Former St. Peter’s rector Janet Broderick hospitalized with COVID-19

The Rev. Janet Broderick, at her farewell service in Morristown, June 2019. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
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The Rev. Janet Broderick, former rector of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Morristown, is being treated in a Beverly Hills hospital for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Her diagnosis was confirmed on Wednesday and she is being treated at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Interim Rector Robert Trache informed St. Peter’s members on Thursday.

“News from All Saints, Beverly Hills, is that she is improving and on the way to recovery. Please hold her in your prayers,” Trache said.

Broderick, 64, became rector of All Saints Episcopal Church in Beverly Hills last year, after a decade leading St. Peter’s.

Chorister Kevin Kelly, Music Director Josh Stafford and then-St. Peter’s Rector Janet Broderick sing at Piano Bar, June 7, 2019. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

“Janet’s current condition is stable, and she is being treated for a severe form of pneumonia. She is receiving the best medical care available and her doctors’ prognosis is for a complete and full recovery,” All Saints said in a message to its congregation.

Broderick, who is the sister of actor Matthew Broderick, attended the Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes, a conference that drew 500 Episcopalians to Louisville, KY, from Feb. 19-22. Two other priests who attended also contracted the virus, according to the Episcopal News Service.

Broderick felt ill soon after returning from the conference, and was treated for what doctors believed was a viral syndrome “that did not warrant further concern,” according to All Saints.

But when Broderick learned that a Georgetown rector from the conference had tested positive, she went to Cedars-Sinai, where she was placed in isolation in intensive care and tested.

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In a letter to her parishioners, Broderick showed humor and faith.

“I am through the worst of this and very very much on the mend,” she wrote. “I asked my kids to bring me a coloring book and a LEGO set if that is any indication. (What I really want is Colorforms but they don’t make that anymore.)

“Jesus has been so close to me the whole time and scriptures have upheld me no kidding. Even at my worst, I felt his hand on me. My family have been so so loving and cared for me so well.

“We so look forward to being together again in worship, to praying with you and singing a hymn,” she concluded.

Services have been suspended at All Saints as that parish awaits guidance from health officials. Closer to home, Episcopal dioceses serving Washington DC and Virginia have shut down services for at least two weeks amid concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.

Over Christmas, St. Peter’s dedicated an evergreen tree to Broderick outside the Miller Road rectory. She was not present.

Siblings Janet and Matthew Broderick at reading of 'A Christmas Memory' at St. Peter's in Morristown, Jan. 5, 2018. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Siblings Janet and Matthew Broderick at reading of ‘A Christmas Memory’ at St. Peter’s in Morristown, Jan. 5, 2018. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

During her time in Morristown, Broderick started an after-school program for disadvantaged students, opened the parish to a Latino congregation, and helped raise money for summer pool passes for poor children.

She also brought star power to the holidays, with special readings by her brother. Their parents were the actor James Broderick and the playwright Patricia Broderick.

At an emotional farewell service at St. Peter’s last June, Janet Broderick thanked the congregation for faith and love that “allowed this church to begin to risk, and to expand into the community, to take risks with our space, with our people, to welcome all sorts of folks who have made our lives so much richer and better.”

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4 COMMENTS

  1. I send you greetings and much love from Charleston, South Carolina from a former member of your magnificent church who holds the memories of my time with you in my heart. Since leaving New Jersey, I have lived in Harrogate England and Providence RI before relocating to Charleston and Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church about seven years ago. Since then I have completed Clinical Pastoral Education, worked as a Hospice Chaplain and I am about to begin a position as an Associate Chaplain in a trauma hospital in South Carolina. I was fortunate to be with you during Rev. David Hegg’s tenure and I am very grateful for the generosity of your faith and fellowship. Blessings!

  2. Janet Broderick attended a consortium in Louisville in February, as did many other priests. Two other priests in addition to Janet are being treated for coronavirus-19. The Episcopal diocese of Newark has directed that parishes undertake a “fast” from public worship for the next three Sundays of Lent and that there will be no gatherings at the church and the building will be closed through March 29.

  3. What I have I experienced at Saint Peters Church here in Morristown New Jersey, I would not wish it on anyone!!!! Especially when Janet was the Rector. I was trying to receive communion in front of Janet and her assistant refused to give me a sip from the chalice which is all part of receiving communion. It proceeds to the music director calling Morristown Police. They tell me that I am not allowed to attend church service at St. Peters anymore even though I been going there ever since my son was born in 2004. But I get cursed at, I get verbally abused by this spanish guy while I trying to receive communion, let alone refused to accepted the blood of christ which is all par of receiving communion!!!!! I go back the following Sunday to attend church and I get arrested and charged with Trespassing!!!!! Even though I was a parishioner at St. Peters for a number of years. All this left me no choice to reach out to the Bishop in Newark asking for his help in these issues of ABUSE that I experienced at ST. PETERS CHURCH in Morristown NJ. These people had NO RIGHT to curse at me while I was trying to receive communion let alone refuse me the blood christ from the chalice, which is all part of receiving communion!!!! THANK YOU GOD FOR moving Janet out of Morristown……………..

  4. So sorry to hear this.

    Testing, testing, testing, testing, testing, testing, testing, testing, testing, testing, testing, testing, testing, testing, testing, testing…

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