About St. Pascal Baylon [Our Lady of Light Parish] · Saint Albans, New York
Our Lady of Light Parish is a Roman Catholic community in the St. Albans neighborhood of Queens, New York, formed in 2008 by the merger of Saint Catherine of Sienna Church and Saint Pascal Baylon Church. The parish operates as one faith family across two church buildings, with St. Pascal Baylon (112-43 198th Street) and St. Catherine of Sienna (118-22 Riverton Street) each continuing to host Masses, devotions, and parish life. Administered by the Missionaries of Africa (M. Afr.), the parish celebrates Mass in both English and Spanish and serves a diverse community focused on deepening its relationship with Jesus Christ.
- Established
- 2008
- Patron
- Our Lady of Light (parish name); St. Pascal Baylon is honored as patron of one of the two constituent church buildings, with St. Catherine of Sienna as patroness of the other
- Rector
- Rev. Erick Balderas Vega, M. Afr. (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Brooklyn
Why belong here
Our Lady of Light welcomes everyone into a faith community where God is the center of life and meaning. Across its two church campuses—St. Pascal Baylon and St. Catherine of Sienna—parishioners can pray at weekday Mass, attend English or Spanish Sunday Mass, adore the Blessed Sacrament in Thursday all-day adoration, receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, join faith formation for children and adults through a blended learning model, and participate in ministries such as youth ministry, the music ministry, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, ushers, altar servers, and a food pantry that distributes groceries to families in need. The parish describes itself as 'a spirit filled Faith community nourished by the Eucharist, committed to be evangelizers of the Gospel.'
Mass times at St. Pascal Baylon [Our Lady of Light Parish]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday, 6:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. (at both St. Catherine of Sienna and St. Pascal Baylon)
- After every Mass or by appointment
Adoration times
- St. Catherine of Sienna — Every Thursday: 3:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
- St. Pascal Baylon — Every Thursday: 11:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
About Our Lady of Light Parish
Our Lady of Light Parish is a Roman Catholic community in the St. Albans neighborhood of Queens, New York. The parish operates across two church buildings—St. Pascal Baylon and St. Catherine of Sienna—while functioning as one faith family. Administered by priests of the Missionaries of Africa (M. Afr.), the parish describes its mission as being a 'spirit filled Faith community nourished by the Eucharist, committed to be evangelizers of the Gospel, reaching out in good stewardship to the entire Parish and the community at large.' The two church campuses each keep their own patron saints while sharing clergy, ministries, and parish life.
- Two worship sites: St. Pascal Baylon (112-43 198th Street) and St. Catherine of Sienna (118-22 Riverton Street)
- Administered by the Missionaries of Africa (M. Afr.)
- Part of the Diocese of Brooklyn
- Welcomes both English- and Spanish-speaking Catholics
History
The 2008 merger of St. Catherine of Sienna Church (est. 1922) and St. Pascal Baylon Church (est. 1930) created Our Lady of Light Parish. St. Catherine of Sienna was attended from St. Mary Magdalene between 1920 and 1922 until Rev. James A. Charters was named pastor; its school opened in September 1931 to 350 students and ran for 70 years. St. Pascal Baylon, named for the 16th-century Spanish Franciscan friar and patron of Eucharistic congresses and associations, was served by the Sisters of St. Dominic of Amityville and operated Saint Pascal Baylon High School from 1956 until 1975. Both schools eventually closed, and after the merger, the schools' records were transferred to the Diocesan Archives.
- St. Catherine of Sienna parish established 1922
- St. Pascal Baylon parish established 1930
- Merger forming Our Lady of Light Parish: 2008
- St. Catherine of Sienna School: 1931–~2001 (70 years of service)
- St. Pascal Baylon High School: 1956–1975
- Records housed at the Diocesan Archives
Parish Staff and Clergy
The parish is led by an Administrator and Parochial Vicar from the Missionaries of Africa, supported by three permanent deacons—one of whom also serves as Director of Faith Formation—and a staff handling administration, music, youth ministry, and facilities.
- Rev. Erick Balderas Vega, M. Afr. – Administrator
- Rev. Henry Byamukama, M. Afr. – Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Albert Saldana – Permanent Deacon
- Deacon Luis Taylor – Permanent Deacon
- Deacon Marcial Cordon – Permanent Deacon and Director of Faith Formation
- Veronica Cabrales – Administrative Assistant
- Francine Ross and Bridget Torres – Music Ministry
- Maxine Dinnall and Jeffrey Hicks – Youth Ministry
- William Loyd – Buildings & Facilities Manager
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The Faith Formation program, directed by Deacon Marcial Cordon, supports the religious education of parish children through a blended learning model approved by the Diocese of Brooklyn. This model allows faith formation to be delivered both at home (via online video tools such as GoToMeeting or Teams, with e-book and printed textbook support) and in occasional in-person classes, recognizing parents and guardians as the primary educators of their children in the faith. Following a diocesan directive from August 26, 2020 by Most Rev. Nicholas DiMarzio, faith formation programs were to be held virtually during the pandemic period.
- Registration policy, sacramental policy, and program handbook are published
- Blended in-class / at-home learning model
- Parents and catechists collaborate in faith formation
- Diocesan directive August 26, 2020 moved programs virtual
Adult Faith Formation
Adult faith formation is offered through a free parish subscription to FORMED, a digital library of Catholic video studies, movies, and audio content accessible by computer or phone app. The subscription was funded by a grant from the National Black Catholic organization. Parishioners can sign up by visiting signup.formed.org and searching for 'Our Lady of Light Roman Catholic Church' or using the parish ZIP code 11412.
- Free FORMED subscription for all parishioners
- Subscription funded by a National Black Catholic grant
- Register at signup.formed.org using parish name or ZIP 11412
Program Goals
The Faith Formation program states that catechesis is a lifelong process—the seed is planted by God, nurtured by the family, and strengthened by the Church—and aims to provide ongoing faith education, sacramental awareness, spiritual formation, and a vision of catechesis as an essential 'moment' in the process of evangelization.
- Provide ongoing educational opportunities in the faith
- Promote an awareness of sacraments
- Encourage spiritual faith formation
- Develop a vision of catechesis as an essential moment in evangelization
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Reconciliation (Confession), Anointing of the Sick, Marriage, and Holy Orders. The parish website explains the meaning of each sacrament as 'a sign of the sacred'—special occasions for experiencing God's saving presence. Parishioners are invited to speak with the priests after Sunday Mass for more information about any sacrament.
- Baptism – Saving waters welcoming Catholics into the Church
- Confirmation – Sealed and strengthened by the Holy Spirit
- Holy Eucharist – Receiving the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ
- Reconciliation – Experiencing God's mercy through priests
- Anointing of the Sick – Spiritual and sometimes physical strength in illness
- Marriage – The sacred covenant of husband and wife
- Holy Orders – Setting men apart for ministry in the Church
Ministries and Community Life
Our Lady of Light Parish offers a wide range of liturgical and community ministries to engage parishioners of all ages and life stages. The Music Ministry, Food Pantry, and Youth and Young Adults Ministry are highlighted, along with liturgical roles such as altar servers, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, and ushers. Life-stage groups—Single, Widow, Empty Nester, Parenting, and Parenting Teens—form the parish's outreach to adults in different seasons of life.
- Food Pantry at St. Catherine of Sienna — distributes groceries to individuals and families in need
- Youth and Young Adults Ministry — led by Maxine Dinnall and Jeffrey Hicks
- Music Ministry — led by Francine Ross and Bridget Torres
- Liturgical ministries: Altar Servers, Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Ushers
- Praise and Worship
- Life-stage groups: Single, Widow, Empty Nester, Parenting, Parenting Teens
Contact and Parish Offices
The parish is administered from two office locations, each at its respective church building. Office hours are published for both sites, and general inquiries can be directed via phone or the parish contact form on the website.
- St. Pascal Baylon — 112-43 198th Street, St. Albans, NY 11412 — Phone (718) 468-3511 — Office hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
- St. Catherine of Sienna — 118-22 Riventon Street, St. Albans, NY 11412 — Phone (718) 528-1220 — Office hours: Monday & Thursday, 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
- Website contact form: ourladyoflightqueens.org/about/contact