth by nurturing our relationship with Christ & one another through the celebration of the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist.
Our Story
The history of St. Andrew's dates back to June 11th, 1939 when it became a parish of the Paterson Diocese. Today it stands a vibrant faith-filled Catholic community of 1100 families, providing endless opportunities for people of all ages to participate in its parish life.
St. Andrew's Parish also supports St. Andrew's School, founded in 1953, which offers a quality Catholic education to children in grades PreK3 to Grade 8.
Our Pastor
Rev. Richard D. Kilcomons was ordained in 2006 & installed pastor of St. Andrew's in 2014, both by Bishop Serratelli of the Paterson Diocese.
Blarney Scott, In Residence
RIP 2005-2018
Parish Staff
Rev. Richard D. Kilcomons, Pastor
973-779-6873 ext. 11 / RKilcomons@Optonline.net
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Rev. Msgr. Patrick J. Scott, In Residence
973-779-6873 ext. 22
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Rev. Philip-Michael Tangorra, In Residence
973-779-6873 ext. 19 / PTangorra@PatersonDiocese.org
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Deacon Richard J. Goglia, Director of Religious Ed.
973-779-6873 ext. 20 / StAndrewRelEd@Optonline.net
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Michelle Petrasek, Pastoral Associate
973-779-6873 ext. 14
SaintAndrewsMusicMinistry@Gmail.com
SaintAndrewsYouthGroup@Gmail.com
SaintAndrewsSocialMedia@Gmail.com
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Barbara Quinlan, Parish Office Manager
973-779-6873 ext. 10 / LadyBarb@Optonline.net
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Carol Dziuba, Organist
CDziuba@AOL.com
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Cynthia Schirm, School Principal
973-473-3711 / CSchirm@SASClifton.com
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Barbara Hayes, School Office Manager 973-471-3711 / Office@SASClifton.com
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For general parish information, submit an inquiry here.
Good News & parish events
For upcoming events, see this month's calendar or next month's calendar, or our Facebook Events tab.
HIGHLIGHTED Recent Events
MAY CROWNING 2018
St. Andrew's School hosted their annual May Crowning in which our young people crown the Blessed Virgin Mary Queen of May. 2nd graders who recently received the Sacrament of First Holy Communion paired with 8th graders for this special ceremony following a school mass held in the Church on Ascension Thursday.
This was a particularly meaningful ceremony for both the St. Andrew's Parish & School community as it was the school's last May Crowning. We thank everyone who has worked hard to make this a beautiful tradition to be shared by all who attend every year. We hope to keep this tradition alive via our CCD students involved in the Parish Religious Education Program in May 2019.
PARISH PAINT NIGHT 2018
Our first ever parish paint night was hugely successful in both fundraising & fun-raising! Many thanks to Van-Go Paint Parties of Montclair for providing our parishioners & their friends with the opportunity to try something new & express their creativity! More photos can be found in our Facebook album. We hope to repeat this masterpiece fundraiser again in the Fall so stay tuned for future dates!
EASTER EGG HUNT 2018
The children of St. Andrew's Parish the Clifton community are invited every year to join us for a fun free egg hunt run by St. Andrew's Youth Group. Our teenagers work very hard to provide the best egg hunt around with crafts, games, & a bake sale along with traditional egg hunting! with 94 children ages 10 & under in attendance this year's event was a hit!
SANTA BREAKFAST 2017
We are very fortunate to report that Santa took time out of his busy schedule preparing for the Christmas holiday to visit our parish for a delicious breakfast! Children small and tall met with Santa after mass, took photos, and received presents. A magical time was had by all.
BAMBINELLI SUNDAY 2017
It is customary for the Pope to bless Infant Baby Jesus figures that children & their families bring to St. Peter's Square in Rome on the 3rd Sunday of Advent, which has become known as Bambinelli Sunday. Parishioners of St. Andrew's were invited to bring their own figures of Baby Jesus from their home nativity sets to be blessed at all masses on the weekend of December 16th & 17th.
CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT 2017
Many thanks to all who participated in this lovely Christmas event! Our adult choir, teen choir, children's choir, as well as visitors the Alay Awit Chorale, & junior pianists along with organist Carol Dziuba & Pastoral Associate Michelle Petrasek all did an excellent job lifting our spirits in preparation for Christmas! For a full set of photos, please see our Facebook album.
BLESSING OF ANIMALS 2017
St. Francis of Assisi was a Catholic friar who gave up a life of wealth to live a life of poverty. He established the Franciscan Order of Friars & is the patron saint of animals. Each October, St. Andrew's celebrates the feast of St. Francis with an annual blessing of animals in front of church. This year, Fr. Rick blessed dozens of our furry friends - including cats & dogs, one bunny, two guinea pigs, two frogs & a cricket. For photos from this year's event, please see our official photo album.
CARNIVAL 2017
St. Andrew's 2017 Carnival was a weekend of games, rides, & family fun!
What a joy to see our entire parish & school communities work together this September to put on such a major event. Many thanks to our Carnival committee & all volunteers who worked very hard!
For more information & photos from this year's event, please see our official Event Facebook page here
Press
11/1/17 - The Power of One's Music, Clifton Merchant Feature on Michelle Petrasek (p. 24-28)
8/18/16 - Clifton Parish Gives Young People Opportunity to Make 'Joyful Noise'
7/28/16 - Bishop Makes Pastoral Visit to St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Clifton
7/7/16 - Clifton Knights Host Holy Hour, Mass for Religious Liberty
5/19/16 - Bishop Serratelli Ordains 11 Men to the Diaconate
5/5/16 - Bishop to Ordain 11 Men to Diaconate
3/31/16 - St. Andrew's Gala Feature, Clifton Merchant Worship & Sharing (p. 94)
3/25/16 - St. Andrew's School in Clifton Participates in Pi Day
2/12/16 - Clifton Church Receives Ancient Coins, Saint's Bone Relic
2/5/16 - Geography Bee Held at St. Andrew's School in Clifton
1/27/16 - County Clerk Announces Winners of 2016 Poster Calendar Contest
12/25/15 - St. Andrew School in Clifton Celebrates Clifton
8/21/15 - Knights of Columbus Install Officers
8/20/15 - St. Andrew the Apostle Parish Welcomes Bishop Serratelli on his pastoral visit
3/20/14 - Bishop Serratelli Installs Father Richard Kilcomons as Pastor of St. Andrew Parish
2/14/14 - St. Andrew's School in Clifton Celebrates Catholic Schools Week
1/24/14 - Eighth Grader at Clifton's St. Andrew's School Wins Geography Bee
1/25/13 - St. Andrew's School Marks 60th Anniversary
1/25/13 - St. Andrew's Turns 60
ministries
If you would like to participate in a parish ministry or group, we have something for everyone at St. Andrew's! A full listing with appropriate contact information may be found below. If you are interested in creating a new committee or have general questions, call the Rectory at 973-779-6873.
Altar servers are always needed. Please encourage your children to consider this important ministry. A form of interest may be completed here.
Altar Servers:
Rectory Office, 973-779-6873
Boy Scouts:
Scout Master Jack Hayes, 973-546-1868
Christian Care Committee, Help for Homebound:
Dorothy Gondola, 973-778-5276
Eucharistic Ministers:
Rectory Office, 973-779-6873
Greeting Card Ministry
Helen Power, 973-472-6942
Home & School Association (2017-2018):
President Jen Fantry, 973-981-6000
Hospitality Committee:
Mary Tuites, 973-778-3566
Knights of Columbus:
Grand Knight Robert Bollettino, 973-772-2727
Columbiettes:
President Kathy Mortimer, 973-742-9833
Lectors:
Rectory Office, 973-779-6873
Music Ministry:
Pastoral Associate Michelle Petrasek, 973-779-6873 ext. 14 / SaintAndrewsMusicMinistry@Gmail.com
Religious Ed Teachers:
Dir. of Religious Education Deacon Rich, 973-779-6873 ext. 20 / StAndrewRelEd@Optonline.net
Thirty-Niners, Seniors Group:
Barbara Dudek, 973-665-4131
Youth Group:
Pastoral Associate Michelle Petrasek, 973-779-6873 etx. 14 / SaintAndrewsYouthGroup@Gmail.com
Troop 23 Scout Master Jack Hayes (left) & dedicated leaders, photo by Scout Mom Martha McGowan.
Sacraments
For information regarding the sacraments of First Communion, First Reconciliation, & Confirmation, please see our Religious Education page.
BAPTISMS
Baptisms are made by appointment & most often held on Sunday afternoons following 11:15am mass.
If you are interested in scheduling a Baptism with the parish, please fill out the following form & we will contact you. Please understand simply filling out a form does not guarantee your Baptism request.
WEDDINGS
Couples planning to be married are asked to make an appointment with a priest or deacon to begin preparations at least one year before the wedding.
All couples who are to be married in the Catholic church are expected to attend a Pre-Cana session. This year's Pre-Cana sessions at St. Andrew's will be held on April 1st & September 16th, & the form for those who have already begun the planning process with a priest or deacon can be downloaded here.
If you are interested in scheduling a Wedding with the parish, please fill out the following form & we will contact you. Please understand simply filling out a form does not guarantee your Wedding request.
Religious Education
Photo by Portrait Innovations, Clifton
CCD
Religious education is offered to children in grades K-8 via CCD classes on Sunday mornings after 9am mass. We encourage families to attend this mass as it includes a Children's Liturgy of the Word. Children receive their First Reconciliation & First Holy Communion in the 2nd grade.
Registration forms may be downloaded here & our sacrament policy here. K-8 Schedule is available now too.
CONFIRMATION
A 2-year confirmation program is offered for teens in the first 2 years of high school, preparing them for Confirmation in the 10th grade. Classes are held on Sunday evenings during the school year (schedule).
9th Grade Registration forms may be downloaded here. Paperwork for returning 10th graders may be downloaded here.
RCIA
The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults is a process established for individuals who may choose to receive Baptism, Eucharist, & Confirmation as an adult convert to the Catholic faith. Candidates in the RCIA program work directly with our Director of Religious Education, Deacon Rich, as they are gradually introduced to Catholic teachings, beliefs, & practices to enter the Faith fully committed to their conversion. Please down-load & return the current RCIA form to the rectory.
FAITH FORMATION & CONTINUING EDUCATION
Throughout the year, various programs are offered for adults & teens in the parish to enrich their lives as practicing Catholics & to increase their working knowledge of their Faith. Presentations are given on many Sunday afternoons by Rev. Philip Tangorra regarding one's Catholic faith. Individuals are always also invited to work with a priest or deacon in order to become an alter server, lector, Eucharistic Minister, Children's Liturgy Volunteer, or Religious Education instructor. St. Andrew's also encourages members of its community to keep up to date with all programs offered by St. Paul Inside the Walls, the Diocese of Paterson's Center for Evangelization.
For more information, call Deacon Rich at 973-779-6873 ext. 20 / StAndrewRelEd@optonline.net.
Music
St. Andrew's Music Ministry provides a fun, educational, & spiritual opportunity for musicians small & tall to lift their voices to the Lord. Combining traditional & contemporary styles of sacred music, our song choices reflect the diversity of our parish community.
DOWNLOADABLE UPDATED April-June 2018 CHOIR CALENDAR
2018-2019 Info coming soon!
For more information, call Michelle at 973-779-6873 ext. 14 / SaintAndrewsMusicMinistry@Gmail.com.
YOUTH GROUP
Open to teens in the 9th-12th grade, Youth Group meets every other Saturday after 5pm mass with Youth Minister Michelle to gather, worship, story share, serve, volunteer, & have fun! Youth Group currently consists of more than 20 boys & girls ages 13-17. New teens are always welcome to join this enthusiastic group of Catholics in sharing the Good News together in a safe space that encourages laughter, love, & learning!
St. Andrew's School
St. Andrew's School recognizes the whole child
and aims to identify and nurture God-given talents and personal gifts.
LINKS
St. Andrew's parish library is full of information & located in the front gathering space of the church.
Joining the parish
How can I join the parish?
If you are interested in joining the parish, please fill out the following form & we will contact you to confirm receipt of your registration, give you new parishioner info, & welcome you to the parish.*
(*Please keep in mind if you are registering solely in order to obtain a sacramental sponsorship certificate, it is church policy that you be an active registered parishioner in good standing for at least 6 months before such a request. Thank you!)
Contact Us
Direct contact information for staff & volunteers in various parish departments & ministries can be found on our About & Ministries Pages.
If you have a general question about the parish & do not know whom to contact, please fill out the contact form below & our Pastoral Associate will forward your request appropriately.
Thank you!
Please complete the form below
Carnival 2018 Sept. 5-9th
**More info, sponsorship & volunteer forms coming week of 6/17**
St. Andrew's CARNIVAL 2017
Post your photos! #StAndrewsCarnival2017
It's a wrap! Tremendous thanks to all who made this year's carnival a smashing success! To our chair John Fantry, our parish & school community is eternally grateful! Many thanks to our carnival committee, all volunteers tall & small, the food services, bands, & local businesses who supported this event, & all families who came out to share in one or all 4 enjoyable evenings! Here's to fun-raising fundraising, family memories, community collaboration, & St. Andrew's!
Links:
- Facebook Event Page
RSVP, keep up with announcements, & browse pictures. - Tickets Available - CLOSED
Megapass available online for best value. - Volunteer Form - 'TIL NEXT YEAR!
We need you! Calling all SAS parents & parishioners! Please return forms to bins in church or the rectory office.
Parishioner TRADE DIRECTORY
Looking for someone?
We at the rectory often receive phone calls asking if we know someone offhand within the parish who can help with a particular need. Rather than hiring a stranger, consider hiring a fellow parishioner!
Who doesn't like a little free advertising?
Contact us today if you would like your business information in this directory - FOR FREE!
Accounting - Licensed CPA
Mr. Joseph C. Swiatek, CPA (Licensed CPA for Tax Prep Services & Consultation)
JCS Accounting Solutions, LLC
40 Godwin Place, Clifton NJ 07013
973-493-3165 (Cell) / 973-916-1504 (Home) / 973-860-2395 (Fax)
JCSwiatek@AOL.com / JosephCSwiatek@CPA.com
Authorized IRS E-File Provider
Member of AICPA & NJCPA
Baking
Mrs. Carol Dziuba, Cookie Baker & Decorator
973-872-9280 / cdziuba@aol.com
Grandma Carol's Cookie Jar: Facebook Page
St. Andrew's organist, 2013-pres.
Cleaning
Mr. John O'Connor
Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning
973-885-3185
Lawyer
Mr. Michael A. Cerone, Jr., Attorney at Law
Wills & Estates, Persona Injury, Real Estate & Business Law
840 Van Houten Avenue, Clifton NJ
Evenings & Saturdays by appointment
973-778-1601 / MACJrEsq@verizon.net
Locksmith
Mr. Alan Mazalewski (Retired Locksmith)
973-473-5479
Residential only (no cars or commercial businesses)
References: Able Hardware, St. Andrew's Rectory staff
Music Lessons - Piano & Vocal Coaching
Michelle Petrasek, MP Music LLC
MPMusicLLC@Gmail.com / 973-568-7708
Website / Facebook Page / Instagram
St. Andrew's Pastoral Associate (Music Director, Youth Minister, Website/Social Media)
Painting
Mr. Michael Poulis
Interior / Exterior Painting
973-405-4111 (Cell) / 973-779-3813 (Home)
Real Estate
Mr. Tom Stidl, Sales Associate (Residential, Commercial, Industrial, Land)
ACV Real Estate
931 Clifton Ave, Clifton NJ 07013
1-800-541-6034 (Toll Free) / 973-365-2122 (Work) / 973-580-3088 (Cell) / 973-471-7872 (Home)
TOJS2014@yahoo.com / 973-365-1877 (Fax)
"St. Andrew's Usher! 46+ years in Clifton & counting!"