In 1953, the Diocese of Brooklyn was celebrating 100 years of serving the many immigrant groups calling Long Island their home. Throughout the long history of the Diocese there was constantly a need for establishing new parishes. The Bishop recognized the need for a Catholic Church in Sunnyside. Queen of Angels was established as an autonomous parish on October 1, 1953, the feast day of St. Teresa. However, our history actually began in February, 1929, when Bishop Thomas E. Molloy granted permission to Father Patrick J. Manton (first Pastor of St. Teresa’s Parish in Woodside) to rent a store at Skillman Avenue and 44th Street. Father Manton had become Pastor of St. Teresa’s on February 18, 1928, and immediately recognized the need for a separate place of worship among the growing population of Catholic families in the Sunnyside area. Soon, other adjoining stores were rented, their walls removed and a chapel seating 400 took form. By August 1931, Father Manton was able to purchase the property from its owners, James and Mary Sullivan. From 1931 to 1953, St. Teresa’s continued to serve the spiritual needs of the Sunnyside parishioners. Finally, in 1953, Queen of Angels became an autonomous parish, with the assignment of Reverend Joseph P. Denning as our first Pastor. Years later, he became an Auxiliary Bishop of Brooklyn. It was Father Denning who selected the name of the parish. Within three weeks after the creation of the parish, the numbers attending Mass had grown so large that two more Sunday Masses had to be added.
In 1953, the Diocese of Brooklyn was celebrating 100 years of serving the many immigrant groups calling Long Island their home. Throughout the long history of the Diocese there was constantly a need for establishing new parishes. The Bishop recognized the need for a Catholic Church in Sunnyside. Queen of Angels was established as an autonomous parish on October 1, 1953, the feast day of St. Teresa. However, our history actually began in February, 1929, when Bishop Thomas E. Molloy granted permission to Father Patrick J. Manton (first Pastor of St. Teresa’s Parish in Woodside) to rent a store at Skillman Avenue and 44th Street. Father Manton had become Pastor of St. Teresa’s on February 18, 1928, and immediately recognized the need for a separate place of worship among the growing population of Catholic families in the Sunnyside area. Soon, other adjoining stores were rented, their walls removed and a chapel seating 400 took form. By August 1931, Father Manton was able to purchase the property from its owners, James and Mary Sullivan. From 1931 to 1953, St. Teresa’s continued to serve the spiritual needs of the Sunnyside parishioners. Finally, in 1953, Queen of Angels became an autonomous parish, with the assignment of Reverend Joseph P. Denning as our first Pastor. Years later, he became an Auxiliary Bishop of Brooklyn. It was Father Denning who selected the name of the parish. Within three weeks after the creation of the parish, the numbers attending Mass had grown so large that two more Sunday Masses had to be added.
