In 1848, when the city of Flatbush in Brooklyn was still part of the Archdiocese of New York, the parish of the Holy Cross was established to serve the growing Catholic population in Flatbush, Brooklyn. Holy Cross was the first parish, the mother church of all the Flatbush parishes.
As the population of Flatbush grew, other parishes were carved from Holy Cross’s territory.Meanwhile, Holy Cross grew in size, buildings and people. Just looking at all the buildings of the parish gives you a sense of the vibrant Catholic life that has flourished here for 160 years.
Brooklyn is the land of immigrants. Holy Cross still is the home of many immigrants – Caribbeans; Africans; Latin Americans. Here, Catholic people seeking to raise their families in a modern, urban, fast-moving environment, come together to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Here Jesus is proclaimed as Lord; His Cross is exalted as the means of salvation; His Word is proclaimed; His Body and Blood are offered in the Sacrifice of the Mass and received in Holy Communion. At Holy Cross, all people are welcome to come and experience Christ alive – in our Sacraments; in our Prayer Groups; in our teaching and sharing; in or celebrations. Standing with Mary at the foot of the Cross, we raise ourselves and our children to the Father in the Spirit of Christ.
One of the most striking aspects of our Christian life at Holy Cross is the number of Youth and Children who are part of our parish community. We seek to raise them in the Gospel, and are glad that they have found a spiritual home in the heart of Brooklyn where they can walk the Way of Jesus and not the way of the world.
As we celebrate 166 years of parish life, we look forward to the ever-new outpouring of the Spirit. We open our arms to embrace all those who seek Jesus. We are proud to be members of the Church of Jesus – the Church of the martyrs and Saints; the Church of the Virgin Mary; the Church of Pope Francis and the popes of all ages; the Church of Christmas, Calvary, Easter and Pentecost. We seek to live a holy Christian life in the twentieth century, founded on Bible principles and faithful to the Magisterium of the Church.
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