18. St. Anthony of Padua

(mass times & church info last updated 04/03/2016) 

Address: 154 Sullivan St. @ Houston 
Phone: 212.777.2755

Weekend Mass Times:

Sat: 5pm (English)

Sun: 9am, 11am (both English)
Weekday Mass Times: 
Mon-Fri: 8am, 12:10pm (both English, in chapel)
Holy Days of Obligation:
8am, 12:10pm, 7pm (all English)
Confession: Saturdays: 4pm-4:45pm
St. Anthony Novena:
Tuesdays after daily Masses
Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal & St. Jude Novenas:
Wednesdays after daily Masses
Post-Church Brunch: Jane
Links:
Official Website
Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Anthony of Padua
Catholic Online: St. Anthony of Padua
Wikipedia: St. Anthony of Padua


THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT

Thoughts of mine, this third Sunday of the Lenten season:

If my social life and mindset is typically so framed by the consumption of alcohol, that which I have given up these forty days, and I find myself at a loss Friday and Saturday nights with what to do with myself, planning a major drink-a-thon come Easter day, so much as to go to bed the night before with a bottle of Jameson with which to wake up to, what really is the point of this sacrifice?


I feel tired without the drink - as if it offers me some other-worldly power and energy. I realize I don't need it for some of the things I feared I may require it for: being outgoingly social, growing steadily melancholy with self. However, I miss it dearly and know I do indeed need it for another thing. Deadening myself to the onslaught of the world.


In all past relationships, alcohol has offered me a way to anesthetize my mind and body so that the one I see before me becomes the one that I always wanted, when it fact, she is only the one before me. Now, sobriety forces me to drug myself in other ways. Lying to oneself is a remarkable feat of humanity, don't you think?


And I do not know what I am to expect from this life. Is it more than mere moments of joy and beauty and sadness and love? Is it more than 40 hours a week and friends and family? Tell me it's more than television and taxes and blogging...


I don't know why I can't just love her or the other one or all of them. I don't know why it's so hard to break away from her either - why I can't just walk away. I know there's biology and emotion and mentalness tied up into everything, but knowing she isn't the one, if there even is the one, should make it somewhat easier - but I am weak and average and normal. Certainly not the cop fighting the system. Not the politician offering hope. Not the saint doing what is before me.

I don't know what I am.

Despite these bleak outpourings, I must say, St. Anthony of Padua Church is one of the brightest in the city, and a perfect place to go to mass on a Sunday followed by brunch at any of the nearby cafes, restaurants and coffee shops with a dear sweet friend who is, just like myself, plagued with issues and conundrums.

additional photos...
(11/04/2012)

After a long hiatus I am trying once again for a big final push to finish taking nicer photographs of the churches I visited near the beginning of this journey. I have about 8 left after this. I visited this church for the third time today and it was a nice experience. My girlfriend who I've been with for over a year and a half went with me. A while back I let her in on the secret of this blog, and I commented to her today that it was nice that she was with me for the last part of this journey, that began as a search for God and for love.

St. Anthony of Padua is just one of the many locations in Manhattan that was affected by the recent Hurricane Sandy. They were without power all last week.  Today they had a second collection for the Diocese to assist with hurricane relief efforts. Contact them here if you want to find out how to assist them further or to ask what can be done.  Two other great organizations to donate to are New York Cares and the Red Cross. 

And finally, here's some better photos of this beautiful church...