When Msgr. Malak Saadalla processed through the doors of Jesus the King in Perth Amboy on Sept. 21, it marked a happy occasion that had been eight years in the making: the solemn opening of New Jersey’s first Coptic Catholic church.

Flanked by rows of priests, deacons and altar servers, the monsignor walked behind His Beatitude Ibrahim Isaac Sedrak, patriarch of Alexandria of Coptic Catholics; Coptic Bishop Pola Ayoub Matta Usama Shafik Akhnoukh, of Ismayliah, the apostolic visitor of Coptic Catholics in the United States and Canada; and Bishop James Checchio of the Diocese of Metuchen, New Jersey. 

This day also marked the beginning of a new life for an old urban church, the former St. Mary’s of Perth Amboy. Built in 1903 by Irish immigrants, it had been shuttered for nearly 10 years. This day, the organ played again. The smoke from incense rose through the sunbeams streaming through the century-old stained-glass windows. The white-marble altar was adorned with flowers and ribbons. 

Filling the pews to capacity were nearly 500 Coptic Catholics from New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and beyond. No longer would they need to move their faith community every weekend to rented spaces. This holy place was the cure for their weariness. They were finally home. 

 

The Diaspora 

The Coptic Catholic Church is part of the Eastern Catholic Church, which is in full communion with the Bishop of Rome. Its ancient apostolic roots date back to the first century when St. Mark the Evangelist arrived in Egypt. 

Founded in 1988 by Msgr. Louis Nasser and Father Hanna Farag, this Coptic Catholic community that would become the parish of Jesus the King started with just four parishioners in Bayonne, New Jersey. In the beginning, they gathered for prayer in one another’s homes. 

“As the community grew, we needed more room,” said Msgr. Saadalla. “For the past eight years, we’ve rented space in churches in Bayonne and Old Bridge. It’s been difficult.” 

Marina Mata, church secretary of Jesus the King, added, “Our community doesn’t live in one place. They live all over New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York. There are even parishioners who live as far away as Long Island.” 

She explained that they call their pastor Abouna, using the Egyptian word for “father.”

“He has really been our father in holding our faith family together all these years,” she explained.

“He would text Scripture readings each morning and update everyone about what was happening every day. He would communicate on social media to tell us where Mass would be. Every night at 8 p.m., he hosted a Zoom meeting where we could pray together,” she added. “We still do this.” 

“In Egypt, the church is in the middle. The community grows out from this. Not having a single place to worship made it hard for the community to grow,” observed parishioner Nabiel Gurges, an Egyptian immigrant and decades-long resident of Staten Island, New York. 

“We were scattered all around. I wanted my children to grow up the way we did in Egypt: religiously,” he said. “I wanted to see priests grow up from our community. We were desperate for a home.” 

Gurges added, “Abouna Malak never looks at the ground under his feet. He is always looking ahead. He was determined to find a church for us. He said he prayed for just a small chapel, with a kitchen. And now he says, ‘God gave us a palace!’” 

 

An Old Church, a New Home 

The long road to finding their new church ended in 2022, when Abouna Malak walked through the doors of the old St. Mary’s. Its Gothic Revival architecture boasted intricate medieval stylings, towering heights and pointed arches. Like so many immigrant churches of its time, the stained-glass windows depicted a jewel-toned narrative of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. 

That wasn’t all. Abouna Malak also saw a leaking roof. The walls were damaged. The basement was wet and filled with debris. There was no electricity. 

“Yes,” he said as he sized up the work that lay ahead. “We’re home.” 

The diocese sold the church at the very fair price of $750,000, but with one stipulation: Bishop Checchio wanted St. Mary’s to always remain a church. For this reason, it can never be sold. 

“Having our Coptic Catholic brothers and sisters using the former St. Mary's in Perth Amboy is a blessing,” Bishop Checchio told the Register. “When I arrived in the diocese, it had been closed and not used for some years. … Now, once again, it is a spiritual home for a Catholic community. Like the Irish who came to our country as immigrants and built this parish, now this new immigrant community is proud to have their own parish.” 

 

‘I Will Build My Church’ 

“The money to buy and repair the church was raised by our parishioners,” reported George Ebrahim of Staten Island, New York. “The needed repairs cost more than $1 million. We had to hire licensed professionals to replace the roof and to restore the electricity. But there are many handy people here. We did everything we could ourselves to save the church money.” 

For nearly two years the community washed, polished, painted and spackled. At last, on June 2, 2024, the first Mass was celebrated. 

Danny Gurges, a resident of Staten Island and the son of Nabiel Gurges, shared, “When I was growing up, people would ask me, ‘Where is your church?’ I could never answer. Now we have a place for our kids to grow up in church, celebrate their birthdays, have a meal after Mass and play outside. This is ours.” 

The Eastern Rite Mass celebrated at Jesus the King is a blend of both Arabic and English, with large screens throughout the sanctuary for translation. Mass is livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube. The parish hopes to be accessible, not just to the Coptic Catholic population, but to the surrounding area, as well. 

“My prayer is to keep our Coptic Catholic faith and identity, but also to grow and reach out to this city,” said Msgr. Saadalla. “There is a large Spanish community here in Perth Amboy. I pray for a Spanish-speaking priest to join me here so we can better serve our neighbors. 

“This has been the building phase of our church. And now we must rebuild ourselves inside the building to be church.”

He added, “Now, it’s not just a building — it’s us. We have to live this spiritual life in the building God gave us.” 

This story was updated after posting.