Sunday, November 11, 2007

5. Church of the Holy Agony (CLOSED)

NOTE: In 2015 this church closed down and was merged into St. Cecilia Church as part of the Archdiocese of New York's great closings & mergers of 2015. Only St. Cecilia's will remain open for regular Masses and other events. This combined parish is called St. Cecilia Parish.

(mass times & church info last updated 03/20/2016) 
Address: 1834 3rd Ave. @ 101st St.
Phone: 212.289.5589
Post-Church Activity:
(I had to go to work today - blech!)

This church on the edge of Spanish Harlem and the Upper East side is small and simplistic. It is a mostly Spanish speaking community it serves and this morning attending the 9:30am Sunday English mass I wondered if I would have been having a more energetic spiritual experience if I had chosen to attend one of the many Spanish speaking masses it offers. I've attended Spanish churches before and though I speak barely any Spanish, there is still such a strong sense of why one is there during the praise and festiveness of a Spanish Mass. On that note, I've also observed that English language Masses at these Spanish churches are always somewhat subdued and very very mellow. I guess the root of all this is language barriers.

This is the smallest and most bare church I've attended in New York City - the decor is standard and certainly no where near the ornateness of St. Paul the Apostle or St. Francis Xavier. As I sat there it did strike me that a lesson could certainly be learned in this. This small square structure up on 101st street, with it's simple Stations of the Cross and standard Catholic statues and stained glass windows practices the same things that go on each week in those other churches I've been to - same rituals, readings, format and celebration of the Eucharist - just without all the grandeur I saw in the others. What does all that mean to a worshipper?

I know on many instances of walking into a church I am just so happy and thankful to be there at all, feeling the peace and presence that accompanies it. Other times it feels really great to be in a beautiful and grand structure - almost as if one feels God so much more because of the grandness. And isn't that why churches were once built so immense and inspiring - to glorify and praise God? But isn't a simple room with nothing more than prayer just as good?

Today I realize (if I hadn't before) that the New York City stratosphere of status and wealth is exemplified in all these churches just as it infiltrates every other aspect of life here.


additional photos...
(8/3/2013)

This church is far more beautiful than I remember it being from my first visit detailed above. I'm not sure if that's because I may have left shortly after Mass the first time and missed out on exploring and viewing all the art, or if they have refurbished and renovated at some point in the last 5 and half years. I enjoyed my visit here this morning, after having attended Mass at Holy Rosary, and then peaking into St. Ann before dropping by here. There was a Spanish service happening as I walked in, so I sat down quietly in the back and took in some of the sites I couldn't recall from before. After Mass ended, I took my time walking around, enjoying the statues, the windows, the paintings, and most especially a really intriguing crucifix at the back of the church, hidden away in the dark Capilla Chapel. It's not life-size or anything, but it is incredibly lifelike. It's also a little bit gory. I wasn't sure at the time if I liked it or not. I'm still not, but I think I do. Something about the eyes, really presenting the humanity of Christ to the viewer. And the place is called "holy agony" after all. I also looked for the priest to hand him a long overdue donation from some of my ad revenue, but not finding him I shoved a bunch of cash into the candle donation box at the back of the church, lit a few electronic candles for some friends and loved ones, and then disappeared into an overcast, drizzly New York day.



















9 comments:

  1. Hello
    andrew. I just found out a few days ago that I was baptized at this church. I would like to visit NYC and see this one in person. But what a strange name.
    HOLY AGONY, doesn't sound like a happy,friendly church. Why did they pick a name like that, do you know ?

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    Replies
    1. Hello Eddie:

      I have no idea why they picked that name. But certainly, they could have chosen this name from the Agony of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in the Mt. of Gethsemane. It is a Holy Agony, because our Lord is Holy, as well in this agony, the Lord was struggling to accept the Passion and suffering He was facing. But at the end, He accepted it, accepted the Will of the Father, in the midst of the Agony, and by His acceptance, we could be saved.

      That's a possible answer, based on what can be reflected from that mystery of the life of our Lord. I hope it could help you.

      God bless you.

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    2. Great response father Jesus. I was Baptized in this very tight knit parish run since its foundation by the Vincentian Fathers of the Zaragoza, Spain Province since the parish's first stone was laid in 1956. It served in those days and well into the early 2000's as a mission parish of that province, for Spanish Speaking immigrants in those days of Puerto Rico which at the time the church was built were the ONLY largest SPANISH speaking population in New York City: Puerto Ricans that is. Spanish Harlem mostly is still Of those first (now elderly) generation ORIGINAL Puerto Ricans of the 1950's. Their children, and grandchildren. Now the parish is still MAJORITY Puerto Rican, still run by the same Vincentian order of SPANIARDS/ Basque really. but thankfully to God now we have a mixture of the a good number of Mexicans who are also growing in Spanish Harlem and will soon be the MAJORITY. My dad started attending this parish soon after arriving from Puerto Rico in 1956 and was there when then Cardinal Spellman consecrated it etc. My parents were then married at St. John the Baptist Parish (another VINCENTIAN PARISH) in Brooklyn, N.Y. After they married they began as a married couple attending this church of the Holy Agony up to this day. 2014 and they still are parish members there. I and my brother and two sisters were all baptized there, and one sister married there, but they all did their other sacraments elsewhere. Me, I have every sacrament at Holy Agony since Baptism there all the way up to being conformed there by the late Bishop Francisco Garmendia. I pray the Archdiocese of New York does NOT close it, as there are rumors circulating as of 2014 of that.

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  2. Mi nombre es Luis Armando Vega. Cual es el numero de la oficina?, voy a bautizar a mi hija y me están pidiendo el certificado de bautismo y no lo tengo. Fui bautizado en esta iglesia en Mayo 29, 1976. Mi numero de teléfono es el (787) 910-9682. Mi numero de fax es el (787) 621-9196.

    Cualquier ayuda sera agradecida.

    Luis

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  3. Hello, I have a question that doesn't belong to that post. I'm an Italian student and I'm writing my master's thesis about spanish language spoken by puertorican people. I have to find 40 puertotican to send them my questionnaires(that are about what language they speak (English or Spanish)depending on the situation in which they are. This questionnaires are anonymous (they don't have to put the name, only the date of birth and the date in which they arrived in America or if they are born in America). I contacted many University in Ny but I,m reaching a dead end. I necessarily find someone that can help me to put me in contact with some puertorican people? Somebody can help me?
    This is my e mail: zukkerina3@libero.it
    If somebody can help me please contact me I really need help. Thanky you

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hello, I have a question that doesn't belong to that post. I'm an Italian student and I'm writing my thesis about the spanish language spoken by puertorican people. I have to find 40 puertotican to send them my questionnaires(that are about what language they speak (English or Spanish)depending on the situation in which they are. This questionnaires are anonymous (they don't have to put the name, only the date of birth and the date in which they arrived in America or if they are born in America). I contacted many University in Ny but I,m reaching a dead end. I necessarily find someone that can help me to put me in contact with some puertorican people? Somebody can help me?
    This is my e mail zukkerina3@libero.it. If somebody can help me please contact me I really need help. Thanky you

    ReplyDelete
  5. I HAVE A RELATIVE IN NYC FROM COLOMBIA. HE RECENTLY WAS INJURED. I WAS WONDERING IF SOME ONE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP HIM WITH MEALS OR A VISIT TO SEE HOW HE IS DOING. HE IS 47 AND IS NOT THE TYPE TO LOOK FOR HELP. SO IF THERE IS A PERSON WITH A KIND SOUL THAT CAN HELP HIM THAT WOULD BE GREAT. MAYBE U KNOW WHERE IS THE LOCAL PANTRY FOR THAT AREA. CALL ME AY 781 891 0621 IF U CAN HELP WITH HIS RENT OR FOOD OR ANY OTHER WAY CALL ME. LEAVE A MES. IF I AM NOT IN!! HENRY!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Anonymous,

      Click on the link below and go to page 40 and see a list of food pantries available near your relative's area. Good luck!

      http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/dc/east-harlem-resource-guide.pdf

      Delete