Jersey City–Born Priest Marks 104th Birthday

Monsignor James C. Turro, a native of Jersey City and the oldest priest in the Archdiocese of Newark, celebrated his 104th birthday with a week of festivities at Our Lady of Mercy Church in Park Ridge.

“I come from a very religious family,” Turro said. “At about the time that I began to, you know, look around me and find out what it’s all about, I had two aunts—my father’s sister and my mother’s sister—who went off to be Sisters of Charity.”

“They were very much a factor in my formation,” he said. “That seemed to be the thing: become a religious.”

Turro was ordained in 1948 and served at Holy Trinity Church in Hackensack before pursuing theological studies in Washington, D.C., and Rome. He later taught for 60 years at Immaculate Conception Seminary. The seminary library at Seton Hall University is named in his honor.

Reflecting on his decades of ministry, Turro said, “Strangely, I just do what is expected of me, and the good results result from my activity. I never stopped to even doubt, you know, ‘Could I be doing something better than I am right now?’”

“Surely, the high moment in any day is celebrating Mass,” he said. “You stop to think, ‘What am I doing here?’ You can’t beat this; this is at the tops.”

Turro celebrated his birthday beginning January 24 with visiting family. A snowstorm postponed events on January 26, but parishioners continued celebrations throughout the week. Many brought chocolate cake, his favorite dessert. On February 1, the parish held a final gathering titled “Muffins with Monsignor.”

“I thought I’d like being a priest, but I didn’t know that I would like it as much as I liked it when I actually put my hands to it,” Turro said. “Very often you’ll get more than you’re asking for.”

He concluded with what he called “the winning formula”: “Here I am, Lord, do with me what thou wilt.”