St. Mel

About St. Mel Parish

The Church of St. Mel is a Roman Catholic parish in northern Flushing, Queens, in the Diocese of Brooklyn. The parish describes itself as a community 'Rooted in Faith, Alive in Hope, & Generous in Love,' serving all age groups with a passion for living a journey of faith and telling the story of God's redeeming love. Worship is rooted in the Apostolic Church, preaching is described as relevant, and ministries are designed to help people grow closer to Christ.

• Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Brooklyn
• Northern Flushing, Queens neighborhood
• Founded February 1941 by Bishop Thomas E. Molloy
• Carved from St. Luke (Whitestone) and St. Andrew Avellino (Flushing)
• Current pastor Father Joseph Fonti, S.T.L. (since July 2019)

Parish History

St. Mel was founded in February 1941 to serve the growing Irish-Catholic population of north Flushing. Worship began in a Bayside Avenue storefront that had been the North Flushing Democratic Club, then moved to a tent on Bayside and Murray, and then into a wooden church dedicated in 1944 (later relocated to Plainview, L.I., where it still stands as St. Pius X). The current 1955 church/auditorium was built by Beatty and Berlenbach and dedicated by Auxiliary Bishop Edmund J. Reilly. The school opened in 1960 under the Sisters of St. Joseph (later joined by the Sisters of St. Dominic). For the parish's 40th anniversary in 1981, the interior was remodeled to reflect Vatican II and the exterior renovated. In 2016, on the 75th anniversary, parishioners raised over $2.4 million through the Generations of Faith capital campaign, and Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio rededicated the refurbished church on September 9, 2016.

• 1941 — Parish established by Bishop Thomas E. Molloy
• 1941 — First worship in a Bayside Avenue storefront (former North Flushing Democratic Club)
• 1944 — Wooden church dedicated; later trucked to Plainview, L.I.
• 1955 — Current church/auditorium built; designed by Beatty and Berlenbach; dedicated by Auxiliary Bishop Edmund J. Reilly
• 1960 — Parish school opened under the Sisters of St. Joseph (later Sisters of St. Dominic)
• 1981 — Interior remodeled for Vatican II; exterior renovated (40th anniversary)
• 2014 — School transitions to an academy
• 2016 — Sept. 9 Rededication Mass by Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio after $2.4M Generations of Faith campaign

Staff & Leadership

• Father Joseph Fonti, S.T.L. — Pastor / Dean Q #4 (ordained 1992)
• Deacon Joe — Permanent Deacon; long-time parishioner and former Lector/Extraordinary Minister/Director of Children's Liturgy
• Paula Migliore — Director of Faith Formation (joined the parish in 2011)
• Kelsey Sheldon — Music Director; graduate of Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College
• Amy Barron — Principal of St. Mel's Catholic Academy (Sept. 2019–)
• Lauren Giacalone — Principal (current)

Sacraments

Sacramental preparation is a central focus of the parish's Faith Formation program. Children in grades 1–8 prepare for Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation in the Religious Education program; adults seeking full initiation go through the RCIA facilitated by the Director of Faith Formation. Couples preparing for marriage are encouraged to call the Rectory Office.

• Baptism
• First Communion
• Reconciliation (First Confession)
• Confirmation
• Marriage (call the Rectory)
• RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)

Religious Education & Faith Formation

St. Mel's Religious Education program serves children in grades 1 through 8 who attend public school. Students build a relationship with God, learn the Catholic faith, grow more comfortable participating in Mass and parish life, and prepare to receive the sacraments of Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. Classes meet on Wednesdays at the parish: grades 1–5 from 3:30 to 5:00 P.M., and grades 6–8 from 6:30 to 8:00 P.M. Director of Faith Formation Paula Migliore oversees the program and also facilitates the RCIA.

• Grades 1–5: Wednesdays 3:30–5:00 P.M.
• Grades 6–8: Wednesdays 6:30–8:00 P.M.
• Sacramental preparation for Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation
• RCIA for adults
• Contact: Paula Migliore, [email protected], 718-886-0201 ext. 131

Music Ministry

St. Mel's is fortunate to have a wonderful group of talented singers who lift hearts with songs of praise every Sunday morning at the 10:00 A.M. Mass, and during Holy Week and other liturgical seasons. Music Director Kelsey Sheldon — a graduate of the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College — brings her gifts as an organist, cellist, and vocalist. Anyone who enjoys singing is invited to come down to a choir Mass or join a Thursday evening rehearsal.

• Sings at the 10:00 A.M. Sunday Mass and during Holy Week
• Music Director: Kelsey Sheldon (Queens College graduate; organist, cellist, vocalist)
• Thursday evening rehearsals
• Open to anyone who enjoys singing

Youth Ministry

Saint Mel's Youth Ministry strives to keep young people connected to the parish by fostering faith development through service initiatives and social gatherings. Youth periodically gather for faith formation, fellowship, and activities, and are invited to participate in different leadership and prayer opportunities throughout the year to be engaged in the larger faith experience of the parish.

• Service initiatives and social gatherings
• Faith formation and fellowship events
• Leadership and prayer opportunities
• Contact: Father Fonti, 718-886-0201

St. Mel's Catholic Academy (Early Childhood Center)

St. Mel's Catholic Academy, located at 154-24 26 Avenue next door to the church, has served area children since 1960. The school transitioned from a K–8 academy to an early-childhood center in 2020 when it was on the verge of closure — Father Fonti called the relaunch a 'rebirth, restart of the academy.' Today the academy serves nursery through third grade, with a state-of-the-art piano learning lab (K–3, donated by the Fonti family in memory of Father Fonti's mother Raffaela) and a newly built Dorothea Ryan and Caterina Cassandro Playground. Principal Amy Barron (Sept. 2019–) and Father Fonti greet students at the door each morning; current principal is Lauren Giacalone.

• Open since 1960 (originally under the Sisters of St. Joseph; later Sisters of St. Dominic)
• Located at 154-24 26 Avenue, Flushing, NY 11354
• Phone: (718) 539-8211
• Reinvented in 2020 as an early-childhood center (nursery through grade 3)
• Mission: Faith, Family, Future — fostering spiritual, social, emotional and academic growth
• Dorothea Ryan and Caterina Cassandro Playground (unveiled Oct. 22, 2020)
• Piano learning lab in memory of Raffaela Fonti

Outreach & Community Life

St. Mel's community life extends well beyond the church walls. The parish supports the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (the Faith Formation Director also works with the Rockville Centre conference), runs fellowship groups for men, women, singles and young adults, hosts AA meetings, and maintains a Senior Citizens Club and a Visitation Ministry for the homebound. Scouting (Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts) and parish-school programs round out the calendar.

• Society of St. Vincent de Paul
• Men's, Women's, Singles', and Young Adults' Fellowship
• Alcoholics Anonymous
• Senior Citizens Club
• Visitation Ministry to the homebound
• Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts

Visit, Contact & Get Involved

The Church of St. Mel is open for worship and to visitors seven days a week. The parish office is open Monday–Friday, 9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M., and Saturdays by appointment. Visitors are encouraged to register with Flocknote to stay in touch with parish news and updates; the parish also maintains a presence on Facebook and Instagram.

• Address: 2615 154th Street, Flushing, NY 11354
• Rectory Phone: (718) 886-0201
• Academy Phone: (718) 539-8211
• Parish Email: [email protected]
• Office Hours: Mon–Fri 9:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M. (Saturdays by appointment)
• Flocknote signup: https://stmelsrcchurch.flocknote.com
• Facebook and Instagram accounts referenced on the parish site