92. Church of the Most Holy Redeemer (Now Parish of the Most Holy Redeemer and of Nativity)

NOTE: In 2015 the Church of the Nativity closed down and was merged into Church of the Most Holy Redeemer as part of the Archdiocese of New York's great closings & mergers of 2015. Only Church of the Most Holy Redeemer will remain open for regular Masses and other events. This combined parish is called Parish of the Most Holy Redeemer and of Nativity.

(mass times & church info last updated 03/23/2016)
Address: 173 E. 3rd St. (Between Avenues A & B)
Phone: 212.673.4224
Weekend Mass Times: 
Sat: 5:30pm (English)
Sun: 9am (English), 10:30am (Spanish), 12:15pm (English), 7:30pm (English)
Legal Holiday Mass Times: 9am (English)
Weekday Mass Times: 
Mon-Thur: 8am, 6pm (both English)
Wed: 12pm (Spanish)
Thu: 12pm (English)
Fri: 8am (English), 7pm (Spanish)
Sat: 9am (English)
Confession:
Fri: 7:45pm-8:30pm
Sat: 4:30pm-5:30pm
Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help: 
Thu: 8am, 12pm (both English)
Wed: 12pm (Spanish)
Novena to Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos: 
Fri: After the 8am Mass (English)
Fri: After the 7pm Mass (Spanish)
Constructed: 1851-1852
Links:
Official Website
About the Organ
Golden Jubilee Article (NY Times, 1894)
Congegration of the Most Holy Redeemer

DAILY MASS

As I approach the end of this journey, I wanted to include one more daily Mass. My new job, thankfully, allows the time and proximity to attend daily Mass much more often than my old life. As always, I find daily Mass so much more calming, peaceful and devout than Sundays.

'The Roman Catholic Church of the Most Holy Redeemer was established in 1844 by the Redemptorist Fathers to serve German immigrants living in the city. St. Nicholas could no longer accomodate the numbers... Located on East Third Street in an area formerly known as Kleindeutschland ("Little Germany"), the convent & rectory school built first...the present cathedral-like church building was built in 1851-52 to designs by a Mr. Walsh, and dedicated on November 28, 1852.

In 1913, the church was renovated by Paul Schulz, who simplified the original Baroque facade and shortened the 250-foot tower. In the tower are eight bells: two by Meneely of Watervliet, N.Y., and six from Constance, Switzerland. With the advent of the elevated trains, the German population moved northward, often to the Yorkville. Today, the congregation is known as Santisimo Redentor, and is a shrine in honor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help."
-from NYCago (http://www.nycago.org/Organs/NYC/html/MostHolyRedeemer.html)

Church of the Most Holy Redeemer had "the first bells in the world ever to be rung by means of electric switches [on Janauary 11, 1914]." (The Spiritual Traveler, 18)

In addition to this church holding the complete remains of St. Datian, a reliquary chapel also holds "relics of Jesus' manger, the pillar at which he was scourged, the true cross, the girdle of the Virgin Mary, the mantle of St. Joseph, and other relics of St. Ann, St. Lazarus, St. John the Baptist, and St. Anthony of Padua."(124)

It was strange this morning, for some reason, waking early and taking the train down to the Lower East Side. There is such newness each morning, so much potential, before the sun begins its journey across the sky, and the hours slip away, bringing us to night.

I walked into this church and became instantly entranced with its size and decor'. Being there at that hour carried me to a different place, another realm. I sat, I kneeled, I prayed and experienced a calm and an energy that exists in this space.

I prayed in front of St. Datian and the other relics. I can find no online resources telling me who St. Datian was. All I know is he was "the first saint and the only male saint whose complete set of relics were given to the Church in the United States..."(Adam's Ale) and only one of two saints whose complete remains are in New York City, (the other being Mother Cabrini at her shrine.)

I dreamt of Leviathan last evening.

I was with some family and friends at some kind of seaside park. There was a gaming area. Alone, I chose to play the pinball machine. This game though, was covered in thick hard black plastic surrounding the glass. I controlled the paddles, but could not see what they were doing, couldn't tell where the little metal balls were going, if I was winning. Tiring of this game I walked outside where I found an outdoor aquarium. I walked over to one area, where a woman stood watch over a tank, the caretaker. Just above the surface of the dark green water, I saw the thick white skin of some sea creature beneath. I reached to touch it, and it moved, broke the surface suddenly and sailed towards heaven.

Up and up it soared into the air, larger than I could have imagined it being. So immense and terrifying and amazing was this creature, I could do nothing but stare as it reached further to the sky, it's size ever increasing. And the beast came crashing down upon me, darkening the sun, ending me.

79. Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. Bernard

(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:

6. All Saints Church

(mass times & church info last updated 03/07/2016) 

Address: 47 East 129th @ Madison Ave.
Phone: 212.534.3535, 212.534.7957

Weekend Mass Times:
Sunday: 10am (English)

Weekday Mass Times:

Wed, Thu: 7pm

Sat: 9am (Morning Prayer and Mass)

Confession: 

Sat: 6pm or 6:30pm-7pm (or by appointment)

Devotions: 

Rosary: Wednesday 6pm (English)
Rosary: Thursday 6pm (Spanish)
Adoration: Wed & Thu after Mass (English)

Post-Church Activity: conversation
Links: 

Official Website
About the Organ
Harlem Site
Encyclopedia Britannica
Landmark Conservancy
Dance

There is only one Weekend Mass at this Harlem Roman Catholic Church and it is at 10am on Sundays and I highly suggest you attend it if ever you have the chance. It is a Gospel Mass - and the singing is outstanding.

The only sad depression of note, which you may find for yourself if you attend, is a lack of congregation.

I envisioned a loud church, a filled-to-capacity-psuedo-cathedral in the midst of Harlem. But, as always the case in most Masses I go to these days, the congregation was sparse, absent, gone. There were maybe 30 in attendance and because it is another old, big, classic church it just seemed strangely empty to me.

That in itself didn't really stop me from enjoying the Mass and the celebration and getting a lot from it, however. There was singing and clapping and during Peace time - when everyone is sharing a handshake and a "Peace be with you," with each other - which lasted about 10 minutes, everyone was so nice and outgoing. A stranger to the city wouldn't of known it was New York.

At the end of the Mass, so many people greeted my friend and I and told us to come back. There was such immense joy and gladness in everyone's eye. My hour and a half at this church in Harlem couldn't help but remind me of Africa and all the wonderful and kind people I met there.

If you've happened upon this blog and are at all interested in attending any of these churches I've written about - you should definately attend this one, this 10am Mass, and greet the people that side for me.

Another note of interest - my friend who attended is a young pretty Catholic girl and of course, if you're getting to know me at all, I couldn't help but to continue to think of her after we spent the rest of the day together, enjoying each other's company very much and agreeing that we should get together again very soon...


(08/20/2014)
Additional Photos...

Just went here for Wednesday evening Mass that was supposed to start at 7pm. By 7:15pm when no priest had shown up I decided to leave, but not before walking around the strangely lit sanctuary to take some photos and dropping a donation into the box.

(By the way, there are some big discrepancies currently between the bulletin I picked up at the front of the church and the website. For instance, the website says there are daily Masses everyday of the week, but the bulletin only says Wednesday and Thursday. The Mass times listed above are taken from the bulletin, but I highly suggest any visitors call the parish before heading to this big, beautiful church.)

Speaking of which, All Saints church was so much bigger and more beautiful than I remember it being (7 years ago!) and I still stand by my initial assessment: you should go visit this church and take in the grandeur of it, however aging it is.

While I waited for the Mass to begin that never would (which I believe would have taken place in the small side chapel area pictured below in the last photo), I believe I was sitting down in or around the same pew as my friend and I did years before. I began reflecting how strange it would be if I could reach back in time and talk to my (7 years) younger self. I wonder, since the Almighty knows no bounds of time, if God ever reaches back in time to speak to us, or into the future — telling us it will all, eventually, be all right.

It was funny sitting with my female friend 7 years ago, who I was obviously a little bit attracted too; who eventually became my Confirmation sponsor; who I now no longer speak to or have any contact with — not because we had a falling out or anything, but simply because that's what happens over time.

My life, in so many ways, is so much better now than it was back then and I am grateful. I'm happy to say, I am now married, having found the perfect mate to share my life with. Not perfect in any sense or list I would have designed 7 years ago, but perfect in a real, well-matched in reality, honest, sincere, loving and true way.

Thanks be to God!