Please read this decree concerning the merger of this parish into that of Mary of Nazareth, 41 Adelphi Street, effective January 31, 2011. The name of the parish is Mary of Nazareth, but the name of the church at 41 Adelphi Street is Sacred Heart. It is about a mile west of St. Patrick's.-----
Note the 1843 date on the sign, ten years before the creation of the diocese of Brooklyn. According to John Sharp in "History of the Diocese of Brooklyn," vol. 1, p. 113, Catholics in this neighborhood "on the Newtown Road" (Flushing Avenue) purchased a Methodist church near what is now the intersection of Kent and Willoughby Avenues, and named their church St. Mary's. Bishop Hughes of New York sent them a pastor. About 1849, the parish was renamed St. Patrick's. The church shown below was dedicated by Bishop Loughlin of Brooklyn in 1856, three years after the diocese was created.
At the corner of Willoughby and Kent Avenue stands this church built in 1856 by the famous architect Patrick Charles Keely. My photos date from March, 2005. However, please also see this link
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In August, 2023, Brownstoner predicts that the church will be demolished. Yes, it was demolished by the new owners in January, 2024.
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In the block adjacent to the left side of the church (that is, going downtown on Willoughby Avenue) is the historic property of the convent and orphanage of the Sisters of Mercy. The place is far more than historic; it is was important to many families for more than a century. A New York Times article is linked here.
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In the block adjacent to the left side of the church (that is, going downtown on Willoughby Avenue) is the historic property of the convent and orphanage of the Sisters of Mercy. The place is far more than historic; it is was important to many families for more than a century. A New York Times article is linked here.
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i recently learned that my great grandfather was a sexton here. well, that's what i'm deducing from his naturalization papers. they listed his job as sexton & his 2 witnesses were priests w/ 802 kent ave as their address: anthony de laura & anthony de liberty. i would like to try & find out about his time there. if anyone has any records of a philip (filippo) gullo from the 1920's or early '30's, i would love to hear from you! stephanie morris auntfeffie13@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteThe Italian Catholics built a national church in honor of St Lucy located at 802 Kent Avenue (between Park Avenue & Little Nassau St.) That church structure still exists, but the Catholic community of St Lucy merged with the older Catholic Church of St. Patrick about 1980 because there were few Catholics living in the area.
ReplyDeletePrecisely. The church had been boarded up for YEARS before my father, H. THeo Smith, bought and refurbished the property (church and 2 adjacent buildings). He was a protestant pastor of the People's Church there during the 80s and early 90s.
DeleteMy family and I grew up attending St. Patrick's from 1935 thru 1949. My siblings and I attended their grammar school during this time. The Nuns in 1 thru 4 and the Franciscan Brothers 5 thru 8 (Boys)
ReplyDeleteRichard J. Borelli March 23rd 2017
My family attended St. Patrick's from 1935 thru 1949. My siblings and I also attended their grammar school. Nuns 1 thru 4 and Franciscan Brothers 5 thru 8. Great Memories
ReplyDeleteMy family attended this school. If anyone remembers anyone with the last name Leavey, reach out my dad was Bobby Leavey
ReplyDeleteI remember Harry Leavey, ? not the same person??
DeleteIs there an email address for st Patrick st lucy
ReplyDeleteMy great great Irish grandparents were married there in 1864. I have their Catholic Bible, printed by Irish Bookmakers
ReplyDeleteI attended St. Patrick's School from 1951 to 1959 and lived in a house just 100 yards to the south on Kent Avenue, at 904 Kent. The nuns and the brothers were wonderful teachers, especially one I can never forget -- Brother Iraneus, who was my 8th grade teacher. LI....
ReplyDeleteI graduated From Saint Patrick's church in 1967
ReplyDeleteI grad u 8 ted in 1851, Sal De Paolo
Deletesallybulbs3@outlook.com- ANY ONE ?
DeleteWas there ever a St. Lucy's catholic grammar school?
ReplyDeleteIs this the same Mike who lived on franklin av.
DeleteDoes anyone remember Father Roger's?
ReplyDeleteI remember him about the early 1970's.
I used to live with a foster family who's last name was Bennett
Father Rogers was a great priest. His homilies were superlative and his connection with the neighborhood comunity was genuine. He once led a protest outside the NYC Police 88th precinct to fight for the release of a neighborhood boy who was wrongly arrested by a over zealous cop from Oklamoma who was in NY on an exchange program. I remember this well because I witnessed the arrest and brutal treatment of this innocent kid, at which point I ran to tell Father Roger's what had happened. I lived a couple of blocks away from St.Patrick's on Dekalb and Classon Avenue.
DeleteI grasuated St. Patrick school in 1951, is there any one know me ?
ReplyDelete