St. Christopher, Baldwin

The Mass schedule on the sign is for July and August, 2014. Please check the parish website linked here for changes in the Mass schedule. The convent chapel is on the west side of Pershing Blvd.  Any photo may be enlarged by clicking on it.

The postal address of St. Christopher parish, Baldwin, is 11 Gale Avenue, Baldwin NY 11510, telephone 516-223-0723. 

The postal address of St. Christopher School is 15 Pershing Blvd, Baldwin NY 11510, telephone 516-223-4404.  The school's website is linked here.
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The photos above show the school and the church next to each other on the north side of Merrick Road in Baldwin.  Pershing Boulevard is west of the school, and Gale Place is east of the church. In front of the church, the N4 bus provides frequent service between Jamaica and Freeport.
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The bishop of Brooklyn established St. Christopher's parish in 1915, after the foundation of St. Agnes, Rockville Centre, and Holy Redeemer, Freeport.  The south portion of the school has a cornerstone dated 1924.  The present church was built in 1959.  A few years later, twelve more classrooms were added to the school.

Recall that Merrick Road was the principal route along the south shore before the construction of Sunrise Highway in the 1920's.  A history page on the school website (linked here) recounts that Bishop Charles McDonnell was already an avid motorist in 1912-1915 and therefore selected the name the Shrine Church of St. Christopher. Because of the famous legend, St. Christopher was already the Patron of Travelers.  

Holy Name of Mary, Valley Stream

Holy Name of Mary Church is located at 55 East Jamaica Avenue, Valley Stream, NY 11580, telephone 516-825-1450.  Its informative website is linked here.

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The top photo is taken from the intersection of East Jamaica Avenue and South Grove Street, which happens to be a block east of Valley Stream's business district on Rockaway Avenue.  The church has two naves, joined at the altar.  The second photo shows the principal nave.  Doors to East Jamaica Avenue are behind the photographer.  To the left of the altar is another nave, with doors to South Grove Street. 

Across from the church is the parish elementary school at 90 South Grove Street, Valley Stream, NY 11580, telephone 516-825-4009.  The school's website is linked here. An excellent, upbeat news article in the Long Island Herald on 4.27.2012 states that the K-8 enrollment is 274.

Sister Elizabeth Marie was principal of the school from 1997 to 2005.

Blessed Sacrament, Valley Stream

As seen in the above photo, the Church of the Blessed Sacrament faces McKeon Place, named after Fr. Andrew McKeon, who founded the parish in 1950.  The mailing address 201 North Central Avenue, Valley Stream, NY 11580, telephone 516-568-1027.  Its website is linked here.
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The rectory, to the left of the church, does not include the parish offices, which face North Central Avenue.  A non-profit day care center has rented part of what was formerly the parish elementary school on Rose Avenue.  The Huntington Learning Center corporation also uses some of the building.
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Brentwood Josephites taught in the school from its foundation in 1957 until its recent closure.  The cornerstone to the right of the church entrance reads 1963.

Sacred Heart, North Merrick

Sacred Heart parish is located at 720 Merrick Avenue, Merrick, NY 11566, telephone 516-379-1356. The parish website is linked here. The church and school are on the east side of Merrick Avenue immediately south of Exit 24 of the Southern State Parkway. They are about two miles north of the Merrick railroad station at Sunrise Highway.

The church was probably finished about 2009, and it replaced (if memory is correct) a smaller wooden building.  The parish itself dates from 1952, when Archbishop Molloy split it from Curé of Ars, two miles south.  In 1961, the Sisters of St. Joseph began to staff the parish school.  From a building fund drive mentioned in the bulletin, it seems that the parish continues to pay off a construction debt.

Inside, the church is a square, with the side pews at an angle.  This view of the north wall shows six stations of the cross in stained glass windows with devotional statues and vigil lights between the windows.

 Above is the Ninth Station on the south wall.

Statuary abounds outside and inside the church.  Here, St. Florian, patron of firefighters, is honored to the left of the main entrance.  To the right are St. Michael, patron of police officers, and St. John Vianney.

Above, St. Francis of Assisi.


The address for Sacred Heart School is 730 Merrick Avenue, Merrick NY 11566, telephone 516-378-5797. The school website is linked here.  Sad to relate, the Bishop of Rockville Centre has decreed the closure of Sacred Heart school in June, 2012.  Please see his announcement, linked here.
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Regarding the prayer for peace in the photo below: A similar pole may be found at Immaculate Heart of Mary parish in Kensington, Brooklyn.