Father Michael McCorristin was the founding pastor of our Church of Saint Ann as well as a person who had a great influence in the development of our Diocese of Trenton between 1935 and 19 ___. As a young priest assigned as chaplain to Morris Hall Home for the Aged, Father McCorristin saw the need for a parish in Lawrenceville to serve the needs of the Catholic population that was growing. Once permission was given to establish a parish, it was Father McCorristin who pushed again to build the Church “where the people are” instead of on the property already owned by the Diocese on the present site of St. Lawrence Rehabilitation Center, Morris Hall, and Villa Vianney.
After purchasing the plot of land on the corner of Eggerts Crossing Village, which was were most of Lawrenceville Catholics were located, Father McCorristin began the process of digging the basement and laying the foundation for the new church with volunteer labor during the Great Depression. The Church was built and dedicated in 1939. (The church was destroyed by fire in 1982 and the present church built under the direction of Msgr. Thomas Frain in 1985.)
It was Father Michael McCorristin who laid the foundation of our parish community and set the example of “rolling up your sleeves and pitching in to do whatever needed to be done” that characterizes our Parish to this day.
In dedicating this room to Msgr. Michael McCorristin, it is our hope that the spirit of unselfish service to the community will continue to be a trademark of the Church of Saint Ann.