History

Please click here for the history of the school.

In October 1908, an article in The Catholic News reported that a new sub-division of the Archdiocese of New York would be
formed in the Norwood Heights section of the Bronx. Three weeks later, Archbishop John Farley named the parish for the Irish
navigator, St. Brendan.

Fr. Denis O’Donovan was appointed the Rector of this new parish. Fr. O’Donovan accepted this challenge eagerly and with great
anticipation. He took a census of Catholics and discovered that there were to be 652 parishioners. He asked for their help to
raise $2,000 as a deposit for the 7 lots totaling $18,500 at the corner of East 207th Street and Perry Avenue.

In the meantime, a place of worship had to be found for use until the church was constructed. A small frame building on Webster
Avenue and 205th Street was converted into a chapel and on Sunday, December 5, 1908, 2 masses were celebrated there.

On April 29, 1909, the groundbreaking for the church began. On May 16, the Feast of St. Brendan, the cornerstone was laid. It
was on November 21, 1909 that the church was dedicated. In less than one year, St. Brendan’s had been successfully launched.

In a few years, Fr. Donovan’s efforts had paid off. “Brendan Hill” was a thriving parish. However, Fr. Donovan would not live to
see all of his dreams for the parish– including a school and a rectory. Fr. Donovan died from complications from another illness in
1911, at the age of 51. He was missed dearly.

The aftermath of Vatican II, in the mid-1960s, sparked an interest in updating all aspects of the Church—including architecture.

Dedicated in 1967, the current church, is truly a church of the times. It was designed in the shaped like a ship, to commemorate
St. Brendan’s voyages.

In 1983, the Parish celebrated its 75 Anniversary. In 2003, its 95th. In 2008, the Parish will celebrate a century.

From the original 652 parishioners, there are now more than 1,900 families on the register. For St. Brendan’s Parish, the past has
been a testament to our faith, accompanied by outstanding accomplishments and milestones, the present is filled with hope for the
21st century, and a challenging but exciting future awaits us.