The parish was established in 1884 by Joseph A. Byron under the direction of John McCloskey, Cardinal, Archbishop of New York, for the Germans and Irish of the newly developed neighborhood to the east of Third Avenue near the East River. The area had been served by St. Paul's Church on East 117th Street and by St. Cecilia's on East 106th Street. Since both older parishes were some distance from the newer settlement along the river, it was inevitable that the rapidly developing area would see the founding of two ethnic churches: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel on 115th St. for the Italians and Our Lady of the Holy Rosary on East 119th St. for the Germans and the Irish.