St. Matthias Church

St. Matthias, located in the Somerset section of Franklin Township, New Jersey, is a relatively young parish, tracing its history to only 1962. It was founded when the population of Somerset grew too large to be accommodated by nearby parishes.

The area to become Franklin Township was settled by the Dutch who recognized the potential of the fertile farmland nearly 300 years ago. St. Peter’s Parish, in nearby New Brunswick, was established in 1829 to meet the needs of the growing Catholic population and served the area well for many years.

The area’s population boomed in 1840 when hundreds of workers arrived to build the canal, which was to run through the New Brunswick area. Coming from various parts of Europe, those workers and their families represented diverse ethnic origins and religious backgrounds. The canal and the company that built it changed the face of the countryside by bringing in many industries and the people needed to support them.

By 1880, the Catholic population had increased significantly, so that the necessity of establishing a Catholic parish in Franklin Township became evident. Accordingly, the first Catholic parish in the township, St. Joseph's, was established in the East Millstone section in 1883. More Catholic churches were built over the years as the growth of the population in nearby towns warranted. St. Peter’s Church in New Brunswick, the oldest, became the largest parish in the area, with residents of Franklin Township attending Mass and receiving sacraments in that parish church.

Throughout the 20th century, St. Peter’s continued to grow. It had reached such a size that on June 8, 1962, the most Rev. George W. Ahr, Bishop of Trenton, circumscribed a section of the parish and established the parish of St. Matthias within it, naming Father William McKenna the first pastor.

Our patron, Saint Matthias knew Jesus in His public ministry and worked tirelessly for the Faith. St. Matthias replaced Judas, the apostle turned traitor through an election by the eleven other apostles. He was put to death for his preaching about Christ after converting many to Christianity.