A
BRIEF HISTORY
OF
OUR PARISH
.
.
.
" Jesus
Christ is the same,
yesterday,
today, yes, and forever!"
(Hebrews
13:8)
In 1962 Bishop Kellenberg of our Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York,
created the parish
of St. Paul the Apostle, and appointed Rev.Daniel Potterton as its founding
pastor. When
the local Jewish people heard that the newly-created parish had no place
to meet, they
offered the Jericho Jewish Center, and it was there that Father Potterton
held the first
parish meeting and began the plans for the parish.
Property for the church was first considered in Muttontown, on Route 106,
but this was soon
abandoned when the clay base was found to be unsuitable to support the
church building.
The first parish Mass was offered in the hall of the Lion's Club of Hicksville,
New York; and
later, Mass was offered in the Jericho Fire House.Other places used
for Sunday Mass were
the Twin Theater in Hicksville,New York, and the C. W. Post College Little
Theater.
In 1965, the Doane property near the rectory was purchased, and a year
later ground was
broken for the new church. Daily Mass was
then offered in the rectory.
Our church
under construction in 1966
In 1966 Sunday Masses began to be celebrated in the basement of the
new church building, and the first Mass
offered in our beautiful new church was offered on Christmas Eve, 1967.
.
.
Some
of the founders of our parish
.
Seated:
Natella Astuto, Carol Huggard, Dorothy Borges,
Ann Cincinnato,
Dotty Lezia, Rita Koenig, Pat Friedman,
&
Mary LoCastro; Standing: Joe Lomuro, Tony Scarpelli,
Jack O'Hara,
John X, Andy Weirich, Father Potterton,
Father
Ryan, Ray Murray, Harry Saffa, Angelo & John Dever
.
.
..The
three striking stained glass windows carry the theme: "Jesus
Christ is the same yesterday, today, yes and forever."
The massive
west window is "yesterday,"
depicting
St. Paul preaching in Athens
.
.
The east
window is "today,"
depicting
the Spirit of God guiding the Church today,
with the
grace of the sacraments,
the instruction
of the Scriptures,
and the
guidance of the popes
.
.
.
The window
over the front door is "forever,"
depicting
Jesus as Lord of the whole universe,
yesterday,
today, and forever
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