Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Our Lady of Solace, Coney Island

(Please click on the green word "comments" below for some memories.)
In the above photo at sundown, Mermaid Avenue runs from left to right in the foreground. Our Lady of Solace church is on the northwest corner of Mermaid Avenue and West 17th Street.

The mailing address for Our Lady of Solace parish is 2866 West 17th Street, Brooklyn NY 11224, telephone 718-266-1612. This parish, founded in 1900, is the sole Catholic parish on the peninsula called Coney Island. By good fortune, the location has become central to transportation. West 17th Street is a continuation of Cropsey Avenue, with its exits from the Belt Parkway. Two blocks east is the Stillwell Avenue terminal of four subway routes (B. D. F. N) and and a maze of bus routes. One block south of the church is Keyspan Park, a resplendent minor league stadium. A further block south is the boardwalk and beach.
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The parish's excellent, well-developed website is linked here. Note especially the history page.  At present, three Vocationist Fathers, S.D.V., serve the parish.
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The former parish elementary school on West 19th Street is now rented or sold to the Board of Education as a high school for transfer students, Liberation Diploma Plus. For many years before the parish school closed, the Dominican Sisters taught there.
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The numbered streets of Brooklyn do not resemble those of Manhattan, where east and west designate ends of the same street. In Brooklyn, the prefix is important. All the numbered streets prefixed "West" are in Coney Island. "East" numbered streets are in East Flatbush. "Bay" numbered streets are in Bensonhurst and Bath Beach. "Beach" numbered streets are in Rockaway, Queens.

16 comments:

  1. I went to school there from 1977 - 1981
    I remember sister Rose and MRs Paladino
    Father Gillespi

    i also remember Emilio, George, Andre Bennet( rest in peace), Missy Bennet, Anissa Dorsey, Shante Mauberry ( always wonderd if she was related to Stephan), Lisa Lions, William Lions (Tubby) Vernel Bennet, Monique Sommers, I moved in 1981 out of the "hood" to Barbados, wondered if anyone else is still arround
    email me mwilson@sunbeach.net

    hope to hear from someone

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  2. Is this church open to the public every Sunday or did it close down? I live in Nanticoke Pennsylvania and would like to visit the church.

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    1. Please note the January, 2019, Mass schedule at https://www.olsbrooklyn.com/information.html.
      Yes, the church is open for services. If you are concerned about locked hours, please phone the rectory.

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  3. I went to school there from 1953 to 1958. I have many good memories of going there. Father O’Mara was pastor then.

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    Replies
    1. I want to school there from 1953-56, 3B - 7A. My favorite teacher was Sister Ethel Rita.

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  4. Wow! I have many good memories going to school there too. I graduated there in the class of June 1957. My name is Noel Foerst. I am thinking,
    there aren't many of us around now. My classmates, if still alive would be in their seventies (70).

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    Replies
    1. Please contact old student (1954-1957) at nfoerst@att.net
      Thank you!

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    2. Please contact me at nfoerst@att.net to get in touch with any
      old students at Our Lady of Solace Catholic School/Coney Island.
      Thank you!

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    3. Contact me at nfoerst@att.net for any students who were there from 1953-1957. thanks!

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    4. Publisher,
      Can you please list my e-mail address (nfoerst@att.net)so some of my old classmates can get in touch with me. Our Lady of Solace catholic school in Coney Island graduation class of 1957.

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    5. I remember you. My maiden name is Jablonski. I left OLS in June 1956 in the middle of 7th grade.

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    6. My name is David Leo and I went to OLS from 1955-1958. Have not kept in touch with anyone since then, sadly. I don't remember Noel Foerst, but I remember Loretta Jablonski (she was in the grade above me) but I never actually met her. I will send an email to Noel Foerst at the address posted here, just to see where it goes. I think this website is using my gmail address. I don't actually use that so I will send it from my usual email. As I have never been here before, I hope this works .... anyway, Hello .

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  5. BY THE WAY, ARE THERE ANY CLASSMATES FROM THE CLASS OF 1957 at OUR LADY OF SOLACE IN CONEY ISLAND? PLEASE, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME TO TALK ABOUT OLD TIMES AT OUR BELOVED SCHOOL

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  6. Please contact me if you attended Our Lady of Solace Catholic School in Coney Island at nfoerst@att.net. Thank you!

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