Mary Queen of Heaven Church

In 1904, Bishop Charles McDonnell established Mary Queen of Heaven Church. He envisioned a sanctuary for the Catholics of Ozone Park, particularly the French-speaking immigrants. The Montfort Fathers, with Father Rene LeCair at the helm, were chosen to guide the new parish. The first Mass at Mary Queen of Heaven Church echoed through the neighborhood on August 28, 1904. The church’s interior is a testament to Marian devotion. The stained-glass windows, crafted by Franz Meyer of Munich, illuminate the Mysteries of the Rosary. Look closely at the transept windows. You’ll see Mary, Queen of All Hearts, and Our Lady Help of Christians. The Stations of the Cross, original oil paintings by parishioner Leonardo Stefanelli, tell a hidden story. Follow the traditional Stations, and you’ll discover the narrative of Longinus’s conversion. Longinus was the Roman soldier who pierced Christ’s side. Two anonymous paintings grace the back walls. One, “Jacob’s Vision,” portrays angels ascending and descending a heavenly ladder. The other, “The Happy Death,” depicts a dying Christian bathed in the light of grace flowing from Christ through Mary. Mary is represented as the Mediatrix of All Graces and Gate of Heaven. Mary Queen of Heaven Church continued to grow. In 1954, a new school opened its doors, followed by a convent for the Daughters of Wisdom in 1962. Nearly a thousand students filled the school’s classrooms. The following decades brought changes. The convent became a home for troubled teens, and the church underwent modernization. In 2004, Mary Queen of Heaven Church celebrated its centennial, a testament to its enduring presence in Ozone Park.