St. Gerard Majella Shrine Church

About the Shrine Church of St. Gerard Majella

The Shrine Church of St. Gerard Majella is a Roman Catholic parish in Hollis, Queens, part of the Diocese of Brooklyn. It was the first parish in the United States named after the 18th-century Redemptorist lay brother St. Gerard Majella, and was elevated to the status of a diocesan shrine in 2009. The parish operates within the merged Parish of Incarnation–Saint Gerard Majella, canonically combined in February 2024 with the Parish of Incarnation in Queens Village under the pastoral leadership of Rev. Josephjude C. Gannon.

History of the Parish

The parish was organized in 1906 according to the Queens Federation of Churches directory, and grew through the mid-twentieth century as the Catholic population of eastern Queens expanded in the postwar era. By 1961 the parish was well established enough that its pastor, Rev. Joseph J. Tschantz, was among the Brooklyn pastors whom Bishop Bryan J. McEntegart called upon to underwrite the creation of new suburban parishes such as St. Bernard in Mill Basin — a notable episode in the Diocese of Brooklyn's documented practice of channeling suburban parish funds to new mission parishes. The parish school staffed many Sisters of Mercy in the mid-century decades; one of them, Sister Jeanne McCarthy, entered the Sisters of Mercy from the parish in 1944 and taught at St. Gerard Elementary School from 1951 to 1957. In 2009 the parish was elevated to a diocesan shrine, and it has since been designated a Jubilee Church for both the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016) and the Holy Year 2025.

• 1906 — parish organized in Hollis, Queens
• 1961 — Fr. Joseph J. Tschantz transfers parish funds to newly established St. Bernard Parish, Mill Basin
• 2009 — parish elevated to a diocesan shrine
• 2016 — designated Jubilee Church for the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy
• 2024 — canonical merger with the Parish of Incarnation, Queens Village
• 2025 — designated Jubilee Church for the Holy Year 2025

Relics and Veneration

The shrine houses first-class relics of St. Gerard Majella that are venerated in the church 24 hours a day. It also houses a relic of St. Gianna Beretta Molla and a second-class relic of Venerable Father Michael J. McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus. These relics form the devotional heart of the parish and are central to its ministry to expectant mothers, couples struggling with infertility, and adoptive families.

• First-class relics of St. Gerard Majella (24-hour veneration)
• Relic of St. Gianna Beretta Molla
• Second-class relic of Venerable Fr. Michael J. McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus

Ministries and Faith Formation

Beyond its shrine ministry, the parish supports a wide range of parish life: religious education for children, a youth ministry led by Ms. Andrea Hernandez, a music ministry led by Mr. Perry Townsend, and parish fellowships including Women's Fellowship and Men's Fellowship. The parish has historically hosted Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts troops, and has a released-time religious education program.

• Religious Education / Faith Formation (Director: Mrs. Carmen Macchio)
• Youth Ministry (Ms. Andrea Hernandez)
• Music Ministry (Mr. Perry Townsend)
• Women's Fellowship
• Men's Fellowship
• Boy Scouts / Girl Scouts
• Released Time religious education

Infertility, Pregnancy, and Adoption Ministry

St. Gerard Majella is nationally known for its ministry to couples struggling with infertility, expectant mothers, and adoptive families. Couples are explicitly welcomed at the parish 'who are trying to have a baby, those who recently had a baby, those who are trying to adopt, and those who are having issues with conceiving a baby,' according to the pastor's welcome letter. The parish runs a perpetual weekly novena on their behalf and offers individual blessings with the relics of St. Gerard Majella and St. Gianna Beretta Molla. The National Catholic Register has profiled the parish as part of a broader revival of devotion to St. Gerard Majella as patron of expectant mothers in the United States.

• Perpetual Novena for couples trying to conceive
• Individual blessings with relics of St. Gerard and St. Gianna Beretta Molla
• Pastoral accompaniment for adoptive families and those who have suffered miscarriage

Parish Staff and Clergy

The pastoral team is led by Rev. Josephjude C. Gannon, Pastor of the merged Parish of Incarnation–Saint Gerard Majella. He is assisted by Rev. Killick Perrilus (Parochial Vicar) and several priests in residence: Rev. Joseph Tharackal, Rev. Philip Chidebelu, Rev. Aloysius Enemal, Rev. Tongyang Shen, and Rev. Augustine Ifeanyi Umeatuegbu. The lay staff includes Mrs. Carmen Macchio (Director of Religious Education), Mr. Perry Townsend (Director of Music), Ms. Andrea Hernandez (Youth Minister), Mrs. Nilda Martinez (Administrative Assistant), and Mrs. Denise Das (Bookkeeper).

• Rev. Josephjude C. Gannon — Pastor
• Rev. Killick Perrilus — Parochial Vicar
• Rev. Joseph Tharackal, Rev. Philip Chidebelu, Rev. Aloysius Enemal, Rev. Tongyang Shen, Rev. Augustine Ifeanyi Umeatuegbu — In Residence
• Mrs. Carmen Macchio — Director of Religious Education
• Mr. Perry Townsend — Director of Music
• Ms. Andrea Hernandez — Youth Minister
• Mrs. Nilda Martinez — Administrative Assistant
• Mrs. Denise Das — Bookkeeper

Merger with the Parish of Incarnation

In February 2024, St. Gerard Majella was canonically merged with the Parish of Incarnation in Queens Village to form the new Parish of Incarnation–Saint Gerard Majella. The decree, signed by Bishop Robert J. Brennan after consultation with the Presbyteral Council on October 12, 2023, established the main parish office at Incarnation Church (89-43 Francis Lewis Boulevard, Queens Village) and named Rev. Josephjude C. Gannon as Pastor. The merged parish retains two worship sites: the Church of Incarnation and the Shrine Church of St. Gerard Majella, with all assets, obligations, and parochial registers transferred to Incarnation–Saint Gerard Majella. As of July 2025, the St. Gerard worship site's Mass schedule was permanently reduced in response to the changed pastoral realities.

• Main office: Incarnation Church, 89-43 Francis Lewis Blvd., Queens Village, NY 11427
• Pastor: Rev. Josephjude C. Gannon
• Two worship sites: Incarnation and St. Gerard Majella
• Effective February 2024