By Steve Sears

The Archdiocese of Newark announced that Monsignor Robert E. Harahan, S.T.D., Headmaster at Seton Hall Preparatory School since 2014, would take over as the new pastor of Saint Rose of Lima Church in Short Hills effective October 18. 

Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark, appointed Michael Gallo as new Headmaster of Seton Hall Prep to replace Harahan, and former Saint Rose of Lima pastor, Father John McCrone, who also served as director of the Newark Archdiocese office of Continuing Education and Formation of Priests, has assumed increased responsibilities in the administration, including new chaplaincy effective October 18.

Harahan grew up in Bloomfield and graduated from Essex Catholic High School in 1966.  He attended Seton Hall University and Immaculate Conception Seminary in Darlington and was ordained a priest on May 25, 1974. He served as associate pastor of Saint Francis Xavier Parish in Newark from 1974-1977, and that same year was appointed to the faculty of Immaculate Conception Seminary. In 1980, Harahan earned a Licentiate in Sacred Theology from the Catholic University of America, and in 1983 was awarded a Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Academia Alphonsiana of the Lateran University in Rome.  From 1983-1990, he taught Moral Theology at Immaculate Conception Seminary, and then was appointed Rector of the Seminary and Dean of the School of Theology at Seton Hall University, a post held until 1995. He was named Monsignor as Chaplain to His Holiness by Pope John Paul II in 1991.

His next step was appointment in June 1996 as Pastor of Saint Teresa’s Parish in Summit. He then served as Chair of the Archdiocesan Theological Commission from 1996-1998, President of the Summit Interfaith Clergy Council (1997-1999), and Dean of Union County Northwest from 1999-2002.  He was also Chaplain of the Summit Knights of Columbus from 2002-2007 and served on the School Board of Our Lady of Peace in New Providence as well as the Oratory Prep Board of Trustees. After he served as Chaplain of the Summit Fire Department from 1996—2008, he was honored to be awarded the “Key to the City” of Summit. On July 1, 2008 Harahan was appointed pastor of St. Elizabeth’s Church in Wyckoff, and served both as a Trustee of the Scholarship Fund for Inner City Children from 2008 to 2014, and as Assistant Chaplain to the City of Wyckoff.  Msgr. Harahan became Headmaster of Seton Hall Prep in West Orange on July 1, 2014, and in November 2015 he was inducted into the Essex Catholic High School Hall of Fame. After being awarded an Ed.S. from Seton Hall University in May 2016, he was appointed to the Seton Hall University Board of Trustees effective July 1, 2018. 

Harahan welcomes this new step on his faith journey. “I am thrilled and grateful to serve as the new Pastor at St. Rose of Lima Church. I look forward to connecting with the people of this parish, to working together to discern and implement what God calls us to, and to building a stronger, more energized Catholic community that serves the mission of the Church and our faithful.”