Caldwell Priest Ordained In Essex County (WATCH)

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Three people with ties to Essex County, including one with connections to Caldwell and Fairfield, were recently ordained as priests in the Archdiocese of Newark.

Cardinal Joseph Tobin ordained the Rev. Matteo Matarazzo, Andrew Rubinich and Joseph Pavone to the priesthood last month at Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark. Afterwards, the new priests distributed the Holy Eucharist for the first time and offered their inaugural blessings to those in attendance, including their family and friends (watch the video below).

Now assigned to their respective parishes, the new priests — Matarazzo at Holy Family Parish in Nutley, Pavone at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church in Wyckoff, and Rubinich at St. Aloysius Parish in Caldwell — have embarked on their pastoral duties.

Rubinich is now serving as a parochial vicar at St. Aloysius Parish in Caldwell. The Fairfield native was inspired to become a priest through his service at St. Thomas More Church growing up.

The Archdiocese of Newark serves an estimated 1.3 million Catholic residents of Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union counties.

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