Parish Visit

Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Newark, NJ

We attended Palm Sunday Mass on March 29, 2026. The organ and cantor made for a beautiful pairing with the music. The acoustics were as perfect as one could expect for such a grand church.

It is difficult to miss this church. It is enormous! When you walk towards the Cathedral Basilica you may think you are in Europe, France to be specific. This French Gothic style church is set on a hill in Newark. The massive size is comparable to Westminster Abby in London. It evokes that sort of feeling when you approach it knowing that this church was built with great care and detail to be something meant to last. While we would have loved to share more photographs of this beautiful church Palm Sunday was far too busy and far too significant for us to be able to capture its beauty. We were able to get a few pictures of the inside but we have to rely on our own memory to fill in the spaces.

The church has an interesting history. It began in 1871 with the purchase of the land on top of the highest hill in Newark. From this vantage point the church seems so much taller and regal. It took 55 years to complete and once you walk inside you will understand how something so beautiful would take half a century to complete. One pivotal moments in the Cathedral’s tenure was the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1995. He celebrated Mass here and decided that the church was to be bestowed the title Minor Basilica.

To learn more about this parish please visit the website: Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart