Pastor Page

A Roman Catholic Parish

Nativity of Our Lord

Pastor Page

Father Edward R. Flanagan

Father Edward R. Flanagan was born in Jersey City on January 7, 1962. He is the youngest of three children of the late Edward and Muriel (Hayes) Flanagan. Fr. Ed attended Saint Nicholas Grammar School. As a fourth grader, he started attending daily Mass. In the sixth grade, he was encouraged to attend a vocation retreat at St. Francis Preparatory High School Seminary. He attended Hudson Catholic High School and continued to go to daily Mass and be active in his home parish. As a high school student, Fr. Ed was an altar server, lector and choir member. He also worked in the rectory answering phones and cleaning up after bingo.

Fr. Ed continued along his path to priesthood and received his BA in religious studies from Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora, New York and served his diaconate year at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Whitehouse Station, NJ.

Fr. Ed was ordained a Catholic priest for the Diocese of Metuchen on May 28, 1988 and celebrated His Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Nicholas Church, Jersey City on May 29, 1988.

Fr. Ed served in the following parishes: Immaculate Conception, Somerville; St. James, Woodbridge; Sacred Heart, South Plainfield; Immaculate Conception, Spotswood; and St. Bernadette, Parlin. In 2002, Fr. Ed was named administrator of Nativity of Our Lord Parish. He was installed as pastor of Nativity of Our Lord on the feast of SS. Peter and Paul in June 2003.

Since then, the parish seems to have exploded with growth. Today the parish comprises more than 1801 registered families. The church’s pews and its parking lot are filled to overflowing for each of its four weekend Masses. Fr. Ed is excited about the growth and credits the parishioners. “We’ve gotten a lot done in four years and that’s all thanks to the parishioners.”

Fr. Ed is very proud of his Irish Heritage and was privileged to travel to Ireland and to lead pilgrims to Italy.