I have not yet visited St. Laurence parish church on the northeast corner of Flatlands Avenue and Van Sicklen Avenue in East New York, near Spring Creek Towers and the Gateway Shopping Center. The parish website is linked HERE. For Mass schedule, parish office phone and address, please see the parish website.
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Flatlands Avenue extends five miles across southeast Brooklyn. At Flatbush Avenue, it passes the parish of St. Thomas Aquinas. In Canarsie, it passes Our Lady of Miracles and Holy Family. The church of St. Laurence is a mile east of Holy Family.
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Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Thursday, February 4, 2016
dotCommonweal: the Borough of Former Churches
The editors and contributors of Commonweal magazine have a blog called dotCommonweal. On 2.3.2016, Dominic Preziosi, Catholic Brooklyn resident has presented an insightful essay, "In the Borough of Former Churches," linked HERE. He addresses migration and the closure of churches. Readers' comments note the closure of other religious buildings and the experiences of other cities.
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
Brooklyn Oratory to minister at Assumption
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle of January 6, 2016, carries a lengthy news article with the headlines "Brooklyn Oratory, Assumption Church enter agreement to expand ministry; Oratory takes charge of Assumption's pastoral responsibilities January 31." The article is linked HERE.
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The article makes clear that this is not a merger of parishes.
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The article gives an extensive history of these two parishes and that of St. Charles Borromeo. Please use the link at the right for photos on my older posts about these three churches.
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The article makes clear that this is not a merger of parishes.
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The article gives an extensive history of these two parishes and that of St. Charles Borromeo. Please use the link at the right for photos on my older posts about these three churches.
Monday, October 19, 2015
John J. O'Malley, architect
In my visits to Brooklyn parishes, I have seldom encountered a sign or plaque giving the name of the architect who designed the church. Fortunately, the Tablet has now run an article about the prolific architect John J. O'Malley, 1915-1970. Please see the article HERE. The occasion was his 100th birthday, with Mr. O'Malley's descendants visiting Cathedral College in Douglaston, which he designed.
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Much of Mr. O'Malley's work is evident in circular churches and chapels in Queens. A Wikipedia article lists his extensive accomplishments, including apparently some renovations or extensions. It appears that his brand-new churches (contrasted with renovations) date from 1950 until his death in 1970. Archbishop Molloy died in 1956, Bishop McEntegart retired in 1968, and Bishop Mugavero replaced him.
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Many thanks to The Tablet and the O'Malley family for publicizing his life and work!
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According to the Wikipedia article, he designed the following churches in the borough of Brooklyn:
St. Sylvester, Grant Avenue, City Line, obviously built in the O'Malley era.
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St. Athanasius, Bay Parkway, 1963. Note the unobstructed view of the altar and the bright, colorful interior and windows.
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St. Gabriel, Linwood St. and New Lots Ave., obviously built in the O'Malley era. The parish cluster is now called Mary, Mother of the Church. This interior photo shows his style, with unobstructed view. The parish has a Saturday vigil Mass and three Masses on Sunday.
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St. Mary Mother of Jesus, 1968, replacing a church destroyed by fire. A Tablet article dated 6.13.14 describes the fire and the beautiful new church, circular and wheelchair-accessible.
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St. Finbar, Bath Beach, but the church was built before 1912. Mr. O'Malley may have designed the former school across the street.
--- Sts. Simon and Jude, listed as Bayside (Queens), but I think Gravesend (Brooklyn). There is a resemblance to the Douglaston seminary frontage.
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And other parish buildings:
St. Nicholas High School, Catherine St., Williamsburg, now renovated and in use by Queen of the Rosary Catholic Academy.
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St. Vincent Ferrer elementary school, Flatbush, now used for other purposes.
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St. Bernard parish school, near Bergen Beach. This page names John O'Malley's firm as architect of the school, which opened in 1963 and continues in 2015 as a Catholic academy. Across the street is a circular church, but the parish history does not give a date. It may have been built after Mr. O'Malley's sudden death in 1970.
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Much of Mr. O'Malley's work is evident in circular churches and chapels in Queens. A Wikipedia article lists his extensive accomplishments, including apparently some renovations or extensions. It appears that his brand-new churches (contrasted with renovations) date from 1950 until his death in 1970. Archbishop Molloy died in 1956, Bishop McEntegart retired in 1968, and Bishop Mugavero replaced him.
---
Many thanks to The Tablet and the O'Malley family for publicizing his life and work!
---
According to the Wikipedia article, he designed the following churches in the borough of Brooklyn:
St. Sylvester, Grant Avenue, City Line, obviously built in the O'Malley era.
---
St. Athanasius, Bay Parkway, 1963. Note the unobstructed view of the altar and the bright, colorful interior and windows.
---
St. Gabriel, Linwood St. and New Lots Ave., obviously built in the O'Malley era. The parish cluster is now called Mary, Mother of the Church. This interior photo shows his style, with unobstructed view. The parish has a Saturday vigil Mass and three Masses on Sunday.
---
St. Mary Mother of Jesus, 1968, replacing a church destroyed by fire. A Tablet article dated 6.13.14 describes the fire and the beautiful new church, circular and wheelchair-accessible.
---
St. Finbar, Bath Beach, but the church was built before 1912. Mr. O'Malley may have designed the former school across the street.
--- Sts. Simon and Jude, listed as Bayside (Queens), but I think Gravesend (Brooklyn). There is a resemblance to the Douglaston seminary frontage.
---
And other parish buildings:
St. Nicholas High School, Catherine St., Williamsburg, now renovated and in use by Queen of the Rosary Catholic Academy.
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St. Vincent Ferrer elementary school, Flatbush, now used for other purposes.
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St. Bernard parish school, near Bergen Beach. This page names John O'Malley's firm as architect of the school, which opened in 1963 and continues in 2015 as a Catholic academy. Across the street is a circular church, but the parish history does not give a date. It may have been built after Mr. O'Malley's sudden death in 1970.
Sunday, July 12, 2015
St. Thomas Aquinas, Park Slope
The photos and text below are from when I visited this parish in 2010. Much has changed since then. The church is red brick, not painted off-white as in my photo. The interior is more colorful. Please see The Tablet article of June 18, 2015, for a complete description of the extensive renovations. The article includes an excellent slide show.
The parish was established in 1884. If I read the history on the website correctly, this church was dedicated in 1886.
These clips for men's caps and hats appeared in many churches in the last century.
A helpful folder available inside the church offers suggestions for prayer. "The doors of our church are open all day as a symbol that all are welcomed to enter and pray!" St. Thomas Aquinas is depicted with a scroll on which is written "Joy is the noblest human act."
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Regarding that axiom, an interesting link is here.
This building at Fourth Avenue and Eighth Street was the parish school from 1919 to 2005. It is now rented to the New York City Board of Education. There are at least several public school buildings with crosses in our city. The Brentwood Josephites taught in this parish since 1884.
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In Brooklyn there are two parishes named St. Thomas Aquinas. The other one is in Flatlands, established almost at the same time, but before Flatlands was part of the city of Brooklyn.
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St. Thomas Aquinas church is located on the northeast corner of Fourth Avenue (to the left) and Ninth Street (with bus B61 at the right). Its mailing address is 249 Ninth Street, Brooklyn NY 11215, telephone 718-768-9471. In 2008, Holy Family parish on 14th Street was merged with St. Thomas Aquinas.
----
Regarding that axiom, an interesting link is here.
This building at Fourth Avenue and Eighth Street was the parish school from 1919 to 2005. It is now rented to the New York City Board of Education. There are at least several public school buildings with crosses in our city. The Brentwood Josephites taught in this parish since 1884.
----
In Brooklyn there are two parishes named St. Thomas Aquinas. The other one is in Flatlands, established almost at the same time, but before Flatlands was part of the city of Brooklyn.
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Wednesday, May 6, 2015
San Damiano Mission, Greenpoint
As of November, 2019, I have been unable to ascertain the status of Holy Family Church or the San Damiano mission.
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Please see my 2013 post about Holy Family parish for photographs. A few years ago, the parish was merged with that of St. Anthony of Padua and staffed by Oblates of Mary Immaculate from India, but it is now San Damiano Mission.
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For a 2016 commentary about the inviting doors of this church, please see the blog Brooklyn Relics. While Holy Family church may be a relic of the Slovak community of workers in Greenpoint, this mission is no dead relic.
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In August, 2016, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of St. Louis ran an article with a photo:
http://stlouisreview.com/article/2016-08-25/friars-bring-god
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In September, 2019, the Brooklyn Eagle website noted that the organ at San Damiano Mission is merely two years old. See the article HERE.
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Please see my 2013 post about Holy Family parish for photographs. A few years ago, the parish was merged with that of St. Anthony of Padua and staffed by Oblates of Mary Immaculate from India, but it is now San Damiano Mission.
---
For a 2016 commentary about the inviting doors of this church, please see the blog Brooklyn Relics. While Holy Family church may be a relic of the Slovak community of workers in Greenpoint, this mission is no dead relic.
---
In August, 2016, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of St. Louis ran an article with a photo:
http://stlouisreview.com/article/2016-08-25/friars-bring-god
--
In September, 2019, the Brooklyn Eagle website noted that the organ at San Damiano Mission is merely two years old. See the article HERE.
Sunday, March 29, 2015
A website of 17 brownstone Brooklyn parishes
I am pleased to discover a website for seventeen Catholic parishes of "Greater Downtown Brooklyn," encompassing neighborhoods from the Brooklyn Bridge south to Red Hook and Kensington. The URL somewhat resembles mine, but is different:
http://brooklyncatholic.org/
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Those who organized that website deserve praise, as it is welcoming and helpful. I point out particularly the consolidated chronological schedule of Sunday Masses, something I first encountered long ago posted on the doors of the churches of Avila, Spain. I hope that what is on the web will also be published in newspapers and posted outside the churches, in case the doors are locked.
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http://brooklyncatholic.org/
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Those who organized that website deserve praise, as it is welcoming and helpful. I point out particularly the consolidated chronological schedule of Sunday Masses, something I first encountered long ago posted on the doors of the churches of Avila, Spain. I hope that what is on the web will also be published in newspapers and posted outside the churches, in case the doors are locked.
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