St. Francis of Assisi (Diocese of Brooklyn)
| St. Francis of Assisi | |
 | |
| Dedication: | St. Francis of Assisi |
| Type/Classification: | Territorial Parish |
| Non-Parochial: | No |
| Operated By: | Diocesan clergy |
| Venerated Saints: | None specified |
| Diocese: | Diocese of Brooklyn |
| Deanery: | |
| Address: | 21-17 45th St., Astoria, New York 11105 |
| City: | Astoria, NY |
| Subdivision: | New York |
| Country: | United States |
| County: | Queens County |
| Website: | Website |
| Founded: | 1930 |
| School: | No |
| Email: | None specified |
| AI Confidence: | 8/10 |
| Review Level: | 0/5 |
St. Francis of Assisi is a territorial parish of the Diocese of Brooklyn, located in the Astoria section of Queens, New York. Dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi, the thirteenth-century founder of the Franciscan order and one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic Church, the parish serves the Catholic community of Astoria within Queens County.
Founded in 1930, the parish grew out of the need to serve an expanding Catholic population in Astoria that had outgrown existing nearby parishes. It has operated as a diocesan territorial parish since its establishment, and its affiliated school later grew into St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy.
The parish continues to serve Astoria as a center of worship, education, and community life within the Diocese of Brooklyn.
History
The history of St. Francis of Assisi Parish began in October 1930, when Father Joseph Schaeffner obtained permission from the Diocese of Brooklyn to establish a new parish in Astoria to accommodate the area's growing Catholic population.[1] Before a permanent church building was completed, some 500 faithful gathered for Mass at Continental Hall on Steinway Street.[2]
Bishop Thomas E. Molloy dedicated the parish's upper church in 1931, and Father Schaeffner—soon elevated to the rank of monsignor—served as the parish's first pastor.[2] Msgr. Schaeffner led the parish for over three decades before retiring in 1966; he died in 1969, and a chapel in the rear of the church was later dedicated in his memory.[3]
St. Francis of Assisi School opened its doors on February 13, 1951, under Msgr. Schaeffner's pastorate, with Sister Mary Diana serving as principal and a teaching staff drawn from the Sisters of St. Dominic.[4] The school has since continued as St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy, serving the Astoria community.
In October 2015, the parish celebrated its 85th anniversary under the pastorate of Msgr. Ralph Maresca, marking eight and a half decades of Catholic life in Astoria.[2]
Special features
- A parish-affiliated elementary school tradition dating to 1951, continued today as St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy
- A memorial chapel dedicated to Msgr. Joseph Schaeffner, the parish's founding pastor
- Milestone anniversary celebrations, including the parish's 85th anniversary in 2015
Relics
According to established Catholic tradition, the main altar contains deposited relics, as is customary in dedicated Catholic churches. Specific details regarding which saints' relics are enshrined at St. Francis of Assisi are not documented in available sources.
Architecture and Art
Exterior features
The present church building traces to the parish's founding period, with Bishop Thomas E. Molloy dedicating the "upper church" in 1931—language suggesting a combination structure common to urban parishes of that era, in which worship space and parish facilities shared a single building.[2] Further specific architectural documentation of the exterior is not available in accessible sources.
Interior features
The church has long been noted among Queens congregations for its pipe organ, an M.P. Möller instrument (Opus 5985) installed around the time of the church's completion in the early 1930s.[5] Other interior features, including the sanctuary and altar arrangement, are not documented in detail in available sources.
Stained Glass Windows
Specific details on the church's stained glass windows are not publicly documented in available sources.
Statues and Sculptures
Devotional imagery of Saint Francis of Assisi is presumed present given the parish's dedication, though specific statuary is not documented in available sources.
Other Artwork
A memorial chapel honoring Msgr. Joseph Schaeffner, the parish's founding pastor, stands in the rear of the church, though further artistic details of the space are not documented in available sources.[3]
Image gallery
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Media
No media found for this saint.
Related parishes
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Diocese of Brooklyn, Astoria)
- Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament (Diocese of Brooklyn)
- Sacred Heart of Jesus (Diocese of Brooklyn)
- St. Josaphat (Diocese of Brooklyn)
- St. Gregory the Great (Diocese of Brooklyn, Bellerose)
- St. Edmund (Diocese of Brooklyn, Breezy Point)
- St. Virgilius (Diocese of Brooklyn)
- All Saints (Diocese of Brooklyn)
- Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Diocese of Brooklyn)
- Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Diocese of Brooklyn)
External links
Social media
| Official Social Media |
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References
- ↑ "Celebrating St. Francis of Assisi". The Tablet. October 7, 2015. https://thetablet.org/celebrating-st-francis-of-assisi/.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Celebrating St. Francis of Assisi". The Tablet. October 7, 2015. https://thetablet.org/celebrating-st-francis-of-assisi/.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Parish History". St. Francis of Assisi Parish. https://stfrancisofassisiastoria.org/parish-history/.
- ↑ "History". St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy. https://sfaacademy.org/history.
- ↑ "St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church - Astoria (Queens), N.Y.". New York City Chapter, American Guild of Organists. https://www.nycago.org/Organs/Qns/html/StFrancisAssisi.html.