Paul Gilvary draws on decades of experience as an educator to serve as a math teacher at St. Raymond High School for Boys in the Bronx, New York. Outside of his professional responsibilities, Paul Gilvary provides assistance to his fellow parishioners as an usher at the Parish of St. Robert Bellarmine at Bayside.
A Roman Catholic church, the Parish of St. Robert Bellarmine at Bayside traces its roots back to the 1930s, when members of the nascent community of Bayside Hills petitioned the local bishop for a new Catholic parish. Their efforts ultimately succeeded, and with Rev. Joseph J. Hyland appointed as pastor, the parish held its first mass in January of 1939.
The 225 worshipers who came to the house-turned-rectory-and-church exceeded expectations, and fundraising activities subsequently began in earnest to build a permanent church structure. Father Hyland succeeded in securing a prime location in Bayside and, following a year of construction, St. Robert’s opened its doors in May of 1941.
Over the years, the original St. Robert’s, which consisted of a church building, a recreation hall, and the priests’ upstairs living quarters, has undergone several expansions and renovations. The original church building is now a gym, and the grounds now include a rectory, school, convent, and library. Through this time, St. Robert’s has remained at the site that Father Hyland purchased more than a half-century ago.
