Even at the time that OLPH was founded in 1893, what was sought was a mission house with a church. But Bishop Loughlin. . . insisted that we [Redemptorists] take on parish responsibilities in the place where we would settle. The Redemptorist Provincial [Superior], Father Litz, went to Rome and finally got permission for a mission house, a church and a 'small parish.' Well, that's what it was in those days. The area was sparsely settled. But just in case. . . the Redemptorists had bought an entire city block the previous November. The cost was $40,000. Five thousand came from the [Redemptorist] St. Alphonsus community on Canal Street and West Broadway, and $20,000 from the [Redemptorist] Holy Redeemer Community on East Third Street. The territory of the parish was small, just a sliver of land from 54th Street on the North to 60th Street on the South and from Fort Hamilton Parkway on the East to the bay." (from the Centennial Journal, done in 1993).