On September 21, 1922, His Eminence, Patrick Cardinal Hayes, appointed Father Catello Terrone to be the first pastor of St. Roch Church.  On December 2, 1922, a document was received from Cardinal Pompili, the Vicar General of Rome, testifying to the authenticity of the relics of St. Roch, St. Anthony, St. Lucy, St. Rita and St. Ann, which  were housed in the altar stone.
From 1922 to 1928 the church was a small wooden structure.  It  soon became apparent that a larger structure was needed to meet the growing number of parishioners.  Construction of the current building was built with the donations of a local contractor and parishioners who went door to door to sell bricks for $1. 
The cornerstone of the Church was laid in August 1928 by Monsignor Michael Lavelle.  On December 24, 1928, at midnight, the first mass in the new St. Roch Church was celebrated.   On May 30, 1930, the organ still used today, was blessed by Monsignor Lavelle. 
In January 1950, Father Pasquale Cannizzaro was assigned to St. Rochs.   Two months later Fr. Terrone passed away.  Fr. Cannizzaro oversaw a significant expansion of the parish with the building of the school and convent with the assistance of Fr. Anthony Pucci and Fr. Leonard DiNola and later Fr. Joseph DeSanto.
May 14, 1960 was a special day in St Roch’s history.  On that day, Father Cannizzaro was elevated to domestic prelate with the title of Right Reverend Monsignor.  Also the convent and school were dedicated by Francis Cardinal Spellman.  The grammar school was staffed by the Sisters of St. John the Baptist.  The Sisters oversaw the student’s spiritual and academic education until its closing a few years ago.
In the mid 1960’s a new rectory was built in front of the old one.  That structure still stands today as the residence of our current pastor and parish office.  It houses our food pantry, Religious Education office and serves as a hub for our parish groups and societies.   
Msgr. Cannizzaro died on March 8, 1972.  He will be remembered for his ambitious building program, the annual parish bazaar and his spaghetti dinners which he prepared for parishioners over the years. 
Fr. Francis Massarone was appointed to St. Roch by Terence Cardinal Cooke.  In service and residence with Fr. Massarone were  Fr. Peter J. Madori,  Fr. Moro Manzi, Brother Michael Verra, a Little Brother of Saint Francis and  Father David G. Sears. 
In September 1983, Father Alfred Pucci became the fourth pastor of Saint Roch. During his service to the parish, Father Pucci ensured that the parish was financially and structurally sound.  In 1987 he began a restoration project for the outside of the church and in 1989 added the Kindergarten suite to the school. 
Fr. Pucci was assisted by Fr. John Boyle, Fr. David Sears and later Fr. Leo R. Prince.  Father Prince would become the 5^th Pastor.  He retired in 2011 and Fr. James H. Hauver became the Administrator of St. Roch.
Fr. Hauver will be best known for bringing the Spanish Mass to St. Roch.  When he arrived to the parish he noticed that Port Richmond was teeming with Hispanic and Mexican families that were traveling to different parts of the island for a Spanish language mass.  He decided he would learn to speak Spanish and celebrate this mass.  He had a parishioner make flyers which he hand delivered to stores and businesses on Port Richmond Avenue.  The mass began with a handful of attendees but has since grown to quite often the most attended Sunday Mass.
On August 1, 2015 the Archdiocese of New York’s Making All Things New parish realignment plan merged St. Adalbert and St Roch into one parish.  Fr. James Garisto was made Pastor of the combined parish.  Fr. Garisto was succeeded by temporary administrator, Fr. Abraham Berko.  Fr. Albin Roby became Parish Administrator on July 01, 2016.  Fr. Diego Hernandez currently serves as the parish as Parochial Vicar. 
While the original church served a primarily Italian community with services celebrated  in English and Italian, St. Roch has long since been the spiritual home to Italians, Polish, Germans, Irish, Norwegian, Asian, Hispanic and African families.  With the recent addition of a Spanish Mass, St. Roch is now the home of a growing number of  Mexican parishioners.   St. Roch is very proud of its ongoing tradition of unity in the service of God and community.