In 1865, an Irish Catholic family lived here and one day the mother walked her two sons to St. James Cathedral on Jay Street to have them baptized. She asked to see the Most Rev. John Laughlin, first Bishop of Brooklyn, and begged him to send a priest to Canarsie, where other Catholics like herself were entirely without scriptural guidance. This was when the seed was sown for Holy Family Parish.

One of the commissions given to the Fathers of Mercy by the Bishop was to provide for the spiritual necessities of the people of Canarsie as soon as possible. However they were confronted with many problems from 1871 -1880 attending to others in need. Finally in 1880 they came to celebrate Mass in Canarsie. The new faithful, which consisted of seven Catholic families, gathered in one house or another on Sundays and heard Mass, until some property, with a small building on a lot 50 by 150, at Conklin Avenue and East 93rd Street was purchased costing $1000. Title was taken on March 20, 1880, and city records show the deed as being recorded March 24, 1880. This became the first Holy Family Church of Canarsie. Seven names were proposed for the Church, but after much deliberation Father Delaney named it the Church of Holy Family.

Each family in turn swept out the Church, supplied the coal and wood, made the fire and filled the lamps with oil on Saturdays in preparation for Sunday Masses. After two years, the Church was broken into and the furnishings were defiled and practically destroyed by vandals. Bishop, Rt. Rev. John Loughlin drove to Canarsie in his carriage and spoke to the people encouraging and consoling them for their loss and promised them a bigger and better Church would one day rise from the ruins.

In 1887, Canarsie would be cared for by Father Dullea, Pastor of the Parish of St. Thomas Aquinas of Flatlands. People still remember seeing him cross the fields with a lantern, all hours of the night, to attend to the sick of Canarsie, until sometime later Father James McAleese, Pastor of St. Rose of Lima Church (then Parkville) served Mass and ministered to the people of Canarsie.

On December 8, 1895, Rev. Thomas F. Horan was appointed Pastor of Holy Family by the Rt. Rev. Charles E. Mc Donnell, Bishop of Brooklyn. Father Horan was the first to occupy the old Rectory and lived there for ten years. Barren Island (now a separate Parish) was a part of Holy Family. Father Horan would row across the Bay to celebrate Mass for the people. Once he had to cross on ice. His Eminence Cardinal Mundelein, then auxiliary Bishop of Brooklyn, had to be taken back to Barren Island in a row boat to confirm the children there after he confirmed the children of Canarsie. Father Horan’s first baptism recorded on the Parish register is dated December 15, 1895 and the last record is dated October 29, 1905 at which time he became Pastor of St. Anne’s Parish.

Rev. John Reynolds succeeded Father Horan and recorded his first baptism January 4, 1906. During his rectorship the Church we now call the Old Church was erected. Bishop McDonnell sold the Church and property at East 93 and Conklin Avenue for $2,000 on June 10, 1910. Father Reynolds purchased lot by lot until the entire block became Church property. In 1925 Father Reynolds was succeeded by the Rev. John Vogel who was responsible for the new Rectory. Father John P. Vogel retired in 1926 to take up residence in Rome and in 1937 he celebrated his Golden Jubilee in priesthood of Christ. In 1926, Father Locksley A. Appo was appointed Pastor. There was a noticeable increase in attendance at church at this time, which necessitated building an addition to the Church which brought it to its present size. In 1935 Father Appo moved to a Parish in Westbury and Father Genova succeeded him.

Father Vincent Genova was ordained at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, D.C. on June 12, 1928.  During his Pastorate activities, notable events and improvements took place so rapidly that to enumerate all of them would require a separate journal.  Due to the continued growth of the Parish, the need was apparent for more Church space and a small dwelling was acquired on East 86th Street near Flatlands Avenue and converted into a Chapel for the neighbors beyond Remsen Avenue, which is now Our Lady of Miracles (1938).  Even this did not provide sufficient space in Church for all the parishioners and it became necessary to open the parish Hall for the overflow at various Masses. It was inevitable – a new Church needed to be built.  In January 1941, a drive for $50,000 was started to raise funds for the New Church.  The goal was not only reached, but oversubscribed.  Unfortunately all building materials were diverted to war necessities, which put a temporary halt to the building plans.  Many of our local boys and ladies entered the armed forces, living away from home.  Father Genova realized that a message from him would provide them with the spiritual consolation that they needed.  He created a news bulletin about interesting happenings at home, named “The Family Circle” which was sent far and wide to anyone and everyone who requested it.

As the Parish, progressed, the need for a school was next in order, and at this time the Capuchin Sisters, from Ringwood, N.J., were introduced to Holy Family. On November 1941, Sisters Antoinette and Appollonia arrived in Canarsie.  Father Genova heard about their work and felt they would be a great asset to Holy Family Parish.  It was apparent from the beginning that the sisters had a selfless spirit.  There was no convent in Canarsie so they commuted from St. Blaise Convent in Crown Heights to Canarsie daily.  They handled taking the census, conducting catechetical classes, teaching adult converts, organizing children’s societies, visiting the sick, the poor and caring for the sacristy and the adornment of the Sanctuary.  By Christmas, Father Genova obtained a small house on Rockaway Parkway (site of present Church) for the Sisters.  On the Feast of the Holy Family, January 1942, in a special ceremony, Sr. Antoinette, the Superior, was given the key to the convent establishing it.  After two months in Canarsie they were now in the freshly painted convent and were joined by Sister Bernadette.  Ten years later, the sisters (now doubled in number) were moving into larger quarters.  Their convent was moved (result of excavation for new Church) and joined to a larger house on Conklin Avenue and East 98th Street.

Plans were formulated to build a new Church in October 1949.  A goal was set for $200,000. A call was issued from men volunteers, who responded immediately to visit every Catholic family in Canarsie. These men formed a group known as “300 Men of Canarsie.”With the blessings of the Pastor and Rev. Msgr. Francis P. Connelly they strode forth to accomplish this mission, which was accomplished within a month. The ground breaking for the new Church was April 16, 1950 and blessing of the cornerstone May 6, 1951.

 On September 17, 1951, the new school opened. This was a new beginning for the six Sisters and 342 pupils.  Sister Mary Clare, first principal, was assisted by Sisters Anne Bernard, Gemma, Frances Paul and Paschal.  The following year Miss Jean Pace joined the sisters and became the first lay staff.  In 1965, a new convent was erected to accommodate 20 sisters.  Some Sisters are residing at St. Joseph’s Residence in Ringwood, N.J.

Although a favored beneficiary of a rich heritage, in the sense that no parish building dates back even as far as 1950, nevertheless, like his predecessors in the pastorate of Holy Family, Father Florido has of necessity, and in a relatively brief time, already had a goodly taste of coping with brick and mortar work. For example, when the Scout House burned down a few years ago, Father Florido, exhibiting characteristic energy in coming to grips with problems of any and all kinds, had it replaced with a fine new brick building, one that admirably serves the impor tant utilitarian purpose for which it was erected; namely, to house under one roof the bulk of the equipment required to maintain properly a parochial plant the size of ours. In having the structure built, Father Florido was careful to have the brick material used match as closely as possible the brickwork of all our pre-exisiing buildings —Church, School, Rectory and Convent. In this way, far from being marred. the beauty of the whole was actually enhanced. Then, in 1978, Father Florido and his advisors deemed it wise to refurbish completely our magnificent church, which had been dedicated on Sunday, April 19, 1953, with the late Archbishop Molloy officiating. On that same day, our still new Holy Family School had been blessed by the same presiding prelate. Father Florido chose the time for our church’s cleaning and redecorating because twenty-five years had elapsed, and our temple of worship needed its renovation at the time of its Silver Jubilee of construction.

Moreover, looking ahead to Holy Family’s Centenary in March of 1980, Father Florido was intent on having all the parish buildings, but especially the church, in as perfect condition as possible. At the same time, the necessary work on the church provided a timely opportunity for our pastor to introduce virtually all the important adaptations recommended for all Catholic churches after the Second Vatican Council. Thus the sanctuary area was opened to embrace at Mass and other functions both priest and people. The baptistery was introduced into the sanctuary area, the better to emphasize the social and community aspects of the sacrament of initiation into the Christian life. New rooms of reconciliation with God and Church were provided at minimal expense to meet the requirements for the updated manner of administering the age-old sacrament of Penance. All these worthy innovations were painlessly introduced by our pastor with impeccable taste, yet at minimal expense to our people, who gladly gave more than the modest amount of $25,000, for which Father Florido had asked them by way of small but extraordinary pledges to be fulfilled over a period of months. In responding generously to this comparatively minor appeal for funds, the good people of Holy Family were living up to a proud tradition of nearly a hundred years.

Keenly aware that buildings, no matter how beautiful, are only means to ends, and that a Catholic parish is made up of people who must always be growing in their likeness to Christ, Father Florido has considered it wise in these times to rely heavily for support of every kind on various groups of parishioners and friends of Holy Family. Prominent among these groups are the men of the Holy Name Society; the ladies of the Women’s Guild; the fathers and mothers of the Home-School Association, working closely with the Sisters and lay teachers of Holy Family School; the young men and women who belong to the Holy Family Youth Council, either as advisors or participating members; the Golden Age Club for older parishioners. All of these Holy Family societies combine spiritual, social and fund-raising activities for the common good of the whole parish. Two excellent Bingo committees, one for Monday and Friday nights, respectively, provide evenings of wholesome sociability for Canarsiens of all races, creeds and nationalities, while simultaneously supplying the largest single source of requisite extraordinary parish income. Well organized Altar Boys, fine Choir and Lector personnel, an outstanding Folk Mass group comprised of young men and women under the expert supervision of a highly skilled musician, a faithful and competent corps of Ushers — all these and more contribute to the joy of our parishioners who participate in the sacred liturgy Sunday after Sunday, as well as on the other major days of our God-given religion.

Thus has Holy Family Parish nearly arrived at its centenary. The Centennial Year itself was gloriously inaugurated on Sunday, March 25, 1979, with Bishop Francis J. Mugavero gracing the festive occasion as principal celebrant of a Mass of Thanksgiving. Among those con-celebrating the Eucharist with our Ordinary were Father Florido, pastor of Holy Family, Father Scott, Father Angles, Father DeLaura and Father Danna, who also delivered the homily. Many former associate pastors of our parish, with even more Franciscan Sisters who formerly served in Holy Family School, were on hand to celebrate joyously and gratefully.

What does the future hold in store for our Holy Family Parish? Considering the uncertainty of all the circumstances of life in this world, only God knows surely. But we, who pride ourselves on being living stones in the Church of Christ, with Jesus himself as the cornerstone of our spiritual edifice, feel very confident that almighty God will continue to bless Holy Family and its priests, sisters and lay parishioners, young and old, present and future, if they all but remain loyal to Christ and to each other, as have the majority of their forebears in the history of our dearly beloved Holy Family Parish.