St. Joan of Arc, Stratford Avenue

Any photo may be enlarged by clicking on it.

See pages 488 and 489 for the foundation of St. Joan of Arc parish, at Stratford Avenue and East 174 Street, in 1949, because of the postwar construction of public housing (the Bronx River Houses, 1951). The church dates from 1953. The rectory address is 1372 Stratford Ave., Bronx NY 10472, telephone 718-842-2233. In the top photo, two-way East 174 Street is along the left side of the church. The car is on one-way northbound Stratford Avenue.

----

The Bx36 crosstown bus provides frequent service along East 174th Street here, with a bus stop a few steps from the church. In automobile terms, the church is located southwest of the interchange of the Cross-Bronx Expressway and the Bronx River Parkway. Getting from a highway exit to the church can be a bit complicated, but keep in mind that St. Joan of Arc church is at the corner of East 174 Street and Stratford Avenue.

Holy Family, Unionport

On August 1, 2015, a parish merger took place, with this parish, Holy Family, absorbing Blessed Sacrament parish and that of St. John Vianney.  Mass will not longer be offered at St. John Vianney, but Mass and sacraments will take place at both Holy Family and Blessed Sacrament.  The Holy Family website, which needs updating is linked here.

See page 220 for the parish of the Holy Family, Unionport, founded in 1896 for German Catholics. The present church on the southwest corner of Castle Hill Avenue and Watson Avenue was built in 1962.This intersection is a short block south of the Cross-Bronx Expressway (Interstate 95; the service road is also named East 177 Street). The rectory address is 2158 Watson Avenue, Bronx NY 10472, telephone 718-863-9156. The parish elementary school is at 2169 Blackrock Avenue, immediately south of the church.
---
The parish is staffed by the Apostles of Jesus Missionary Congregation, A.J. A relevant article appeared in 2017, linked HERE.

Blessed Sacrament, Beach Ave., Soundview

See pages 484 and 486 for the 1927 creation of Blessed Sacrament parish, Beach and Gleason Avenues, a block south of Westchester Avenue. The church and school date from 1929. The rectory address is 1170 Beach Avenue, Bronx NY 10472, telephone 718-892-3214.  Facebook has pages of alumni and parishioners of Blessed Sacrament.
-----
In May, 2009, President Obama nominated a graduate of Blessed Sacrament school to the United States Supreme Court. This article by Michael Daly of the New York Daily News describes the school in 2009.  Unfortunately, the archdiocese decided to close the school in 2013.
-----
In the above photo, note the stained glass windows indicating the location of the church, with classrooms above it. Quite a few Bronx parishes were built with such combined use.


Above is the cornerstone at the north end of the combined school and church.

A second school building, with a 1955 cornerstone, is on the west side of Taylor Avenue, behind the 1929 building. According to the same New York Times article referred to above, the younger students used this building. Also on Taylor Avenue is the Seton House, a former convent with a 1950 cornerstone. For many decades, the Sisters of Charity taught in Blessed Sacrament School.

A playground and ballfield occupy the north side of Watson Avenue between Beach Avenue (to the left) and Taylor Avenue to the right.

One may find in the neighborhood quite a few signs like the above.