History of
St. Pascal Baylon Parish
The beginning of St. Pascal Baylon Parish dates back to July 31, 1930, when the Rev.
Patrick B. Kinsella, D.D. received a letter from our Rt. Rev. Bishop Thomas E. Molloy
appointing him pastor of the new parish to be founded between the present parishes of St.
Gerard's in Hollis and St. Catherine of Sienna in St. Albans. The weeks following
the receipt of this letter were spent in looking for a suitable site for the future
parochial buildings. At first, it was contemplated buying land on Cross Island Blvd.
near 113th Avenue, but the situation was found unsuitable. During the progress of
the search, a suitable site was found at the corner of 199th Street
and 113th Avenue. The next difficulty was to find a place to say Mass until a church
could be built. Through the goodwill and generosity of Mr. Gerald English, the
Community House of the Hollis Crest Civic Association was offered as a temporary
church. The meeting with Mr. English was arranged at the house of Mr. Edward J.
Kelly, 109-98 - 200th Street. At the same time, a dwelling for the new pastor was
found at 113-16 - 200th Street which was used as a temporary rectory.
On Friday, August 15, 1930, amidst a generous scattering of rain, the first Mass was
said in the Community House on the corner of 200th Street. Four Masses were offered
up that day, the Rev. James A Smith assigned from Cathedral College, saying two Masses and
the Pastor, the other two. Parochial work was immediately started. The first
Masses saw an attendance of 538 people. Two days later, on Sunday August 17th,
Confessions were held in the temporary rectory. The first child baptized was Joan C.
Wenk, child of Martin Wenk and Catherine Gilmartin on August 24, 1930. The
congregation soon became too large for the Community House and with the assistance of
Messrs. Martin Schmidt, James Tighe, Charles Glinane, Edward Kelly, Joseph Sauer, and John
Cunningham it was decided to procure a tent which would be placed on the vacant lot and
offer better accommodations for the Sunday Masses. With the assistance of Mr.
English, lumber was procured for a flooring and on October 3rd, the first Mass was said in
the tent. The number of Masses was now increased to six. In the meantime, the
Pastor had applied to the Right Reverend Bishop for permission to build a Church. On
November 2nd of the same year, ground was broken. The first Mass in the new Church
was said in the basement on Christmas Eve of the same year.
On September 28th, the Pastor moved to his present and permanent rectory at 112-43 -
198th Street and it was here that the first marriage of the parish took place. It
was the marriage of John J. Simpson and Miss Catherine Bertles on October 11, 1930.
Work went steadily on and the first Mass in the upper Church was
held on the feast-day of the parish, May 17, 1931, which coincided with the Holy Name
Sunday. On this day, the first Communion breakfast was held at which 700 men were
present. The following Sunday all Masses were said in the upper Church.
The first trustees appointed were John J. Cunningham and Joseph Sauer. The first
president of the Holy Name Society was Edward J. Kelly and the first president of the
Catholic Women's Club was Mrs. Robert Deery.
In 1933, the rectory was enlarged to its present size.
In August 1931, the Right Reverend Bishop assigned the Rev. Thomas McGee, ordained in
Rome in the same year, as the first assistant. He was succeeded in September by the
Rev. Lawence A. Crowley who is at present, a curate. In June 1933, the Rev. James
Mulhearn was assigned as second assistant and he was succeeded in June 1934, by the Rev.
Joseph C. Fay who is at present still a curate in this parish.
The parish was started at the beginning of the depression. The years of 1931,
1932, 1933, 1934, and 1935 as everyone knows, were dark years yet during that time, the
parishioners gave splendid support to the pastor and in 1935, he was able to tell the
parishioners that their debt on their church was wiped out and they could now point their
efforts to the accumulation of money which would go for their new school. It is a
remarkable tribute to them that since that year to the end of the year 1937, they were
able to lay aside a sum that would enable the pastor to begin planning for the new
school. This was done in June of 1937, when the pastor authorized Mr. Fred
Burmeister, and architect to draw preliminary plans. In December of the same year,
the Rt. Rev. Bishop authorized Father Kinsella to begin the construction. The bid
was awarded to Hughes and Ahlers construction engineers and ground was broken under sunny
skies on Jan. 2, 1938.
With the permission of the Rt. Rev. Ordinary, The Sisters of St. Joseph were asked to
be the teaching staff in the new school and arrangements were made to have the Sisters on
the ground by Sept. 1 at which time school would open for its first session.
At the present time, the total valuation of the grounds and buildings is in the
neighborhood of $200,000 and when the school is completed, the total value will be around
$500,000.
On Sunday, April 24, Dominica in Albis, the corner stone was laid by Monsignor Francis
J. Oechsler and the sermon was preached by Rev. Peter W. Fox, a classmate of the pastor.
May God be with us to see the finish of our building and may St. Pascal always watch
over the parish as he has done in the past and through our school, bring the souls of
these living in the parish to the sweet enjoyment of Him, whom St.
Pascal so much loved.
To the one and Triune God, be all honor and glory.
(Note: This was probably written in the Spring of 1938.)
Later (and, unfortunately, darker) photo of the church
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