The story of our parish begins in the 1850’s when German immigrant farm families settled in Franklin Square and Elmont. As the majority of families were devout Catholics, the organization of a church by this community was not surprising.

By 1908, the local people tired of traveling to Elmont and Hempstead for Sunday Mass, arranged for the first Holy Mass to be celebrated in Franklin Square on Sunday, July 5, 1908; it was held in the Kinsey Homestead, which would later become the Krauss Funeral Home. For the next five years every Sunday a priest came from the neighboring town of Hempstead to celebrate Sunday morning Mass at 10:00AM.

On donated land that was originally a field of flowers became the parish complex. It was there the first wood framed church – the Saint Catherine of Sienna Chapel – was built.  The parish complex grew as more families became part of the parish through the years.  By 1913, the faith community of Saint Catherine of Sienna had grown sufficiently to qualify for a full-time priest and was elevated to parish status by canon law within the Diocese of Brooklyn. It began with four men and their wives, all named Catherine, which many believe the name of the parish was so inspired. A parish community of eleven families started four ministry groups – Altar Servers for boys, Society for men, women and girls. The first pastor to serve this new faith community was Rev. Tobias Farrenkopf; and soon there would be a new rectory.  The parish complex grew due to need of more worship and meeting space and more families became part of the parish through the years.

In 1917 the parish entered a new era! Rev. Conrad Lutz was the new pastor and the parish grew in people and with new building and property. In 1920 there was a Parish Hall to meet the need of expanded ministry. In 1925 a new stone church was erected that would accommodate many more people with vision of future growth to come. That church still stands today with it’s steeple overlooking the town; and the carillon of bells calling attention to the heart of our faith for the townspeople everyday!