[6] Its affiliated K-8 school was founded in 1912 by the Dominican Sisters and classes were first held in the basement of the parish church.

The church building was built 1966 to Modernist designs by the architectural firm of Belfatto & Pavarini to resemble the prow of a ship.

The first Mass was celebrated on Christmas Day of that year in the cafeteria of Montefiore Home and Hospital, located across the street from the planned site of the church.

The original property purchased for the parish extended from East Gun Hill Road one block north.

As a consequence, the pastor had to make the lower part of the school the permanent site of the parish church.

Additionally, an adjacent lot had to be sold to cover the debts from the construction of the school and an adjoining convent.

It is currently occupied by their coworkers, the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal, who run a food pantry for the parish.

In 2013, the Archdiocese of New York began a year-long process of evaluation of all its parishes, called Making All Things New.

In November 2014, an official decree was issued by Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, then the Archbishop of New York, making these changes effective as of August 1 of the following year.

[13] Immediately after the school was closed, Dolan decreed that, at the request of the pastor of the new parish, the church was to be deconsecrated from its religious use, and thereby was available for sale for other purposes.