About St. Fidelis · College Point, New York
St. Fidelis is a Roman Catholic parish in College Point, Queens, New York, in the Diocese of Brooklyn. Founded in 1856 as a German-American parish serving Austrian and German immigrant families in what was then called Strattenport, it is one of the oldest parishes in northern Queens. Today St. Fidelis offers Mass in English and Spanish, maintains a food pantry and a monthly Street Outreach program, and serves roughly 3,000 parishioners. The parish church sits at 123-06 14th Avenue, across from a public school building that once housed St. Fidelis School until its closure in 2013.
- Established
- 1856
- Patron
- St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen (Capuchin priest and martyr)
- Rector
- Rev. Msgr. Denis Herron
- Diocese
- Diocese of Brooklyn
Why belong here
St. Fidelis is a long-established bilingual parish with deep roots in College Point — it has been worshipping, teaching, and serving the neighborhood continuously since 1856. Its current life is shaped by a small, committed staff and many lay ministers who run an active Food Pantry, a monthly Street Outreach on the corner of 14th Avenue and College Point Boulevard, OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), and the usual liturgical ministries (altar servers, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, music/choir). With Mass in both English and Spanish, weekly Confession on Saturdays, Friday Adoration, and a welcoming rectory, it is a place where new arrivals and longtime College Point families alike can find a spiritual home.
Mass times at St. Fidelis
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays: 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM (in Church)
Adoration times
- Fridays 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM (except July and August)
Welcome & Schedule at a Glance
The parish's homepage and Welcome page offer the essentials for anyone visiting St. Fidelis for the first time: who they are, where they are, and when to show up. Mass is offered daily, with Vigil Mass on Saturday evening, three Sunday Masses including one in Spanish, and 8:30 AM weekday Masses Monday through Saturday. Confessions are heard every Saturday afternoon, and Eucharistic Adoration is held Friday afternoons for most of the year.
- Weekend Mass: Saturday Vigil 5:00 PM; Sunday 8:30 AM, 10:00 AM (Spanish), 12:00 PM
- Weekday Mass: Monday–Saturday 8:30 AM
- Confessions: Saturdays 4:00–4:45 PM in Church
- Adoration: Fridays 4:00–7:00 PM (except July and August)
- Rectory office hours: Mon–Fri 9 AM–7:30 PM; Sat 11 AM–3 PM; closed Sunday
Parish History
St. Fidelis was founded in 1856 by Reverend Joseph Huber, an Austrian priest from Alberschwende in the Tyrol, who was sent by the Bishop of Brooklyn to serve the German-speaking Catholics of Strattenport, later renamed College Point. The first Mass was celebrated in the home of Anton Kutger on Seventh Street, and a small frame church was soon erected on Fifteenth Street (today's 124th Street between 14th and 15th Avenues). Father Huber led the parish for 33 years until his death in 1889, when the entire town mourned. His successor, Father (later Monsignor) Ambrose Schumack, shepherded the parish through World War I, Prohibition, and the 1920s, and oversaw the construction of the present larger church, dedicated October 6, 1895. The full early history of the parish is documented in James E. Haas's 2006 book 'St. Fidelis Parish in College Point, NY: The First Seventy-Five Years 1856–1931.'
- 1856 — Parish founded; cornerstone of first frame church laid September 1856; first Mass celebrated two months later
- 1856–1889 — Reverend Joseph Huber serves as founding pastor
- 1889–1930 — Monsignor Ambrose Schumack, V.F., second pastor; cornerstone of present church laid 1894, dedicated October 6, 1895
- 1931–1944 — Monsignor Francis X. Wunsch, V.F.
- 1944–1953 — Reverend Ignatius Endres
- 1953– — Reverend William J. Osborne
- Later pastors include Rev. Arthur Minicello and current pastor Rev. Msgr. Denis Herron
- 150th anniversary celebrated in 2006; today the parish is in its 170th+ year
St. Fidelis School (Closed 2013)
St. Fidelis School served preschool through eighth grade for more than 150 years, originally built to educate the children of the parish's German immigrant families. By 2008 enrollment had fallen to 242, and by 2013 it had dropped to 144. Citing rising tuition, increased maintenance costs, and the changing demographics of College Point, Monsignor Denis Herron and the parish administration made the painful decision to close the school on June 22, 2013. The former school building still stands across the street from the church.
Parish Staff & Clergy
St. Fidelis is pastored by Rev. Msgr. Denis Herron, supported by an associate priest, two permanent deacons, and lay parish staff. The parish encourages parishioners to contact the rectory by phone or email, with office hours Monday through Friday and on Saturday mornings.
- Rev. Msgr. Denis Herron — Pastor
- Rev. Joseph Yu — Associate
- Deacon Dan Donnelly
- Deacon John (Jack) Reichert
- Parish office: (718) 445-6164 · [email protected]
Liturgical Ministries
Lay men, women, and young people serve the parish's liturgical life in several ministries. Children in 4th grade or higher who have received their First Eucharist may become altar servers after an adult contacts the rectory. Adult and youth lectors, Eucharistic ministers, and choir members complete the team that makes the Sunday and weekday Masses possible.
- Altar Servers — open to boys, girls, and adults; children must be in 4th grade+ and have received First Eucharist
- Lectors
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Music/Choir
Faith Formation — OCIA
The parish offers the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA, formerly RCIA) for anyone interested in the Catholic faith — non-Catholics considering becoming Catholic, baptized Catholics seeking to complete their initiation, or those simply wanting to learn more. The program moves from initial inquiry through deeper formation and culminates in the reception of the Sacraments of Initiation — Baptism (for the unbaptized), Confirmation, and the Holy Eucharist — typically at the Easter Vigil.
- OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
- Open to inquirers, catechumens, and candidates
- Coordinator contact available through the parish office
Sacraments
St. Fidelis celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Baptisms are held on a fixed monthly schedule in both English and Spanish. Marriage preparation is handled at least six months in advance and is coordinated with the Diocese of Brooklyn's marriage preparation program at bqfaith.org. The parish also celebrates Confirmation, First Eucharist, Reconciliation (in Church on Saturday afternoons), Anointing of the Sick, and Holy Orders.
- Baptism: 2nd Sunday of the month in English at 1:30 PM; 3rd Sunday of the month in Spanish at 1:30 PM
- Confirmation: deepening of baptismal grace and seal of the Holy Spirit
- Holy Eucharist: Sunday and daily Mass; required before serving at the altar
- Reconciliation: Saturdays 4:00–4:45 PM in Church
- Anointing of the Sick: for the ill and homebound
- Marriage: arrangements at least six months in advance; preparation through bqfaith.org
- Holy Orders
Outreach — Food Pantry & Street Outreach
Two ongoing ministries make St. Fidelis a tangible presence in College Point beyond its walls. The parish Food Pantry distributes food on the first Wednesday of each month and is regularly in need of donations like coffee, tea, pancake mix, cereal, canned soup, rice, tuna, canned meat, and macaroni and cheese. The Street Outreach, held on the first Saturday of each month from 8:30 AM until supplies run out, sets up on the corner of 14th Avenue and College Point Boulevard — across from the parish — to serve neighbors in need. During the COVID-19 pandemic the pantry was described by local press as 'the community's only active food pantry.'
- Food Pantry — distributes first Wednesday of each month, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Donations welcome: coffee, tea, pancake mix, cereal, canned soup, rice, tuna, canned meat, macaroni and cheese, and similar non-perishable items
- Street Outreach — first Saturday of each month, 8:30 AM – until supplies run out
- Location of Street Outreach: corner of 14th Avenue and College Point Boulevard
Devotions
Beyond the Mass schedule, the parish sets aside time each week for Eucharistic Adoration on Friday afternoons, giving parishioners a quiet space for prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.
- Eucharistic Adoration: Fridays 4:00–7:00 PM (except July and August)
Visit & Contact
St. Fidelis welcomes visitors, returning parishioners, and newcomers. The rectory is staffed to answer questions about the parish, sacraments, OCIA, ministries, baptisms, weddings, and outreach. Messages can be left by phone or email; the office is closed on Sundays.
- Address: 123-06 14th Avenue, College Point, New York 11356
- Phone: (718) 445-6164
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.stfidelischurch.org
- Rectory hours: Monday–Friday 9:00 AM – 7:30 PM; Saturday 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM; Sunday closed
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Joseph Huber1856–1889
Founder-pastor. Austrian-born priest from Alberschwende, Tyrol; ordained May 21, 1853. Built the original frame church; mourned town-wide at his death at age 60.
- Rt. Rev. Msgr. Ambrose Schumack, V.F.1889–1930
Succeeded Father Huber; led the parish through World War I, Prohibition and the 1920s. Oversaw the construction of the present larger church (cornerstone 1894, dedicated October 6, 1895).
- Rt. Rev. Msgr. Francis X. Wunsch, V.F.1931–1944
Listed in parish records as third pastor.
- Rev. Ignatius Endres1944–1953
Fourth pastor.
- Rev. William J. Osborne1953–
Fifth pastor; end date not recorded in published list.
- Rev. Arthur Minicello
Listed as pastor on dvhh.org parish history page (date not specified).
- Rev. Msgr. Denis Herron
Current pastor per Queens Federation of Churches directory and Diocese of Brooklyn coverage; led during the 2013 closing of St. Fidelis School.