The History of of St. Benedict's Parish
The story begins…
In early 1923 the Diocesan Council of New York was asked by Archbishop Patrick Hayes to look into conditions in the newly developing section of the East Bronx. Following the Council’s recommendation, on April 5, 1923 Archbishop Hayes sent a letter to the Very Rev. Father Bernard Kevenhoerster, O.S.B., Pastor of St. Anselm’s Parish in the Bronx, appointing him to “take charge of the entire section of land” consisting of Throggs Neck, Edgewater, and Silver Beach. The next day Prior Bernard toured the area and leased two vacant stores on Eastern Boulevard (now Bruckner Boulevard). On Saturday, April 7th, under the direction of Father Louis Traufler, O.S.B., an assistant at St. Anselm’s, the partition between the stores was torn down and the articles needed for Mass were transported from St. Anselm’s in a large moving van. By nightfall Father Louis, with the assistance of the Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt from St. Anselm’s School and volunteers from the neighborhood, had everything ready for Sunday morning Mass.
For the history and past pictures of the Parish of St. Benedict,
please click link below
Parish History
