Bishop Paul Gregory Bootkoski was born in Newark July 4,1940, one of two children of Peter and Antoinette Bootkoski. His father died in 1985 and his mother is now cared for by the Little Sisters of the Poor in Totowa. His sister, Annette, of River Vale, is married to Fred Wagner, with whom she has two grown children.

The family’s home parish was Queen of Peace, North Arlington, where young Paul attended Our Lady Queen of Peace School. He went on to St. Benedict Prep High School in Newark, where his desire to become a priest was nurtured by the Benedictine monks of Newark Abbey.

Following graduation from Seton Hall University, he entered Immaculate Conception Seminary, Darlington. Archbishop Thomas Boland ordained him a priest for service in the Archdiocese of Newark May 28, 1966.

Father Bootkoski’s first parish assignment was as parochial vicar of Sacred Heart Parish, Bloomfield. He also served as parochial vicar in Holy Spirit Parish, Orange, and St. Michael Parish, Cranford. In 1972, Father Bootkoski was assigned to campus ministry at the Rutgers-Newark campus. He was named archdiocesan director of campus ministry in 1974, and served in that capacity until he was named assistant vice president for Student Affairs at Seton Hall University in 1980. Father Bootkoski returned to parish ministry in 1983 as pastor of St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Elizabeth. He was subsequently appointed pastor of St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish, Saddle River, in 1990.

In 1991, Pope John Paul II named Father Bootkoski a prelate of honor, with the title Reverend Monsignor. In 1 996, Msgr. Bootkoski assumed additional archdiocesan duties as Vicar for Priests-spiritual director for the clergy of the Archdiocese - and resumed responsibility for campus ministry activities in the Archdiocese.

On July 8, 1997, Pope John Paul II named Msgr. Bootkoski to serve as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Newark. He was ordained by Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick Sept. 5, 1997 in Sacred Heart Cathedral Basilica, Newark. He subsequently was named Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia, responsible for daily management and operations of the administrative agencies of the Archdiocese.

On January 5, 2001, following Archbishop McCarrick’s installation as Archbishop of Washington, the College of Consultors of the Archdiocese of Newark elected Bishop Bootkoski Diocesan Administrator, responsible for the temporary management of the Archdiocese. He served the Archdiocese in that capacity until the installation of Archbishop John J. Myers Oct. 9, 2001 Bishop Bootkoski holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classical Languages from Seton Hall University, a Master of Divinity degree in Theology from Immaculate Conception Seminary, and a Master of Arts degree in Education from Manhattan College.

On January 4, 2002, Pope John Paul II named Bishop Bootkoski the fourth bishop of Metuchen. Bishop Bootkoski's installation took place on the Solemnity of St. Joseph Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary on March 19, 2002.