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.
We are happy to report that our church renovation was completed in time for Easter services. In October 2010 Archbishop Thomas Wenski re-dedicated the church.
On June 30, 2011, our beloved pastor, Monsignor Noel Fogarty retired after 20 years of service as our visionary leader of St. Gregory. On July 1, 2011 Father Michael Hoyer joined our St. Gregory family as our new pastor.