About Most Precious Blood [Most Precious Blood-Sts. Simon & Jude Parish] · Brooklyn, New York
The Parish of Most Precious Blood and Saints Simon & Jude is a multicultural, Eucharistic Roman Catholic community in southern Brooklyn, formed in June 2019 when Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio merged two historic neighborhood parishes — Most Precious Blood in Bath Beach and Sts. Simon & Jude in Gravesend — under one pastor, with both worship sites retained. Today the combined parish worships in English, Italian, Spanish, Cantonese, and Malayalam, runs a robust Faith Formation program for over 150 children, sponsors the nearby Our Lady of Grace Catholic Academy, and serves the Gravesend/Bath Beach/Coney Island neighborhoods of Brooklyn under the Diocese of Brooklyn.
- Established
- 1897 (Sts. Simon & Jude) / 1927 (Most Precious Blood) — merged parish formed 2019
- Patron
- Most Precious Blood (and Ss. Simon & Jude)
- Rector
- Rev. Edwin A. Ortiz
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn
Why belong here
Most Precious Blood - Sts. Simon & Jude welcomes Catholics of every background into a parish where five languages are spoken at the altar and every national community keeps its own Mass, devotions, and ministries. Between the two church sites you can worship in English, Italian, Spanish, Cantonese, or Malayalam, join a vibrant Latino or Italian apostolate, bring children to Faith Formation on Sundays, or send them to the parish-sponsored Our Lady of Grace Catholic Academy. With active groups like the Legion of Mary, Knights of Columbus, Rosarians, Hospitality, Bible Study, Teens, and the Happy Go Lucky Seniors Club, newcomers find it easy to plug in, serve, and be served.
Mass times at Most Precious Blood [Most Precious Blood-Sts. Simon & Jude Parish]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00-3:30pm at Most Precious Blood Church
- Saturday 3:00-3:30pm at Sts. Simon & Jude Church
Adoration times
- Most Precious Blood: Holy Hour Monday-Friday 9:00am, Saturday 8:30am, First Friday 8:00pm (Spanish)
- Sts. Simon & Jude: Holy Hour Saturday 8:00am
Parish History
The merged parish is the product of two distinct Catholic histories on the southern Brooklyn waterfront. Most Precious Blood was founded in 1927 by Bishop Thomas Molloy as an Italian national parish for the immigrant community of Bath Beach; the present church building at 70 Bay 47th Street has a cornerstone dated 1975. Sts. Simon & Jude was founded in Gravesend on Christmas Day 1897, celebrated its first Mass in a barbershop at 321 Avenue T, and built its first church in 1898-99 at Van Sicklen Street and Avenue T. The current modern Sts. Simon & Jude church was built in 1966 and dedicated in 1967. In June 2019 Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio merged the two parishes into one; both churches remain open as worship sites under a single pastor.
- Most Precious Blood founded 1927 (Bishop Thomas Molloy)
- Sts. Simon & Jude founded Christmas Day 1897
- First SSJ sanctuary consecrated 1899
- Current SSJ church built 1966, dedicated 1967
- Current MPB church building has 1975 cornerstone
- MPB school closed by Bishop DiMarzio in 2009
- Parishes merged June 2019
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish's Faith Formation program brings over 150 young people in grades 1-8 into the riches of the Catholic Faith every Sunday from September through May. Classes are held simultaneously with Sunday Mass at each campus so families can attend Mass together.
- Most Precious Blood sessions: 10:30am-12:00pm
- Sts. Simon & Jude sessions: 9:30-11:00am
- Director of Faith Formation: Mrs. Judina (Dina) Wilson, 718-372-0733
- Email: [email protected]
RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
Adults seeking Baptism, First Communion, or full initiation into the Catholic Church are invited to contact Dina Wilson at (718) 372-8022 to enroll in RCIA.
Ethnic & Language Ministries
Reflecting Brooklyn's southern waterfront demographics, the parish sustains vibrant Italian, Spanish, Chinese (Cantonese), and Malayalam apostolates, each with its own Mass and devotional life.
- Italian Ministry — bilingual Mass Sunday 8:30am at SSJ; Italian Rosary Sunday 8:00am
- Spanish Ministry — Sunday Masses at both campuses plus Monday-evening gatherings (7:00pm) and Tuesday 7:30pm Spanish Mass
- Chinese (Cantonese) Ministry — Sunday 1:30pm Mass at SSJ
- Malayalam Community — Sunday 3:30pm Mass at SSJ
Parish Organizations & Groups
From service to fellowship, the parish hosts an unusually broad roster of groups. Members can pray together in the Legion of Mary or Rosarians, serve at the altar as Monaguillos/Altar Servers, hand out song sheets as Lectors or Eucharistic Ministers, or build community through the Happy Go Lucky Seniors Club, Hospitality team, and Knights of Columbus.
- Knights of Columbus
- Legion of Mary (Thursday 9:30am, SSJ)
- Junior Legion of Mary (Saturdays at noon, SSJ Church Hall)
- Rosarians
- Hospitality Ministry
- Monaguillos / Altar Servers
- Ministerio de La Palabra (Lectores)
- Ministros Extraordinarios de La Sagrada Comunión
- Sts. Simon & Jude Ministerio de Ujieres
- Praise and Worship, Folk Group, Grupo Cultural, Circulo, Music Ministry
Youth & Family
The Jornada Team leads the parish's Youth Ministry, working alongside Faith Formation and the parish school to form young Catholics in the heart of the community.
- Jornada Team (Youth Ministry)
- Teens group
- Family-oriented Sunday Faith Formation schedule
Our Lady of Grace Catholic Academy
Most Precious Blood - Sts. Simon & Jude is one of the aligned parishes of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Academy, a state-accredited Catholic school serving Nursery through 8th grade with daily religious instruction. The academy serves families from Gravesend, Bath Beach, Coney Island, Brighton Beach, Seagate, Manhattan Beach, and Homestead.
- Address: 385 Avenue W, Brooklyn, NY 11223
- Phone: 718-375-2081
- Website: olgbk.org
- Aligned parishes include MPB, SSJ, Our Lady of Grace, and Our Lady of Solace
- Principal: Mrs. Kelly Wolf
Devotions & Communal Prayer
The two churches share a rich devotional calendar anchored by daily Holy Hours, weekly novenas, and monthly community suppers.
- Holy Hour (MPB): Mon-Fri 9:00am, Sat 8:30am, 1st Fri 8:00pm (Spanish)
- Holy Hour (SSJ): Sat 8:00am
- Miraculous Medal Novena: Tuesday 9:00am (both churches)
- Divine Mercy Chaplet: Monday 9:00am (SSJ)
- St. Jude Novena: Friday 9:00am (SSJ)
- Italian Rosary: Sunday 8:00am (SSJ)
- Lord's Day Supper: First Tuesday 6:00-8:30pm (MPB)
Parish Staff & Offices
The parish is served by a pastor, two parochial vicars, and a priest in residence, along with a team of lay staff, music ministers, and maintenance personnel who keep both campuses running.
- Rev. Edwin A. Ortiz, Pastor
- Rev. Ronald M. D'Antonio, In Residence
- Rev. Jean Odny Pierre, Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Yongqiang Xu, Parochial Vicar
- Mrs. Judina Wilson, Director of Faith Formation
- Music Ministers: Antoinette Arena, Refugio Rodriguez, Kathie Bistreich
- Secretaries: Catherine Salazar / Eleanor Vitucci (MPB); Teodora Aquino (SSJ); Maria Rivera (both)
- Nelly Ladd-Yepez, Faith Formation Secretary
- Maintenance: Daniel F. Montes, Eraldi Leka
- Kelly Wolf, Principal of Our Lady of Grace Academy
Visit & Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish by phone, by email, via the website, or in person at either church office.
- Most Precious Blood Office: 70 Bay 47th St., Brooklyn NY 11214 — Mon-Thursday 9:30am-1:00pm — (718) 372-8022 — Fax (718) 996-6575
- Sts. Simon & Jude Office: 185 Van Sicklen St., Brooklyn NY 11223 — Mon-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm — (718) 375-9600 — Fax (718) 375-6642
- Live streams available at mpb-ssj.org for both churches
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. John Maduri
Pastor of Most Precious Blood at the time of the 2019 merger into Most Precious Blood - Sts. Simon & Jude