(mass times & church info last updated 03/24/2016)Address: 328 W. 14th St.
Phone: 212.243.0265
Email: guadalupesanctuary@gmail.com
Weekend Mass Times:
Sat: 5pm (English), 6pm (Spanish)
Sun: 9am (Spanish), 10am (English), 11:15am (Spanish), 12:30pm (Spanish), 5:30pm (English)
Weekday Mass Times:
Mon-Fri: 12:10pm (English), 6pm (Spanish)
Holidays: 9am
Confession: Sat: 4:30pm-5pm
Church Constructed: 1875
Links:
Official Website
About the Organ
Flickr Photo 1
Flickr Photo 2
Sunday Tacos at Our Lady of Guadalupe...
Shrine of Guadalupe
SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS"The Roman Catholic Church of St. Bernard was established in a wagon factory located on West 13th Street. The present church was designed by architect Patrick C. Keely and built from 1873-75. Keely also designed the similarly-detailed Church of the Holy Innocents on West 37th Street near Herald Square. St. Bernard has the distinction of being the first church to be dedicated by John Cardinal McCloskey, the first American cardinal.
The parish of Nuestra Señora de la Guadalupe, honoring the patron of the Americas, was founded in 1902 to serve the Spanish-speaking population of New York. A church was created in an existing row house on the north side of West 14th Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues, in the area once known as Little Spain. The Spanish Baroque facade that includes a rounded pediment and iron porch was designed by Gustave Steinback and added in 1921. As the city's Latin population changed over the years, Our Lady of Guadalupe has served Spaniards, Spanish-Americans, Puerto Ricans and Mexicans. By the early 2000s, the small church could no longer accomodate the growing Mexican population, and in 2003 the congregation moved to nearby St. Bernard's Church at 330 West 14th, which was renamed Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. Bernard's."
(nycago.org's NYC Organ Project webpages)
The Spiritual Traveler calls the building High Victorian Gothic, a style that uses stone of contrasting colors - though I visited the church at night so really couldn't take in the beauty of the exterior.
This was a great church to visit on All Saints Day as it is filled with art and iconography of a multitude of the saints. I attended the 5:30pm Mass and there was an excellent Indian priest who celebrated. This Mass apparently has no musical accompaniment - even so, the cantor had a beautiful melodic voice, and lead the little bit of congregation there was through a nice mix of hymns.
Staring intently at the picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe (an image that is actually found in most if not all New York City churches) I came home and did a little research."Guadalupe is strictly the name of a picture, but was extended to the church containing the picture and to the town that grew up around. The word is Spanish Arabic, but in Mexico it may represent certain Aztec sounds...The picture really constitutes Guadalupe. It makes the shrine: it occasions the devotion. It is taken as representing the Immaculate Conception, being the lone figure of the woman with the sun, moon, and star accompaniments of the great apocalyptic sign, and in addition a supporting angel under the crescent. Its tradition is, as the new Breviary lessons declare, "long-standing and constant". Oral and written, Indian and Spanish, the account is unwavering. To a neophyte, fifty five years old, named Juan Diego, who was hurrying down Tepeyac hill to hear Mass in Mexico City, on Saturday, 9 December, 1531, the Blessed Virgin appeared and sent him to Bishop Zumárraga to have a temple built where she stood."
(Catholic Encyclopedia, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07043a.htm)
Sometimes when I catch the last Mass of the weekend at some of these churches, the church staff begins turning off the lights and shutting down the building as soon as the celebration is completed. This happened tonight, and once the lights were off I couldn't take all the pictures I wanted. This is a really gorgeous building, clean, well-maintained and bright. (Funny, I feel like I'm relating everything here in real estate terms, due to my current obsession of finding a new place.) It seems like a happy parish too, but I can't exactly say why, just a feeling I got by being there.
As I was leaving I looked up and noticed this painting of The Last Supper on the ceiling of the entrance way. Such a strange location for it about three feet above one's head, but a fun little detail of this church.
Unfortunately, the other thing that sometimes happens when catching these late Sunday Masses is the slow dull onset throughout the day of that Sunday-blues-melancholia culminating in a boiling up of my emotions near the end of Mass. Made all the worse tonight because I have to go back to Greenpoint to reclaim a forgotten credit card. My Saturday night self knows no shame and makes my Sunday day self pay for all of his shenanigans and then some.
Today being All Saints Day, here's a little video I found on the web, Fr. James Martin discussing the saints:
Hi there,
ReplyDeleteThis question doesn't relate to this post, but I hope that's OK. I will be in NYC over Christmas and am looking for a Byzantine Catholic church or another eastern rite church to attend in the area. Do you know of any?
I am not sure about a Byzantine or eastern rite - but perhaps someone reading this out there can answer?
ReplyDeleteWhat would you think about this:
St. Michael's Russicum Church...
http://catholicmanhattan.blogspot.com/2009/07/69-st-michaels-chapel-russian-catholic.html
what is an eastern star church
DeleteThanks for your reply, Andrew. If not an eastern rite liturgy, then perhaps a Latin high mass on Christmas eve. Any idea where one might one in NYC? St. Michael's sounds interesting, but I'm guessing it will be packed to the gills for Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI'd try Church of Our Savior, but not sure. You could call them and ask...
ReplyDeletehttp://catholicmanhattan.blogspot.com/2008/12/50-church-of-our-saviour.html
I only know of a Latin Mass in the Bronx at Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Arthur Ave), and in Sleep Hollow (a train ride on the metro north, about 40 minutes from Grand Central) at Immaculate Conception.
ReplyDeleteIt appears from the news that this church is supporting the bogus elections taking place today in Honduras. Support for this election is tantamount to support for the murderous dictators. This regime is summarily executing opposition candidates and accused supporters. Most Hondurans are afraid to leave their homes.
ReplyDeleteIf the church is supporting the dictators can someone tell me why a 'Christian' organization would support repression and murder?
that is interesting
DeleteEnjoyed your honesty...Sat night and then uh oh Sunday morning! Do you know where the early congregation, mostly Irish, would have been buried from OLOG, at St Bernards? I'm looking for a grandmum who would have died circa 1898, leaving 2 boys, one girl. Ellen McNamara Hart is the g/mum's name, but any info you can give me, I would appreciate. Many thanks, Jess Thompson
ReplyDeleteI am doing some Geneology and my mother was baptized at St. Bernards and I believe married there. She also attended elementry school there. I am trying to find out informtion about my Grandmother. Is there an address I can direct my questions and hopefully some of the archived records will give me answers. I think I was baptised as well there.
ReplyDeleteThank you and Blessings Anne Gerken
Hello just thought I would share a story about this church. I was visiting ny from baltimore when i lost my cell phone in the back of a taxi after repeatedly calling the phone finally i got an answer and the person had an accent and said they had my phone. I explained my mom was sick in bmore and i was visiting ny and i would pay him but please give it back. The man responded by saying to meet him at a certain address the next morning. Of course I was a bit apprehensive but my friend and i went to meet him we waited and he didnt show at the time he had told us. Then suddenly my friends phone rang it was him asking what we were wearing cause he was there. He walked over to me handed me the phone and I thanked him and told Him God Bless You and handed him money which he refused. I then looked up to where he went which was into this church Our Lady of Guadalupe. I then told my friend who is a non catholic omg we have to go i there and pray so we did. It was beautiful---but the real weird part of the story is i met a lady 6 months earlier in san juan,pr that i bought a rosary from who gave me one with Our Lady of Guadalupe in the cross and she told me she will always protect you and she did!!!
ReplyDeletei'm not to sure about that. i sensed something wrong there
DeleteHey - great story. You may also enjoy this article I have recently read, that pertains to Our Lady of Guadalupe. Thanks.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bustedhalo.com/features/la-lupe
Hi Andrew,
ReplyDeleteIt was yesterday August 1st 2011 (2nd week of my new job) Feeling the effects of the 2 day hangover and not being a great person lately. Found your website when I was looking for the nearest Church near my job in Chelsea found Our Lady of Guadalape on my lunch break. Very nice Church I liked it...Andrew to stay focused on my goal you have inspired me to visit a new or different church every day I pratically can I work in Chelsea but will try to visit a different church during my lunch break as much as I can over the next few weeks. Since I can only due this on my lunch breaks or before work I can probably only tackle 15-20 churches over the next few weeks.
Since I live in LI(impratical to do on weekends due to family commitments with 2 young girls)
Stay tuned.
Thanks,
Billy
I recommend you visit, Saint Patrick's Basilica. Located on Mott Street, New York, NY
ReplyDeleteI've been there!
ReplyDeletedoes anyone know whats going on there tonight? i drove by at 1 am dec 12, 2001 and there were hundreds of congregants behind police barricades from the church to 8th ave lining up to go inside...many with flowers...even little kids were there at 1am with their parents of course...
ReplyDeletefound the info! mystery solved!
ReplyDeletehttp://manhattan.ny1.com/content/110353/mexican-new-yorkers-honor-feast-day-of-virgin-of-guadalupe
I have a question that doesn't truly relate to the topic this blog. I attended St. Bernard's School on West 13th Street back in the early 1960's. There was another school attached to St. Bernards, an all boys high school if I remember correctly. Does anyone remember the name of that school? I thought it was an annex of Cardinal Hayes, but I'm told I am mistaken about that. If anyone can help me with this I'd really appreciate it. St. Bernard's Church was certainly a beautiful church. We also attended mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe every now and then, my father was an altar boy there back in the 1940's. I was born and raised in the Village, it was such a great neighborhood to be a part of.
ReplyDeleteG
DeleteCardinal Hayes HS, the Diocesan HS for boys was and is located on the Grand Concourse in the Bronx. To accomodate all the incoming freshmen they had annexes throughout Manhattan and the Bronx. St Bernards and Our Lady of Good Counsel on the East Side took the freshmen from Manhattan. St Helena's in the Bronx and of course the main building took the Bronx guys. This situation lasted until the early '60s. I attended Holy Trinity on the West Side and was scheduled to go to St Bernards but a last minute change sent me to OLGC. I wish I could go back in time
Bill V
Garden City, Ny
I also attended St Bernards in the 1960's my name is martha what is yours
DeleteThe Top Floor was used as an Annex for Cardinal Hayes freshman overflow. I was a freshman 62-63. We also used the gym downstairs.
Deletetom k
You are not mistaken. There absolutely WAS a high school attached to St. Bernard's grammar school It was the Cardinal Hayes High School Annex. I know because I attended there in 1965-6.
ReplyDeleteCardinal Hayes is a high school on the Grand Concourse in the Bronx at 153rd St. The high school used St. Bernard's annex for many years to accommodate the overflow for large incoming freshman classes each year.
I happened to take a walk through the meat packing/Skyline section of Manhattan yesterday and the area has changed so much that I almost couldn't recognize the old annex building anymore. It has changed for the better but I somehow miss the atmosphere and bustle of the old neighborhood.
I graduated from St. Bernards in 1953 and Cardinal Hayes annex was there then .I beleive Sr. Roseabla was principal and Fr. Holland was pastor. As for OLOG we would go there on Saturdays for confession beleiveing the priests couldn't understand english and would forgive our sins. We would come out feeling like Angels.Oh the wonders of our youth.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry the elegant angels on the back wall of the altar were destroyed and replaced with less inspiring art. I miss the classic style that so complemented Our Lady of Guadaloupe. It is tragic that such magnificent art was destroyed. I can not really comprehend why such a classic piece of art would be taken down.
ReplyDeleteIt is like removing the stain glass window of the Ressurection and replacing it with plain glass. The elegance and inspiration has been destroyed and lost.
where would this Church when it was simply St Bernards bury it's parishioners...was there room for a cemetery on the property that is now lost?
ReplyDeleteJ Sleight
The old Guadalupe across the street was beautiful but two small for the growing Mexican population if New York. St Bernards had been a German immigrant parish in the distant past. There aren't any numerous German immigrants left so the solution was to merge them. Not as beautiful, however, as the old Spanish church which was a gem.
ReplyDeleteA final note on St. Bernards as a cardinal hayes overflow school. The main building in the Bronx had many orders of priests and brothers. St. Bernard's was taught only by the LaSalle Christian Brothers. My grade school Sacred Heart in the Bronx was LaSalle Brothers and in fact my 8th grade teacher turned out to be my 9th grade English teacher. Years 1962-1963
ReplyDeleteTom K
I have a question that doesn't relate to the topic. Are in this Church people that are puertorican?
ReplyDeleteI'm doing a research about puertorican language and I'm looking for puertorican in order to send them a questionnaire. I can't find any puertorican in NY and I thought that maybe I can find some of them in this way.
Thank you
I have a question that doesn't relate to the topic. Are in this Church people that are puertorican?
ReplyDeleteI'm doing a research about puertorican language and I'm looking for puertorican in order to send them a questionnaire. I can't find any puertorican in NY and I thought that maybe I can find some of them in this way.
Thank you
I also attended St. Bernards elementary school behind the church. I also remember Fr. Holland, when he passed away, we all attended his funeral in the church. After the 6th grade, the boys were taught by the Christian Brother, for grades 7 & 8. If you intended on attending Cardinal Hayes, St. Bernard's was also one of the Annexes set aside for Freshman year. I have very good memories attached to my younger years at St. Bernard's. In 1957, we moved to Brooklyn and that basically severed my association with Cardinal Hayes, too hard to travel from Brooklyn to the Bronx. Don P.
ReplyDeleteI attended St. Bernard's school from grades 1-4 in the years 1980-1984. I have fond memories of that school. There were still many nuns ( Sisters of Charity) and they were extremely devoted to the students. The majority of students at that time were Puerto Rican living nearby in Chelsea and the projects over on 9th and 10th avenues. Many of the famileis were working class and some were really struggling. My grandfather actually grew up in the West Village and attended St. Beranrd;s parish thus my connection to the school. I grew up in Midtown. The area at that time unbelievably compared to today was quite rough at times. In fact, it was one of the decisions why my family decided to transfer me out as they figured there would be no way I could travel to school by myself as I was getting older. Today I work nearby and I am always amazed how the area is changed, It is sad the school is no more, the nuns are long gone and the minority community in West Village and Chelsea nearly gone. These were good years I am grateful ( and sad as well) that I was the last generation to experience urabn catholic education
ReplyDeleteTo Anonymous June 13, 2017 at 2:05 AM:
DeleteSo cool to read your comment. I also attended St. Bernards around that same time. Do you remember the Najar's? Small world.
Interestingly, St. Bernard's is now a private Catholic college prep school, Notre Dame School of Manhattan. I attendind ND in the early 70"s when it was at 168 W. 79th st. It moved in the 80's first to 104 St. Mark's place, and a few years later to St. Bernards. The nuns sold the brownstones on W.79th and the school would have closed, but the archdiocese gave ND St. Bernard's which had been closed.
ReplyDelete