St. Genevieve (Founded 1924)
Mission of St. Frances DeSales 1924-1950
Fr. J. Emmett McDonald (1950)
Fr. John Hession
Fr. John Cullinane  (1996)
Closed

St. Edmund (Founded 1937)
Mission of St. Frances DeSales 1924-1950
Fr. Edward O’Reilly (1937)
Fr. William O’Keefe (1937)
Fr. Cornelius Buckley (1945)
Closed

St. Thomas More-St. Edmund (Founded 1957)
Fr. Francis Donnelly
Fr. James Smyth (1960)
Fr. John Sexton (1967)
Fr. George Mihovich (1971)
Msgr. Michael Connelly (1981)
Msgr. Michael Curran (2005)
Closed

Blessed Trinity (Founded 2008)
Msgr. Michael Curran (2008-2013)
Fr. Peter Rayder (2013-2020)
Fr. Michael L. Gelfant (2020 - )

Father Michael Curran
Father Joseph Keane
Father John Fecher
Father Bob Lawsine
Father John Fitzpatrick
Father Michael Perry
Father Hugh Byrne
Father Vincent O’Connell
Father Michael Gribbon
Father Francis Obu-Mends, CSSp
Father Sean Suckiel
Father Ray Basilious 
Father Jeremy Canna

Deacon Bernard Deschler
Deacon Richard Lee
Deacon James Ruoff
Deacon Thomas Murphy

“HISTORY OF BLESSED TRINITY PARISH”

1924 - 2009 (Being Updated)

SAINT GENEVIEVE CHURCH

SAINT EDMUND CHURCH

Back in the early 20’s and 30’s, the Rockaway Point area was strictly a summer colony. There were few houses built back in those days, and even fewer all year-round residents. The Point was crisscrossed with many creeks and whenever the ocean tides crested, many parts of the peninsula were inundated. As a result, there were no sidewalks or roads, no streetlights, and boardwalks had to be erected for the use of the pedestrians. In fact, it wasn’t until Jamaica Bay was dredged in the early 30’s and some sand brought here, that this situation was finally remedied. Visitors to the Point in those days came either by ferry from Sheepshead Bay, docking at the two piers still standing on the Bayside, or by private bus from the Rockaway’s.

The only Catholic Church in this vicinity was St. Francis de Sales which was established back in the year 1906. As the number of visitors to the Point kept increasing, the Pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish decided to build a mission church in Roxbury in 1924 dedicated to St. Genevieve and later a second little Mission Church in Rockaway Point dedicated to St. Edmund I. This Mission Church was erected on the northwest corner of our present Shopping Center. Back in those days, a priest used to come to the Point from St. Francis de Sales each week in order to celebrate Mass and to hear confessions beforehand.

As time went on, more and more visitors arrived. Many of them were so impressed with its cool breezes in the summer and its rugged beauty in the winter, that they began to lease land and to build homes, many fitted for all year-round usage. Finally in the year 1937, when the City of New York announced that a new bridge, to be called the Marine Bridge, would soon be built, linking the mainland to the Rockaways, the late Archbishop Thomas E. Molloy, D.D., Bishop of Brooklyn Diocese, decided that it was time for Rockaway Point to have its own parish. And so in January of the year 1937, the Archbishop appointed Father Edward O’Reilly to be the first Pastor of the new parish. Unfortunately Father O’Reilly died suddenly, after only six months in office, and was succeeded by Rev. William O’Keefe, who was to serve as Pastor for the next eight years. For the first few years, Father O’Keefe lived in a temporary Rectory located at 142nd Street, Neponsit, and worked alone except during the summer when he was helped by priests sent from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. It was Father O’Keefe who established the first Holy Name Society, and Altar Boys. The first Baptism was performed in the newly established Parish on July 3, 1937 when Maureen Ann Gifford was received into the Church. The first wedding took place on February 10, 1938, when George Carmody and Emily Reidman were joined together in holy wedlock. And the very first Mass celebrated by a newly ordained priest took place on Sunday morning, June 10, 1937, when Father Michael, O.F.M. celebrated his Mass in St. Edmund’s Church.

Because of its ready accessibility, after the Marine Bridge officially opened in July 1938, the number of visitors began to increase dramatically. Soon Father O’Keefe began to add extra Masses at St. Edmund’s, Rockaway Point. Then in order to accommodate the many who were then building homes at Breezy Point, he asked the Archbishop for permission to build a second Church in that area. The Archbishop consented, and a few months later, work was begun on the new Church, also dedicated to St. Edmund, which would be built near the juncture of Oceanside and Clinton Walk. In order to distinguish between the two churches, the Pastor named the first church at Rockaway Point, St. Edmund’s of Rockaway Point, and the second, St. Edmund’s of Breezy Point. Long time residents at the Point will admit that this caused a bit of confusion.

In the year 1945, Father O’Keefe was changed to another parish and was succeeded by Rev. Cornelius Buckley. Father Buckley soon discovered that even though there were now two Churches at the Point they were still inadequate to handle the huge crowds who arrived every summer. And so he began a Fund Raising Campaign in order to build a newer and much larger Church on the opposite side of Rockaway Point Boulevard, across from the Catholic Club. Permission was soon obtained for the new Church to be built. But before the construction began, Father Buckley was made Pastor of another Parish in the Brooklyn Diocese, and was succeeded by Father Francis Donnelly.

ST. THOMAS MORE CHURCH
Father Donnelly, who had received his Canon Law Degree at the Catholic University of America, Washington D.C., and who had taught Canon Law in the major Seminary out in Huntington, Long Island, had very little parish experience. But he soon showed that he was an able administrator. It was he who carried out his predecessor’s plans for a new Church. Construction began in the year 1953 and was completed almost a year later. Because of the confusion caused by having two Churches dedicated to the very same saint, Father Donnelly petitioned the Archbishop for permission to dedicate the new Church when completed to St. Thomas More, who was also a Lawyer, and who later served as Chancellor of all England under King Henry VIII. The Archbishop agreed. When the late Bishop Raymond Kearney, D.D., Auxiliary Bishop of Brooklyn, came to dedicate the Church on Sunday morning, July 18, 1954, he gave it that name. At the conclusion of the Dedication Mass, as a reward for his labors at the Major Seminary and at the Point, the Bishop invested Father Donnelly in the robes of Monsignor, and he became a Domestic Prelate.

In 1955, Father Bartholomew Sharkey, an associate pastor, asked a few women to form the Rosary Society (now known as the Altar Rosary Society). During the early years the members were each assigned a day of the month to say the rosary. The group was involved in making cancer pads for St. Rose Home and translating books into Braille for the Xavier Society for the Blind which supplied Catholic reading material to the blind in the U.S. and Canada. The group held its first fundraiser for the parish in 1955 and continues to support the parish with various fundraisers throughout the year.Members of the group continue to lead the Rosary immediately before the weekday Masses.

Monsignor Donnelly was also responsible for the building of our Rectory and Social Center, containing a gymnasium. When the Center was dedicated in July of the year 1957, a Musical Concert was presented, featuring Gabor Corellia and Emilla Cundari, famous Metropolitan Opera Stars of that era. A short time later, Monsignor Donnelly wrote an article for the “Rockaway Point News” in which he stated that all buildings were free and clear of debt and Mass attendance during the winter months was approximately 2,000 persons, while during the summer it more than tripled to almost 7,000 people. A short time after the new Church of St. Thomas More was completed, the old Mission Church of St. Edmund’s, which had been built on the corner of Bedford Avenue, was demolished.

In the year 1960, Monsignor Donnelly was appointed a Synodal Judge in the Diocesan Marriage Tribunal and he left St. Thomas More – St. Edmund’s Parish. He was succeeded by Rev. James Smyth. Father Smyth left the Point in the year 1967 and was succeeded by Rev. John Sexton.

Although Father Sexton was sickly at the time of his appointment, he always tried to give his parishioners his very best. During his Pastorate, an Arts and Crafts Group was formed, and, over the years, by the sale of their handiworks, brought added income to the Parish. He also gave permission for a Garden Club to be formed at Breezy and its members have been meeting every spring, summer, and fall since. Father Sexton died in the year 1971 and was succeeded by Rev. George Mihovich.

Father Mihovich loved to travel, and during his Pastorate, he organized many Parish Tours to foreign countries, during which he acted as Chaplain and tour Guide. He put new roofs on the two Churches, installed Air Conditioning Units, insulated the Rectory and Gymnasium, and beautified the rock gardens out front. Father Mihovich was also interested in sports. Because of his enthusiasm, our C.Y.O. flourished. Hundreds of our youth took part in our Basketball, Baseball, Track and Swimming Programs and many of them won cups and medals because of their athletic ability. It was Father Mihovich too who decided that the Church of St. Edmund’s should remain open during the week for Daily Mass. Formerly it had been opened only on weekends. Father Mihovich also invited the Agape Movement to establish a Center at St. Edmund’s. Since it started in 1980, it has attracted to its meetings, not only many of our parishioners, but also countless visitors from Brooklyn, Long Island, and even New Jersey. Father Mihovich retired as Pastor in the year 1981 and was succeeded by Rev. Michael Connelly.

Under Father Connelly’s expert direction, the Parish continued to flourish. He hired Sister Joseph Amata to be our Religious Coordinator in 1983 and under her astute direction our First Sacraments, CCD and Confirmation Programs have grown from 69 children in 1983 to our present enrollment of 205. The parish was delighted when Father Connolly was appointed a Monsignor in 1987. Monsignor Connelly encouraged the formation of a School of Religion for Adults which meets during Advent and Lent. Msgr. Connelly made needed repairs to the parish plant, installed bright new floodlights outside the Church, Rectory and Parish Center and in 1990 had an extensive renovation of the rectory completed to make much needed office space and for CCD classrooms. On July12,1987, the parish celebrated its fiftieth anniversary with a Mass on the ocean beach at Bedford Avenue, and a reception that evening on the plaza in front of St. Thomas More Church. More than 1,000 people attended the anniversary celebrations. A ticket to the reception cost $10.00, which included food, liquid refreshments and dancing to two bands.

During the years Msgr. Connelly was pastor, the parish was home to many associate priests at different times and in 2007 Jim Ruoff, a longtime parishioner, was ordained a Deacon and joined the Staff.

Monsignor Connelly and Father Vincent O’Connell were instrumental in organizing the hospital and home bound elderly visiting ministries on the Rockaway Peninsula, and our parish is still active in this mission. The parish library started in 1996, and was housed in St. Edmund’s. The first Parish Show was presented in 1988 and has been a yearly source of entertainment for our parish by our local talent during the last weekend in June.

The community was shaken to its very core on September 11, 2001, when twenty-nine of its members lost their lives at the World Trade Center. Weekend after weekend, memorial Masses were said to standing room only crowds in remembrance of our lost parishioners. The community built a memorial on the bay beach near 217th Street, where Masses are said in tribute to those who lost their lives on that day. It is a common sight to see New York City Fire Department Engines, Trucks and ambulances parked near the memorial, as well as New York City Police department vehicles pulling in to allow their members to visit the memorial. In 2006 an additional memorial was dedicated in Roxbury. A memorial Mass is celebrated at one of these memorials, on a rotating basis, each year on September 11th.

The parish started a Drug Awareness Program in 2002, which sponsors lectures and group discussions for both teens and adults, with the participation of doctors, social workers, recovering addicts, as well as parish personnel.

In 2005, Monsignor Connelly retired as Pastor, but remained in residence as Pastor Emeritus. The Parish, although saddened by the retirement of their beloved Monsignor Connelly, welcomed back Monsignor Michael Curran who served here as a newly ordained priest from 1982 to 1985. In the time he was away from our parish Monsignor Curran studied in Rome, received a Doctor of Sacred Theology Degree, and became a Monsignor in 2003. Monsignor Curran came back as pastor of St. Thomas More - St. Edmund’s and administrator of St. Genevieve’s parish in Roxbury. He was remembered by the parishioners for his sharp wit and warmth, and was immediately embraced by all. Monsignor Curran instituted our first annual Stations of the Cross procession on Good Friday, 2006 and encouraged all the children of the parish to participate. On the Feast of the Assumption, August 15, 2006 we had our first annual evening Mass at the bay beach in front of Kennedy’s restaurant. On the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, October 4, 2006, the parishioners were encouraged to bring their animals to the Plaza in front of St. Thomas More Church for a blessing. In 2006 the Parish added a monthly Teen Mass to its already scheduled monthly Family Mass. Sister Mary Beata is kept busy arranging music liturgy for each of these Masses as well as her other responsibilities as the Director of Music for the Parish. At the behest of Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, Monsignor Curran also encouraged the formation of a Parish Pastoral Council to carry out the Bishop’s directions to revitalize each parish in the Brooklyn Diocese and develop a plan for each parish, with clear goals and objectives. To this end, the Parish Pastoral Council has conducted one-on-one interviews with the parishioners to hear the concerns and needs of the parish members, and has held two Parish Assemblies. Under Monsignor Curran’s guidance the first annual parish fair was held in the Spring of 2006, followed by the first annual doggie costume parade which happened in late summer, 2006. Monsignor Curran can be seen during any given day walking around the streets of the parish keeping abreast of parish activities, in the company of his newest associate, Monsignor D(og).

On November 25, 2007, our beloved Msgr. Michael Connelly died after a short illness. His wake and funeral Mass in St. Thomas More saw an outpouring of love and affection by his family here in the U.S. and those who traveled from Ireland to join us, by our past and present parishioners and by numerous others whose lives Msgr. Connelly touched in so many ways. After his funeral Mass in St. Thomas More Church, his remains were taken home to Ireland to be buried in Kilcooney Cemetery in his hometown in County Galway.

A NEW PARISH IS FORMED
In May, 2008, after two years preparation, St. Thomas More-St. Edmund Parish and St. Genevieve Parish were both closed and merged to form Blessed Trinity Parish. Monsignor Michael Curran was installed as the first pastor on May 18th, 2008 by Bishop Frank Caggiano at a Mass held in St. Thomas More Church. The parish offices, records and main church would all be located at St. Thomas More Church in Rockaway Point.

In June, 2008, Sr. Joseph Amata retired as our Director of Religious Education after twenty-five years of devoted service to our Parish. In September, 2008 Betsy Heinlein agreed to continue this important work for the children of our parish.

Here then we have a brief survey of the past history of our parish. As we all know, the history of any parish cannot be recounted only in a few pages or in a few faded photographs. No, the history of any parish can be seen only in the lives of the clergy, people, and children who lived there. During these years, Blessed Trinity Parish has been blessed with many wonderful parishioners who have contributed greatly to the progress of this parish. There were so many of them, that were we to try to mention them all by name in this history, we would fail miserably. We can be sure that they are all known to God, and after all, that is what really counts.

We pray to the Holy Spirit to help us discern the needs of our parish, to plan for our future, and to give us the courage we need to maintain our efforts to address the present and future of our Church.

Submitted October 28, 2008 by L. Pye
Edited/Updated May 20, 2020