St. Matthias, located in the Somerset section of Franklin Township, New Jersey, is a relatively young parish, tracing its history to only 1962. It was founded when the population of Somerset grew too large to be accommodated by nearby parishes.
The area to become Franklin Township was settled by the Dutch who recognized the potential of the fertile farmland nearly 300 years ago. St. Peter’s Parish, in nearby New Brunswick, was established in 1829 to meet the needs of the growing Catholic population and served the area well for many years.