Cardinal Timothy Dolan joined parishioners from the Church of St. Benedict in celebrating their first century on Otis Avenue in The Bronx with a Mass on Saturday, June 10.

“In early 1923 the Diocesan Council of New York was asked by Archbishop Patrick Hayes to look into conditions in the newly developing section of the East Bronx,” the parish’s website recalls. The first Mass for what would become the Church of St. Benedict was celebrated on Sunday, April 8, 1923. Since then, 14 pastors have led the parish in its first 100 years, including the Archdiocese of New York’s Auxiliary Bishop Edmund Whalen, who served as pastor from 2001 to 2007. The current pastor, Father Nikolin Pergjini, has served since 2021. 

The parish began its centennial year celebrations with a gala dinner on April 21. Sunday’s Mass continued the commemorations, followed by a pilgrimage to Italy, scheduled for October 16-25.