In the year 1908, a group of Hungarian Roman Catholics, who had made their home in Carteret, organized for the purpose of establishing a parish which would serve their spiritual and social needs. They sought out the help and guidance of Father Ladislaus Perenyi, Pastor of Our Lady of Hungary Parish in Perth Amboy. Father Perenyi assisted the group and finally, on October 6, 1914, their dream was realized when Bishop McFaul established St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish with Father John Szabo serving as its first Pastor. Father Szabo celebrated Mass with the group of parishioners in Holy Family’s church until the construction and blessing of their St. Elizabeth of Hungary church on Washington Avenue. For six years Fr. Szabo labored among the Hungarian people, bringing them the consoling presence of Christ in the Mass and Sacraments. 

Father Szabo’s immediate successor was Father Stephen Csaktornyi who labored in the parish for about two years (1920 to 1922). He was followed by Father Rudolph Hudecz who served as Pastor from 1922 to 1925. It was during the pastorate of Father Hudecz that a fire destroyed the little church on All Saints Day of 1924. All that remained was a crucifix. It fell to Father Hudecz to oversee the preparations for the building of the new church. His encouragement and leadership galvanized the people as they worked to raise funds for their new church. In addition to preparing for the construction of the new church, Fr. Hudecz was also responsible for bringing the St. James Hall into existence. 

Father Hudecz was followed by Father Joseph Szabo, the fourth Pastor of St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish, (1925-1928).  It fell to Fr. Szabo to guide the process of constructing the new St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church. During the time of the construction the people gathered for Mass in their St. James Hall.

From 1928 to 1934, Fr. Ladislaus Csanyi served as the fifth Pastor. He concentrated his efforts on the establishment of additional groups to serve the social needs of the growing parish. He also made improvements to the St. James Hall. In 1934, Fr. Julius Kish succeeded Father Csanyi as Pastor. During the three years he served as Pastor, Fr. Kish completed the work his predecessor had begun in the hall and carried out renovations in the church interior. Father Kish was named Pastor of St. Stephen’s Parish, Trenton in March of 1937. Father Csanyi, though he desired to return to Hungary, agreed to serve as temporary administrator until a new pastor could be named. 

Later in the year of 1937, Bishop Moses Kiley invited the Franciscan Fathers to take over the administration of St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish. Father Mark Hajos, OFM became the new Pastor in 1937 and served in that capacity until 1946. During Father Hajos’ term several new societies were formed in the parish: The St. Cecelia Choir, the Society for the Propagation of the Faith and a Boy Scouts Group. Father Hajos managed to pay off the parish’s debts, landscape the church grounds and install a new organ in the church. A building was also bought (76 Carteret Avenue) which would serve as the convent for the Daughters of Divine Charity who assumed the task of providing religious instruction to the youth of the parish. Father Hajos left the parish in the fall of 1947 and temporary administration was taken over by two other Franciscan Fathers, first, by Fr. Valle and then by Father Gergely. 

On May 1, 1947, Bishop William Griffin appointed Reverend Doctor Anthony Huber as the new Pastor of St. Elizabeth’s, a ministry he faithfully carried out until 1964 when he was named Pastor of St. Stephen’s in Trenton. During his years at St. Elizabeth’s, Father Huber helped many souls, leading them to a deeper relationship with the Lord. He managed to also bring about a reduction in the parish’s sizable debt. Upon his departure for Trenton, Bishop George Ahr appointed Father John Chonko as the 9th Pastor of St. Elizabeth’s in August of 1964.  

Father Chonko very quickly won the hearts of his people. Under his guidance the men of the Holy Name Society undertook and completed the renovation of St. James Hall. Both the Church and Rectory underwent exterior remodeling and in 1975 the entire interior of the church was renovated. The support of the people made it possible to eradicate the mortgage for this work by the year 1980. It was in that same year that the parish celebrated with Father Chonko his Silver Anniversary of Ordination. Father Chonko continued to labor among his people until May 20, 1984 when he suffered a fatal heart attack. His close friend who preached the homily at Fr. Chonko’s funeral, Father Andrew Okal, was named temporary administrator of the parish. 

In August of 1984, Father Patrick Barrett was appointed the new Pastor of St. Elizabeth’s Parish. Father Barrett introduced special weekly devotions to both St. Elizabeth of Hungary and St. Anthony of Padua and made further improvements to the sanctuary of the church. It was during this time that the Daughters of Divine Charity were withdrawn from the parish. For a while members of the parish carried on the work of instruction until a plan was implemented wherein the children of the three parishes of St. Elizabeth’s, Sacred Heart and Holy Family were joined into one religious education program which was carried out at Holy Family School. The convent the Sisters had used was sold. Father Barrett continued to minister to the needs of his people until illness overtook him in November of 2004. He died on January 31, 2005; Msgr. William Benwell, Vicar General of the Diocese of Metuchen, presided over his funeral.

In November of 2004, Bishop Bootkoski named then Father Edward Puleo, Pastor of St. Joseph’s Parish in Carteret. as Temporary Administrator of the parish. Father Puleo continued to minister to the spiritual needs of the congregation and oversaw the repair and renovation of the front steps of the church. When Father Puleo was transferred in 2006, Father James McGuffey was appointed Administrator of both St. Joseph’s and St. Elizabeth’s Parishes. Father continued to care for the souls of the St. Elizabeth parishioners and was named Pastor of both parishes in March of 2008. 

In order to help prepare for the consolidation of the three ethnic parishes which was one of the decisions of the two-year study of the Western Rite Churches in Carteret, Father McGuffey graciously agreed to resign the pastorate of St. Elizabeth’s on March 31, 2010. At that time, Bishop Bootkoski appointed Father Edmund Shallow the Temporary Administrator of St. Elizabeth’s Parish. Father continued to minister to the people as plans were formulated for the creation of the new parish of Divine Mercy. The consolidation of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Sacred Heart of Jesus and Holy Family Parishes was accomplished on May 13, 2010 with Bishop Bootkoski’s official establishment of Divine Mercy Parish. Father Edmund Shallow was installed as the first Pastor of Divine Mercy Parish on July 1, 2010 by the Episcopal Vicar of Middlesex County, Msgr. Robert J. Zamorski. In 2015, the church was closed and in 2018 was relegated to profane but not sordid use by Bishop James Checchio. It was purchased by the Borough of Carteret in September of 2018.