Our Mission

We the Parish Family of St. Robert Bellarmine in Freehold, NJ of the Diocese of Trenton, united in the faith and traditions of the Roman Catholic Church and empowered by our Baptism are called to continue the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ.

We respond to this call as a people of faith, hope, and love, through the proclamation of the Gospel, celebration of the sacraments, active participation in the sacred liturgy, and sharing our time, talent and treasure to teach and serve our brothers and sisters in Christ, within and outside our parish community with hospitality, grace and charity.

What it means to be a Co-Cathedral

The word “cathedral” refers to the cathedra—the seat from which a Bishop teaches with authority. A cathedral is where the cathedra resides. Most Dioceses have one Mother Church that is essentially the liturgical headquarters for the Bishop. Our Cathedral is St. Mary of the Assumption in Trenton, and as of February 19, 2017 we have been sharing the duties of the Cathedral by hosting Diocesan celebrations at St. Robert’s.

We are a “Co-Cathedral” because we work in cooperation with the Mother Church of the Diocese, St. Mary. This honor is an official acknowledgment of the relationship that we had already developed with the Cathedral for some years now, since we already hosted some of the major Diocesan liturgical celebrations and several workshops and events throughout the year. We received the Papal Nuncio at the Mass of Elevation on February 19, where he blessed the permanent cathedra which is fixed in our sanctuary, he read the Bull (the official proclamation of our elevation), and presented the Co-Cathedral’s new coat of arms.

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The four parishes of St. Thomas More in Manalapan, St. Joseph’s in Millstone, St. Rose in Freehold Borough, and the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine have entered into a collaborative relationship through the Diocesan “Faith in our Future” effort. We share resources, events, best practices and programs. Our relationship is unfolding as the needs and circumstances of our area Churches continue to evolve. Click here to see what’s going on in our local parishes!