FR. CHARLES “CHUCK” MCDERMOTT HAS SERVED AS A NEWARK ARCHDIOCESAN PRIEST FOR FORTY-TWO YEARS AND AS AN ASSOCIATE PASTOR AND PASTOR OF ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL PARISH FOR TWENTY-ONE YEARS. HE WILL BE RETIRING ON JUNE 30, 2015.
FR. MCDERMOTT WAS BORN AND RAISED IN UNION AND WAS BAPTIZED AND RECEIVED HIS FIRST COMMUNION AT ST. MICHAEL’S PARISH. HE GRADUATED FROM ST. MICHAEL’S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN 1961, ATTENDED ROSELLE CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL THEN ENTERED SETON HALL DIVINITY SCHOOL. TWO YEARS LATER, FR. MCDERMOTT JOINED THE SEMINARY. HE WAS ORDAINED AS A DEACON IN 1972 AND A YEAR LATER BECAME A PRIEST; AND
FR. MCDERMOTT SERVED AS PAROCHIAL VICAR AT ST. PETER’S, RIVER EDGE, 1973, SACRED HEART, VAILSBURG, 1974, ST. ROSE OF LIMA, SHORT HILLS, 1978, ST. ALOYSIUS, JERSEY CITY, 1984, ST. ANNE’S, JERSEY CITY, 1993, AND ST. MICHAEL’S, UNION, 1994. HE SERVED AS CHAPLAIN AT ESSEX CATHOLIC GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL (WHERE THE NOW FAMOUS QUEEN LATIFA ATTENDED), 1981. FR. MCDERMOTT SERVED AS PASTOR OF ST. MICHAEL’S, UNION FROM 2006; AND
ST. MICHAEL’S WAS FOUNDED IN 1928. THE PARISH CONSISTS OF A SCHOOL, RECTORY, CONVENT, AND THE ACTUAL CHURCH EDIFICE. THE CHURCH HAS GONE THROUGH RENOVATIONS WITHIN THE LAST 10 YEARS, INCLUDING A MARBLE ALTAR THAT FR. MCDERMOTT PERSONALLY DESIGNED; AND
FR. MCDERMOTT HAS ALSO SERVED AS FIRE CHAPLAIN FOR THE TOWNSHIP OF UNION FIRE DEPARTMENT AND HAS PARTICIPATED WITH OTHER CLERGY IN THE ANNUAL THANKSGIVING ECUMENICAL SERVICE. HE HAS ALSO RECEIVED SEVERAL ACCOLADES OVER THE YEARS; AND
FR. MCDERMOTT HAS A SPECIAL PLACE IN THE HEARTS OF THE ALL THE PARISHIONERS AND HAS ALWAYS ATTENDED TO THEIR SPIRITUAL NEEDS. HE ALWAYS CONSIDERED HIS WORK A LABOR OF LOVE, DESPITE THE ENORMOUS RESPONSIBILITIES.