In 1808, the Diocese of New York, which included the entire state of New York and approximately half of New Jersey, was established. At that time, there were 14,000 Roman Catholics within the diocese. This number kept growing throughout the nineteenth century and increased dramatically around the turn of the twentieth century when immigrant groups from Europe began arriving at Ellis Island in large numbers.

Highland did not have its own church right away. Father O’Toole and Father Brady, who traveled from Rosendale, would celebrate the Eucharist every two or three weeks in the old Milton village hall. In 1874, the Rev. James Francis Mee came to Milton as the first resident pastor. Traveling by horse and carriage between the towns of Rosendale, Milton, and Marlborough, Father Mee heard confessions and celebrated the Eucharist. When Father Mee first arrived in Milton, there was no formal church building, but a house was soon secured by the parishioners to serve as a parochial residence. By 1876 Father Mee had seen to it that a church had been built and, in 1877, St. James’ Church was dedicated.

St. Augustine Church was built and established as a mission church of St. James Parish in Milton. The cornerstone of St. Augustine Church was blessed and laid on September 3, 1899 by Msgr. James Nilan the regional vicar of the Archdiocese of New York. From 1899 until 1950 the pastors and priests from St. James offered Sunday Mass and administered the sacraments at St. Augustine Church. Because of the growth of the Catholic population in Highland, Francis Cardinal Spellman established St. Augustine Church as a new independent parish on April 23, 1950. For over one hundred and ten years St. Augustine Church has served the Catholic population of the Hamlet of Highland with Sunday Masses, baptisms, confirmations, funerals, and weddings. A House of God where heaven meets earth.

St. Augustine was Bishop of Hippo Regius (present-day Annaba, Algeria). He was a Latin-speaking philosopher and theologian who lived in the Roman Africa Province. His writings were very influential in the development of Western Christianity. He believed that the grace of Christ was indispensable to human freedom, and he framed the concepts of original sin and just war. When the Western Roman Empire was starting to disintegrate, Augustine developed the concept of the Catholic Church as a spiritual City of God (in a book of the same name), distinct from the material Earthly City.[8] His thoughts profoundly influenced the medieval worldview. Augustine’s City of God was closely identified with the Church, the community that worshiped the Trinity. Read more about St. Augustine on Wikipedia »