Parish History
The Church of the Assumption in Pomona began as a Mission of Saint Nicholas parish in Egg harbor City. Before the days of the automobile, the Catholics of Pomona had to walk or go by horse and buggy to Saint Nicholas Church in Egg Harbor.
Before the church was built, the first Sunday Masses were held in the old school house near the Guenther farm on Mays Landing Road, first by Father Carambo of Saint Michael’s parish in Atlantic City and later by Father Moran of Pleasantville. Prior to this, special services were held at irregular intervals in the homes of members.
Donato Fanelli and a substantial number of the congregation convinced the Bishop that they could raise $2,000 for a church in Pomona. Many people in Pomona offered land for the church site, including Mr. Fanelli, Mr. Dellanoce, the Tortello’s and Mr. Guenther’s plot of ground on Mays Landing Road near the old Pomona School. Since it was deemed best to have the church located on the White Horse Pike, Mr. Wiggin donated a plot of land where the church now stands. In 1925 the cornerstone of the Church of the Assumption was laid, as Pomona was now a Mission of the Egg Harbor Parish. The dedication was officiated by the Bishop of the Trenton Diocese.
The people bravely struggled to equip the church and pay the interest on the debt incurred by the Priests from Egg Harbor - Father Yunger, Father Ketter, (who bought a bus which was used to bring the people to church), Father Fay, Monsignor Crine, Father Naab and then our own Father Keis. Under Father Keis’s enthusiastic and energetic leadership the debt was paid off and the Parish Hall built. Father Keis had been adopted into the recently created Camden Diocese on April 30, 1940 and appointed assistant pastor of Saint Nicholas Church at that time. Then Father Keis was called to be the first chaplain of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Camden. Father Bazela, then Father Hayden ministered to the people in Pomona. Through all these years there was only one Mass on Sunday.
On May 16, 1952, the Most Reverend Bishop Bartholomew Eustace established Assumption parish and appointed Father Keis as the first pastor. Father Keis was destined to become the heart and soul of the Church of the Assumption. Within the new parish boundary lines lived many Catholics and on Sundays the three Masses were crowded to overflowing. In December 1952 the enlargement of the Church was begun. On March 15, 1953, Father Keis said the first Mass in the new building. The seating capacity had grown from 140 to 520. On May 24, 1953 the church was dedicated and on June 21, 1953 thirty children made their First Holy Communion. A parish hall was also built at this time. On March 3, 1957 the first classrooms and the new hall were blessed by the Right Reverend Monsignor Augustine Mozier.
Within five years of officially becoming a parish, Assumption School opened Wednesday, Sept. 4, 1957. The school started under the direction of Mother de Lourdes of the Sisters of St. Francis, of Allegheny N.Y. Mother Mary Grace taught the second and third grades, and Sister J. Noreen taught first grade. Approximately 125 children were enrolled in the first five grades.
On Sept. 3, 1958 the school opened with an enrollment of 193, in six grades. On August 16, 1959 the Most Reverend Justin McCarthy, Bishop of Camden Diocese, dedicated the eight new classrooms of the Church of the Assumption School, the convent and the Shrine of Our Lady of the Highway. The school was funded by a minimal tuition ($20.00 per family), parishioner contributions on Sundays, Church dinners, Sunday morning breakfasts, smaller dinners for private organizations and other social affairs of the parish. On June 4, 1961 the first Graduation exercises were held. On June 25, 1961, the Most Reverend Archbishop Celestine Damiano led a Parent-Teacher Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of the Highway. The Archbishop dedicated the Shrine and the Gymnasium at this time.
Father Gottfried Keis was undoubtedly the motivating force behind the astonishing development of Assumption parish. Born in Germany and ordained in Austria, he came to America in 1939. Possessing a dynamic power of persuasion and boundless energy, Father Keis had a skillful knack of getting things done. Parishioners idolized him and gave him full support. Non-parishioners admired him and helped him also. The warm personality and enthusiasm of Father Keis were contagious. One couldn’t be near him without getting the urge to roll up their sleeves and go to work. He never shirked in physical labor, he was there working shoulder to shoulder with the men.
Father Peter Ferreri was assigned to NAFEC, and said Masses on the weekends (1956).
Assistant pastors to Father Keis were Father Andrew Duignan (1958.1961), Father John Hansell (1961), Father Anthony Molitierno (1961-1962), and Father Romeo Valente (1962).
Father Joseph Kemme came to Pomona from Villanova University to assist on weekends (1958 to 1962). In 1963, Father John Bernard and Father George Weber joined Assumption Parish. As time went on, new pastors and priests came to our parish.