What are the opening hours?

Monday 6am - 6pm Tuesday 6am - 6pm Wednesday 6am - 6pm Thursday 6am - 6pm Friday 6am - 6pm Saturday 10am - 6pm Sunday 9am - 12pm

Shrine Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament

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United States
Raritan, NJ
Shrine Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament

The oldest continuously functioning Catholic place of worship in the Diocese of Metuchen. All are welcome. Bernard of Clairvaux. Ann (Italian) and St. Ann's, St.

The Shrine Chapel is the oldest church structure in the Diocese of Metuchen and was formerly called St. In 1843 a mission station was established here, the first one in Somerset County. The mission was known as the Somerville Mission, as Raritan did not yet exist. It was part of the Diocese of New York. In the early years of the parish, it was not uncommon for Catholics to walk to Raritan as far away as Flemington to attend Mass. In 1856 the present structure of the Shrine was erected by Catholics, most of whom were of Irish descent. The year 1883 marked a great influx of Italians and Slavs into the parish. This growth in population continued for several years and was the springboard for establishing the parishes of St. Joseph (Slovak), both also located in Raritan, which makes the Shrine the historical Mother of Faith in the surrounding areas

During the 1930's and 1940's much renovation took place in the Shrine. The walls and ceilings were decorated, the pews and altar rail were installed; brass ceiling lamps, stained glass windows and crucifix were put in place. When the parishioners of St. Bernard's built their new church in Bridgewater in 1988, the Bishop of Metuchen, Edward Hughes, designated the (current Shrine) building the Shrine Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament. On August 11, 1989 the Diocesan Eucharistic League was established to encourage Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. The Shrine was staffed by a Spanish order called the Society of Jesus the Priest until the early 2000's when it was taken over by diocesan priests. In 2019 the Raritan Oratory of Saint Philip Neri, at the request of the Bishop of Metuchen, James Checchio, took over the administrative and pastoral care of the Shrine Chapel as well as St. Joseph's. and Holy Trinity.

08/17/2026

Men! Join us Monday night for Fr. Bolton's talk on St. Paul and tradition - 7pm in the Rectory next door to the Shrine. Full details below!

08/16/2026

Join us this Saturday morning at 9:00 AM as we celebrate our second great Marian feast of August: the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

A Sung Traditional Latin Mass will be offered according to the Missal of Pope St. John XXIII at the Shrine Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament.

Come honor Our Lady and her Immaculate Heart.

Ave Maria!

08/15/2026

A glorious celebration of the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary this morning!

Our heartfelt thanks to Rev. Damian B. Breen, our choir, and our many altar servers for making today’s Sung Traditional Latin Mass such a beautiful and reverent tribute to Our Lady.

Our Lady Assumed into Heaven, pray for us!

08/13/2026

An Invitation: Do you experience a call to deepen your faith?

Do you desire growth in your understanding of the Catholic faith?

Do you want to experience authentic community while participating in the mission of the Church?

Keys to the Kingdom aims to answer these desires by offering a fresh presentation of the Christian message, in order to inspire, encourage, and challenge us to live more fully our discipleship of Jesus in the midst of the Church. Each session will include a topical presentation, a personal witness, a period of small group discussion, and fellowship.

Keys to the Kingdom is open to all adults, regardless of where you find yourself on the path of discipleship. Come and experience renewal and support for the journey.

Use the QR code below or link here: https://raritanoratory.org/keys-to-the-kingdom There is no charge to participate!

08/12/2026

Join us this Saturday morning at 9AM for the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A Sung Traditional Latin Mass according to the Missal of Pope St. John XXIII. Ave Maria!

08/08/2026

JOIN US for our next Holy Hour, Sunday AUG 16th, 3:30pm at St. Ann's!

08/07/2026

Join us tonight at 7pm for First Friday, Traditional Latin Mass according to the Missal of Pope St. John XXIII.

08/03/2026

Mark your calendars and plan to join us this Fall for Keys to the Kingdom! The monthly program starts in September and is open to everyone interested in deepening their faith. There is no cost to participate. See the flyer for complete details and use the QR code or go to https://raritanoratory.org/keys-to-the-kingdom to register. Contact Fr. Jeff Calia or Kim Milligan (emails on the flyer) if you have additional questions.

07/31/2026

Join the men from the Blessed Sacrament Men's Club this Saturday morning for their monthly Men's in Somerville! 11am-12pm on Division Street. All ages welcome!

07/25/2026

Join us Monday for a Month's Mind Sung Requiem Mass for Sophie Barszczewski, celebrated as a Traditional Latin Mass according to the 1962 Roman Missal.

For decades, Sophie was a cherished member of the Shrine Chapel family. Even at 100 years of age, she remained a familiar presence, faithfully spending time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament and quietly caring for the Shrine she loved. As recently as a few months ago, she could still be found stocking the votive candles and attending to the countless small acts of service that reflected her deep love for Our Lord.

Please join us as we pray for the repose of Sophie's soul and commend this faithful servant to the infinite mercy of God.

Obituary: https://www.cusickfuneralhome.com/obituaries/sophie-barszczewski

A Month's Mind is a venerable Catholic tradition in which a solemn Requiem Mass is offered one month after death for the repose of a loved one's soul. Through the Church's ancient prayers, Gregorian chant, and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the faithful commend the departed to the mercy of God while affirming the Christian hope of eternal life.

Address

50 West Somerset Street
Raritan, NJ
08869

Opening Hours

Monday	6am - 6pm
Tuesday	6am - 6pm
Wednesday	6am - 6pm
Thursday	6am - 6pm
Friday	6am - 6pm
Saturday	10am - 6pm
Sunday	9am - 12pm

Telephone

+19087221489

Website

http://blessedsacramentshrine.com/

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