The Staff at Saint Therese
Rev. Robert K. Hooper, Temporary Administrator
I was born in Brooklyn, New York but lived most of my life in the town of Boonton, New Jersey.
My father was also Robert and my mother was Margaret. I went to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Elementary
School and St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City for High School. I went to Boston College for two years
to study to be a doctor. I changed my mind and went to Immaculate Conception Seminary to study
Philosophy. I was then assigned to Catholic University earning both a Master of Theology and
Psychology.
I was ordained a priest on May 2, 1970 at St. Mary’s of the Lake parish in Lakewood by Bishop
Casey. My first assignment was as a teacher of Theology at Paul VI High School in Clifton. After
a bad car accident, I went to Rutger’s Law School in Newark , earned my J.D. and became a member
of the New Jersey Bar in 1978. I worked for the poor as a lawyer for many years. I became the
legal guardian of a former student of mine and tried to help her until her death. After my father
died, I decided to leave the priesthood. I ended up working as a lawyer in Baltimore, Maryland.
I later returned to the priesthood and worked as a hospital chaplain for 9 years before coming to
St. Therese. At our parish I do the sacramental work that I love; I now am teaching at the parish
school and work with many young people in various ministries. My hope is to leave this great parish
next year and go to Kenya where I would function as a priest.
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