In the early 1950's, many communities in the northern towns of New Jersey were growing fast. On January 28, 1953, Archbishop Thomas A. Boland promulgated a decree in the Archdiocese of Newark for the formation of a new parish to serve the fast-growing communities of Fair Lawn and Glen Rock. It was determined the new parish would be located on the site of a former celery farm in the Borough of Glen Rock and have St. Catharine as a patron.