New Archdiocese Co-Leader Bernard Hebda Makes Hoboken His First Visit

By Charles Hack
The Jersey Journal
September 25, 2013

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2013/09/archbishop_bernard_hebda_makes_first_parish_visit_to_hoboken_church.html

Archbishop Bernard Hebda with The Rev. Robert Meyer during his first parish visit to Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Hoboken Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2013.

HOBOKEN -- Just after it was announced that he was appointed as coadjutor the New Jersey's largest diocese yesterday morning, Archbishop Bernard Hebda headed to a Hoboken church with Archbishop John J. Myers in the afternoon to make his first parish visit.

There the two archbishops met with Hebda's old friend and fellow alumnus of the Pontifical Gregorian University in Italy, The Rev. Robert S. Meyer, pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church at Hudson and Fourth streets.

Yesterday morning it was announced that Hebda would assist Myers in running the state's largest diocese and eventually take over.

"I'm honored that he came here as his first parish visit," Meyer said yesterday after the visit, adding that Hebda promised to return in November.  "I believe that Archbishop Myers suggested that Hoboken is a great, vibrant and active community of faith."

Myers made his own pastoral visit last week to the church "and enjoyed the moving liturgy, the people's prayers, wonderful music as well as all the children," Meyer said.

Meyer and Hebda were at the North American College together from 1985 to 1989 and both studied at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

During his 15-minute visit, the new archbishop met with staff and some parishioners who were at the church and Meyer said that Hebda told them he's "excited to be coming to Newark, looked forward to working with Archbishop Myers and getting to know the people of the archdiocese."

Meyer said that after going to pray in the church, Hebda told him that he was struck by the beauty of Ss. Peter and Paul and approved of the open door policy that allows worshipers to pray at any time of day.

  "He noted how beautiful Ss. Peter and Paul Church is and (he) was grateful that we keep the church open all day for people to come in an pray" said Meyer.  

  During superstorm Sandy the church opened up its basement to shelter dozens of displaced Hoboken residents after flooding that covered more than half the city. It also became a central point for the community to bring phones, laptops and other items to charge during the prolonged outages. 

Advocates for victims of clergy sex abuse have suggested that Hebda was appointed in response to Myers' handling of the sex-abuse scandal, but Myers has said he requested assistance and called Hebda's appointment a "gift."

Myers has been archbishop since 2001.