OUR PARISH HISTORY
St. Gregory the Great Parish was established on August 11, 1959 and the
first parish mass was celebrated in the cafeteria of Peters Elementary School
on the Feast of the Assumption, August 15, 1959.
Father Michael Keller (1959-1968) was the founding pastor. With the arrival
from Philadelphia of three Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth St. Gregory
School was opened on September 6, 1960 with an enrollment of 143 students in
three portable classrooms donated by the neighboring parish of Our Lady Queen
of Martyrs. Rev. Mother M. Romulad (1960-1966) was the first principal. The
parish church was dedicated on January 8, 1961.
On September 14, 1979, the parish church was partially destroyed by fire
resulting in the urgent construction of the present church, which was
completed in March 1982 by Fr. Martin Cassidy who was pastor from 1974 to
1991. The former church was then rebuilt and now serves as the Parish Center.
In 1988, St. Gregory the Great School was awarded the prestigious
"Exemplary School Award" by the United States Department of Education. The
school is a vital part of the parish community.
Monsignor Noel Fogarty was appointed pastor in August 1991. In 1992, a
building fund campaign "Building Together in Faith" was launched
for the rebuilding and renovation of the school and parish facilities.
On February 5, 1995 ground was broken for the huge $4 million project of
constructing new school facilities and a parish Gymnatorium.
Eight months later our state-of-the-art school was completed and opened for
Pre-Kindergarten through 8th Grade classes in September 1995 with an
enrollment of 870 students.
On January 14, 1996 the new facilities were blessed and dedicated by
Archbishop John Clement Favalora.
Shortly afterwards to ensure the financial stability of St. Gregory School
in the upcoming years an ongoing Endowment Fund - "Growing Together in
Faith" - was established. By law, only the interest generated by this fund
may ever be expended with the basic capital amount (now approximately $3
million dollars) ensuring a constant cash flow continuing forever to help meet
operational expenses and to help keep tuition costs within the economic reach
of our parishioners.
In the summer of 2000, the new school was expanded to provide an adequate
teacher faculty facility, counseling office, conference room and a student
bookstore.
In 2004 our much admired Prayer Garden was completed.
In the fall of 2006 a huge $6 million drive, "
Worshipping Together in
Faith" was launched for the much needed renovation, refurbishing and
beautification of our parish church in order to provide a fitting place of
worship for the people of God in St. Gregory the Great Parish.
Remodeling and reconstruction is slated for completion in early summer
2008.