About St. Camillus [St. Camillus-St. Virgilius Parish] · Rockaway Park, New York
St. Camillus-St. Virgilius Parish is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Brooklyn that serves the Rockaway Park and Broad Channel communities on the Rockaway peninsula in Queens, New York. It is the product of a 2007/2008 merger between two historic parishes: St. Camillus, founded in 1908 on Rockaway Beach Boulevard, and St. Virgilius, founded in 1914 on Noel Road in Broad Channel. The combined parish operates two worship sites — the Mother Church of St. Camillus in Rockaway Park and St. Virgilius Church on the island of Broad Channel — and is currently led by Very Rev. James Kuroly as Administrator.
- Established
- 1908
- Patron
- St. Camillus de Lellis (St. Camillus Church site); St. Virgilius (Broad Channel site)
- Rector
- Very Rev. James Kuroly (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Brooklyn
Why belong here
St. Camillus-St. Virgilius is the spiritual home of two distinct but united communities — the Rockaway Park peninsula and the island of Broad Channel — kept together by a single parish family with two worship sites. The parish combines traditional devotions (perpetual adoration of the Eucharist, Miraculous Medal Novena, First Friday/Saturday devotions, Bereavement Group, Bible Study) with vibrant lay ministries, a Faith Formation program for grades 1-8 under the direction of the Sisters, a 200-member CYO Basketball program that has helped renew parish life, and a weekly food pantry that has served the community for decades. Whether you live year-round in the Rockaways or summer on the peninsula, you are welcomed into a parish rooted in over 100 years of Gospel mission on the Rockaway peninsula.
Mass times at St. Camillus [St. Camillus-St. Virgilius Parish]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays: 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm (St. Camillus) — per 2023 bulletin
- By appointment at St. Virgilius — please call the Rectory Office
Adoration times
- First Friday — Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at St. Virgilius at 3:00 pm, followed by Benediction at 5:45 pm
- First Saturday — Adoration & Confession at 11:00 am in St. Camillus Church, followed by Miraculous Medal Novena at 11:50 am and Mass at 12:00 noon
- Communal Anointing of the Sick every First Friday at 12:00 pm in St. Camillus Church
Parish History
St. Camillus parish began in 1904 as an annex of St. Rose of Lima Church on Rockaway Beach Boulevard. The current church was officially opened on May 10, 1908, and dedicated to St. Camillus that September, becoming an independent parish. The rectory followed in 1914, the parish auditorium in 1930, and in 1951 the Sisters of St. Joseph opened St. Camillus School. St. Virgilius was founded in 1914 to serve the island of Broad Channel. The two parishes merged in 2007/2008 into today's St. Camillus-St. Virgilius Parish, keeping both worship sites open at the bishop's direction. After Superstorm Sandy devastated the coast, parishioners worked to reopen St. Virgilius Church so Mass could resume the very next Sunday. In June 2025, declining attendance and $3 million in debt prompted the Diocese of Brooklyn to announce the closure of the St. Camillus site; nine months later, on March 15, 2026, Bishop Robert Brennan announced the church would remain open, with a new administrator taking the helm in June 2026.
- 1904 — St. Camillus started as an annex of St. Rose of Lima
- May 10, 1908 — St. Camillus church structure officially opened; dedicated in September 1908
- 1914 — Rectory added at St. Camillus; St. Virgilius parish founded for Broad Channel
- 1930 — Parish auditorium built
- 1951 — St. Camillus School opened, staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph
- 2007/2008 — St. Camillus and St. Virgilius parishes merged
- 2012 — St. Virgilius Church badly damaged by Superstorm Sandy; reopened within days by parishioners
- 2019 — St. Camillus Catholic Academy closed
- June 2025 — Diocese of Brooklyn announces St. Camillus will close
- March 15, 2026 — Bishop Brennan announces St. Camillus will remain open
Worship Sites
St. Camillus-St. Virgilius Parish operates two worship sites: St. Camillus Church on Rockaway Beach Boulevard in Rockaway Park (the peninsula site) and St. Virgilius Church on Noel Road on the island of Broad Channel. The parish office is located at 16 Noel Road in Broad Channel.
- St. Camillus Church — 99-15 Rockaway Beach Blvd, Rockaway Park, NY 11694
- St. Virgilius Church — 16 Noel Road, Broad Channel, NY 11693
- Parish Office (St. Camillus-St. Virgilius) — 16 Noel Road, Broad Channel, NY 11693
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The Office of Faith Formation (Levels 1-8) is located at 99-15 Rockaway Beach Blvd. and serves the religious-education needs of parish children attending public or non-Catholic private schools. Formation is coordinated by Sr. Maureen Ahlemeyer, PBVM, with Joan Palinkas as office assistant. Students are encouraged to begin formal religion classes in the first grade.
- Office of Faith Formation — 99-15 Rockaway Beach Blvd., Rockaway Park, NY 11694
- Coordinator — Sr. Maureen Ahlemeyer, PBVM ([email protected])
- Office Assistant — Joan Palinkas ([email protected])
- Levels 1-8; first-grade start recommended
Music & Liturgical Ministries
Liturgical life at St. Camillus-St. Virgilius is supported by an organist team and by lay liturgical ministers in the time-honored Catholic tradition.
- Organists: Mrs. Dianne Spellman-James (SCSV), Ms. Ann McDougall (SCSV)
- Altar Servers
- Lectors
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC)
Outreach & Charity
Outreach to those in need is a longstanding part of parish life, most visibly through the Wednesday food pantry and ministry to the homebound and to residents of local nursing homes.
- Food Pantry — Wednesdays 10:00-11:00 am, Cottage at St. Camillus
- Ministry to the Sick — homebound visits by Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Nursing Home Masses & Communion — Ocean Promenade, Beacon, Park, and Park Inn
- Bereavement Group — Wednesdays at 7:00 pm, St. Camillus Convent
- Bible Study — Wednesdays following the 9:00 am Mass
Parish Staff & Leadership
Very Rev. James Kuroly currently serves as Administrator of St. Camillus-St. Virgilius Parish. He was preceded by Fr. James Rodriguez (who announced in March 2026 that he would hand the reins to the new administrator in June 2026 and return full-time to St. Rose of Lima). The 2023 bulletin lists Msgr. Richard J. Ahlemeyer as pastor and Rev. Daniel K. Rajski as parochial vicar at that time. Deacon Michael Pearce serves the parish. Bridget Murphy is Director of Religious Education for both SRL and SCSV.
- Very Rev. James Kuroly — Administrator
- Rev. James Rodriguez — Pastor, St. Rose of Lima (former administrator)
- Deacon Michael Pearce — St. Camillus-St. Virgilius
- Mrs. Mary Kay Flynn — SCSV Administrative Assistant ([email protected])
- Bridget Murphy — Director of Religious Education, SRL & SCSV
- Patricia Hynes Farragher — SCSV Parish Trustee
- Richard Knott — SCSV Parish Trustee
- Mr. Joseph Wiley — Maintenance
Sacraments
Information on how to celebrate the Sacraments of Baptism, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick at St. Camillus-St. Virgilius is published in the parish bulletin and on stcstv.com.
- Baptism — 1:00 pm on 3rd Saturday at St. Virgilius and 4th Saturday at St. Camillus
- Marriage — at least six months' notice; arrange appointment before booking other venues
- Anointing of the Sick — call Rectory before hospital admission; emergencies anytime at 718-634-8229
- Communion to the Sick & Homebound
Parish Life & Community
Beyond worship, the parish is a community hub for the Rockaways. The CYO Basketball program — with roughly 200 young athletes — has been credited with driving the recent rebound in Sunday Mass attendance. Other parish traditions include the annual Irish Festival and ongoing parish celebrations held in Springman Hall.
- CYO Basketball (~200 participants)
- Annual Irish Festival
- Parish celebrations in Springman Hall
- Parish Membership — registration available for Catholics within boundaries (95th–116th Street, Rockaway Park, and Broad Channel) or those outside who make this their parish
Visit & Contact
Parish office hours are Monday-Friday 9:30 am-3:00 pm at 16 Noel Road in Broad Channel; evenings and weekends by appointment. The parish rectory can be reached at 718-634-8229, and live-streamed Mass has historically been available via the parish website (paused during summer months due to air-conditioning interruptions).
- Phone: 718-634-8229
- Fax: 718-634-8193
- Parish Office: 16 Noel Road, Broad Channel, NY 11693
- Office Hours: Mon-Fri 9:30 am-3:00 pm; evenings/weekends by appointment
- Website: https://stcstv.com
- Facebook: St. Camillus-St. Virgilius Roman Catholic Church