View source for Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help

{{short description|Catholic basilica in New York City}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox church
| name                   = Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
| fullname               = 
| image                  = OLPH north sun jeh.jpg
| imagesize              = frameless
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| caption                = Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help from 5th Avenue
| pushpin map            = New York City
| pushpin label position = none
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| coordinates            = {{coord|40|38|23|N|74|0|56|W|type:landmark_region:US-NY|display=inline,title}}
| location               = 526 59th Street<br/>[[Brooklyn, New York]]
| country                = [[United States]]
| denomination           = [[Catholic Church]]
| sui iuris church       = [[Latin Church]]
| website                = {{URL|https://www.olphbkny.org/}}
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| founded date           = 
| founder                = [[Charles Edward McDonnell]]
| dedication             = [[Our Mother of Perpetual Succour|Mary, Mother of Perpetual Succour]]
| dedicated date         = 
| status                 = [[Minor Basilica]]
| functional status      = [[parish church]]
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| parish                 = [[Parish]] of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
| diocese                = [[Diocese of Brooklyn|Brooklyn]]
| bishop                 = [[His Excellency]], [[Most Rev.]] [[Robert J. Brennan]]
| pastor                 = [[Very Rev.]] Robert Wojtek, [[C.SS.R.]]
}}

The '''Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help''' is a [[Roman Catholic]] [[minor basilica]] and Marian shrine in [[Brooklyn]], New York, United States.<ref>[https://redemptorists.net/people-places/125-years-for-olph-basilica-in-brooklyn/ "125 years for OLPH Basilica in Brooklyn", The Redemptorists, December 14, 2017]</ref> The shrine is dedicated to the [[Blessed Virgin Mary]] under the title of [[Our Mother of Perpetual Succour]]. 

[[Pope Paul VI]] raised the shrine to the status of [[Minor Basilica]] via the [[Pontifical Decree]] ''Quamquam Christianus'' on 15 September 1969.

==History==

The parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help was established by Bishop [[Charles Edward McDonnell]] in November 1892 to serve the residents of the [[Sunset Park, Brooklyn|Sunset Park]] neighborhood of Brooklyn. It was formed from the parishes of Our Lady of Angels and St. Michael. The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists) purchased land, bordered by 59th and 60th Streets and by Fifth and Sixth Avenues in what was then a relatively rural area. The first Mass was celebrated on Easter Sunday, April 2, 1893, in the Morse family house on 54th Street and 4th Avenue. A wooden frame church on Fifth Avenue between 59th and 60th Streets was dedicated by Bishop [[Charles Edward McDonnell]] on January 14, 1894.<ref name=Giossi>[https://thetablet.org/alumni-reunion-helps-olph-celebrate-its-125th-anniversary/ Giossi, Marie Elena. "Alumni Reunion Helps OLPH Celebrate Its 125th Anniversary", ''The Tablet'', November 9, 2017]</ref>

The Redemptorists hold a particular regard for Mary, under the title [[Our Lady of Perpetual Help]]. On May 6, 1894, they established the devotion in the parish, distributing prayer cards. The following December a copy of the icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, brought from Rome, was installed in the new church. The perpetual [[novena]] to Mary under the title of Our Lady of Perpetual Help continues.<ref name=olph>[https://olphbkny.org/parish-history "Our History", Our Lady of Perpetual Help]</ref>

Construction on the current church began in 1907. The lower level was opened for services two years later, with the upper church completed in 1928. The church was decreed a minor basilica on 15 September 1969 by the [[Holy See|Vatican]]. The public inauguration ceremony was held on 1 November 1969. <ref name=nycago>[http://www.nycago.org/Organs/Bkln/html/OurLadyPerpetualHelp.html "Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help", nycago.com]</ref>

At the time of its completion, the parish was largely Irish in character (as evidenced by the inscriptions on the memorial windows). It was built on what was known as Irish Hill. Some of the family names include Collins, Brennan, Wade, Connors, Burns, McCaffrey, Healy, and Coffey. There is still an Irish presence, but today it is predominantly Hispanic and Chinese. The basilica enjoys large attendance, particularly on holidays such as Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday and Christmas.

The parish offers immigration services in its Juan Neumann Center, operates a food pantry, hosts a Chinese senior citizen group and leases space to benefit the community to a pre-k program and Lutheran Medical Center.<ref name=Giossi/>

==Description==

[[File:OLPH South jeh.JPG|thumb|left|Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help from 60th Street]]

The [[basilica]], founded and still staffed by the [[Redemptorist]]s, is a [[Roman Catholic]] [[Parish (Catholic Church)|parish church]] of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn|Diocese of Brooklyn]]. It is dedicated to [[Our Mother of Perpetual Help|Our Lady of Perpetual Help]], and serves as a [[pro-cathedral]]. The architect was [[Franz Joseph Untersee]] of Boston. The granite church is Romanesque with a limestone exterior.<ref name=nycago/> As a ''[[double chapel]]'', the basilica has two floors of worship, like the [[Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi]]. The upstairs church was commonly only used to host weddings and special group services such as confirmation and communion, but has come back into more frequent use. For many years, mass in Spanish was held upstairs because of the large number of parishioners in attendance. Masses are also celebrated in Chinese and Vietnamese. The lower level is for smaller services. The first floor has been renovated many times in recent years.

Because of its size, the basilica hosts major diocesan services (e.g., [[ordination]]s)<ref>[http://dioceseofbrooklyn.org/sullivan.aspx Ordination of Bishops] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204130834/http://dioceseofbrooklyn.org/sullivan.aspx |date=February 4, 2012 }} dioceseofbrooklyn.org</ref> that would otherwise be held at Brooklyn's other, considerably smaller basilica, the [[Cathedral Basilica of St. James (Brooklyn, New York)|Cathedral Basilica of St. James]]. For the same reason, it also hosts more somber events; it is a venue-of-choice for the larger funerals of those who have fallen in the line of duty while in the service of the [[New York City Police Department]] and the [[New York City Fire Department]].

==Surroundings==
[[File:OLPH Elem Sch jeh.JPG|thumb|OLPH school]]
The parish has an elementary school down the block on 6th Avenue and 59th and 60th Street. OLPH elementary school opened September 9, 1903 and was staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood. The school celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2003.<ref name=olph/> From 1956 until 1999 there was an OLPH Commercial High School for girls. Students at both were taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph, whose convent is on 59th Street and 6th Avenue. A rectory for the Redemptorist priests is on 59th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues.<ref name=Giossi/>

In 2012, the not-for-profit Regina Opera Company moved to the auditorium of OLPH Catholic Academy.<ref>[http://nyoperafest.com/2018/venue/our-lady-of-perpetual-help-school-auditorium/ New York Opera Fest]</ref>

The basilica is served by the [[New York City Subway]]'s [[BMT Fourth Avenue Line]] at the [[59th Street (BMT Fourth Avenue Line station)|59th Street subway station]] ({{NYCS trains|Fourth south}}).

==Notable people==
[[Chuck Connors]], of ''[[The Rifleman]]'', grew up in the neighborhood and served as an [[altar boy]] at OLPH.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Commons category-inline|Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Brooklyn)}}
* [https://archive.today/20130415174850/http://www.olphbkny.org/ Our Lady Of Perpetual Help Basilica]

{{Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn|state=collapsed}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Our Lady Of Perpetual Help in Brooklyn, Basilica of}}
[[Category:Roman Catholic churches in Brooklyn|Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Brooklyn, Basilica of]]
[[Category:Basilica churches in New York (state)|Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Brooklyn, Basilica of]]
[[Category:Redemptorist churches in the United States]]
[[Category:Sunset Park, Brooklyn]]
[[Category:Double chapels]]