Established in 1887 in the Town of Essex, the parish of Holy Name of Jesus was originally called St. John. It was a mission church for over 50 years before it became a parish. Fr. Ignatus O'Neil became the first resident Priest whose foresight established the first Catholic Elementary School and first bus transportation in the Essex area using his own funds. Today, there are over 1,300 families and growing as the Catholic population continues to expand in the area. It is a vibrant and active parish on all levels.