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Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Years of Gratitude 1912-2012 Centennial Journal Congratulations and Best Wishes to The Centennial Anniversary of OUR LADY QUEEN OF MARTYRS CHURCH SIXTO A. SIASOCO, M.D. FAMILY MEDICINE 415 Port Washington Boulevard Port Washington, N.Y. 11050 ( 516 ) 883-0218 and SDS MEDICAL CENTER ( Simeona-David-Siascoco ) MEDICAL CENTER Katipunan Avenue, Corner Pio Del Pilar. Concepcion II, Marikina City PHILIPPINES AMPARO SIASOCO SERRANO M.D. ADMINISTRATOR OUR LADY QUEEN OF MARTYRS 100 Years of Gratitude Centennial Journal 1912 - 2012 Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Forest Hills, New York Celebrating 100 Years To all the dedicated priests, sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, religious, laity and staff members, past and present, who have had a special bond of appreciation and love for this parish Moderator: Fr. Francis J. Passenant Contributors: Manny Lima, Deacon Greg Kandra and the OLQM bulletin archives Photo contributor: Rosalind Chan Photo credit (previous page): Ted Kellerman InDesign team: Karen Brogno and Lorraine Garvilla November 2012 Dear People of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, I give praise to Almighty God for the wonderful blessing of having been assigned by The Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn, to this Parish of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Forest Hills, in this year when we celebrate the 100th anniversary of this community of Roman Catholic faith. Our anniversary celebration coincides providen- tially with the Year of Faith proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI for the Roman Catholic Church throughout the world. I rejoice with all of you as we recall the foundations of this Catholic community beginning with Father Joseph McLaughlin and continuing with the sacrifi ces and contributions of so many priests, religious and dedicated men and women. The education in the Catholic faith of countless individuals through our school and religious education program has been a special blessing that this parish has been able to provide through the years. The prayerful and reverent celebration of the Church’s liturgy has been a special grace for me since my arrival here last summer. I have been nourished spiritually by our shared participation in the Sunday and daily Eucharist. The involvement of well-trained liturgical ministers, altar servers and choir members demonstrates clearly a love for our communal Catholic life of prayer and faith. I am grateful to all of you for the warm welcome which you have extended to me and, in particular, for the consoling support which you proffered at the recent celebration for the funeral of my brother Larry in October. My prayer is that we will all continue to grow in our life of faith and service after the example of Our Lord Jesus Christ. May Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, our patroness, continue to intercede for us before Almighty God! May the good Lord enable us to grow as vibrant witnesses of our Catholic faith and so build the foundation for the next 100 years of hope and prayer. With every best wish and with a blessing, I remain, Sincerely in Christ, Most Reverend Paul R. Sanchez, D.D. Pastor Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn Dear Friends, As we celebrate this joyous anniversary, and look back on all that has unfolded within our parish family over the last century, I can’t help but wonder what those who came before us would think. The families who gathered in that house on Meteor Street 100 years ago for the fi rst Mass in Forest Hills could not have imagined that one day their little community would grow into a fl ock of thousands. They could not have dreamed of the beautiful church we now call our home, or the great school, rectory and convent that make up our parish today. They could not have fathomed how many lives would be shaped, how many hearts would be consoled, how many spirits would be lifted by the prayers, novenas, Masses and sacraments shared within these church walls. And they could not have foreseen all the joys and sorrows that the last century would bring—and how this parish would gather together again and again in moments of great testing, and great triumph, to offer petitions and praise to Almighty God. No, 100 years ago, they could not have known the extraordinary legacy they were beginning for us. But today, we look to those fi rst parishioners with heartfelt gratitude and turn to our heavenly Father with prayers of thanksgiving. We have been truly blessed. I speak often about the heroes of this parish, those who came before us and gave so much so that we can gather at this time in prayer and celebration. They are in my prayers at every Mass. But so are all of you: my friends and neighbors, the next generation of heroes, who continue to keep this church of “living stones” thriving and growing. Your generous faith and sacrifi ce have been an inspiration to me over the last 12 years, and I know it will be long remembered by those who come after us. As we embark on the second century of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, I hope that we will never forget where we came from, and the great devotion and faith that guided Father Joseph McLaughlin and his small fl ock 100 years ago. Entrusting you and all those you love to the special care of our Blessed Mother, I pray that God will continue to bless this parish. May the faith of our founders continue to inspire us all. And may God’s grace and the intercession of His Mother lead all of us to lives of greater holiness, fi delity and love. Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, pray for us! Love in Christ, Msgr. Joseph A. Funaro Our Lady Queen of Martyrs 100 Years of Gratitude 1912-2012 n the beginning, it was wilderness. There were no trains, no subways. A ragged road called Hoffman Boulevard led people out to the eastern reaches of Long Island. The borough called “Queens” was a relatively new phenomenon—it had only Ibeen incorporated in the 1890s—and the land it occupied was primarily devoted to farms and undeveloped fi elds. Until 1906, the neighborhood was known by the unglamorous name of “Whitepot.” In 1906, developer Cord Meyer bought up a patch of 600 acres and christened it “Forest Hills,” for its proximity to Forest Park. The Cord Meyer Company set out to develop Forest Hills into a suburban oasis outside of Manhattan. A portion of it was to become Forest Hills Gardens, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., to resemble an English garden community. There would be single-family homes, and garden apartments, and eventually a railroad station. Roads would be neatly laid out and given alphabetical names, with avenues running from Atom through Zuni. In 1912, most of that was still years away. But the area was beginning to grow. People who began to venture into the wilderness of Forest Hills, to build homes on the north side of Hoffman Boulevard (later renamed Queens Boulevard) wanted more than just housing. They wanted a community. For Catholics, that could mean only one thing: They needed a church. The rest, of course, is history. 1912-1917 Our Parish Origins November 13, 1912: Permission Given for Sunday Mass in Forest Hills Bishop Charles E. McDonnell served as Brooklyn’s November 24, 1912: Catholics Gather for First second bishop from 1892 to 1921. He convoked three Sunday Mass in Forest Hills diocesan synods, encouraged the building of Catholic With Bishop McDonnell’s permission, Mrs. Margaret schools and created ethnic parishes to meet the spiritual Dealy offered her home (70 Meteor Street, now 108-37 needs of Catholic immigrants. Following a census of 68th Drive) for Sunday Mass until a chapel was built. Catholics in Forest Hills in March 1912—counting 60 Three years later, the bishop authorized the purchase adults and 18 children—Bishop McDonnell granted of a plot of land for a chapel near the corner of Ascan permission for Holy Mass to be celebrated on Sundays. Avenue and Queens Boulevard, “not exceeding $14,000 in cost,” according a press report. May 28, 1916: Dedication of the Original Chapel Built at a cost of $3,846, the Chapel of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs was dedicated by Bishop McDonnell. It could seat 250 people and would serve as the center of worship for the parish for more than a decade, until April 29, 1929, when it was destroyed by a fi re. Milestones in OLQM history: Bishop McDonnell, Mrs. Margaret Dealy and the original 1916 white chapel. Bishop McDonnell later appointed Fr. McLaughlin as our first pastor. September 15, 1917: Fr. Joseph McLaughlin was named pastor on the Feast Day of Our Lady of Sorrows, Our Lady Queen of Martyrs. On September 29, he wrote to Bishop McDonnell thanking him for the parish assignment. Fr. McLaughlin took up residence at the Forest Hills Inn and served as pastor for almost 43 years. McLaughlin’s legacy stays with us today: He opened negotiations Venturing into the to purchase more land for the future development wilderness of Forest of the parish; he opened our school in 1928; Hills, Catholics wanted a and a decade later—before a gathering of 600 assembled to celebrate community—and they his 60th birthday and his 35 years in the priesthood— needed a church. Fr. McLaughlin announced plans to build a new church and rectory. 1928-1929 Our School September 9, 1928: Opening Days School construction commenced in January 1928 and continued at a rapid pace for eight months. Fr. McLaughlin invited the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) to open our school and signed the school contract with the sisters on September 1.

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