[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 15470-15471]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   THE 140TH ANNIVERSARY OF TRANSFIGURATION ROMAN CATHOLIC PARISH OF 
                       WILLIAMSBURG, BROOKLYN, NY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. NYDIA M. VELAZQUEZ

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 19, 2014

  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Transfiguration 
Roman Catholic Parish of Williamsburg, Brooklyn as it celebrates its 
140th anniversary. The church is commemorating this special year by 
hosting a series of events celebrating the parish and community's rich 
history.
  A church of humble beginnings, Transfiguration originated to serve 
Irish Catholic immigrants. Its first Mass was celebrated in 1874 by 
Friar John Fagan in a carpenter's shop on Hooper Street. In 1875, 
Transfiguration R.C. Church was dedicated. As the congregation and 
diversity grew, so did the needs of the parishioners. In 1912, the 
Sisters of St. Joseph established a parochial school that educated 
thousands of students until 2006 when it closed its doors.
  In the late 1900's there were 500 Puerto Ricans living in New York 
City, and by the 1930's the population increased to more than 45,000. 
Many of these families moved to Williamsburg and settled in the 
Southside/Los Sures community near the Transfiguration parish where 
they lived among Irish Catholics, Italians and Jews. Transfiguration 
embraced the Latino community and adopted changes to its ministry and 
services to meet the spiritual, social and educational needs of its new 
parishioners. In 1956, after his ordination, Monsignor Bryan J. 
Karvelis, a then young priest came to the parish and saw first-hand the 
conditions and social needs of the families it served.
  Transfiguration, under the leadership of Monsignor Karvelis, worked 
to improve the lives and social and economic status of the

[[Page 15471]]

poor and refugee community it served. It founded and helped create 
organizations like the Southside Mission, the Transfiguration Parish 
Federal Credit Union, Southside Immigration Services, Nuestros Ninos 
Daycare Center, a men's shelter and food pantry and Casa Betsaida, a 
hospice residence opened during the AIDS crisis for individuals 
infected with the virus. Monsignor Karvelis served Transfiguration R.C. 
Church for close to half a century until he passed away in 2005. The 
street outside the church was named in his memory.
  Today, under the leadership of Monsignor Anthony M. Hernandez, 
Transfiguration continues thriving. My fellow colleagues, please join 
me in celebrating the 140th Anniversary of Transfiguration Roman 
Catholic Parish, a parish that continues its rich history of faith and 
social progress.

                          ____________________