In 1937, the Diocese of Newark was divided to form the Archdiocese of Newark and Diocese of Paterson. Most of the residents of Wallington attended churches in Passaic, now the Diocese of Paterson. Since Wallington remained in the Archdiocese of Newark, a new parish needed to be formed. A tract of land in the “heart-shaped” Borough of Wallington was purchased by Archbishop Thomas J. Walsh. Rev. Alexander W. Fronczak was appointed to organize the new parish.

On June 21, 1942, Fr. Fronczak read the letter of appointment as pastor of ”the new separate and distinct parish” dedicated under the title of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The territorial limits of the new canonical parish consisted of the entire Borough of Wallington and the Carlton Hill section of East Rutherford.

The house at 194 Maple Avenue served as a rectory and temporary chapel of week day Masses, weddings and baptisms. In June of 1942, the Borough granted permission to use the second floor of the Municipal Building that was then on Hathaway Street for Sunday and Holy Day Masses. Masses were celebrated there until December 1947.

In August 1942, Archbishop Walsh purchased the Tuminelli Grocery Store/Tire Repair Shop at Paterson Avenue and Bond Street. This building now became the temporary chapel and the second floor the Pastor’s temporary living quarters. Archbishop Walsh blessed the building in November 1942. The house next became the temporary school with kindergarten, first and second grades. The Chapel was used until April 1947 when it was demolished so that construction of the new church and school could begin. Another piece of land, more centrally located was available, it lacked buildings that the present track contained. During the War only alterations of existing buildings were allowed; no new ones could be built.

The groundbreaking for the school occurred in September 1946 by Msgr. V. Masniski. This building was planned to be a temporary church, school and convent because until the beginning of February, the Felician Sisters were transported from and to Lodi by one of the priests of the parish. Archbishop Walsh officiated at the laying of the cornerstone of the school in September 1946. The Basement church had its first Mass on Christmas 1947 and the school opened in September 1948 with the Felician Sisters temporarily living on the second floor.

The upper church was completed and Archbishop Thomas A. Boland blessed the cornerstone in September 1955. In the mid-sixties sanctuary changes were made with the altar being moved so that the celebrant was now facing the people. To comply with new Archdiocese regulations, the church was totally renovated in June 1979.

With the increase of student enrollment a new convent was constructed on Jersey Street in East Rutherford. Archbishop Boland officiated at the laying of the cornerstone in December 1963. The entire school building could now be used as classrooms. In 1983, Rev. Stanley J. Adamczyk, Pastor, sold the convent to the Franciscan Friars. A new smaller building was built on Dankhoff Avenue to house the sisters. In June 2014, the parish school was closed by the Archdiocese.

After moving from the house on Maple Avenue to the second floor above the chapel on Paterson Avenue, to a renovated house on the corner of Paterson Avenue, the Archdiocese gave permission for a new rectory to be constructed in April 1968. The rectory was completed in 1969. On January 1, 1980, the rectory was damaged by a fire and renovated.

The Parish Restoration Campaign, “Our Parish…Our Future” began in September 2003 and was the largest fundraising effort in our Parish’s history. The success of the campaign made it possible for the building of an elevator and the renovation of the church and auditorium. In 2006, groundbreaking for the elevator by Bishop John W. Flesey, was held. In October 2008, the blessing of the Portal of St. John Paul II and the blessing of the statute of St. John Paul II was conducted by Bishop Flesey.

Even though the parish is a territorial parish, the majority of parishioners are of Polish ancestry. Masses and devotions are conducted in English and Polish. Multi-lingual services are celebrated to include the numerous, diverse backgrounds of our parish family.

The Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus has flourished in the spirit of those who established our church and is a source of pride and what hard work and sacrifices can accomplish.