Saturday, November 21, 2009

St Augustine, Franklin Avenue and East 167 St.



Please see this news story from the Commercial Observer, 8.18.2015.  An all-affordable apartment house will be built on this site, which the church still owns.  An affiliate of Catholic Charities will develop the site, together with state and city agencies.

See pages 175 and 176 for the founding of The Bronx's third parish, St Augustine, on East 170th Street in 1855. The imposing church on East 167 St. between Fulton Avenue and Franklin Avenue was erected in 1895. Unfortunately, on January 29, 2012, some of the church buildings were closed and merged with that of Our Lady of Victory on Webster Avenue.  Among several news stories, please see this article from the New York Daily News.  Also, check out ny1.com for a video clip.
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(Insertion: The Catholic New York of 1.14.2014 states that the church in the above photo was torn down in the fall of 2013.)
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From the news stories, it is obvious that a parish is the faithful, the community, not necessarily the buildings.
Parishioners will worship with the faithful of Our Lady of Victory, linked here.
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Please note this comment from Bill:
 I would like to correct the statement that St. Augustine Parish closed. The church buildings were unfit and not safe for use and needed millions to restore. The buildings were closed, not the parish. 
Since both the St. Augustine and Our Lady of Victory communities were struggling financially, many meetings were held in both communities under the leadership of our pastor,it was decided,that St. Augustine and Our Lady of Victory would join together to form a NEW parish. Thus on January 29,2012 St. Augustine Our Lady of Victory parish was born.
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The A.I.A. Guide credits Louis C. Giele, a prolific church architect.


A former Mass schedule.

The former school is now used by a charter school.  Any photo may be enlarged by clicking on it.
For about seventy years the boys' department was staffed by the De La Salle Christian Brothers. The Sisters of Charity taught younger boys and all the girls.



Above is the Lwanga+DePorres Spiritual Life Center, 1168 Franklin Avenue, adjacent to the school.

Immaculate Conception, Melrose

The above view looks west at the intersection of Melrose Avenue and East 150th Street in The Bronx. The large building at the corner is the parish rectory, 389 East 150th St., Bronx NY 10455, telephone 718-292-6970. Adjacent is the church of the Immaculate Conception, with a cornerstone dated 1889. The A.I.A. Guide says that the architect was Henry Bruns.
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See page 175 for the foundation of Immaculate Conception parish in 1853, by Father Joseph Stumpe. See page 392, for the visitation by coadjutor archbishop Corrigan in August, 1883. In 1886, the parish was given to the care of Redemptorists. See page 606 for the parish becoming a Hispanic parish. (Please do not confuse this parish with another parish named Immaculate Conception on East Gun Hill Road.) I note that Henry Bruns is also credited with designing a rectory for the Redemptorists at 323 East 61 Street, Manhattan, in 1887-8, according to this link.
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Clicking on any photo will enlarge it.

The above view looks east on 150th Street. The cornerstone of the church bears the date September 25, 1887.


The above view looks east on 151 Street towards Melrose Avenue. Immaculate Conception school is in the foreground, with a parish hall at the corner of Melrose Avenue. The school website, extensive, current, and informative, is here. The school address is 378 East 151 St., Bronx NY 10455, telephone 718-585-4843.
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For many years, the Sisters of Christian Charity have lived and worked for the parish. They continue to provide teachers in the school.
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Grace Outreach, a non-profit organization, is located on the fifth floor of the school building.
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At the far end of the block is a school hall said to be designed by Anthony F. A. Schmitt, who designed the nearby church of St. Pius V.