About The Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Brooklyn, New York:
The parish was established in November 1892 by Bishop Charles Edward McDonnell to serve the then-rural southern edge of Brooklyn (formed from parts of Our Lady of Angels and St. Michael parishes). The Redemptorists purchased the full city block for $40,000.
The first Mass was said on Easter Sunday, April 2, 1893, in a private home (about 40 people attended). A wooden frame church was dedicated on January 14, 1894.
Devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help began on May 6, 1894, with a perpetual novena that continues today. A copy of the famous icon (touched to the original in Rome) was enthroned in December 1894. Construction of the current church began in 1907. Designed by Franz Joseph Untersee of Boston in a Romanesque style (with rounded arches and a cruciform plan). The exterior is primarily granite (sometimes described with limestone elements); the lower church interior features terra cotta. It is a “double church” with two levels of worship under one roof (similar to the Basilica of San Francis in Assisi). The lower church is used for most regular services; the upper church hosts weddings, special celebrations, and some larger Masses. Both levels feature shrines to Our Lady of Perpetual Help.The lower church opened on Easter Sunday, April 11, 1909 (seating about 1,800; nearly 6,000 parishioners at the time). The upper church was completed in 1928. Pope Paul VI elevated it to the rank of minor basilica on September 15, 1969 (public inauguration November 1, 1969).
Originally largely Irish (built on what was known as “Irish Hill”), the parish is now predominantly Hispanic and Chinese, with Vietnamese Masses as well. It has produced many religious vocations and hosts major diocesan events (such as ordinations) due to its size, as well as larger funerals for fallen NYPD and FDNY members.
The parish offers Masses in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese (schedules can change—check the official website or call for the latest). A perpetual novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help is held (typically Wednesdays).
Community outreach includes immigration assistance (Juan Neumann Center), a food pantry, and other programs. The associated Catholic school (originally St. Alphonsus, later Our Lady of Perpetual Help School/Academy) closed in recent years due to declining enrollment.
Notable connection: Actor Chuck Connors (The Rifleman) grew up nearby and served as an altar boy at the parish.
Traveling to The Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Brooklyn, New York:
The Basilica is a prominent landmark visible from a distance, including from the Gowanus Expressway.
Address: 526 59th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11220
(on Fifth Avenue between 59th and 60th Streets; the complex occupies much of the block extending toward Sixth Avenue).
Phone: +1 (718) 492-9200
Email: (listed in some directories): perpetualhelp526@gmail.com
Visit the official website of The Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Brooklyn, New York.