St. Camillus Church to Close

By Katie McFadden

St. Camillus Church will be closing by the end of the year. It was a shocking announcement delivered by Father James Rodriguez to congregants at Sunday Mass at the beloved church on Rockaway Beach Blvd. and Beach 100th Street.

“For several years now, we have been struggling here at St. Camillus with the numbers,” Fr. Rodriguez said during Mass on Sunday, May 25. “Monsignor Richie always used to say, ‘the numbers, the numbers.’ The numbers have caught up with us. We have to close St. Camillus by the end of the year. This is something, as you know, Msgr. Richie struggled with very much and so do I and so does the bishop. It’s ultimately the bishop’s decision.”

The decision of the impending closing of the 115-plus year-old church by Bishop Robert Brennan came after a series of changes hinting towards a decline, including the merger of St. Camillus with St. Virgilius in Broad Channel in 2008, the closure of St. Camillus Catholic Academy in 2019, Father Rodriguez stepping in as the priest of not only St. Rose of Lima, but St. Camillus and St. Virgilius after Msgr. Richie died in May 2024, and the reduction of Mass offerings at St. Camillus in January of this year.

The Rockaway Times reached out to the Diocese of Brooklyn for further information. “The closing of a parish church is not something the Diocese of Brooklyn, which includes Queens, ever wants to do. For more than 115 years, St. Camillus has been a place where generations of families have celebrated significant life milestones, found comfort, and built lasting friendships. The Diocese of Brooklyn recognizes how difficult this can be for the parishioners, but factors, including the decline in attendance, have made this difficult decision necessary,” the Diocese said in a statement.

Further explaining the reasoning, they said, “The church averages 175 people at their Sunday Mass. Despite the generosity of the parishioners, the parish debt currently amounts to over $3 million, which can only be addressed by selling or leasing the expansive property. A lot of this debt is owed for the upfront costs of the new parish center at St. Virgilius.

“Furthermore, the declining number of new priests and the significant number of priests retiring are making it challenging to operate so many church buildings. This has necessitated the need to merge, or close, churches that cannot pay their bills.”

With the announcement of the closing, first reported on social media by The Wave, many expressed their sadness and reflected on celebrating special occasions from baptisms to confirmations to weddings over the years. Many also expressed concern over what will come of the many events and services that the church hosts in its parking lot and in Springman Hall, including food pantries, the Rockaway Irish Festival, Thrilla in Camilla, the Christmas Boutique, Special Olympics, basketball leagues and more. Some of those things will go on as planned before the church officially closes.

As for the future of the property? “No decisions have been made. The primary focus is on the smooth transition of the faithful to nearby churches, including St. Rose of Lima or St. Virgilius. The Church is not defined by a building, but instead by a community of people who seek a relationship with Jesus Christ. The Diocese stands committed to meeting the spiritual needs of the parishioners of St. Camillus,” the Diocese said.

At the end of the service on Sunday, Fr. Rodriguez let everyone know that he would have more information next week. “This was not an easy decision. This was not my decision but also know that any time the bishop has to make a decision like this, it hurts him very much. I know it hurts you way more and that’s not lost on him. Next weekend we’ll have a letter that outlines more. There’s too much to say with the initial shock of this,” Fr. Rodriguez said. “I ask that you think about this and pray about this.”