Quealy Place, Clinton Avenue

Bounding around Quealy Place and Clinton Avenue

Located just around the corner from each other, The Cathedral of St. Agnes and St. Agnes Cathedral School are some of the most storied institutions in the village. On Quealy Place and Clinton Avenue, respectively, St. Agnes is the seat of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, led by Bishop John Oliver Barres, which includes nearly every Catholic church on Long Island.

The Parish of St. Agnes predates the school by 30 years. A white marble stone church was built in 1905 in less than three decades the intimate house of worship was insufficient for the growing parish. Construction of a new church started in 1933, under the direction of Msgr. Peter Quealy, and the current building was completed two years later.

The school, founded in 1917, offers an academic and spiritual

Tom Carrozza/Herald Top photo: The Rockville Centre Police Department Color Guard marched past St. Agnes Cathedral during the Memorial Day Parade.

program to children from kindergarten to eighth grade. Diving into the past to assist the future, the connected Catholic institutions revitalized the St. Agnes Bazaar for the first time since the 1970s. The event took place this year from June 24 to 26.

The blacktop behind the school saw thousands of guests enjoy rides, music, food and games. The cathedral’s rector Fr. Michael Duffy was inspired to bring back the old tradition because of a similar event held at Our Lady of Lourdes in Malverne, where he also served as a priest. “This has been my dream,” Duffy said. “For years, I’ve wanted to have an event where people can come together and have a positive experience with the church but also have fun together.”

The school also rallied to strike out amyotrophic lateral sclerosis what is known as Lou Gehrig’s disease in May, with hundreds of students lining Clinton Avenue to venerate Paul Weisman and other Long Islanders fighting the disease. The ALS Ride for Life event showed that even after the pandemic, the school continues to be active in the community. — Tom Carrozza

Photos by Tom Carrozza/Herald Top photo: A couple of young attendees of the bazaar dance to the tunes of Tri State Alehouse.