Biography of Nicholas J. Connolly
Nick was born in Newark, N.J. to John Connolly and Wilhelmina Stockhammer. He was raised on Clinton Avenue in Arlington. His dad had a law practice in Newark and also taught business law at St. Peter's College in Jersey City. His mother taught grammar school in Harrison. Nick has two older brothers John and Frank, both attorneys.
At about the age of four, he had a powerful experience of gratitude to God for his existence. Raised in a home where spirituality and love of God were foremost, he early developed sensitivity to the things of God. He studied piano, organ and guitar, later awakened in a desire to praise God through sacred music.
After graduating from Xavier High School in Manhattan, he entered the Society of Jesus, a Roman Catholic religious order of priests and brothers. There followed twelve years of preparation for ordination through novitiate, college and graduate school, a period of teaching high school and theology. He received an M.A. in classical languages from Fordham University and the M.Div. degree from Woodstock College, both schools in New York City. He was ordained in 1972.
The next twelve years found Nick serving in a variety of ministries, first as a hospital chaplain in Kenmore, N.Y., then as campus minister at Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y. As part of a six-month period of spiritual renewal, he was a prison chaplain in Portland, Oregon. For four months during that time he lived in anonymity on Skid Row. This experience resulted in a deeper surrender and trust in the providence of God and compassion for God's little ones. He studied Spanish in Cochabamba, Bolivia, followed by ministry in San Juan, Puerto Rico at the Colegio and Parish of San Ignacio. He later became pastor of The Church of the Nativity on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
A change in the direction of his life came when he and Georgina Pando were married in 1984. While working in the field of counseling God's grace led them to The United Methodist Church where they felt right at home. In 1987 the former Southern New Jersey Conference recognized Nick's ordination and welcomed him as an elder. He just completed two long pastorates--nine years in Keansburg and eight years in Vineland where his wife was associate pastor.
Nick recently joined seventy-five other United Methodists from New Jersey who went to Taizé in the Burgundy section of Franc at the end of July. Taizé is an ecumenical community of brothers that for half a century has become a magnet for youth in Europe and around the world. About five thousand youth gather each week during the summer months to pray and share in Bible study and fun activities. www.taize.fr
In March, 2007, Nick published The Bible Through the Seasons: a Three Year Journey with the Bible. This is a unique approach to daily Bible reading with a pace both relaxed and varied. Each day of the week is dedicated to its own part of the Bible. One single passage is the focus for each day, introduced by a "Firestarter," a one-minute message to help ignite the creative imagination of the reader. He looks forward to presenting this plan as a possible Bible Study at First UMC.
In August, 2007 Nick and Gina had an extraordinary experience of being part of a global mission team to Uganda through Watoto Child Care Ministries. They helped build a home for a teacher in one of the three villages where the children of that blessed ministry reside. They had the opportunity to visit at length with Bishop Daniel Wandabula, whose Episcopal area is the largest in our denomination, comprising the five countries of Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. Their meeting was so filled with the Spirit that they feel a call to return for some time as missionaries.
In 2008, Nick became pastor of First United Methodist Church and Grace United Methodist Church, both in Kearny, New Jersey. This is the town were he grew up and left in 1960 to enter the Jesuits. He is also a part-time counselor at the Inter-County Council on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Inc.
Nick hopes that Gina and his experience in Uganda will be source of energy to develop mission trips to Uganda to support the ministries of the United Methodist Church through Bishop Wandabula, as well as building projects for the Watoto Child Care Ministries.
Nick and Gina are blessed with four children, seven grandchildren and an "adopted" son, Gilbert, from Uganda.