Early in the century a small group of Catholics living within Hawthorne used to travel each Sunday into Paterson to attend mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in the Belgium Hill section of Riverside. Although the distance often proved to be difficult, they practiced their faith and observed their religious obligations each week. But their concern was for the spiritual welfare of their children. Late in 1907, 13 Catholic men met for the purpose of asking Father Anthony Stein, Pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes, to start a religious education program in Hawthorne for the Catholic children in the area. After canvassing the town to establish support from local Catholics, the group of 13 presented their petitions to Father Stein. He received the petitions and allowed Dominican Sisters from Our Lady of Lourdes School to travel to Hawthorne to set up a Sunday school.
 
Sister Mercedes and Sister Raymond responded, holding classes for 18 children above Vickery's grocery store on Lincoln Avenue beginning on April 18, 1908. With the success of the Sunday school classes, Father Stein began working with the Catholics in the area to establish a mission in Hawthorne. On October 4, 1908, the first mass in Hawthorne was celebrated on Lafayette Avenue in Lill's Hall.
 
From that point on, the establishment of a permanent church in Hawthorne progressed at a rapid pace. Seeing that the Catholic community in Hawthorne was growing, Father Stein sought out property to build the church. Land at the corner of Washington Avenue and Diamond Bridge Avenue was donated to the new Catholic community by a non-Catholic real estate developer Robert Patton, who resided on Diamond Bridge Avenue. 
 
On August 3, 1909, a little over 15 months from the day that Sister Raymond and Sister Mercedes began their Sunday school classes, ground was broken for the new church. Designed by architect William Fanning, the Gothic style church would seat more than 350 people, and have room for classes and meetings in the basement.
 
September 1912 saw the opening of St. Anthony's School in the basement of the church with 48 students filling out eight grades. Two sisters from the Order of St. Dominic, Sister Concepta and Sister Christina were the first of a long line of Dominican Sisters to run and teach the children of St. Anthony School into the 1990s.
 
The new mission church, petitioned by the people and aided by a non-Catholic was named after St. Anthony, Father Stein's Patron.
 
If the speed at which the new mission church was established amazed many, they were confounded by the zeal of St. Anthony's first pastor, Father William Van Zale. He laid the framework for what is the present day St. Anthony's.
 
Over the course of his fifteen years as pastor, Father Van Zale purchased additional land, constructed a rectory and renovated a building to be used as a convent.
 
Father Van Zale had another task to complete before handing over the reigns as pastor. His vision and drive saw the completion of the present "red brick" St. Anthony's school in December 1923.
 
In 1925, Father William Thompson became pastor and the framework of St. Anthony's continued to strengthen and grow. It was Father Thompson who dealt with both the growth of Hawthorne and it's Catholic population. He spearheaded the building of the present day church during the Depression and celebrated the first mass in it on September 25, 1932. Father Thompson was to shepherd his flock through more than just a building program, through an economic depression and World War II for over 26 years until his death in 1951.
 
Each of the pastors of St. Anthony has added his own special piece to the quilt work fabric of our parish life: Monsignor Joseph O'Sullivan - the school addition and new rectory, Monsignor Joseph Brestel - the implementation of the Vatican II changes and the first of several alterations to the Church building, Msgr. Joseph Ciampaglio - the institution of lay ministries and the introduction of parish renewal, which was continued by Fr. Joseph Ryan.
 
The 1990s saw new changes. Under the leadership of Monsignor Elso Introini, a restoration campaign was undertaken to repair the Church building and modernize the mechanical systems. In the school, the Dominican Sisters departed and the future of the school was entrusted to the Salesian Sisters of Saint John Bosco. The Parish was made ready for a new millennium built on a strong foundation over many years and through the dedication and devotion of the faithful.
 
St. Anthony's has been a parish for the people, serving their spiritual, educational and social needs through their priests, deacons, sisters, pastoral ministers, school and social organizations.
 
Today, under the leadership of Monsignor Raymond Kupke, the Parish continues to serve the people of God., we are dedicated to continue providing for the spiritual welfare of our children, the worthy concern that gave birth to our parish.