Two Priests with Hudson County Ties Ordained

Two men with strong ties to Hudson County have been ordained as priests by Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin. The ordination took place on May 25 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark. Father Matteo Matarazzo and Father Andrew M. Rubinich, both connected to the local community, were among the three new priests welcomed into the priesthood.

Father Matteo Matarazzo, who attended Holy Redeemer Church in West New York, and Father Andrew M. Rubinich, who served as a transitional deacon at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Jersey City, were honored in the ceremony. They pledged their obedience, participated in the Rite of Ordination, and received their stoles and chasubles, marking their official induction as priests.

The ordination ceremony, attended by family, friends, and parishioners, was a moment of immense joy. Cardinal Tobin emphasized the significance of service in his homily, describing it as “the foundation on which the priesthood is built.”

Following their ordination, the new priests offered their inaugural blessings and distributed the Holy Eucharist. They are now set to begin their pastoral duties, with Father Matarazzo assigned to Holy Family Parish in Nutley and Father Rubinich to St. Aloysius Parish in Caldwell.

The Archdiocese of Newark, led by Cardinal Tobin, serves a vast community of 1.3 million Catholics across Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Union counties. It includes 212 parishes and numerous missions and ministries.