LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 75th Anniversary of Our Lady of
Grace R.C. Church, Gravesend, Brooklyn, New York, to be celebrated on
September 25, 2011

WHEREAS, Religious institutions, and the many spiritual, social and
educational benefits they confer, play a vital role in the development
of the moral fabric of a responsible citizenry; and
WHEREAS, It is the tradition of this State and this Nation to pay
tribute to those institutions and individuals who have contributed to
the ethical and spiritual values of their communities; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body takes pleasure in commemorating the
75th Anniversary of Our Lady of Grace R.C. Church, Gravesend, Brooklyn,
New York, to be celebrated on Sunday, September 25, 2011; and
WHEREAS, Our Lady of Grace began on January 6, 1935, when the first
Mass was celebrated in a rented store on Avenue X by The Reverend James
Byrnes of Guardian Angel Parish; and
WHEREAS, Six months later, June 28, 1935, The Reverend Salvatore
Cafiero was appointed the first pastor with the authority to build a
church; and
WHEREAS, March 8, 1936, marked the beginning of an important year;
ground was broken and construction began on the main church; the follow-
ing month, parishioners gathered under a huge tent erected on West
Street near Avenue X to celebrate Holy Week and Easter Sunday; and
WHEREAS, In September, the church bell, which was popularly called
"Salvatore" was blessed and the last Mass was celebrated in the Avenue X
store on September 20, 1936; and
WHEREAS, Parishioners proceeded with statues to the new church and the
first Mass was offered on September 27, 1936, by Father Cafiero; on
November 15th, His Excellency, Bishop Thomas E. Molloy dedicated the
church of Our Lady of Grace and confirmed the first class of 908 candi-
dates; and
WHEREAS, On November 18, 1938, the convent was blessed by Monsignor
Alfonso Arcese, and four Pallottine Sisters were welcomed to the parish,
including Mother Gemma, Superior, Sister Yolanda, Sister Veronica and
Sister Amalia; and
WHEREAS, Due to rapid growth, and within four years after completion
of the main church, work for an extension began on August 27, 1940;
subsequently, on December 22nd, the new extension was used for the first
time; and
WHEREAS, By 1942, in a show of devotion and love to Our Lady of Grace,
the final payment of the church debt was made, just six years after
construction of the Church began; and
WHEREAS, On December 8, 1945, a Victory dinner dance was held at the
hotel Saint George; throughout the following year, the wood floor in the
church was covered by asphalt tile; a new marble altar, with a triptych
above, was installed in the sanctuary; stained glass windows were dedi-
cated to the memory of 36 deceased servicemen of the parish; and the
statues of Saint Joseph and Saint Anthony were donated for the church
grounds; and
WHEREAS, In 1951, construction on the school was started and by
September of 1952, the Parish School was opened to first and second
graders under the supervision of the Pallottine Sisters with Mother M.
Aurilia serving as the first principal; and
WHEREAS, In 1954, the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace was dedicated during
the Marian Year; Father Cafiero was raised to the dignity of Papal Cham-
berlain with the title Very Reverend Monsignor, by Pope Pius XII; and

WHEREAS, By the 25th Anniversary of Our Lady of Grace, the young
parish had grown to such a size that in 1960, its school had well over
1,000 students registered; and
WHEREAS, The convent was completed in 1964; work began on the baseball
athletic field that spring and by 1965 the baseball athletic field was
dedicated; in November of 1967, Adult Education began via Diocesan Tele-
vision; and
WHEREAS, After the beloved Founder-Pastor, Monsignor Salvatore Cafiero
died on October 14, 1969, Father Dominic Sclafani was installed as the
new pastor in January of 1970; in October of that year, both the Parish
Memorial and the playground were dedicated in memory of Monsignor Cafie-
ro; and
WHEREAS, In 1978, Father Sclafani and Our Lady of Grace parish were
honored to give the blessing which opened the February session of the
United States Congress; the year 1981 saw investiture of Father Sclafani
as Monsignor and a large testimonial dinner to honor a most valued
parishioner, Joseph Veltri; and
WHEREAS, Four years later, Monsignor Sclafani was honored with a
retirement dinner and on January 2, 1983, Father Dominick F. Cutrone was
installed as the new pastor of Our Lady of Grace Parish; and
WHEREAS, In 1977, Father Cutrone became pastor of St. Agnes in down-
town Brooklyn and in 1983, he became pastor of Our Lady of Grace;
through the years, Father Cutrone proved to many parishioners of Our
Lady of Grace that this parish truly is "The Parish with a Family Tradi-
tion"; in the fall of 2000, Father Cutrone rededicated the Parish Memo-
rial and playground in memory of Monsignor Cafiero; Father Cutrone
retired in January of 2001; and
WHEREAS, On March 25, 2001, Our Lady of Grace celebrated the installa-
tion of its new Pastor, Reverend Thomas F. Leach; and
WHEREAS, Under his luminous direction, Our Lady of Grace R.C. Church
stands on the threshold of tomorrow, prepared to meet the challenges of
the coming decades while retaining that spiritual resolve which charac-
terizes its past; and
WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to take note of
enduring religious institutions and to bring such institutions to the
attention of the people of this Empire State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 75th Anniversary of Our Lady of Grace R.C. Church,
Gravesend, Brooklyn, New York, to be observed on September 25, 2011,
fully confident that this commemoration reflects the belief in those
values which enhance the dignity and purpose of life; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Reverend Thomas F. Leach, Pastor, Our Lady of Grace R.C.
Church, 430 Avenue W, Gravesend, Brooklyn, New York 11223.