Bishop Emeritus

Most Reverend Edward T. Hughes, D.D.

Sister M. Michaelita Wiechetek, C.S.S.F.
Administrative Assistant

(732) 562-1990 • Fax: (732) 562-1399

Edward Thomas Hughes was born in Lansdowne, Pa on November 13, 1920, the second son of Charles Valentine Hughes and Kathryn Mingey. After attending St. Philomena Parochial School and West Philadelphia Catholic High School, he entered St. Charles Seminary in 1938. On May 31, 1947, Edward Hughes was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Hugh Lamb in the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul, Philadelphia.

After his ordination, Father Hughes’ first assignment was teaching religion and history at St. James High School, Chester. At the time, he was a priest residing in the newly formed parish of St. Joseph in Green Ridge (now Aston), Pa, where he added his energies in assisting the pastor.

In 1950, Father Hughes began advanced studies at the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned his Masters Degree in American History.

A transfer in 1954 took Father Hughes to Immaculate Conception parish in Jenkintown, Pa, as an assistant pastor. For the next two years he not only worked in the parish, but also ran the Newman Club (an association for Catholic students) at the nearby Beaver College.

Father Hughes returned to education in 1956, when he was appointed to St. Charles Seminary as the Vice-Rector of the post graduate division. After four years of service at the seminary, he moved into the archdiocesan schools office as Assistant Superintendent in 1960. After one year as Assistant Superintendent, Father Hughes became the Superintendent of Schools of the Archdiocese, which at the time had over one quarter million students enrolled in its school system. While still Superintendent, the then Monsignor Hughes became pastor of Our Lady of Fatima in Secane, Pa, in 1970.

Pope Paul VI appointed him auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia in 1976 and he was ordained Bishop in the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul on July 21 by John Cardinal Krol.

With the episcopacy came new duties on the national level; Bishop Hughes has served on various administrative and advisory committees to the United States Catholic Conference, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, the President of the United States and the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Catholic Conferences.

On December 16, 1986, Pope John Paul II named Bishop Edward T. Hughes the chief shepherd of the nearly half-million Roman Catholics in the Diocese of Metuchen. During his tenure here, Bishop Hughes presided over ten years of unprecedented growth in the Diocese. Even more than the material growth and physical expansion of the Diocese of Metuchen, has been the spiritual and moral leadership exercised by Bishop Hughes.

An untiring and outspoken defender of the unborn and an implacable foe of racism and bigotry, Bishop Hughes’ legacy to the people of the Diocese will always be this uncompromising witness, given with gentleness, but never wavering. For his courageous pro-life stance, Bishop Hughes was honored as this year’s recipient of the diocesan Pro-Vita Award in January. His love of the Lord and of the Church, and his joy in his ministry, evident in his preaching and reflected in the shepherding of his flock, is ample proof of the appropriateness of his chosen motto, “Rejoice in the Lord Always.”