Initially the religious needs of the Catholic immigrants were met by German Benedictines at Sacred Heart Parish on Tenth Street, where a separate Mass was said for them starting in 1887.

In 1896, upon the recommendation of Archbishop Michael Corrigan of New York, Father John S. Gulcz was appointed the first resident pastor.

He set about organizing the construction of a new church building to replace the small one established by the Benedictines.

[4] In the early twentieth century the Felician Sisters oversaw the education of over 500 pupils in the parish school.

The church was designed by Brilmaier & Sons of Milwaukee, whose work in Brooklyn, Gulcz had admired.