80. Chapel of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus & Mary (Now the Parish of Our Saviour, Saint Stephen and Our Lady of the Scapular, and the Chapel of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary)

NOTE: In 2015 this church merged with two churches: Our Lady of the Scapular & St. Stephen Church and the Church of Our Saviour as part of the Archdiocese of New York's great closings & mergers of 2015. Only this chapel and Our Savior will remain open for regular Masses and other events. This combined parish is now called the Parish of Our Saviour, Saint Stephen and Our Lady of the Scapular, and the Chapel of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. 

(mass times & church info last updated 03/31/2016)
Address: 325 E. 33rd St.
Phone: 212.213.6027
Weekend Mass Times: 
Sun: 12:45pm, 5:30pm (both English)
Weekday Mass Times: 
Mon-Fri: 12:15pm (English)
Confession:
Sun: 5pm-5:15pm
Church Constructed: 2009? (forgive me if I'm mistaken)
Links:
Official Website
Chapel History

Church of Our Lady of the Scapular & St. Stephen (associated Church)
Congegration of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary

This chapel is so far on the east side, why does anyone live all the way over there?

My thought, as I headed down 33rd this evening towards the Chapel of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus & Mary, and, finally arriving, I looked inside the chapel through it's great south windows, walking closer, peering inside, I witnessed a great congregation gathering for the Sunday 5:30pm Mass. It must happen every Sunday, and it was nice to see a mixed crowd, all ages, various types, lots of different people.

The priest gave a good sermon about living in the moment, living within and being inside each breath you take to be present in the Lord's graces and be in the moment, ready for God. It was direct and to the (and such a good) point. Ironically, I felt very out of the moment this evening. Why are things so off sometimes?

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Additionally, there was a special announcement at the end of Mass, and an insert in the bulletin, about the U.S. Catholic Bishop's response to the Heath Care reform that had just passed the House. There are some fundamental sacredness of life issues presently in the bill that conflict with standard Catholic teachings concerning public funding for abortion, and care for the poor and immigrants. As United States Catholics, the Bishops urge us to speak out to our senators, politicians, lawmakers who are also our fellow human beings.

One can go here: www.usccb.org/action to lodge an automatic online request to your senators.

more...

Recently I was in a cafe with a good friend, 0ne of my closest, a fellow Christian who's a protestant. We were speaking about sin and repentance and forgiveness (pretty light, huh?) They told me that even though through their faith they know that when their sins are forgiven by God, they still feel a need to admit aloud what they have done and that they wish their church had something similar to confession as the Catholic church has.

I was struck suddenly by the sweetness of the Church's seven sacraments (specifically Reconciliation) and what it means for Catholics. These are gifts we have as Catholics that simply do not exist in other branches and sects of Christianity, and we (and I mean I here, but perhaps you feel the same) should cease taking these things for granted. We all sin down here, there is no way around - but the fact we are able to walk into the confessional and admit to God's servant our wrongdoings, and be blessed and absolved in person in a very real way, materializes for us the wondrous abstraction that is God's constant and eternal forgiveness of our very real sins.

It has given me a new realization of my Catholic faith and I now, very soon, I gots to get me to a confessional.

I've begun reading Paul Elie's book, The Life You Save May Be Your Own, which focuses on the spiritual pilgrimages of Thomas Merton, Dorothy Day, Flannery O'Connor and Walker Percy. Thus far I am especially connecting with Dorothy Day's journey, in New York, and her visits to Manhattan churches. This may begin happening in the next few following posts, my sharing excerpts about Day's thoughts on NYC from Elie's book:

"Mornings she would set out on the streets of lower Manhattan...'In all that great city of seven millions, I found no friends, I had no work; I was separated from my fellows. Silence in the midst of city noises oppressed me. My own silence, the feeling that I had no one to talk to overwhelmed me so that my very throat was constricted; my heart was heavy with unuttered thoughts; I wanted to weep my loneliness away...
So it was at dawn, going home, she found herself stopping at St. Joseph's Church on Sixth Avenue, not far from Hell Hole, thinking it inevitable that 'sooner or later I would have to pause in the mad rush of living and remember my first beginning and my last end...'St. Joseph's is the oldest Catholic church in Manhattan, low and square, with fieldstone walls, high white pillars, and a portico topped by a cross that stands out starkly against the sky. It is a kind of house blend of old and new, of city and country, of Catholic Europe and leatherstocking America...
All her life she had been haunted by God. God was behind her. God loomed before her. Now she felt hounded toward Him, as though toward home; now she longed for an end to the wavering life in which she was caught...
For the time being, she began to pray...'God, be merciful to me, a sinner.'"

(pages 16, 28-29)

74. St. John Nepomucene (Now the Church of St. John Nepomucene, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini & St. John the Martyr)

NOTE: In 2015 the church of St. John the Martyr closed down and was merged into the churches of St. John Nepomucene and St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (Roosevelt Island) as part of the Archdiocese of New York's great closings & mergers of 2015. Only St. John Nepomucene and St. Frances Xavier Cabrini will remain open for regular Masses and other events. This combined parish of East River Catholic churches is called the Church of St. John Nepomucene, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini & St. John the Martyr.

(mass times & church info last updated 04/08/2016)
Address: 411 E. 66th St. (@ 1st Ave.)
Phone: 212.734.4613
Weekend Mass Times: 
Sat: 5:30pm (English)
Sun: 10:30am (Slovak), 12:30pm, 6pm (both English)
Weekday Mass Times: 
Mon-Sat:12:15pm (English)
Confession:
Mon-Sat: 12pm
Sat: 4:30pm or 5pm ???
Sun: 5:30pm
Church Constructed: 1925
Links:
New, Official Parish Website
Original St. John Nepomucene church website
About the Organ
St. John Nepomucene
St. John Nepomucene (Wikipedia)

WEEKDAY DAILY MASS

A doctor's appointment this morning allowed me the chance to attend daily Mass at St. John Nepomucene located on the east side. It was nice to attend during the week and receive the Eucharist in the morning before the day began, but the weather is cold and grey, and leaves one gloomy, especially one so predisposed to the gloom as I.

The sound system at this church isn't great, kind of echoey, and I really couldn't understand a word of the reading, or the Gospel, or even much of the Homily. I did pray though and am glad I went.

Now, I'm headed to work on the Metro-North, thirty minutes away from my office, enjoying the sights through Harlem and up the Hudson, but not really wanting to be going where I'm going. Want to go somewhere else. Want to be doing something else. It's preying on me, this heavy disinterest in my work, it's breaking me.

72. Church of the Holy Family

(mass times & church info last updated 03/20/2016)
Address: 315 E. 47th St.
Phone: 212.753.3401
Weekend Mass Times: 
Sat: 5:30pm (English)
Sun: 8am (English), 11am (English High Mass), 3pm (Korean/English), 8:30pm (English)
Weekday Mass Times: 
Mon-Fri: 8am, 12:10pm (both English)
Sat: 12:10pm (English)
Tue: 1:10pm (French Mass, September-June only)
Confession: 
Sat: 11:55am-12:05pm, 5pm-5:25pm
Sun: 10:30am-10:55am, 8:10pm-8:25pm
Mon-Fri: 11:55am-12:05pm
Church Constructed: 1965
Links:
Official Website
About the Organ
The Holy Family

What's with all these modern east side churches? It was unintentional visiting three in a row, but it's worked out nicely, I think, these three taken together - they make a nice sort of trilogy.

Holy Family is a beautiful modern church - and though you know I like classic architecture better - this one has a simple yet commanding elegance that hits you as you enter the doors. There is a colossal resurrection Jesus sculpture that towers above the altar, something reminiscent to me out of The Fountainhead (though I must admit to never reading it, I have stared at the cover often.)

This is the official Catholic parish connected with the United Nations. In fact, Monday, September 14th they held a Mass for the opening of the 64th Session of the U.N. General Assembly (I wish I had attended.) I have a feeling these yearly Masses are special celebrations and a real chance to come together and share prayers of peace for our world, its many nations, and leaders.

They will also be holding a Mass for Climate Justice on September 20. What a great idea to bring further prayer to such absolutely important concerns. All churches, religions and institutions of faith should be so open to this type of prayer for our planet.

Here, at Holy Family, there is a beautiful painted relief mural of the stations of the cross - the likes of which I've never seen in a church before.

This is one of the benefits of the modern-style church, when a parish has truly beautiful and amazing art interpreting those elements and stories we have visited time and again in our faith.

In addition, I learned this from The Spiritual Traveler, (pages 149-150):

"Pope Paul VI conducted an interreligious meeting at Holy Family on October 4, 1965, marking the first occasion that a reigning Roman pontiff visited a parish church in North America."

There is also a meditation garden to the right of the church, St. Mary's Garden. Though I did not enter, I did look at it through the fence and it was lovely.

65. St. John the Evangelist (Now the Parish of St. John the Evangelist-Our Lady of Peace Church)

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

(mass times & church info last updated 03/25/2016)
Address: 348 E. 55th St. (@ 1st Ave.)
Phone: 212.753.8418
Weekend Mass Times: 
Sat: 5:30pm (English)
Sun: 7:30am, 9am, 10:30am, 12pm, 5:30pm (all English)
Weekday Mass Times: 
Mon-Fri: 7am, 8:15am, 12:10pm, 5:30pm (all English)
Sat: 8:15am, 12:10pm (both English)
Japanese Mass: 
2nd Saturdays: 1pm
Confession:
Mon-Fri: 11:30am-12pm, 5pm-5:30pm
Sat: 11:30am-12pm, 4:30pm-5:25pm
Exposition: Fri: 8:45am-12pm, 12:45pm-5pm
Benediction: 5pm
Miraculous Medal Novena: Mondays following the 12:10 and 5:30pm Masses
Rosary: Mon, Wed: following the 5:30pm Mass
Links:
Official Website
About the Organ
About St. John the Evangelist
Cathedral of St. John the Divine (Episcopalian)

(June 30, 2009)Sorry, y'all.

I visited this church back in the early part of June and have found myself not only gloomy due to the previously scribed business, but devastatingly absorbed with work and side projects (probably a good thing, not giving me a whole lot of time to focus on the sad,) and I've just gotten back after two weeks of being on the road for work. This is basically a post meant to be written and posted a month ago...

SATURDAY MORNING DAILY MASS
I have to apologize for the recent whining and complaining. What am I doing? It's time I turn more to prayer and contemplation rather than wasting time and energy with my vocalizing my sorrows

I arrived at St. John the Evangelist optimistic for the weekend, thinking this would be my first of four new churches to visit this June (it turned out to be the only one,) having come to this neighborhood with plans to meet some friends to cross the Queensborough Bridge, and the weekend ahead of me to accomplish a great deal of tasks I'd set before myself. As soon as I entered the church I knew I liked it immediately. It was modern, but bright and yet intimate, with a great deal of space and natural light. Interesting art on the walls and sculpture scattered about. Instantly I liked being here and was glad to have come.

Later, I met my friends and we crossed the bridge and headed to Studio Square in Long Island City. This was a good time with good friends (something I needed for sure,) but I went ahead and enjoyed myself too much and then later, at the behest of another friend, drunkenly decided to join him at a crazy Superhero party in Williamsburg. I arrived home at five in the morning (miraculously safe!) and slept through most of my Sunday, heading to Mass late in the day at a church I realized only too late didn't offer services in the evening. The entire week after I played catch-up with my work, trying to make-up what I had failed to do the entire weekend. The following weekend was wrecked by a similar situation I got myself into Friday night, finding me working my ass off Saturday and Sunday just to get everything done before I headed out of town. It was a busy, reckless couple of weeks, caused all by myself, my poor choices, my unfocused quality.

Regardless of this, my experience at St. John the Evangelist was nice. It seemed to have a strong sense of community and was much smaller than other East Side churches. I was able to find peace and comfort here, though mistakenly I took none of this with me, merely cast it all aside as I walked back out the doors and towards treachery, nefariousness, disgrace and sin.

The other day, after a jam packed week of 9-5ing it at my job and coming home to work on a side project until I fell asleep, then waking up to do it all over again; followed by two weeks of 18-20 hour days working out of town, I finally looked up from it all and realized my relationship was over. It was all very stark. Forget my private (and public!) rantings and angst, never mind the shameless self-pity; pure and simple, it is grief, the suffering of a loss not only of some kind of present happiness but also a future I clearly saw myself in, and with the loss of the present, and the vanishing of that future, my way becomes murkier than before, clarity is gone.