Brooklyn mergers, September, 2019, no closures

The Tablet website includes the appointment of pastors of newly-merged parishes. 
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In Bensonhurst, St. Athanasius, 61st Street, and St. Dominic, 75th Street, are merged, with  the new pastor Msgr. David Cassato. The churches are a mile apart.
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Holy Family, on Flatlands Avenue, Canarsie, is merged with St. Laurence, 1.25 mile further east on Flatlands Avenue, East New York. The pastor is Fr. Edward Kane.
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All Saints, Williamsburg, is merged with Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompei, a mile to the northeast. The pastor of All Saints, Fr. Vincenzo Cardilicchia, becomes pastor of the merged parish. He remains in ministry with the Neo-Catechumenal Way.
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In Cypress Hills, Fr. Luis Laverde, pastor of Blessed Sacrament is now pastor of the merged parish of Blessed Sacrament and St. Sylvester. The two churches are less than a mile distant.
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In Bath Beach, Fr. John Maduri, pastor of Most Precious Blood is now pastor of the merged parish of Most Precious Blood and Saints Simon and Jude, a mile northeast.
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As no churches are closed and the new merged parish often resembles what existed previously (regarding priestly staffing), maybe this news is rather minor. Instead of finding sixteen qualified pastors, the bishop now needs eight. Instead of sixteen accounts, there will be eight.

John J. O'Malley, architect

In my visits to Brooklyn parishes, I have seldom encountered a sign or plaque giving the name of the architect who designed the church.  Fortunately, the Tablet has now run an article about the prolific architect John J. O'Malley, 1915-1970.  Please see the article HERE.  The occasion was his 100th birthday, with Mr. O'Malley's descendants visiting Cathedral College in Douglaston, which he designed.
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Much of Mr. O'Malley's work is evident in circular churches and chapels in Queens.  A Wikipedia article lists his extensive accomplishments, including apparently some renovations or extensions. It appears that his brand-new churches (contrasted with renovations) date from 1950 until his death in 1970.  Archbishop Molloy died in 1956, Bishop McEntegart retired in 1968, and Bishop Mugavero replaced him.  
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Many thanks to The Tablet and the O'Malley family for publicizing his life and work!
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According to the Wikipedia article, he designed the following churches in the borough of Brooklyn:
St. Sylvester, Grant Avenue, City Line, obviously built in the O'Malley era.
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St. Athanasius, Bay Parkway, 1963.  Note the unobstructed view of the altar and the bright, colorful interior and windows.
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St. Gabriel,  Linwood St. and New Lots Ave., obviously built in the O'Malley era.  The parish cluster is now called Mary, Mother of the Church.  This interior photo shows his style, with unobstructed view.  The parish has a Saturday vigil Mass and three Masses on Sunday.
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St. Mary Mother of Jesus, 1968, replacing a church destroyed by fire. A Tablet article dated 6.13.14 describes the fire and the beautiful new church, circular and wheelchair-accessible.
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St. Finbar, Bath Beach, but the church was built before 1912.  Mr. O'Malley may have designed the former school across the street.
--- Sts. Simon and Jude, listed as Bayside (Queens), but I think Gravesend (Brooklyn). There is a resemblance to the Douglaston seminary frontage.
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And other parish buildings:
St. Nicholas High School, Catherine St., Williamsburg, now renovated and in use by Queen of the Rosary Catholic Academy.
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St. Vincent Ferrer elementary school, Flatbush, now used for other purposes.
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St. Bernard parish school, near Bergen Beach.  This page names John O'Malley's firm as architect of the school, which opened in 1963 and continues in 2015 as a Catholic academy. Across the street is a circular church, but the parish history does not give a date.  It may have been built after Mr. O'Malley's sudden death in 1970.

Two more Catholic academies in Brooklyn

Please see Msgr. Harrington's announcement dated March 1, 2011, linked here.  It describes the creation of one Catholic academy in Queens and two in Brooklyn.  In Brooklyn, Salve Regina Catholic Academy (that is, elementary school) will be formed from the merger of three schools: St. Michael, St. Rita, and St. Sylvester. Salve Regina will use the St. Michael building at Jerome Street and Liberty Avenue, East New York.

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The East Flatbush merger concerns St. Catherine of Genoa school moving to St. Therese of Lisieux parish on Avenue D near Troy Avenue.  The combined elementary school will be named St. Catherine of Genoa - St. Therese of Lisieux Catholic Academy. 

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The announcement from Msgr. Harrington does not provide current enrollment numbers for the Brooklyn mergers.

St. Sylvester, City Line

The address of the church of Saint Sylvester is 416 Grant Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11208, telephone 718-647-1995.  It seems that since 2013, the pastor of St. Fortunata parish has administered St. Sylvester's. Each parish has a new website produced by the diocese: St. Sylvester and St. Fortunata. The churches are a mile apart.

The church property, fenced and with well-maintained landscaping, extends along the north side of McKinley Avenue, City Line, from Eldert Lane to Grant Avenue. Here is the main entrance on McKinley Avenue. Ahead is Grant Avenue with the rectory across the street.
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The neighborhood term, City Line, dates from the era when Brooklyn was a city, not a mere borough. If Brooklyn were a city today, it would rank as #4 in population of U. S. cities!

The former school is on the west side of the street, at 396 Grant Avenue. The school was merged into Salve Regina Catholic Academy, a mile to the west.

Above is the parish rectory at 416 Grant Avenue, facing the church.