THE RED BANK ORATORY OF ST. PHILIP NERI

As our name suggests, all Oratories are intimately connected to the local community. For that reason, each Oratory is called after the city, town, village or, in our case, borough in which they reside. It is here where God has called us to live the remainder of our lives serving Him and our neighbor.

We are situated in the heart of one of the best small towns in the United States. We live in a borough called Red Bank, named so for the color of the bank of the Navesink River which runs through this amazing borough. We live on what is referred to by locals as the West Side of Red Bank. It is a lively and fun place to live with all sorts of activities, events and traffic which is perfect for us since Oratories are traditionally located in high traffic areas.

Here on the West Side of Red Bank, we are blessed to live in an incredibly diverse community full of life. It makes it so enjoyable to share and to live the Gospel, as well as to be an integral part of the local community. We are here to stay, and so we are fully immersed in the life and the care of our town, our neighbors and those who come to Red Bank to worship or enjoy all that Red Bank has to offer.

At the same time, in the midst of the bustle of a very active and lively community, we are surrounded by farms, woodlands, parks and beaches. Having such abundant natural landscapes right at our doorstep gives us the chance to find places of quiet and peace to walk along with God in the midst of His creation.

With all that being said, we hope that it is obvious, that we love where God has planted us. If we are attached to anything, we would have to say, it is to this place that we call home.

In time as our community grows and we have more priests and brothers (God willing), we hope to be of service to our Bishop and the local church by helping to provide priests and brothers to serve in other parishes and ministries in our area as the need arises, while staying true to the communal and contemplative nature of our life.

At the same time, whatever future ministries the community may assume, Saint Anthony's and Red Bank will always be, as St. Philip use to say, our nest. It is our home, and the official seat of our community. While we may serve other parishes and ministries, we will never live anywhere else until the Lord calls us to our true home. And it is from here, from our life of prayer, service, and stability, that we hope to contribute the little we have to offer all for the glory of God, the salvation of our souls and the salvation of our neighbor. And, it is our great hope and prayer that we can do so with the same love, joy and laughter which characterized the life of our holy father, Saint Philip.