Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Roman Catholic Church, Three Bridges, NJ
offers its prayerful thanks and gratitude to our founding Pastor
Reverend Edward A. Kearns
on the occasion of the Fiftieth Anniversary of his Ordination
to the Eternal Priesthood of Jesus Christ
Reverend Edward A. Kearns - Pastor Emeritus
Born: February 26, 1936
Ordained to the Priesthood: May 25, 1963
Pastor of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton: October 30, 1984 - March 3, 1997
Fiftieth Anniversary Mass of Thanksgiving: May 5, 2013
Holy Father, who, by no merit of his own,
chose Father Edward Kearns for communion with
the eternal priesthood of your Christ and for the ministry of your Church,
grant that he may be an ardent yet gentle preacher of the Gospel
and a faithful steward of your mysteries.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
[From the Roman Missal, Prayers for a Priest on the Anniversary of his Ordination, adapted.]
A Reflection on Our First Pastor by Our Fourth Pastor
When I arrived here almost eleven years ago, I heard many stories about our founding Pastor,
whom everyone called ‘Father Kearns.’ I do not recall ever meeting him personally; he had
retired in 1997, soon after I was ordained a Priest in 1993. Perhaps we had been at a Diocesan
function together, but it takes a priest many years to know all of his brother priests in the same
Diocese! Some Dioceses are so large that even the Bishop does not know all his Priests!
I almost formally met Father Kearns after his mother died; it was during the time I served as the
Priest-Secretary to Bishop Breen: 1997-2002. Since the Bishop was a Brooklyn native, he
preferred to drive himself to various places so he could learn about this strange land called
New Jersey. Since Bishop Breen drove himself to Father Kearns’ mother’s wake, which if I recall
correctly, was in the Nutley area, I did not go with him. The next day the Bishop informed me
he had gotten a flat tire in the funeral home parking lot. After that, he almost always had
someone drive him - usually me!
I know this will come as a shock to you, but we priests talk about each other - and we are
aware that you people talk about us! But before I share some of my thoughts about Father
Kearns, here’s what a member of the 50th Anniversary Committee learned by interviewing him:
“Reverend Edward A. Kearns, Jr. was born on February 26, 1936, in Paterson, New Jersey, to
Edward A. Kearns, Sr. and Jean (Fuscaldo) Kearns. He has two sisters, Jane Chiappara and
Ellen Akersten, and six nieces and nephews. Father Kearns attended Immaculate Conception
Seminary and Seton Hall University, completing his undergraduate work in 1963 and earning a
Masters of Divinity degree (M.Div.) in 1970. He was ordained a Priest on May 25, 1963 by
Bishop James J. Navagh, in the Diocese of Paterson. Father Kearns has served many parishes
in New Jersey and, since his retirement, Florida. The New Jersey parishes include St.
Christopher’s, Parsippany; Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Boonton; and St. Thomas the Apostle,
Oak Ridge. Father Kearns, of course, is the founding pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish,
Three Bridges, where he led us from 1984 until 1997. Now our Pastor Emeritus, he says that
SEAS remains the place where he was the happiest. He retired to Florida in 1997, but
retirement did not stop his ministry. He has served as a weekend associate at parishes in the
Sarasota, Florida area (at one of which he is still known as “Fast Eddie”), and as Chaplain at the
Spring Hill, Florida Correctional Institution.“
While Father Ed - oops - Father Kearns and I may be [radically!] different in liturgical style,
length of Mass time, attitude toward noisy little ones, and so on, we share deep common bonds
in our love of the Lord and His Church - and in calling the great Parish we have both been
honored to shepherd our happiest home! When I began what became the $2 million
“Gathered In One Place” capital campaign and $6 million building project, more than one
person ‘comforted’ me by saying that I was the same age Father Kearns was when he began
the $1 million building project that became our $2 million magnificent church! [See what
inflation did to our finances, and what construction did to Father Kearns and me!] Why did we
do it? I am sure I can speak for Father Kearns when I say we did what we did for love of God and for you!
On behalf of the people of ‘SEAS’ as we are known, may I express our joy and thrill to welcome
Father Kearns home for the celebration of his 50th Anniversary of Ordination.
Rev. Thomas J. Serafin, Pastor
May God bless Father Kearns, his family and his friends!
Ad multos annos, holy Priest of God!