St. Pascal's Proud History

St. Pascal Baylon Parish 1930 - 1980
(From a book commemorating the 50th anniversary of the parish)

St. Pascal's Proud History

St. Pascal Baylon has always been one of the smaller Queens parishes, neatly tucked away on 113th Avenue and 199th Street in Hollis South (as it was then known in 1930). No matter the name, it is situated in the midst of lovely one family homes in a mostly residential neighborhood. Please come along as we open Emily Abarr's time capsule:(Emily retired to Florida. She remembers us lovingly and often.)

Bishop Thomas Molloy assigned Reverend Patrick Kinsella to establish a parish in Hollis, Queens, to be named St. Pascal Baylon after the Spanish saint who was so dedicated to the Holy Eucharist. This assignment was given to Father Kinsella after the Wall Street Crash in October of 1929. It was probably the most inopportune time in the twentieth century to establish a Parish. However, the first Mass was said on August 15, 1930, in the Community Center at 200th Street and 113th Avenue. These are his notes of that first day:

Assumption 8/15/30 7 A.M. Mass - 135 attended 8 A.M. Mass - 105 attended 9 A.M. Mass - 205 attended Collections for the first three Sundays: 8/17/30 - 523.16 8/24/30 - 447.16 8/31/80 - 510.00

These were unbelievable contributions considering that a good income for a family was less than $2,000 per year. A newspaper was 2 cents, a loaf of bread 10 cents, and a bus ride was a nickel.

As you can see, the Community Center with its capacity for 90 chairs was too small from the very first day. Emily just managed to squeeze into the basement and found a seat on the pool table.

There was no alternative. A church had to be built. NOW! WORK! WORK! Emily and ladies like herself, wheeled their babies through the streets selling bricks for $2.00 each. She would wearily push the carriage home with cash for 50 bricks.

Until the Church could become a reality, a tent was erected where our school stands today. It held 500 people. The cost of the tent was $75. Even if there was a threat of rain, everyone carried an umbrella. Many a time Father Kinsella would say Mass under two umbrellas held by altar boys. The canvas leaked in many places, forming puddles at the feet of the worshippers.

Donations were coming in steadily. Rodman and English were contracted to build the brick church building. Ground was broken in early November. Hope arose that Christmas Midnight Mass could be said in the basement of the new church. Snow had fallen December 22, 1930. On December 24th, there was a thaw. Water seeped into the Church through the makeshift tarpaulin roof. Everyone going to Confession that afternoon in the Community House received the same penance - TO MOP UP THE CHURCH BASEMENT. The altar was decorated, and folding chairs were put in place. The first Mass was said in the Church December 25th, 1930. No Christmas Carols were ever so joyful.

Early 1931, two nuns from Brooklyn came out on Saturdays to give religious instructions. They were transported to and from this mission by Mr. Joseph Sauer.

May 30, 1931, Mass was said for the first time in the upper Church in celebration of St. Pascal Baylon's First Holy Communion Class of 15 children. The Reverend Fr. Crawley, the assistant Pastors had prepared the children and orchestrated the exciting event.

Imagine, from start to finish, it took only nine months at the cost of $62,000 to build our Church that stands so regally in 1980. (The same tile floors and the sanctuary paintings lasted 50 years.)

Next - The Early Years
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