Reverend Monsignor David C. Hubba of New Milford, formerly of South Orange, Nutley, Palisades Park, Paramus, Hackensack, Kearny and Newark, passed away peacefully on Monday, February 20, 2023, at the age of 74. Born in Liberty, NY, after a short stay in northeast PA, he moved with his family to Newark, attending St. Rose of Lima School served by the Sisters of Charity. He held lifelong fond memories for that parish and school and he always attributed the roots of his priestly vocation to the good work of the priests and sisters of the parish. After graduating from Seton Hall Preparatory School in the Class of 1966, he entered Seton Hall University, attaining a BA in Classical Languages. Subsequently, he completed Theology Studies at Immaculate Conception Seminary, earning an MA in Biblical Studies. Later, he earned another MA in Catholic Doctrine with a Pontifical Diploma in Catechetics at St. John’s University in NY. Monsignor Hubba was ordained in 1974 and he was assigned to: Holy Trinity R.C. Church, Hackensack (1974 -1990), Our Lady of the Visitation, Paramus (1990-1996), St. Michael’s R.C. Church, Palisades Park (1996-1998), St. Mary’s R.C. Church, Nutley as Pastor (1998-2010) where he had served as Deacon (1973-1974), Seton Hall University, as College Seminary Spiritual Director (2010-2013), and St. Joseph R.C. Church, New Milford as Pastor (2013-2023). Devoted son of the late Peter and Marion (nee Isenburg) Hubba, dearest brother of the late Carol Hubba (and her husband Richard Bonath), Richard A. Hubba, Linda Fulmer, and the late John Hubba. He is also survived by his aunt, Joan Faraone and her husband John, his nephew Eric Fulmer, a number of cousins and second cousins, and many friends and admirers. Visitation was held on Thursday, February 23, 2023, from 4:00pm – 7:30pm and Vespers was held from 7:30pm – 8:00pm at St. Joseph R.C. Church, 300 Elm Street, Oradell, NJ 07649. The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated by Cardinal Tobin, and many concelebrating priests, on Friday, February 24, 2023, at 10:00am, at St. Joseph R.C. Church, 300 Elm Street, Oradell, NJ 07649. Burial followed at Maryrest Cemetery, 770 Darlington Avenue, Mahwah, NJ. Arrangements conducted by G. Thomas Gentile Funeral Home, 397 Union Street, Hackensack , NJ. To send condolences, visit www.gentilefuneralservice.com.
Posted online on February 21, 2023; Published in Record and Herald News
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Mass of Christian Burial
Biography of Monsignor David C. Hubba, Pastor, from Bulletin (2021)
I was born in Liberty, NY, since my father found work at the Grossinger’s resort in the Catskills after World War II, when jobs were scarce. After a short stay in northeast Pennsylvania, we moved to Newark, where we lived, at various addresses, until I was in the middle of high school. After that, we moved to Kearny, because life in Newark had become a bit harrowing.
I went to grammar school at St. Rose of Lima School in the Roseville section of the city that bordered East Orange. The parish, mostly Irish-Americans with some Italian-Americans, rapidly changed from one of the Archdiocese’s largest to a remnant left behind by the massive exodus that occurred around the time of the famous Newark riot. Around 1960, my friends and I could safely walk to downtown Newark to go to the movies, after taking on supplies of candy at the Woolworth or McCrory’s five-and-tens, where you could purchase by weight. Later, such excursions were impossible.
St. Rose’s grammar school, staffed mostly by the Sisters of Charity, was a fine place to get the beginnings of an education, although we had no science lab or indoor gym. I’ve always thought that my priestly vocation was firmly rooted there, nurtured by the good work of the priests and sisters of the parish. I spent my high school years at Seton Hall Prep, then located on the campus of Seton Hall University in South Orange, an outstanding school. My extracurricular activity was the debating team, which enjoyed great success.
Knowing I wanted to become a priest, I went to Seton Hall University, studying classical languages, then the mandatory major. My class spent two years there before completing our degrees and then four years taking theology at the Archdiocesan seminary, located in Mahwah at that time. I earned an MA in Biblical studies there, and, after ordination, another MA in Catholic doctrine at St. John’s University in New York together with a Pontifical diploma in Catechetics.
After my deacon assignment in St. Mary’s in Nutley (1973-1974), our class was ordained in 1974.
My priesthood assignments have been:
• Holy Trinity, Hackensack (1974-1990)
• O.L. of the Visitation, Paramus (1990-1996)
• St. Michael’s, Palisades Park (1996-1998)
• St. Mary’s, Nutley, pastor (1998-2010)
• Seton Hall University, as the college seminary Spiritual Director (2010-2013)
• Here at Saint Joseph (since 2013)
STAFF TRIBUTES – 2023
