History

Our Lady of Hope is a parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre. It was established on June 17th, 1987 when the parish was created out of the territory of St. Brigid's parish in Westbury, NY, "the mother parish of Nassau County."

The present church had been known simply as St. Brigid's chapel since its construction in 1954, and was served by priests and deacons from the mother parish for Mass and sacraments. Previous to the building of the chapel parishioners attended Mass in a storefront on Westbury Avenue.

The founding pastor was Father (later Monsignor) Francis S. Midura who was serving in the diocesan Tribunal at the time of his appointment. In 1999 he was appointed pastor of St. Joseph's parish in Ronkonkoma, NY.

Under Msgr. Midura's leadership, the first twelve years of the new parish were filled with great activity and blessed with much growth. The former chapel (now the parish church) was restored and an attractive parish hall with religious education offices and a food pantry was created in the basement. The grounds were re-landscaped and the parking expanded. As there had been no rectory, a house was purchased in the neighborhood for the pastor and a priest resident (no longer available) to live.

The second pastor was Father (later Monsignor) Donald M. Hanson (ord 1971) who began his ministry at Our Lady of Hope on June 30th, 1999. Msgr. Hanson also served as Dean of the Hicksville group of parishes (Deanery), and on the Diocesan Liturgical Committee and the Diocesan Priest Personnel Board. During his eight years of leadership, Msgr. Hanson instituted several improvements to our facilities, both in our church and in the small house behind the church that was purchased by the former pastor. This building served to store some of the property that couldn't be kept in  the church building and to provide additional badly needed meeting space. Msgr. Hanson gave new emphasis on the Eucharist and Sacred Liturgy. In the church itself, new lights, security equipment, electronic bells and a magnificent pipe organ were either updated or added. The latter two projects were funded completely by memorials and not by the use of parish funds. Msgr. Hanson also led OLH into the 21st century, establishing and managing a parish website and implementing a parish photo directory and a self evaluation study (ME 25) conducted with the Gallup organization.

Our third pastor is Rev. Msgr. Richard Bauhoff, who began his ministry here as pastor on July 11, 2007. Msgr. Bauhoff is not new to Our Lady of Hope, having been in residence here when he served on the Tribunal. Msgr. Bauhoff also served as acting administrator during the Gulf War, when our pastor at the time, Msgr. Midura, was called to active duty from his reserve status. Msgr;. Bauhoff's most recent assignment was as pastor of St. Mary's in Roslyn, a post he held for 12 years.
 

Father Thomas V. Arnao is the fourth pastor of Our Lady of Hope Church, effective June 23rd, 2010. Father Arnao was ordained in 1982. Currently he is the Adjutant Judicial Vicar of the Diocesan Marriage Tribunal and was formerly resident at St. Joseph's Church in Hewlett. Father Arnao was appointed to the Tribunal in 1993. In 1997, Father began his Doctoral Studies in Canon Law in Rome. Father Arnao returned to the Tribunal in 1999 with the JCD in Canon Law. Father Arnao is no stranger to Our Lady of Hope, having assisted here during Rev. Msgr. Midura's call to service during the Gulf War.

Our Lady of Hope continues to grow and to witness to God's love in Christ as we begin the third Christian millennium.

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