The Shrine of St. Joseph, Stirling, New Jersey
The
Shrine of St. Joseph in Stirling, New Jersey, was established by Fr. Thomas Augustine Judge, C.M., in 1924 and is operated by the religious community that Fr. Judge founded, the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity (Trinity Missions). During his time serving with a parish in New York, he witnessed pilgrims arriving from Italy and Ireland, bringing with them the deep Catholic traditions of their faith. He quickly noticed the need to preserve the faith of the immigrant families and foster the formation of the laity as missionary disciples of Jesus.
Fr. Judge established the Shrine as a place for all to be renewed in faith and sent out as missionaries in their everyday life. When the shrine was established, it was placed under the patronage of St. Joseph since he offers inspiration for the laity who struggle to preserve the vitality of their faith in a society that is often out of touch with Gospel values.
In this Year of St. Joseph, the shrine is building a Pilgrim Chapel that will house a mosaic of the "Life of Saint Joseph," crafted by Austrian artist Leopold Forstner (1878-1936).
© Shrine of St. Joseph