History

A Brief History of St. Frances de Chantal Parish

Humble Beginnings

St. Frances de Chantal parish, which celebrates in 2002 its 75th anniversary of serving God’s people in the Throggs Neck community, had its humble beginnings in a tent erected at Meagher and Lawton Avenues where the first Mass was celebrated in July, 1922. At that time Throggs Neck was a part of Holy Family parish. In 1926 this little chapel was placed under the care of Father William Jordan who was entrusted with the task of founding a new parish and replacing the tent with a church. Our parish was formally established by Patrick Cardinal Hayes in 1927.

Father Jordan directed the building of the new church despite the hardships and difficulties which came as a result of the stock market crash in 1929 and the ensuing Depression. St. Frances de Chantal Church was completed and the first Mass offered in 1930. The parish school opened its doors for the first time in September of that same year. There were 150 students in grades one through four under the guidance of the Sisters of the Divine Compassion. Sr. Mary Bernard was the founding principal.

During Father Jordan’s 29 years as pastor the parish grew not only in size but in the variety of ways in which the needs of parishioners were cared for. One of the proudest moments in now Msgr. Jordan’s pastorate was when Francis Cardinal Spellman came to dedicate the new convent on October 9, 1953. It was around this time that Monsignor’s health began to fail and his death on May 7, 1955 was indeed a very sad day for the parish.

Our Parish Grows

The second pastor of St. Frances de Chantal was Father John T. Halpin who came to the parish at a time of rapid growth and expansion. He began plans to build an addition to the school and started to buy up land on which to build a new and larger church. A new wing to the school containing 16 classrooms and an expanded convent were dedicated by Cardinal Spellman in 1957.

The major task faced by Msgr. Halpin was the construction of our present church, necessitated by the ever growing population of the parish and his desire to respond to the liturgical changes that came from the Second Vatican Council. Construction began in April, 1969 and was completed in September, 1970. This magnificent structure was free of debt, a wonderful tribute to the faith and the generosity of the parishioners of St. Frances. His Eminence Terence Cardinal Cooke celebrated the Mass of Dedication on October 25, 1970; the homilist was Bishop Patrick Ahern. This was a truly great day not only for the parish but the entire community.

When Msgr. Halpin began to experience some health problems in his later years, Cardinal Cooke sent Msgr. Joseph Devlin to the parish in 1972 as administrator. Msgr. Devlin became the third pastor of St. Frances in 1973 until his retirement in 1986 and lived at St. Frances as pastor emeritus until 2001, the year in which he celebrated his 90th birthday and 65th anniversary as a priest. During the Devlin years the parish celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 1977. Msgr. Halpin died on October 17, 1986.

The fourth pastor of our parish was Monsignor Daniel J. Keehan who was appointed in 1986 and served at St. Frances for 10 years at which time he was named pastor of Holy Family Church on Staten Island. It was during Msgr. Keenan’s tenure that a new congregation of religious women founded in 1991 by Cardinal O’Connor, the Sisters of Life, took up residence in our parish convent. Our parish school celebrated its 60th anniversary in 1990.

The current pastor, Msgr. Leslie J. Ivers, was appointed in November, 1996 by John Cardinal O’Connor. Prior to becoming the fifth pastor of St. Frances, Msgr. Ivers served on Cardinal O’Connor’s staff as a Vice Chancellor of the Archdiocese of New York.

We Welcome the Future

St. Frances de Chantal Parish continues to minister to the Catholic community of Throggs Neck. We currently have approximately 2,500 families registered as parishioners. On a given weekend almost 2,300 people attend Mass which is celebrated in three languages (English, Spanish and Italian). Our parish school has an enrollment of 800 students in grades pre-K through eight and about 250 children are enrolled in our Religious Education Program. Our Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) program has brought many adults into the Church. A host of parish programs and societies serve the needs of parishioners from children to senior citizens.

Our parish has grown over the last 75 years - from a tent chapel to a magnificent church, one of the first built in the Archdiocese reflecting the Second Vatican Council. The needs and challenges of our parish have changed, as have the people we are called to serve. We enter the 21st century filled with hope as we continue to be a sign of Christ’s presence here in Throggs Neck. We build upon the past as we seek to provide for the future.