56. Holy Rosary Church (Now St. Paul's - Holy Rosary)

NOTE: In 2015 this church was set to close and be merged with St. Paul Church (Spanish Harlem) as part of the Archdiocese of New York's great closings & mergers of 2015. This combined parish is called St. Paul's Church - Holy Rosary. Only St. Paul's was to remain open for regular Masses and other events, however it seems that regular Masses are indeed continuing here during this transitional period. If you have any news about this closure/merger or lack thereof please feel free to write in the comments section at the bottom of this post. 

(mass times & church info last updated 03/22/2016)
Address: 444 E. 119th St.
Phone: 212.534.0740

Weekend Mass Times:

Sun: 9:30am (Spanish), 11am (English)

Weekday Mass Times:

Mon: 8am (English, in the chapel)
Thu: 7pm (Spanish, in the church)
Fri: 8am (Spanish, in the chapel)
Links:

Old, Original Holy Rosary Website
New Official Parish Website
Holy Rosary Church of New York
Holy Rosary Church Restoration Website
New York Times Article
YouTube Clip
Our Lady of the Rosary Church

I underestimated how far east on 119th Street Holy Rosary Church lies and found myself briskly walking this Sunday morning to get there on time, a feat I missed accomplishing by a few minutes. As I rushed through the streets of Harlem I could hear multiple religious services going on in a variety of churches; the sounds floating through the cold, rainy air. It was a dreary day and I myself felt dreary as well - have in fact been a bit dreary lately; my relationship seems dreary too, something is amiss.

I reached the church only to find the front doors closed to me. A kind old man pointed me through a side door and there I found a basement hall converted into a temporary church. I couldn't understand why they weren't celebrating up top (it wasn't until after the Mass that a woman explained the church had been closed for renovations for the past six month and services had been held down here this whole time.)

It was a strange celebration, not least because (I believe) it was half English and half Filipino. But there were times of great joy there in the basement among the fifteen or so in the congregation at this 12:30pm Mass - the songs that were sung, read off from an overhead projector, were fun and joyous. I must admit, at first being put off that we weren't in the grand main church I had read a little bit about, I was in a (dreary) mood, and the pastor seemed to be delivering less of a good news homily and more of a laundry list of grievances concerning the behaviors and practices of the parishioners of the church. But as the Mass went on and concluded and I walked out into the cold misty weather, I felt very bad for this parish. They are, in a sense, locked out of their house of worship, waiting for renovations to conclude (some of which are not even begun, perhaps.) Since the economic collapse some of their donors have fallen through and who knows how long this endless wait of theirs will go on?

The juxtaposition of last week's visit to newly renovated St. Ignatius Loyola compared to the basement of Holy Rosary is such a contrasting image to me.

As we enter into Lent this week I am going to, among other things, keep this church of the Holy Rosary in mind and pray that their church receive the pledges and donations it needs to complete the work.

I ask you to do the same and, if possible and if you are able, to even perhaps do more?



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

Once again I am attempting to complete this blog by taking better photos of some of the churches I visited early on in this journey. Today I headed far east once more and arrived at Holy Rosary Church to once again find the main church doors locked. I called the church to see if 8am English Mass was going to happen and luckily a nice man on the other end told me it was taking place in the rectory. I wandered into the tiniest of chapels, richly decorated, with an old priest standing behind the altar, praying to himself and 3 empty pews. He looked up and asked me, "English or Spanish?" I told him English, and he proceeded saying Mass in English. When it came time for the readings he had me read them. Just me and this old Mexican priest — it was quite a special occasion. Later a young mother and her child joined us as well. After Mass, I asked about the main church and he told me it was still closed, under repairs. Even though my intention was to see the main church and photograph the interior, I am very happy I went to this quiet, intimate Mass this morning. Even though my girlfriend and I stayed out quite late last night having beers in Brooklyn, something woke me up this morning and told me to get off my butt and head to Spanish Harlem and go to this church. I will just have to come back another day if and when the main sanctuary is repaired and ever opens up again.  Afterwards, I decided to take advantage of where I was and hit two other nearby churches. I journeyed on to St. Ann Church after taking these new pictures...

26. Our Lady of the Rosary / Shrine of Elizabeth Ann Seton (Now St. Peter-Our Lady of the Rosary Parish)

NOTE: In 2015 this church merged with the Church of St. Peter and St. Joseph's Chapel as part of the Archdiocese of New York's great closings & mergers of 2015. All three churches will remain open for regular Masses and other events. This new combined parish is called St. Peter-Our Lady of the Rosary Parish.

(mass times & church info last updated 03/31/2016)
Address: 7 State Street
Phone: 212.269.6865
Weekend Mass Times: Sun: 11am (English)
Weekday Mass Times: 
Mon - Fri: 8:05am, 12:15pm (both English)
Confession:
Mon-Fri: 12pm-12:15pm
Links:
Official Website
About the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary
Great Pictures
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

I try to pray the rosary every day on the subway on my way to work. I must admit sometimes I'm too tired or become too distracted with other things playing on my mind or I'm a little hungover or I may strike up a conversation with someone who shares my commute. But on the days I've woken up with time enough for one or two cups of coffee, and I've plenty of time, and the Times or (worse) the AMNY hasn't sucked me into their front pages, I'm typically successful saying the Mystery of that day. I count the prayers and Hail Marys out on my fingers rather than pull out my rosary (which I actually do not carry with me - is this bad I wonder?) and say the prayers quietly to myself. I really enjoy Thursday - the Luminous Mysteries. A few years ago when I first heard about these "new" Mysteries, I was a little bit offended that the Church was altering something so ancient and traditional. I've come to realize their beauty and transcendence though - and each one of these - The Baptism at the Jordan, The Miracle at Cana, The Proclamation of the Gospel, The Transfiguration, and the Presentation of the Eucharist all illuminate my Thursday morning. Sometimes I find it difficult to get through the Sorrowful, not necessarily because it deals with the sadder Mysteries, but because each Mystery is so concentrated...

The Agony in the Garden is such a strong title of a Mystery. It is at once sad and beautiful. It is a paradox as it combines suffering with natural splendor. And it was such a time in the life of Christ. He prayed so as not to suffer his fate, the fate of humanity's weakness. That the cup should pass. He yearned for a different path, but this could not be. This Man endured duress both emotional and physical and in the end fatal - it could be no other way.

The Carrying of the Cross also strikes me. As Christians (and non-Christians) we say of day to day things, it is my cross to bear. But is it? A cross bearer - much like a ring bearer - carries a great responsibility, burden, weight, duty. But a cross bearer goes to their deaths. In the end, the cross ends in life's end. That is a cross to bear. It is no journey to relish. It is no light thing. It is an ultimate duty that brings one upon their bane.

This church - another chapel, I suppose - is simple and small, steeped in history and a really great place to go for Sunday 11am mass. There is a bunch of literature available at the church (or of course, online) for one to learn more of the devoted life Elizabeth Ann Seton lived and what all she did for social justice, as well as the history of the church.

You may want to go on the historic church walking tour suggested on the website that gives you an overview of the neighborhood and the many old and beautiful nearby churches.

"The Rosary has many times been proposed by my predecessors and myself as a prayer for peace...to rediscover the Rosary means to immerse oneself in contemplation of the mystery of Christ who 'is our peace'...one cannot recite the Rosary without feeling caught up in a clear commitment to advancing peace..."

- Pope John Paul II (Rosarium Virginis Mariae - On the Most Holy Rosary)