40. Cathedral of St. Patrick

(mass times & church info last updated 04/24/2016)
Address: 460 Madison Ave. (@ 51st St.)
Phone: 212.753.2261
Weekend Mass Times: 
Sat: 5:30pm (English, with music)
Sun: (all English except where listed):
7am, 8am
9am (with music)
10:15am (choir)
12pm (with music)
1pm
4pm (Spanish, with music)
5:30pm (music)
Weekday Mass Times: 
Mon-Fri: (all English with music except where listed):
7am
7:30am, 8am (both no music)
12pm, 12:30pm, 1pm
5:30pm (music on Mondays/Fridays only)
Sat: 8am (in Lady Chapel), 12pm (in main Church) (both English)
Confession:
Mon-Fri: 12pm-1:20pm, and after all morning Masses
Sat: 12pm-12:45pm, 3:30pm-5:30pm
Rosary: Tue, Thu: 5:30pm (in the Lady Chapel)
Daily Exposition/Adoration:
Mon-Fri: 1pm-6pm, evening devotions at 6pm
Miraculous Medal Devotion: Mondays 5:30pm (in the Lady Chapel)
Evening Prayer: Wednesdays 5:30pm (in the Lady Chapel)
Litany of the Sacred Heart Devotion: Fridays 5:30pm (Lady Chapel)
Stations of the Cross:
Wednesdays & Fridays at 6pm during Lent (except Ash Wednesday)

Links:
Official Website
Archdiocese of New York
About the Organ
Wikipedia
Answers.com
Sacred Destinations
Medieval New York
Architecture Images
Some Pictures
Old St. Patrick's Cathedral
NY Times Slideshow - Pope's Visit


Today I went to the Cathedral for Mass - this can only mean one thing: I have guests in town.

When I first moved here to the city, the Cathedral was one of the first places on my list to visit - and at the end of that first Mass I ever attended at St. Patrick's I concluded that I would never go again. It's a beautiful building for sure - but the crowd, the TVs, the bullying ushers and complete spectacle of the whole thing really turned me away and I determined to seek out smaller, more intimate places of worship where I would be able to pray in more peace.

Not that the Cathedral doesn't obviously have so much to offer, and I must admit that attending daily mass here is really quite wonderful (though I have not attended the Saturday 8am which is held in the back chapel - that must be truly a cool experience as the chapel is absolutely beautiful and very calm indeed.)

As you walk up to the Cathedral in midtown it towers above you, even while the midtown Rockefeller buildings tower above it. It is definitely a presence in this neighborhood and the whole area is one of my favorite places in the city - Rockefeller plaza, the flags, the bar at the Top of the Rock, etc.

So my aunt was visiting and we attended here and then followed that with brunch and it was all very much a nice day, aside from the ushers who unpleasantly herded the congregation into and out of the lines for communion.

There is a lot of history and beauty contained within this Cathedral and even though I do have better experiences at the other 39 churches I've been to in the city, I will go back to St. Patrick's, especially some Saturday for that 8am Chapel Mass.

Having just visited St. Rose of Lima the day before, I was pleased to find a chapel dedicated to her.

As we are on the topic of Cathedrals, I need to state again how much I really do enjoy visiting the Episcopalian Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Perhaps I am partial as it is right around the corner from my place - still though: it is grand and holy and serious and simple all at once. I do not mean any disrespect, but as far as Cathedrals go, I do prefer it to St. Patrick's. Here's a few shots I've been able to take of St. John the Divine: