About St. Andrew Avellino · Flushing, New York
St. Andrew Avellino Roman Catholic Church is a historic parish in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens, New York, and is the only Catholic church in the United States named for its 16th-century Italian patron saint. Organized in 1914 by lay Catholics from upper Flushing as an outgrowth of St. Michael's parish downtown, it was established by seven laymen who spent two years petitioning Bishop Charles McDonnell. The present Art Deco church on Northern Boulevard was dedicated in 1940, and the parish now serves roughly 1,500 registered families across many ethnic backgrounds, including English-speaking, Spanish, Korean, Filipino, Polish, Albanian, Italian and Irish parishioners. Today it is staffed by a pastor, a parochial vicar, lay ministry teams, an attached Catholic academy, and a long-running homeless shelter.
- Established
- 1914
- Patron
- St. Andrew Avellino (Theatine priest, 1521–1608)
- Rector
- Rev. Gregory M.V. McIlhenney
- Diocese
- Diocese of Brooklyn
Why belong here
St. Andrew Avellino is one of the most distinctive parishes in the Brooklyn Diocese — the only church in the country named for St. Andrew Avellino, the patron invoked against sudden death, and a National Register landmark. It welcomes families with a parish school, faith formation for all ages, a Spanish-language Mass community, RCIA for adults and a children's R.C.I.C., a winter homeless shelter, Eucharistic ministers to the homebound, and an annual Andrean Players Broadway musical. With daily Mass Monday through Saturday, three Sunday Masses plus a Saturday vigil, Eucharistic adoration on Tuesdays, confession on Saturdays, and roughly 1,500 registered families across many languages and cultures, it is a stable, long-rooted parish where newcomers can register at the rectory and find a ministry to join quickly.
Mass times at St. Andrew Avellino
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00–3:45 p.m.
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Tuesday — Exposition, Adoration and Holy Hour at 4:00 p.m.
Parish History & Heritage
St. Andrew Avellino was organized in 1914 as an outgrowth of St. Michael's parish in downtown Flushing, after seven laymen spent two years petitioning Bishop Charles Edward McDonnell. The first Mass was celebrated June 7, 1914 in a movie theatre; a wooden church followed in 1916. The present Art Deco cathedral on Northern Boulevard was dedicated by Bishop Thomas E. Molloy on December 15, 1940. In 2006 the campus was placed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Broadway–Flushing Historic District. Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio joined parishioners to launch the centennial year in 2014, marking 100 years of continuous Catholic life in Flushing.
- 1914 — parish established; first Mass June 7 in a movie theatre
- 1916 — wooden church dedicated by Bishop McDonnell, seating 567
- 1925 — school and convent opened
- 1940 — current cathedral dedicated by Bishop Thomas Molloy
- 1943 — rectory completed
- 1973 — fire and post-fire renovations
- 1980 — school addition
- 2006 — property listed on the National Register of Historic Places
- 2014 — centennial year launched with Bishop DiMarzio
- 2015 — parish school became St. Andrew Avellino Catholic Academy
Patron Saint: St. Andrew Avellino
The 16th-century Italian Theatine priest St. Andrew Avellino (born Lancelotto Avellino, 1521, in Castronuovo; died November 10, 1608) is venerated as patron of Naples and Sicily and invoked especially against sudden death — and for protection against strokes. He died at the altar of apoplexy while beginning Mass. Bishop McDonnell chose him as the patron of this Flushing parish because priests in the diocese had suffered heart attacks, and the parish remains the only Catholic church in America named in his honor. His feast day is November 10.
- Patron of Naples and Sicily; invoked against sudden death and stroke
- Theatine priest, canon lawyer and preacher; died November 10, 1608
- Beatified 1624 by Urban VIII; canonized 1712 by Clement XI
- Buried in the Church of San Paolo Maggiore in Naples
- Feast day: November 10
Architecture & Historic Campus
The 1940 cathedral is widely recognized as a fine regional example of American Art Deco (with neo-Romanesque echoes), built of reinforced concrete, limestone and tapestry brick, finished with interior murals and an icon bell tower. The whole 35-60 158th Street campus — 1925 school and convent, 1980 school addition, 1940 church, 1943 rectory — was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006 as part of the Broadway–Flushing Historic District.
- Art Deco / neo-Romanesque cathedral, dedicated December 15, 1940
- Reinforced concrete, limestone, tapestry brick, interior murals
- 1980 school addition; 1943 rectory; 1925 original school and convent
- Belfry bells restored in the new millennium
- Saints' Chapel and Mary Garden added during capital-campaign renovations
Music & Liturgy
Worship is supported by a parish choir, liturgical lectors and a guild of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. The cathedral holds a three-manual, 46-rank Casavant Frères pipe organ (Opus 1659, 1940) electro-pneumatic, originally built in St. Hyacinthe, Québec, alongside an older two-manual M.P. Möller instrument (Opus 2136, 1916) kept on site.
- Casavant Frères Opus 1659 (1940) — 3 manuals, 43 stops, 46 ranks
- M.P. Möller Opus 2136 (1916) — 2 manuals, 20 stops
- Parish Choir ministry
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (weekday and Sunday Masses)
Clergy, Staff & Councils
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Gregory M.V. McIlhenney and Parochial Vicar Rev. Romel Peñafiel (coordinator of Altar Servers and the Spanish Mass Committee). Day-to-day operations are supported by a director of finance and operations, the pastor's secretary/parish receptionist, an academy administrative assistant, and a consultative Parish Pastoral Council and Parish Finance Committee, plus parish Trustees who sit on both councils.
- Rev. Gregory M.V. McIlhenney — Pastor ([email protected])
- Rev. Romel Peñafiel — Parochial Vicar (718-359-0417)
- Mrs. Debora A. Hanna — Academy Principal ([email protected])
- Mr. Joseph V. Dorsa — Director of Finance and Operations ([email protected])
- Mrs. Maureen Powers — Pastor's Secretary and Parish Receptionist
- Mrs. Mary Ann Dorsa — Academy Administrative Assistant
- Parish Pastoral Council (quarterly)
- Parish Finance Committee (7–10 members)
- Parish Trustees
Parish Life & Ministries
Parishioners can serve or train to serve as altar servers (grades 4–high school), lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, ushers, choir members or members of the Faith Formation Team. There are also social, athletic and cultural ministries — the Andrean Players put on a Broadway musical every spring, the Athletic Association (CYO) fields baseball, basketball, soccer, softball, track and volleyball teams, and the Spanish Mass Committee prepares the parish's Spanish-language liturgy.
- Altar Servers, Lectors, Ushers, Choir
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (also homebound visits)
- Andrean Players — Broadway musical each spring
- Athletic Association (CYO) — baseball, basketball, soccer, softball, track, volleyball
- Spanish Mass Committee (Rev. Romel Peñafiel)
- Faith Formation Team, Family Eucharistic Liturgy, Worship Committee
- Greeting Cards Ministry, Counters
Faith Formation, RCIA & RCIC
Ongoing religious education is offered to every age group, with workshops and communal celebrations of the sacraments organized by the Faith Formation Team. Adults interested in Catholicism meet the RCIA team on Wednesday evenings and 'break open the Word' on Sunday mornings; there is also a special RCIC track for children 7 and older. New team members and parish sponsors are invited to join.
- RCIA for adults — Wed evenings + Sun morning 'Break Open the Word'
- RCIC for children 7 and older
- Faith Formation Team
- Sacramental workshops and family-oriented liturgical celebrations
Outreach: Shelter for the Homeless
From December through March, the parish runs a winter homeless shelter Monday through Friday, offering ten men a safe place to sleep from 8:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. along with a hot meal. Volunteers serve one of two shifts; food shoppers and cooks are needed throughout the season.
- Dec–Mar, Mon–Fri, 8:00 p.m.–7:00 a.m.
- 10 men per night with a hot meal
- Two volunteer shifts, food shoppers and cooks needed
Pastoral Care & Bereavement
Pastoral Care volunteers visit and pray with parishioners who are sick, homebound, or in nursing homes, and Eucharistic Ministers are available to bring Holy Communion weekly or monthly to those who cannot come to Mass. The parish also maintains an active Bereavement Ministry for families who have lost a loved one.
- Ministry to the homebound and elderly
- Holy Communion visits to homebound and nursing-home parishioners
- Bereavement Ministry
St. Andrew Avellino Catholic Academy
The parish's K-8 school became St. Andrew Avellino Catholic Academy on September 1, 2015 under the Diocese of Brooklyn's 'Preserving the Vision' initiative, joining a two-tier governance model with a Board of Members (clergy, safeguarding Catholic identity) and a Board of Trustees (lay leadership). Principal Mrs. Debora A. Hanna leads a faculty dedicated to academic rigor and Gospel values in a personal, supportive environment. The academy campus sits at 35-50 158th Street and can be reached at (718) 359-7887.
- Academy Principal: Mrs. Debora A. Hanna
- Academy phone: (718) 359-7887
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 35-50 158th St, Flushing, NY 11358
- Board of Members: Deacon Kevin McCormack (Superintendent, Catholic School Support Services); Rev. Gregory M.V. McIlhenney (Pastor)
- Board of Trustees: Christina Hanophy Ryan (Chair), Maria DeInnocentiis (Co-Chair), Raul Perez (Treasurer), Pamela DiLello (Health and Safety), Lynn Scott (Marketing/Comms/Social Media), Maureen Robertson
Home & Academy Association
Parents of academy students plan activities and assist with school fundraising through the Home Academy Association, which meets regularly from September through June.
- Parents' group for the Catholic Academy
- Sept–June meeting cycle
- Fundraising and community events
Sacraments at the Parish
Beyond the Eucharist, the parish prepares parishioners for Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick and Catholic funerals. Sponsor certificates for Baptism or Confirmation require a signed letter from the pastor; marriages celebrated in another parish or church may also require a letter. Registered membership is a prerequisite so the pastor can verify active practice of the faith and sign canonical forms.
- Anointing of the Sick — request through the rectory
- Baptism — registration and sponsor certificates available
- Confirmation — sponsor certificates available
- Marriage — preparation and inter-parish sponsor letters
- Funerals — priest lines and Catholic-cemetery support for registered parishioners
Parish Registration
St. Andrew Avellino welcomes new families: registration forms are available at the rectory, in the bulletin, via the parish website, or can be mailed/dropped in the collection basket. Being registered lets the parish count parishioners for sacramental sponsorship, mailings of events and announcements, weekly stewardship envelopes, and helps the pastor verify active practice when signing canonical forms.
- Register at the rectory, by mail, or via the website form
- Receive weekly envelopes and parish mailings
- Required for sponsor certificates and inter-parish pastoral letters
Contact, Location & Visiting
St. Andrew Avellino is located at 35-60 158th Street, Flushing, NY 11358, on Northern Boulevard between 157th and 158th Streets — phone 718-359-0417, fax 718-539-2830. The parish office is open Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; on weekends the rectory is open by appointment only. The 7 train to Flushing–Main Street is the closest subway, and numerous MTA buses run along Northern Boulevard and Main Street.
- Address: 35-60 158th Street, Flushing, NY 11358
- Phone: 718-359-0417
- Fax: 718-539-2830
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
- Weekend office: by appointment
- Diocese: Diocese of Brooklyn
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Edward McGoldrickfounding pastor (circa 1914)
founding pastor whose name is memorialized in the nearby McGoldrick Library on Northern Boulevard
- Rev. Joseph Holcombaround 2014 centennial
pastor at the 100th anniversary, quoted in diocesan and Queens press coverage