The Church of St Gregory the Great is a Roman Catholicparish located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, New York City. The parish is part of the Archdiocese of New York. The church building, designed by architect Elliott Lynch, contains the church and parish offices on the ground floor with St. Gregory the Great Parochial School on the next two floors above, the final fourth floor is occupied by the rectory. The address of the church is 144 West 90th Street, New York, New York 10024-1202; the address of the school is 138 West 90th Street, New York, NY 10024.
The parish of St. Gregory the Great was planned in 1906 and established in 1907 by Cardinal Farley to serve the growing number of Catholics living on the Upper West Side between West 86th Street and West 93rd Street; first services took place in an old stable on 119 West 89th Street between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues.[3] By Christmas 1908, services were held on the site of the present church. The present church, built 1912/1913 for around $120,000, was designed by Elliott Lynch as a parochial school in a mid-block location on 90th Street.[4] The school was dedicated by Cardinal Farley on October 19, 1913; although church accommodation in the ground floor was intended as temporary until a permanent church could be erected on the corner of Amsterdam Avenue and 90th Street. During World War I, 28 of 700 parishioner servicemen died. Plans for a separate church were abandoned and renovations to the structure began in 1918 and the unused fourth floor was converted into a rectory; also installed were an elevator, a sky-lit gallery and later a library and roof garden with fish pond. By the 1960s, nearly a third of the congregation was Hispanic.
During the two year pastorate of Father Henry J. Browne, the church increased as a center of activism on behalf of the working class and opposition to the Vietnam war. Bus trips to Washington, D.C., were organized so parishioners could attend peace vigils and anti-war protests. Fr. Browne championed affordable housing and battled a proposed Alexander's department store on Broadway. In April 1970, the anti-war Rev. Philip F. Berrigan, S.S.J., (1923–2002), wanted by the FBI for destroying draft files and failing to surrender for his prison term, arrived at St. Gregory's to address a peace rally. While Berrigan was staying at the rectory, located on the fourth floor of the church, the FBI broke down the church's door to arrest him.[5] Fr. Browne left the same year to take up a teaching position at Rutgers University but in 1982, 90th Street in front of the St. Gregory's between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues was dedicated as Henry Browne Boulevard.[6]
Pastorsedit
Father James Fitzsimmons, 1908-September 1918,
Father William Hughes (also president of Cathedral College), 1918–1929
Father Patrick O'Donnell, 1929–1945
Father William Gill, 1945–1957
Father Joseph Flanagan, 1957–1966
Father Daniel Cronin, 1966–1968
Father Henry J. Browne, 1968–1970
Father Edward O'Donnell, 1970–1981
Father John Lennon, 1981–1989
Father Raymond Rafferty, 1989-June 1994
Father Joseph Darbouze, 1994–2006
Monsignor Michael Crimmins, 2006–present
St. Gregory the Great Parish Schooledit
Sister Louise Mary Mattimore of the Sisters of Charity was the first principal. The Sisters of Charity would serve the school until 1943. That year they were replaced by the Presentation Sisters who ran the school until the late 1980s. The nuns resided on 88th Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West. The parish school still numbered slightly over 250 students in the 1950s. By the early 1990s, the school had been listed as one of 41 parochial schools in danger of closing. However, the Parish Council voted unanimously to keep it open.[6]
Descriptionedit
The St. Gregory the Great building is a four-story structure, designed by Elliott Lynch as a parish school with the church occupying the ground floor. Externally, above the doors are statues of St. Gregory the Great and St. Sylvia. Plans for building a separate church nearby were abandoned during the interwar years and the spartan ornamentation of the school building's ground floor-turned church was gradually augmented with reused works from churches that had either closed or been remodeled. The charming temporary-turned-permanent appeal includes painted timber wainscoting, a number of mosaic portraits and some substantial stained glass windows. Groups of angels are clustered in the sanctuary and around the organ, although only one is signed by Louis F. Bernecker. Large canvas paintings of a parade of saints are affixed around the sanctuary, “painted in the late 1920s and 1930s (though none is dated or signed) by Father Gustave de Leon, a priest in the parish between 1921 and 1944…. The choice of saints seems to reflect three influences: the predominance of Irish, French and German ancestry among the parishioners; the interest in those recently canonized or beatified during the time this art work was done (approximately 1920-1945); the gratitude of the parish toward the Order of the Visitation and its affiliate, the Sisters of Charity, who staffed St. Gregory's School until 1943.”[7]
Social programsedit
St. Gregory's runs a soup kitchen with nearby Advent Lutheran in that church's basement.
Referencesedit
Notes;;;
^Dolan, Timothy Michael (May 8, 2015) "Decree on Merger of the Parish of Holy Name of Jesus, New York, NY and the Parish of Saint Gregory the Great, New York, NY" Office of the Cardinal, Archdiocese of New York
^Dolan, Timothy Michael (June 30, 2017) "Decree on the Relegation of the Church of Saint Gregory the Great in the Parish of Holy Name of Jesus-Saint Gregory the Great, New York" Office of the Cardinal, Archdiocese of New York
^Remigius Lafort, S.T.D., Censor, The Catholic Church in the United States of America: Undertaken to Celebrate the Golden Jubilee of His Holiness, Pope Pius X. Volume 3: The Province of Baltimore and the Province of New York, Section 1: Comprising the Archdiocese of New York and the Diocese of Brooklyn, Buffalo and Ogdensburg Together with some Supplementary Articles on Religious Communities of Women.. (New York City: The Catholic Editing Company, 1914), p.328.
^[1] 2013-02-15 at the Wayback Machine| Office for Metropolitan History, "Manhattan NB Database 1900-1986," (Accessed 5 Feb 2010).
^Dunlap, David W. (2004). From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press. p. 207.
^ ab. St. Gregory the Great Church. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16.
^. St. Gregory the Great Church. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16.
Bibliography
Dunlap, David W. From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. (New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.) p. 207.
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For the Churches with same name see Saint Gregory the Great Parish Church disambiguation The Church of St Gregory the Great is a Roman Catholic parish located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan New York City The parish is part of the Archdiocese of New York The church building designed by architect Elliott Lynch contains the church and parish offices on the ground floor with St Gregory the Great Parochial School on the next two floors above the final fourth floor is occupied by the rectory The address of the church is 144 West 90th Street New York New York 10024 1202 the address of the school is 138 West 90th Street New York NY 10024 St Gregory the Great Church and SchoolGeneral informationArchitectural styleBeaux Arts architectureTown or cityNew York New YorkCountryUnited States of AmericaConstruction started1912Completed1913Cost 120 000ClientRoman Catholic Archdiocese of New YorkTechnical detailsStructural systemSteel frame faced in red brick with granite dressingsDesign and constructionArchitect s Elliott LynchWebsiteSt Gregory the Great Manhattan On May 8 2015 the parish was merged with that of Holy Name of Jesus 1 and on June 30 2017 the church was deconsecrated 2 Contents 1 History 2 Pastors 3 St Gregory the Great Parish School 4 Description 5 Social programs 6 References 7 External linksHistory editThe parish of St Gregory the Great was planned in 1906 and established in 1907 by Cardinal Farley to serve the growing number of Catholics living on the Upper West Side between West 86th Street and West 93rd Street first services took place in an old stable on 119 West 89th Street between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues 3 By Christmas 1908 services were held on the site of the present church The present church built 1912 1913 for around 120 000 was designed by Elliott Lynch as a parochial school in a mid block location on 90th Street 4 The school was dedicated by Cardinal Farley on October 19 1913 although church accommodation in the ground floor was intended as temporary until a permanent church could be erected on the corner of Amsterdam Avenue and 90th Street During World War I 28 of 700 parishioner servicemen died Plans for a separate church were abandoned and renovations to the structure began in 1918 and the unused fourth floor was converted into a rectory also installed were an elevator a sky lit gallery and later a library and roof garden with fish pond By the 1960s nearly a third of the congregation was Hispanic During the two year pastorate of Father Henry J Browne the church increased as a center of activism on behalf of the working class and opposition to the Vietnam war Bus trips to Washington D C were organized so parishioners could attend peace vigils and anti war protests Fr Browne championed affordable housing and battled a proposed Alexander s department store on Broadway In April 1970 the anti war Rev Philip F Berrigan S S J 1923 2002 wanted by the FBI for destroying draft files and failing to surrender for his prison term arrived at St Gregory s to address a peace rally While Berrigan was staying at the rectory located on the fourth floor of the church the FBI broke down the church s door to arrest him 5 Fr Browne left the same year to take up a teaching position at Rutgers University but in 1982 90th Street in front of the St Gregory s between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues was dedicated as Henry Browne Boulevard 6 Pastors editFather James Fitzsimmons 1908 September 1918 Father William Hughes also president of Cathedral College 1918 1929 Father Patrick O Donnell 1929 1945 Father William Gill 1945 1957 Father Joseph Flanagan 1957 1966 Father Daniel Cronin 1966 1968 Father Henry J Browne 1968 1970 Father Edward O Donnell 1970 1981 Father John Lennon 1981 1989 Father Raymond Rafferty 1989 June 1994 Father Joseph Darbouze 1994 2006 Monsignor Michael Crimmins 2006 presentSt Gregory the Great Parish School editSister Louise Mary Mattimore of the Sisters of Charity was the first principal The Sisters of Charity would serve the school until 1943 That year they were replaced by the Presentation Sisters who ran the school until the late 1980s The nuns resided on 88th Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West The parish school still numbered slightly over 250 students in the 1950s By the early 1990s the school had been listed as one of 41 parochial schools in danger of closing However the Parish Council voted unanimously to keep it open 6 Description editThe St Gregory the Great building is a four story structure designed by Elliott Lynch as a parish school with the church occupying the ground floor Externally above the doors are statues of St Gregory the Great and St Sylvia Plans for building a separate church nearby were abandoned during the interwar years and the spartan ornamentation of the school building s ground floor turned church was gradually augmented with reused works from churches that had either closed or been remodeled The charming temporary turned permanent appeal includes painted timber wainscoting a number of mosaic portraits and some substantial stained glass windows Groups of angels are clustered in the sanctuary and around the organ although only one is signed by Louis F Bernecker Large canvas paintings of a parade of saints are affixed around the sanctuary painted in the late 1920s and 1930s though none is dated or signed by Father Gustave de Leon a priest in the parish between 1921 and 1944 The choice of saints seems to reflect three influences the predominance of Irish French and German ancestry among the parishioners the interest in those recently canonized or beatified during the time this art work was done approximately 1920 1945 the gratitude of the parish toward the Order of the Visitation and its affiliate the Sisters of Charity who staffed St Gregory s School until 1943 7 Social programs editSt Gregory s runs a soup kitchen with nearby Advent Lutheran in that church s basement References editNotes Dolan Timothy Michael May 8 2015 Decree on Merger of the Parish of Holy Name of Jesus New York NY and the Parish of Saint Gregory the Great New York NY Office of the Cardinal Archdiocese of New York Dolan Timothy Michael June 30 2017 Decree on the Relegation of the Church of Saint Gregory the Great in the Parish of Holy Name of Jesus Saint Gregory the Great New York Office of the Cardinal Archdiocese of New York Remigius Lafort S T D Censor The Catholic Church in the United States of America Undertaken to Celebrate the Golden Jubilee of His Holiness Pope Pius X Volume 3 The Province of Baltimore and the Province of New York Section 1 Comprising the Archdiocese of New York and the Diocese of Brooklyn Buffalo and Ogdensburg Together with some Supplementary Articles on Religious Communities of Women New York City The Catholic Editing Company 1914 p 328 1 Archived 2013 02 15 at the Wayback Machine Office for Metropolitan History Manhattan NB Database 1900 1986 Accessed 5 Feb 2010 Dunlap David W 2004 From Abyssinian to Zion A Guide to Manhattan s Houses of Worship New York Columbia University Press p 207 a b History of the Church of St Gregory the Great St Gregory the Great Church Archived from the original on 2011 07 16 The Art of St Gregory s St Gregory the Great Church Archived from the original on 2011 07 16 Bibliography Dunlap David W From Abyssinian to Zion A Guide to Manhattan s Houses of Worship New York Columbia University Press 2004 p 207 External links editInternal Photos Church Website Church Website History Church Website Tour of Interior 40 47 22 98 N 73 58 20 24 W 40 7897167 N 73 9722889 W 40 7897167 73 9722889 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title St Gregory the Great Church Manhattan amp oldid 1126627073, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
