Church of Our Lady of Esperanza
Encyclopedia
The Church of Our Lady of Esperanza is a Roman Catholic parish church in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
, located at 624 West 156th Street in the Washington Heights
neighborhood of upper Manhattan
in New York City
.
The church is part of Audubon Terrace
, which was designated a Historic District by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
on January 9, 1979, but it is organizationally separate from the museum complex.
.
The first pastor in 1912 was the Rev. Adrian Buisson, formerly pastor of the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe 229 West 14th Street. Upon his retirement in 1952, the Rev. Francis Soutberg "was appointed Pastor until 1955 when Father Bernard Guillett assumed the position. Presently the Reverend Monsignor Peter O'Donnell is pastor."
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York covers New York, Bronx, and Richmond counties in New York City , as well as Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties in New York state. There are 480 parishes...
, located at 624 West 156th Street in the Washington Heights
Washington Heights, Manhattan
Washington Heights is a New York City neighborhood in the northern reaches of the borough of Manhattan. It is named for Fort Washington, a fortification constructed at the highest point on Manhattan island by Continental Army troops during the American Revolutionary War, to defend the area from the...
neighborhood of upper Manhattan
Upper Manhattan
Upper Manhattan denotes the more northerly region of the New York City Borough of Manhattan. Its southern boundary may be defined anywhere between 59th Street and 155th Street. Between these two extremes lies the most common definitions of Upper Manhattan as Manhattan above 96th Street...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
The church is part of Audubon Terrace
Audubon Terrace
Audubon Terrace, also known as Audubon Terrace Historic District, is a landmark complex of approximately eight early 20th century Beaux Arts buildings in New York City...
, which was designated a Historic District by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission is the New York City agency charged with administering the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. The Commission was created in April 1965 by Mayor Robert F. Wagner following the destruction of Pennsylvania Station the previous year to make way for...
on January 9, 1979, but it is organizationally separate from the museum complex.
History
The parish was founded by Senora Dona Manuela de Laverrerie de Barril, the wife of the Spanish Consul-General in New York. Archer Milton Huntington (1870-1955), the railroad magnate and founder of the Hispanic Society of America, was recruited to the cause and funded the project for the second Spanish-speaking Catholic church. The church building was begun in 1909 to designs by Archer's cousin, Charles P. Huntington of 18 West 31st Street. The building was enlarged and extended in 1924 to designs by Lawrence G. White, son of Stanford WhiteStanford White
Stanford White was an American architect and partner in the architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White, the frontrunner among Beaux-Arts firms. He designed a long series of houses for the rich and the very rich, and various public, institutional, and religious buildings, some of which can be found...
.
The first pastor in 1912 was the Rev. Adrian Buisson, formerly pastor of the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe 229 West 14th Street. Upon his retirement in 1952, the Rev. Francis Soutberg "was appointed Pastor until 1955 when Father Bernard Guillett assumed the position. Presently the Reverend Monsignor Peter O'Donnell is pastor."