Each photo may be enlarged by clicking on it.
See page 487 for the beginnings of St Helena parish, Parkchester in 1940. The church was built in 1941 on Olmstead Avenue, just north of Westchester Avenue. Whereas St. Raymond's church is near the northeast corner of Parkchester, St Helena's is at the southeast corner. The parish website is linked here. The rectory address is 1315 Olmstead Ave., Bronx NY 10462, telephone 718-892-3232. The stained glass windows of the church are pictured and described on the parish website.
---
Since 2014, Piarist Fathers staff the church.---
On May 5, 2020, the Bronx Times published an excellent article on the foundation of this parish, with important clarifications. Arthur Scanlan, it was, who chose to name the parish St. Helena because Spellman's mother, deceased five years previously was Ellen. When I walked the neighborhood, I wasn't looking for the green building, the former tavern in which Mass was first offered. A corner of it may be in the photo below! Also, there is a reference to Gustav Schultheiss, the priest of Staten Island origin, whom I met in 1950, in a practice session for an episcopal Mass. He was the antithesis opposite of gruff, putting the servers at ease.
-----
The parish elementary school is at 2050 Benedict Avenue, adjacent to the church. Its website is linked here.
Above is the elementary school as seen from Westchester Avenue. The school entrance is on the other side, Benedict Avenue.
Above, another view from Westchester Avenue.
----
The parish high school, Msgr. Scanlan High School, is about a mile south of the church, at 915 Hutchinson River Parkway, Bronx NY 10465.
