Born in Plainfield on February 23, 1945, Msgr. Desmond attended Seton Hall Prep and Seton Hall University. He studied for the priesthood at Immaculate Conception Seminary, then at Darlington, and was ordained by Archbishop Thomas A. Boland on May 29, 1971. Among his parochial assignments were: Holy Trinity, Westfield (1971-1983), Queen of Peace, No. Arlington (1983-1988) Pastor of St. John the Baptist, Jersey City (1988-1994) and Pastor of St. Stephen, Kearny (1994-2005). He was Dean of the Deanery 10 Jersey City Heights and was the Episcopal Vicar of Hudson County from 1994-2003. He was made a prelate of honor by Pope John Paul II in 1995. Msgr. Desmond was elected to several terms on the Priests’ Senate of the Archdiocese, and also to the Presbyteral Council. He has served on the Parish Aid Committee, the Vocation Board, the Pastors Committee for Development, the Adjunct Priest Board, the Bio-ethics Committee of West Hudson Hospital and the Pastoral Care Committee of Clara Maass Hospital. He was a master of ceremonies for Bishop Garner from 1983-1988. He was an elected priest representative on the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council. He has served as chaplain of the Knights of Columbus Councils in Westfield, No. Arlington, Jersey City, and as chaplain to the Friendly Sons (Hudson Co.), the A.O.H., and the West Hudson United Irish. Msgr. Desmond has been a commissioner on the Hudson County Human Relations Commission, a leader in the Hudson Co. Gun Amnesty and a member of the Kearny Municipal Alliance. His sister and brother-in-law, Theresa & Tom Sheelen, live in Plainfield, and his brother and sister-in-law, Frank & Debbie Desmond, live in Odessa, Florida. He has three nephews, Michael Sheelen, Christian Desmond and Chase Desmond; and two nieces, Tracey Sheelen and Caitlin Desmond. Msgr. is looking forward to meeting and getting to know our Parish Community.