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Stephen Fichter

From EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki




The Reverend
Stephen Fichter
Ph.D.
Father Stephen Fichter.jpg
Born (1967-08-23) August 23, 1967 (age 56)
Englewood, New Jersey, U.S.
💼 Occupation
Priest
📆 Years active  2000–present
👔 EmployerArchdiocese of Newark

Stephen Joseph Fichter (born August 23, 1967) is an American priest, sociologist, author, app creator, and film producer. Since 2017 he has been the pastor of the Saint Elizabeth of Hungary Church in Wyckoff, New Jersey[1] (located within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark). Fichter was formerly the pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Haworth, New Jersey. He is also a research associate with the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA)[2] located at Georgetown University.

Priestly ministry, research, and teaching career[edit]

Fichter was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Lucas Moreira Neves on January 1, 2000. After several months, he left the Legion of Christ[3] in favor of continuing service as a diocesan priest. He returned to the United States in October 2000, where he eventually incardinated into the Archdiocese of Newark. Fichter served as Parochial Vicar at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Ridgewood, New Jersey and Saint Gabriel the Archangel in Saddle River, New Jersey. He was then installed as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish[4] in Haworth, New Jersey. He is currently pastor of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary in Wyckoff, New Jersey.[5] He is often cited in the North Jersey newspaper, The Record,[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] and has appeared on NJ Spotlight News.[14]

Fichter is a research associate specializing in clergy studies at the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University. In coordination with the National Organization for Continuing Education for Roman Catholic Clergy (NOCERCC),[15] he has worked on many Cultivating Unity[16] projects for dioceses[17][18] throughout the United States. His first book was a 50-year look-back study on the priesthood in the United States since the end of Vatican II. It was reviewed favorably in various publications[19][20][21]. In May 2019, Fichter presented his third book,[22] Catholic Bishops in the United States: Church Leadership in the Third Millennium[23], published by Oxford University Press to Pope Francis[24] and reviewed in American Catholic Studies[25] and America magazine[26].

Fichter, who has taught Ministry of Leadership[27] at Seton Hall University’s Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology, was also a visiting scholar at the Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education at Fordham University in the Bronx.

Family, education, and priestly formation[edit]

Stephen Fichter was born on August 23, 1967 in Englewood, New Jersey to Joseph and Annette Fichter. He is the grandnephew of the Jesuit priest and sociologist, Joseph H. Fichter,[28][29] who held the Stillman Chair of Roman Catholic Theological Studies at Harvard Divinity School from 1965 to 1970[30] and authored more than 30 books.[31] Fichter’s granduncle was also involved in the desegregation movement in the South during the 1950s.[32][33]

Fichter, who grew up in Tenafly, New Jersey, graduated as Salutatorian from Bergen Catholic High School in 1985[34][35] and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2017.[36] Following school he worked for a year on the New York Stock Exchange with Stern & Kennedy and then at the brokerage firm Holt + Collins in San Francisco. He decided to hitchhike in Ireland during the summer months to discern more clearly his possible vocation to priesthood, to which he first felt called in early 1986.

In September 1986, Fichter entered the Novitiate of the Legionaries of Christ in Cheshire, Connecticut. During the next 14 years, he was stationed in the U.S., Spain, Ireland, and Rome and earned a Ph.L. and an STB from the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome. During seven years of study in Rome, he also served as Assistant to Philosophers, Vice Rector at both the headquarters and the Major seminary of the Legionaries of Christ and then eventually as General Administrator (CFO) for them. Upon his return to the United States in 2000, Fichter received an M.S.W. from Fordham Graduate School of Social Service, and an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Sociology from Rutgers University.[37]

Creative work[edit]

Movie: VITA (aka Trinity's Triumph)[edit]

VITA is the soon-to-be-released movie[38][39] starring Joe Morton that Fichter co-wrote with Kathe Carson and Michael Wickham.[40] It is the story of three young men from different backgrounds who enter the seminary preparing to embrace priestly service with the help of their mentor, Monsignor Gregory Heck. VITA is a candid behind-the-stained glass glimpse of the journey, the struggles, and life decisions made of those who decide to enter and/or leave the priesthood. This project began as an idea he had in Rome when he was a seminarian there in the 1990s. Producer, Kathe Carson, joined the project in 2004 as co-author.[41] There has been early support[42][43] for VITA.

App: PeaceQuest[edit]

Fichter is the co-creator of the app PeaceQuest,[44] a 3D immersive spiritual experience. Recommended by Jesuit Father James Martin, Fichter and co-creator Kathe Carson were interviewed in a news blog from Fordham University’s News and Media Relations Bureau.[45]

Publications[edit]

Books[edit]

  • Gautier, Mary L., Paul M. Perl, and Stephen J. Fichter. 2012. Same Call, Different Men: The Evolution of the Priesthood since Vatican II[46][47]. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press. (Finalist award in the Religion/Philosophy category of the 2012 Midwest Book Awards.)[48][49][50]
  • Stephen J. Fichter. 2015. From Celibate Catholic Priests to Married Protestant Ministers: Shepherding in Greener Pastures. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books[51]
  • Stephen J. Fichter, Thomas P. Gaunt, SJ, Catherine Hoegeman, CSJ, and Paul M. Perl. 2019. Catholic Bishops in the United States: Church Leadership in the Third Millennium. New York, NY. Oxford University Press.[52][53]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ "Fr. Stephen Fichter". Saint Elizabeth's of Hungary /Newark. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
  2. ↑ "Fr. Stephen Fichter". cara.georgetown.edu-US. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
  3. ↑ Goodstein, Laurie (2009-02-04). "Catholic Order Jolted by Reports That Its Founder Led a Double Life (Published 2009)-US". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  4. ↑ "Where Are They Now: Fichter's Great Relationship with God". River Dell, NJ Patch. 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
  5. ↑ Yellin, Deena. "Catholic priests say it's a tough time to be in their line of work". North Jersey Media Group-US. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
  6. ↑ Yellin, Deena. "They don't teach pandemics in seminary: How NJ clergy consoled us in 'draining' year". North Jersey Media Group-US. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  7. ↑ "Virtual pews fill up as coronavirus forces religious services online in New Jersey". www.msn.com. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  8. ↑ "With churches closed, more people are turning to prayer amid coronavirus uncertainty". www.msn.com. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  9. ↑ McCLATCHY-TRIBUNE, DEENA YELLIN. "Shattered Belief: Priest tells of sex scandal's impact". Daytona Beach News-Journal Online. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  10. ↑ Yellin, Deena. "They don't teach pandemics in seminary: How NJ clergy consoled us in 'draining' year". North Jersey Media Group-US. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
  11. ↑ Yellin, Deena. "Ash Wednesday will look different amid the COVID pandemic in North Jersey. Here's how". North Jersey Media Group-US. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
  12. ↑ Yellin, Deena. "Bishops reveal despair over crisis in Catholic Church". North Jersey Media Group. Retrieved 2021-08-01.
  13. ↑ Yellin, Deena. "Catholic priests say it's a tough time to be in their line of work". North Jersey Media Group. Retrieved 2021-08-02.
  14. ↑ "Some NJ churches still plan in-person Easter worship as COVID-19 cases climb | Video". NJ Spotlight News-US. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
  15. ↑ "NOCERCC". NOCERCC. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
  16. ↑ "Cultivating Unity". NOCERCC. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
  17. ↑ "Priests affirm, challenge each other". Clarion Herald. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
  18. ↑ Republican, Anne-Gerard Flynn | Special to The (2018-10-02). "Springfield bishop, priests to discuss what unites, divides them". masslive. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
  19. ↑ JOYCE, DANIEL R. J. (2013). "Review of Same Call, Different Men: The Evolution of the Priesthood since Vatican II". American Catholic Studies. 124 (1): 80–82. ISSN 2161-8542.
  20. ↑ "A Happy Lot". America Magazine. 2012-09-24. Retrieved 2021-07-31.
  21. ↑ "Why Pope Francis' focus on mission makes Catholics uncomfortable". America Magazine. 2019-07-11. Retrieved 2021-07-31.
  22. ↑ Catholic Bishops in the United States: Church Leadership in the Third Millennium. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press. 2019-02-01. ISBN 978-0-19-092028-9. Search this book on
  23. ↑ Yellin, Deena. "Bishops reveal despair over crisis in Catholic Church". North Jersey Media Group. Retrieved 2021-06-08.
  24. ↑ "New Jersey Catholic | July/August 2019". catholicmagazines.org. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
  25. ↑ Bruce, Tricia C. (2020). "Catholic Bishops in the United States: Church Leadership in the Third Millennium by Stephen J. Fichter et al. (review)". American Catholic Studies. 131 (1): 86–88. doi:10.1353/acs.2020.0002. ISSN 2161-8534.
  26. ↑ "CARA study finds bishops are satisfied with their life and ministry". America Magazine. 2020-01-22. Retrieved 2021-07-31.
  27. ↑ University, Seton Hall (2015-09-30). "Profile Rev Stephen Fichter". Seton Hall University. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
  28. ↑ "Joseph H. Fichter S.J. | Office of Mission + Ministry | Loyola University New Orleans". mm.loyno.edu. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
  29. ↑ Cerulo, Karen A.; Kimbro, Rachel Tolbert; Tolbert, Charles M.; Saguy, Abigail; Smith, Charles; Fichter, Stephen Joseph; Heberle, Lauren C.; Perrin, Andrew J. (2008). "The Forum Mailbag". Sociological Forum. 23 (1): 165–172. ISSN 0884-8971.
  30. ↑ "Fichter, Joseph H. | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
  31. ↑ Saxon, Wolfgang (1994-02-26). "Rev. Joseph H. Fichter, 85, Dies; A Jesuit Sociologist and Professor (Published 1994)-US". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
  32. ↑ "Content Pages of the Encyclopedia of Religion and Social Science". hirr.hartsem.edu. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
  33. ↑ "A Stormy Path to Integration". America Magazine. 2006-05-08. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
  34. ↑ "Fr. Stephen Fichter". Bergen Catholic-US. 2020-06-08. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
  35. ↑ "Theology on Tap: Faith and Family". Constant Contact. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
  36. ↑ "Alumni History". Bergen Catholic-US. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
  37. ↑ "Fichter, Stephen Joseph". sociology.rutgers.edu. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
  38. ↑ "'Trinity's Triumph': NJ Priest Finishes Film, 20 Years Later". www.radio.com. 2019-09-22. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
  39. ↑ "Movie written by local priest films in Englewood". www.northjersey.com. Retrieved 2021-08-01.
  40. ↑ Wickham, Michael J. (2020-12-25), Vita (Drama), Melissa Bolona, Joe Morton, Narci Regina, Young Mazino, Tucci & Company, retrieved 2020-11-28
  41. ↑ "SEMINARS". ChurchesMakingMovies. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
  42. ↑ "'Trinity's Triumph'". Diocese of Paterson. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
  43. ↑ "North Jersey Media Group". www.northjersey.com. Retrieved 2021-08-01.
  44. ↑ "PeaceQuest App". PeaceQuest-US. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
  45. ↑ "Alumni Create Digital Space for Meditation". Fordham Newsroom-US. 2014-03-14. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
  46. ↑ "Same Call, Different Men". Liturgical Press. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
  47. ↑ "Priestly Life". cara.georgetown.edu-US. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
  48. ↑ "Book Review: Same Call, Different Men: The Evolution of the Priesthood Since Vatican II by Mary L. Gautier, Paul M. Perl, & Stephen J. Fichter". PrayTellBlog-US. 2012-12-10. Retrieved 2020-11-28.
  49. ↑ "Why Pope Francis' focus on mission makes Catholics uncomfortable". America Magazine. 2019-07-11. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
  50. ↑ "A Happy Lot". America Magazine. 2012-09-24. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
  51. ↑ From Celibate Catholic Priest to Married Protestant Minister: Shepherding in Greener Pastures-us. Search this book on
  52. ↑ Catholic Bishops in the United States: Church Leadership in the Third Millennium. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press. 2019-02-01. ISBN 978-0-19-092028-9. Search this book on
  53. ↑ "CARA study finds bishops are satisfied with their life and ministry". America Magazine. 2020-01-22. Retrieved 2020-12-05.



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