History

The history of Catholicism and St. Matthews is a source of pride for all. In the early 1700’s, the first settlers were Hollanders, members of the Dutch Reformed Church, a few French Hugenots and later many German families of the Protestant Lutheran or Reformed Churches.

For the Catholic Church, the Pocono Mountains were a mission territory. Before 1828, the only priests visiting the area were Jesuit missionaries from the Baltimore province. In 1829, Father Curtin from the Philadelphia Diocese and later in 1829 Father Jhon Fitzpatrick From the same diocese were sent to administer to the few scattered Catholics here. Catholics became more settled and industrialized.

In 1856, Dunmore was made a separate parish and Father Edwin Fitzmaurice, and his successors were sent to say Mass and administer to the faithful. For some time, local Catholics attended Mass in a small brick schoolhouse located on East Brown Street, on the grounds where Temple Israel, the Jewish synagogue, once stood. By 1868, a wooden frame church was finally built on the hill in East Stroudsburg at the corner of Brown and South Courtland Streets on the property donated by the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroads.it was a mission church of Saint Catherine’s Church in Moscow and seated approximately two hundred. For several years, Mass and the sacraments were administered there once a month. The priest would hop a ride on the train, riding with the engineer or in the caboose. He would stay overnight, say Mass on Sunday, and travel back on the next passenger train leaving East Stroudsburg.

By 1902, the Delaware Water Gap became a popular summer resort with many visiting Catholics. The twin boroughs had increased the number of Catholic families and there were also a number of Catholic students at the State Normal School, now known as East Stroudsburg University. This led the Rt. Reverend Bishop M.J. Hoban of Scranton to create a separate parish in East Stroudsburg.

On July 4^th, 1902, Father Francis Craft was sent to be the first pastor. Born in 1852, he moved with his family to the Milford area in Pike County. At the incredible age of only 10, he had the written permission of his father to join the Union Army in Gettysburg and was injured during that battle. This was only the beginning of his military encounters. He became a convert to the Catholic faith, obtained a medical degree in Belgium, fought in the Franco Prussian War, the Spanish-American War, and was wounded in the battle on Wounded Knee in South Dakota. His work with the Sioux Indians distinguished him as an honorary chief known as “Hovering Eagle.” He also founded an order of Native American Indian nuns, trained them as nurses and in 1898, took them to Cuba to minister to the wounded soldiers during the Spanish-American War.

From 1904 until 1920, Father Craft offered Mass beginning in June until October in Delaware Water Gap at the Glenwood Hotel and then at the summer tourists. Finally in 1920, St. Mark’s Church was built on a hill overlooking the Gap and became so great that an assistant, Father John Vaugn, was sent. He was only here for a few weeks before Father Craft became ill.

On September 11,1920, Father Craft died; and on September 17, 1920, he was succeeded by Father John T. Butler from the Church of the Nativity, Scranton. Under his direction, an old wooden schoolhouse was established by the diocese. Mass was said there from May until October for the tourists and the Catholic families in that area.

In 1925, Father Butler purchased lang along Ridgeway Street in East Stroudsburg. Already, the little wooden church was too small for the rapidly growing parish. During the summer there were four Masses held in St. Matthew’s. two Masses at St. Mark’s in Delaware Water Gap and one at St. John’s in Bushkill every Sunday. Sunday school was held at St. Matthew’s Church on Sunday afternoons. Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary from Marywood College in Scranton sent two sisters to help with the instruction.

On June 12^th, 1932, the ground was broken for the present church and parochial school with convent. The cornerstone was laid October 29^th, 1932, and the formal dedication was held July 8^th, 1934 with Bishop O’Reilly officiating. This new church accommodated more than five hundred people and the school housed grades one through eight.

Mother Mary Alphonse and six sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary taught the one hundred and fifty pupils enrolled in the fall of 1934. By 1945, a newly- formed Parents Association ran a hot lunch program; and by 1947 there were two hundred pupils and seven sisters at the convent.

Father Butler died on June 2^nd, 1943. He is buried in St. Matthew’s cemetery at the end of Brodhead Avenue. Bishop Hafey appointed Reve

Father Butler died on June 2nd, 1943. He is buried in St. Matthew’s cemetery at the end of Brodhead Avenue. Bishop Hafey appointed Reverend Harold G. Durkin from Shavertown as the new pastor. He celebrated his first Mass here on July 4th, 1943. Father Durkin established many of the societies in the parish. The women formed the Altar and Rosary Society starting with thirteen women and growing to a membership of nearly five hundred before Father Durkin’s death. The men formed the Holy Name. Society and then later the Father Butler Chapter of the Knights of Columbus. There was a young women’s organization, the blessed Virgin Sodality. It included students from the college who eventually formed their own group, the Newman Club for both male and female students at the East Stroudsburg Normal School. Continued growth made it necessary to have two permanent assistants. Some of those who served are: Father Edward Sllivan, Father Joseph Saltry, Father Michael Kennedy, Father Francis Barrett and Father John Esseff. Father Durkin replaced the small wooden St. John’s Church. It was dedicated in August of 1948. In 1955, during the flood that devastated the Poconos, Father John Esseff risked his life to swin into St. John’s Church to save the Blessed Sacrament. In 1950, Father Dirkin purchased land on Main Street in Stroudsburg from the Shull family. By October 18th, 1953, Bishop William Hafey dedicated St. Luke’s Church as the fourth Catholic church in the Poconos. The Poconos now had the churches of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Father Durkin not only built two churches but also an addition to the convent and the present rectory on Ridgeway Street. He died on September 8th, 1961. He is buried in St. Catherine’s cemetery in Moscow. Father Barrett and Father Esseff as assistant pastors took over until Monsignor Thomas Cawley was appointed by Bishop Hannon on October 12th, 1961. He headed the Society of the Propagation of the Faith and St. Joseph’s Hospital and was editor of the Catholic Light, the diocesan newspaper. In 1953, he was appointed a Domestic Relate of Honor by His Holiness Pope Pius XII. Monsignor Cawley brought to fruition the dreams of Father Durkin to build a Catholic high school. Early in 1963, plans were formulated for this project. The land for the future Notre Dame High School was purchased from the Peters’ estate located off Spangenburg Avenue. Notre Dame opened its doors on September 11th, 1967 to one hundred and ten pupils and three classes: seventh, eighth, and ninth. Each year a new grade was added until the high school was complete. The new school was formally dedicated by Bishop J. Carroll McCormick on May 5th, 1968. The first graduation was held in 1971. On September 10th, 1968 Bishop McCormick decided to make new parishes in our area. St. Matthew’s parish retained St. John’s Church in Bushkill, but St. Luke’s in Stroudsburg became an independent parish with the responsibility of St. Mark’s Church in Delaware Water Gap. Father Francis Barrett, who had served as an assistant pastor at St. Matthew’s for eighteen years, became the first pastor of St. Luke’s Church. Father John Galenas and Father John Bendik served as assistants to Monsignor Cawley at St. Matthew’s. In 1970, Father Bendix was assigned campus minister of the students of East Stroudsburg State College and took up residence at St. Luke’s rectory. Monsignor Cawley, as pastor, also was administrator of both Notre Dame High School and St. Matthew’s School, renamed Notre Dame Elementary School. It now had grades one through six and eventually a Montessori kindergarten graduating class before that, was in 1951 during the pastorate of Father Harold Durkin. Monsignor Cawley faithfully served the parish for a quarter of a century before retiring in 1986. He is now pastor emeritus. In September 1986, Father John A. Bergamo, who had been pastor of St. Rita’s in Gouldsboro, was appointed as the fifth pastor of St. Matthew’s. At this time the parish was split again. St. John’s was established as its own parish. St. Matthew’s expanded from a parish community of 700 families to the present community of 2600 families. The growing Latino community initiated a Sunday mass in Spanish. In September 2001, St. Matthew’s began a year-long celebration of the parish centennial, culminating with Mass celebrated by the Bishop on September 22, 2002. St. Matthew’s Parish is 100 years Blessed, grateful for yesterday, and moving confidently, and prayerfully to tomorrow.