The Shrine Church of Our Lady of Solace
A PARISH MINISTRY OF THE VOCATIONIST FATHERS
2866 West 17th Street
Brooklyn, New York 11224
Phone: (718) 266-1612
FAX: (718) 946-3651
REV. ARMANDO M. PALMIERI, S. D. V., Pastor
REV. SHIJU CHITTATTUKARA, S. D. V. , Associate Pastor
This was once the Palm Garden dance hall on Neptune Avenue where Father “Doctor”
Joseph Brophy established the parish in 1900. This picture was fourteen years after
its metamorphosis into Our Lady of Solace Church. Here it is shown at is second location
on Railroad Avenue. During the course of its move to West 17th Street and Mermaid
Lane (now Mermaid Avenue), one of the rollers on which the building was mounted stuck
and it was placed on this lot instead. This is where the church would be located
until 1925. The church steeple and cupola were added sometime in 1905. A charming
addition was its small bell tower donated by George C. Tilyou of Steeplechase Park
fame. It was constructed of timbers from the Flip-Flop Railway, a loop-the-loop coaster
that destroyed by high winds during the off-season. Much of the success of Our Lady
of Solace was due to the great devotion and endless generosity of the Tilyou family
to the parish that continued decades after George’s death, most notably their sponsorship
of the annual “Catholic Day.” A memorial plaque dedicated to George Tilyou and his
wife by their family was installed in the church lobby when, through their benevolence,
the original chimes (located in the now-razed tower belfry) were revived for 1964’s
Catholic Day. (Ironically, it was the year that that the Tilyous’ great Steeplechase
Park was forced out of business.) Even though the Meneely chimes are long gone, the
memory of the Tilyous’ kindness, devotion, generosity, and love for the Shrine Church
of Our Lady of Solace remains in perpetuity.
When Father Walter A. Kerwin arrived from St. Sebastian’s in Woodside, he was determined
to complete the dream of Father Brophy with the church and creation of the parish
campus on the twenty-six lots acquired by Father Brophy in 1901. In 1925, the doors
were opened for the first Sunday Mass in the breatakingly beautiful house of God
that parishioners had awaited since the parish’s founding in 1900. By this time,
the church was officially the Shrine Church of Our Lady of Solace, having been blessed
as a Shrine by Pope Pius X in 1905. Although it was never the official parish name,
the title chiseled above the main door, however, reads “OUR LADY OF SOLACE SHRINE
CHURCH.” This was decided upon since the official name was considered too long to
inscribe under the bas relief mural in the archway and still be readable. Unlike
so many churches that are locked after morning Masses, the Shrine Church of Our Lady
of Solace remains open for meditation and prayer until 3:00 P.M. weekdays, after
the 5:00 P.M. Mass Saturdays, and after the 12:30 P.M. Mass most Sundays (it is sometimes
opened later for baptisms).
