About St. Robert Bellarmine · Bayside, New York
St. Robert Bellarmine is a Roman Catholic parish in the Bayside Hills / Oakland Gardens section of northeastern Queens, New York, in the Diocese of Brooklyn. The parish was established in 1939 when the Bayside Hills neighborhood was being built on the former Belleclaire Links golf course, and today it serves a diverse, multicultural community with weekly Mass celebrated in both English and Korean. Under its current pastor, Rev. Gabriel Lee (appointed January 1, 2016), the parish offers a full sacramental life, a Religious Education program, a robust set of lay ministries and parish organizations (including the Knights of Columbus, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a Filipino-American Community, a Korean-American Community, Boy and Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, a CYO basketball program, and a Youth Group), and active outreach to seniors, the bereaved, and the homebound.
- Established
- 1939
- Patron
- St. Robert Bellarmine (Jesuit Doctor of the Church, canonized 1930 by Pope Pius XI)
- Rector
- Rev. Gabriel Lee
- Diocese
- Diocese of Brooklyn
Why belong here
St. Robert Bellarmine is a warm, multicultural Catholic home in the Bayside Hills with weekly Mass in both English and Korean, two permanent deacons, and a full sacramental and devotional life — including daily Mass, Saturday confessions and a Saturday Holy Hour with Exposition and Benediction, First Saturday devotions to Padre Pio, a weekly Tuesday Rosary, and Stations of the Cross in Lent. Parishioners of all ages are welcomed into Religious Education for children and youth, a high-school Youth Group led by Deacon JP Muldoon, a long-running CYO basketball program, Boy and Cub Scout Troop 142, Girl Scouts, and ministry groups such as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the Knights of Columbus, MAPS (Mature Adult Parishioners), the Filipino-American Community, the Korean-American Community, Altar Servers, Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, and a Bereavement and Consolation ministry that reaches out to the grieving and homebound.
Mass times at St. Robert Bellarmine
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM (also by appointment)
Adoration times
- Holy Hour every Saturday after the 9:00 AM Mass
- Saturday Adoration 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM with Benediction (per DiscoverMass)
- Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament (Holy Hour) on Saturdays of Lent at 9:30 AM
Parish History
The parish of St. Robert Bellarmine dates back to the 1930s, when Catholic families building new homes in Bayside Hills — on land that had once been the Belleclaire Links golf course — petitioned the bishop for a parish of their own. The first Mass was celebrated on January 22, 1939 by founding pastor Rev. Joseph J. Hyland, drawing 225 worshippers to a house that was meant to serve as both rectory and church. After police dispersed the crowd, Masses moved to vacant stores on 48th Avenue until a permanent church and recreation hall (with priest living quarters above) were built on the block bounded by 213th and 214th Streets and 56th and 58th Avenues. Bishop Molloy formally dedicated those buildings on May 18, 1941.
- Founded 1939 by Rev. Joseph J. Hyland
- Present church dedicated 1969 under Msgr. J. Emmett McDonald
- 80th anniversary celebrated September 2019 with a visit from Bishop DiMarzio
Clergy and Staff
The parish is served by a pastor, a parochial vicar, two permanent deacons, a religious sister directing Religious Education, and a Music Director and Cantor. Deacon JP Muldoon also serves as Youth Minister for the high-school Youth Group.
- Rev. Gabriel Lee — Pastor
- Rev. Hyunsoo Kim — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Michael Brainerd — Permanent Deacon
- Deacon JP Muldoon — Permanent Deacon
- Sr. Stella Kim — Director of Religious Education
- Catherine Kim — Music Director
- Joel Saavedra — Cantor
Devotions and Holy Hour
Beyond the regular Mass schedule, St. Robert Bellarmine offers a robust devotional life including a weekly Holy Hour on Saturday mornings after the 9:00 AM Mass, a Tuesday Rosary after the 9:00 AM Mass, First Saturday devotions to Padre Pio after the 9:00 AM Mass, Stations of the Cross each Friday of Lent following the 9:00 AM Mass, and Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament on Saturdays of Lent at 9:30 AM.
- Holy Hour every Saturday after the 9:00 AM Mass
- Rosary every Tuesday after the 9:00 AM Mass
- Padre Pio First Saturday devotions after the 9:00 AM Mass
- Stations of the Cross every Friday of Lent after the 9:00 AM Mass
- Exposition & Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament on Saturdays of Lent at 9:30 AM
- Anointing of the Sick — 1st Saturday of the month during the 9:00 AM Mass
Sacraments
To receive any sacrament, parishioners are asked to contact the rectory at (718) 229-6465 (fax 718-229-8126). Baptisms are celebrated on the 2nd Saturday of the month at 12:30 PM, with a mandatory Baptismal Instruction for parents on the 1st Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM in the Rectory. No Baptisms are celebrated during the Lenten Season. Marriages must be arranged at least nine months in advance. The parish also brings Holy Communion to the homebound upon request and is available for pastoral care of the seriously ill.
- Baptism: 2nd Saturday, 12:30 PM; instruction 1st Thursday, 7:00 PM, Rectory
- Marriage: arrangements at least 9 months in advance through the rectory
- Anointing of the Sick: 1st Saturday during 9:00 AM Mass
- Communion for the Homebound: available on request
- Pastoral Care: call the Rectory immediately for serious illness or accident
Religious Education (Children and Youth)
Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the goal of St. Robert Bellarmine's Religious Education program is to foster the spiritual growth of the parish's youth and to inspire them to become lifelong, practicing Catholics. The program works with parents and provides classroom instruction in basic Catholic beliefs, traditions and values, sharing and exploring the Word of God, Christian service, and liturgy participation.
- Class times: Sundays 9:15 AM – 10:45 AM
- Director of Religious Education: Sr. Stella Kim
- Office: 929-379-7652 / [email protected] (closed Mondays)
Youth and Young Adult Ministries
St. Robert's offers several programs for young people. The SRB Youth Group walks with 9th–12th graders as they develop a mature, personal faith through lifelong learning, social events, service projects, prayer, faith sharing, and discussion of today's issues, led by Deacon JP Muldoon. The parish also runs a long-standing CYO Basketball program for boys and girls, and hosts Boy Scout Troop 142, Cub Scout Pack 142, and multi-level Girl Scout troops.
- Youth Group (grades 9–12) — Deacon JP Muldoon; Instagram @srbyouthgroup; [email protected]
- CYO Basketball — [email protected]
- Boy Scout Troop 142 / Cub Scout Pack 142 — Cathy Geraci ([email protected])
- Girl Scouts — [email protected]
- Boys AOK Swimming Team (via St. Anastasia)
Parish Ministries and Service
St. Robert's has a wide range of lay ministries serving the parish community and beyond, from liturgical roles (Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Altar Servers, Ushers, Music Ministry, and Folk Band) to outreach and fellowship (Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Bereavement and Consolation Ministries, MAPS — Mature Adult Parishioners, and the Padre Pio Prayer Group). A Liturgy Committee, chaired by the pastor, reviews current policies and practices for the celebration of the Eucharist.
- Liturgy Committee (pastor + ministry reps)
- Altar Servers — Sr. Junestella Kim, 929-379-7652
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion — Ann Marie Basso, 917-582-2680
- Lectors — Diane Fugalli
- Music Director — Catherine Kim; Cantor — Joel Saavedra; Folk Band — Michael Palmero, 917-282-9725
- Bereavement and Consolation Ministries — Diane Fugalli (917-748-4534) and Jackie Daly (917-837-7554)
- MAPS (Mature Adult Parishioners) — Ed Fitzpatrick, [email protected]
- Padre Pio Prayer Group — Neva Simas, 718-631-5395
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Parish Organizations
St. Robert Bellarmine is home to several long-standing parish organizations that bring parishioners together for fellowship, service, and cultural life. These include the Knights of Columbus Council #8964, the Filipino-American Community, the Korean-American Community (with its own website at www.koreansrb.com), and Scouting troops.
- Knights of Columbus Council #8964 — meets 2nd and 4th Wednesday, 7:30 PM, Parish Hall — [email protected]
- Filipino-American Community — meets 3rd Tuesday, 7:30 PM, Rectory basement — 718-229-1083
- Korean-American Community — www.koreansrb.com
- Girl Scouts, Boy Scout Troop 142, Cub Scout Pack 142
Parish Councils
The Parish Council, composed of leaders of parish ministries and organizations along with the pastor and parishioners, meets monthly to discuss the ongoing work of the parish, consider recommendations for new developments, and monitor existing programs for effectiveness. The Finance Council is an appointed committee mandated by canon law; it assists the pastor in planning, budgeting, and monitoring the parish's financial status, drawing on parishioners with experience in accounting or financial management.
- Parish Council members include Ed Fitzpatrick, Robert Aufenanger, Teresa Carrano, Sister Stella Kim, Ceres Foronda, Debbie McCrorie, Alyson Muldoon, Claudia Lanzetta, Gregory Zajac, Sister Cecelia Lee, and Dianna Lopez
- Finance Council members include Robert Aufenanger, Bob Coccia, Paul Carrano, and Frank Falco
Visit Us
St. Robert Bellarmine Roman Catholic Church sits on 58th Avenue between 213th and 214th Streets in the Bayside Hills / Oakland Gardens neighborhood of Queens, New York. The rectory is located at 56-15 213th Street and the convent at 56-40 214th Street. The parish is part of the Diocese of Brooklyn. Visitors and newcomers are warmly welcomed — check the parish website for the latest bulletin and any schedule changes, and follow the Youth Group on Instagram (@srbyouthgroup).
- Address: 56-15 213th Street, Bayside (Oakland Gardens), NY 11364
- Phone: (718) 229-6465 | Fax: (718) 229-8126
- Website: http://www.strobertsbayside.org/
- Korean-American Community: www.koreansrb.com
- Diocese: Diocese of Brooklyn
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Joseph J. Hyland1939–1948 (approx.)
Founding pastor; celebrated the first Mass on Jan 22, 1939; led fundraising and negotiated the purchase of the current parish block for $36,500; oversaw construction of the original church and recreation hall dedicated May 18, 1941.
- Rev. Thomas H. Clarke1948–1961 (approx.)
Second pastor; oversaw the building of the school (opened 1954 with 475 students), new rectory (1954), and convent (1959).
- Msgr. J. Emmett McDonald1961–1977 (approx.)
Third pastor; enhanced school and library facilities; led the campaign that produced the present church, dedicated in 1969.
- Father Henry A. Lang1977–1995
Fourth pastor (appointed shortly before the parish's 40th anniversary); rehabilitated the physical plant and cultivated parishioner participation in parish life.
- Msgr. John B. Lavin1995–2005
Fifth pastor; welcomed growing Filipino, Chinese, and Korean Catholic populations; assigned a Korean priest and launched a Korean Sunday Mass; oversaw the 1995 Alive in Hope campaign and a 2001 campaign that raised nearly $1,000,000 for air conditioning and reserves.
- Msgr. Martin Geraghty2006–2015
Appointed March 2006 after Msgr. Lavin's death in December 2005; retired at the end of 2015 and continued as Senior Priest.
- Rev. Gabriel LeeJanuary 1, 2016 – present
Current pastor, appointed by Bishop DiMarzio.