Rockville Centre Diocese unearths historical photographs

In photo, Bishop John McGann, second bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, watches as Father Robert E. Mason, pastor, digs the first shovel of dirt.

TheDiocese of Rockville Centre recently unearthed hundreds of historical photographs of local parishes. In the spirt of the jubilee year, the Diocese has distributed the photos to the media and has created a Diocesan Time Capsule, within which the photos will be placed.

In photo, Bishop John McGann, second bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, watches as Father Robert E. Mason, pastor, digs the first shovel of dirt for a new church building at Our Lady of Lourdes parish in 1983. It was dedicated in 1985. The parish began in 1955 when a barn on Carmans Road was converted into a chapel for daily Mass. Through the permission of the Massapequa School Board, public school auditoriums were used for Sunday

Mass. Ground for new facilities was broken in 1961, and the first Mass was offered in the churchauditorium in 1962. The Dominican Sisters of Amityville opened the parochial school a week later. Since 1963, Mass has been offered in the school chapel.

"We are pleased to share this feature with you so your readers can get a glimpse of their community's past," said Angela Cave, communications assistant for the Diocese.

In photo, Bishop Walter Kellenberg, now deceased, founding bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, celebrates Mass at St. Rose of Lima parish, which was established in1952. A rectory and a church were dedicated in 1965.

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