Before 1905, Catholics of Lavallette attended mass at St. Peter's in Point Pleasant Beach and until 1918, at St. Catharine's in Seaside Park. During the year 1918, a group of Lavallette Catholics petitioned to send a priest to Lavallette for the celebration of Sunday mass. The first mass was conducted in Lavallette on July 6, 1919, in the Union Church of Lavallette. On August 23, 1921, the mission of Lavallette was incorporated as the Church of Saint Bonaventure. In 1922, land was acquired upon which the original church was completed by the spring of 1924. On June 29, 1924, a solemn high mass, the first mass in the church, was celebrated by Father Hess. A parish Catholic Youth Organization hall was erected and opened for extra Sunday, masses on June 29, 1947. The mission was cared for by St. Catharine's until 1942, when Rev. William J. Brennan was appointed founding pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Seaside Heights and given the duty of St. Bonaventure Mission.