By John Burton
RED BANK — For four decades The Rev. Msgr. Philip A. Lowery has dedicated his life to his faith and addressing the spiritual needs of those in his parishes and it’s been a life well spent.
“It has been very rewarding,” said Lowery about the 40th anniversary of his ordination to priesthood, with 26 of them spent at St. James Church, 94 Broad St., as of July, the longest tenure in his career with the Church.
“It has turned out beautifully,” Lowery said of his life thus far, continuing to appreciate the opportunity to share in the lives of so many, administering the sacraments, participating in the joys and offering comfort and solace in times of pain. “The people have made it very rewarding in many different ways,” he noted. “They’ve touched my life in many ways.”
For Lowery what also continues to offer him joy is “to be able to celebrate with people to liturgy,” the religious services associated with the Roman Catholic faith.
Lowery, 67, serves as pastor and monsignor for the parish church which counts 4,200 families, and its two schools, St. James grammar school, with about 400 students, and Red Bank Catholic High School, with approximately 900 students who live in Monmouth, Middlesex and Ocean counties.
As pastor and monsignor, Lowery function with the schools is akin to a superintendent, he explained, with the principals handling the day-to-day operations. As for his title of monsignor, Lowery down played it, calling it simply an honorary designation, “Nothing more than that.” But the title is designated from the Pope through the local diocese.
Lowery has for the last 21 years served as chief of chaplains for the NJ State Police. That posting has him oversee the other police chaplains – three rabbis, three ministers, three Roman Catholic priests and a Muslim imam, and coordinating their efforts to provide support and counseling for officers and their families.
Lowery in his role with the State Police was called into service in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks nearly 15 years ago, when he volunteered to join its Task Force 1, “just to be there” for rescue workers and others on the outskirts of Ground Zero, he said.
The same was true of his traveling to New Orleans for that city’s recovery efforts following Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
“Your presence there,” at such catastrophic events (even locally after 9/11 when St. James’ parish lost six of its members, and five parents of RBC students), “said so much to so many people,” Lowery remembered.
Lowery grew up in Jersey City as an only child, raised in the Catholic faith and attending Catholic schools. At about 19 he decided the life of a priest was his calling and “I wanted to give it a try.” He attended Holy Apostles College and Seminary, in Cromwell, Connecticut, and did his graduate studies at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, Emmitsburg, Maryland. He went on to serve at St. Joseph’s parish in Toms River, from 1976 to 1987; and then at St. Barnabas, in Bayville, before coming to St. James in 1990, where he’s been ever since, seeing families grow and offering the sacraments to a second generation. And “I can’t image doing anything else,” than what he has for the last 40 years maintaining he’s “very happy and content” in his life’s work.
And “God willing, if it is His plan,” Lowery hopes to continue to serve and serve here at St. James.
