St. John the Baptist's Church (Manhattan)
Encyclopedia
The Church of St. John the Baptist is a Roman Catholic parish church in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
, located at 211 West 30th Street between Seventh
and Eighth
Avenues in the Fur District of the Chelsea
neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City
. To the church's rear is the Capuchin Monastery of St. John the Baptist, located at 210 West 31st Street across from Pennsylvania Station and Madison Square Garden
.
, which was establishe in 1833. "Both German [parishes] had lay trustees that were so overbearing that they drove out several pastors." The first church erected was a small timber structure. It was dedicated 20 September 1840. The first pastor was the Rev. Zachary Kunze, O.F.B., who following disharmony with the lay Board of Trustees resigned in 1844. Rev. Kunze left with a portion of the congregation and founded the Midtown Manhattan Church of St. Francis of Assisi. The problems were so great with the Board of Trustees that following the resignation of Fr. Kunze, the parish of St. John the Baptist was under interdict
until 1845 when the Rev. J.A. Jakob became its second pastor. More disagreements ensued and the church was again closed in June 1846. It variously reopened with different ministers but swiftly burned in 10 January 1847.
Archbishop John Hughes laid the cornerstone for a new brick church on the site on the 14th of March 1847. Until 1851, pastorship of the parish was assumed by the Church of the Nativity
until Rev. Joseph Lutz was appointed pastor. Four months later, the parish was again under interdiction
. Fr. Lutz explained: "On account of the obstinacy of the parishioners this church was closed and the administration of the Sacraments prohibited by order of His Grace, November 24, 1851." Rev. P. J. Matschejewski arrived as pastor on 7 March 1852 but remained only two weeks. "Rev. Augustine Danter, O.M.Cap., was appointed in 1852 and remained until 1869 when he was obliged to retire and the church remained close for some months."
In response to the many disputes, Archbishop John Cardinal McCloskey suppressed St. John the Baptist in 1870 and requested the Capuchin Friars
assume control of the resurrected parish. Under the Capuchins, especially the first Capuchin pastor, the Swiss-born Father Bonventura Frey, parish animosity dissipated. Under Fr. Frey, the German congregation began to erect the present substantial church. Fr. Frey left in 1879 to become the Provincial of the Capuchins, and moved to Calvary, Wisconsin
, but returned from 1888 to 1891 to prepare the parish for its Golden Jubilee. In 1914, The Catholic population of the parish was 1,500.
stone church was built between 1871 and 1872 to the designs of the prolific ecclesiastical architect Napoleon LeBrun
, architect of several New York Catholic churches as well as the cathedral in Philadelphia. The cornerstone was laid by Fr. Frey on Pentecost Sunday, June 4 or June 11 of 1871. The church is 165 feet long and 67 feet wide, originally accommodating 1,200 people, and costing $175,000 to construct
Fr. Frey returned to the parish in 1888 and built the central bell tower in preparation for the church's Golden Jubilee
held on 18-19 January 1891 and marked by Archbishop Michael Corrigan, Bishop Wigger of Newark, Archbishop-elect Katzer of Milwaukee and Abbott H. Pfraengle of Newark. The tower has a carillon of five swinging bells cast by the J.G. Stuckstede & Brothers Foundry in St. Louis, Missouri
. The peal still rings each day. The church was dedicated on June 23, 1872, by Archbishop John Cardinal McClosky, the first American cardinal.
The church's organ and choir gallery, as well as a number of statues and stained-glass windows, were destroyed in a fire on January 10, 1997. The damage was repaired and the organ was replaced with an electronic one.
According to bronze memorial plaques affixed to the wall of the narthex, for the 160th anniversary of the parish and the Great Jubilee Year of 2000, the bell tower was restored by funds provided by Antonio D'Urso and his wife Giovanna Parpo in 2000. The rededication of the St. Joseph, Ave Maria, St. Clare, St. Fidelis Bells were the gift of Kevin Ward, blessed November 30, 1890 by Archbishop McClosky and rededicated November 7, 1998, by Father Bernard Smith, O.F.M, Cap., the Provincial of the Capuchins.
The AIA Guide to NYC (2010) described the church as "...a Roman Catholic Trinity. The interior of white, radiates light. Worth a special visit."
The brown brick Capuchin Monastery of St. John the Baptist was built in 1974 in the Brutalist style
.
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 211 West 30th Street between Seventh
Seventh Avenue (Manhattan)
Seventh Avenue, known as Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard north of Central Park, is a thoroughfare on the West Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It is southbound below Central Park and a two-way street north of the park....
and Eighth
Eighth Avenue (Manhattan)
Eighth Avenue is a north-south avenue on the West Side of Manhattan in New York City, carrying northbound traffic. Eighth Avenue begins in the West Village neighborhood at Abingdon Square and runs north for 44 blocks through Chelsea, the Garment District, Hell's Kitchen's east end, Midtown and the...
Avenues in the Fur District of the Chelsea
Chelsea, Manhattan
Chelsea is a neighborhood on the West Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City. The district's boundaries are roughly 14th Street to the south, 30th Street to the north, the western boundary of the Ladies' Mile Historic District – which lies between the Avenue of the Americas and...
neighborhood of Manhattan, 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...
. To the church's rear is the Capuchin Monastery of St. John the Baptist, located at 210 West 31st Street across from Pennsylvania Station and Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
.
History
The parish was established in 1840 as the second parish to serve German Catholics in New York after St. Nicholas' ChurchSt. Nicholas' Church (New York City)
The Church of St. Nicholas is a former Roman Catholic parish church under the authority of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, located at 125 East 2nd Street in Manhattan, New York City.-Parish history:...
, which was establishe in 1833. "Both German [parishes] had lay trustees that were so overbearing that they drove out several pastors." The first church erected was a small timber structure. It was dedicated 20 September 1840. The first pastor was the Rev. Zachary Kunze, O.F.B., who following disharmony with the lay Board of Trustees resigned in 1844. Rev. Kunze left with a portion of the congregation and founded the Midtown Manhattan Church of St. Francis of Assisi. The problems were so great with the Board of Trustees that following the resignation of Fr. Kunze, the parish of St. John the Baptist was under interdict
Interdict
The term Interdict may refer to:* Court order enforcing or prohibiting a certain action* Injunction, such as a restraining order...
until 1845 when the Rev. J.A. Jakob became its second pastor. More disagreements ensued and the church was again closed in June 1846. It variously reopened with different ministers but swiftly burned in 10 January 1847.
Archbishop John Hughes laid the cornerstone for a new brick church on the site on the 14th of March 1847. Until 1851, pastorship of the parish was assumed by the Church of the Nativity
Church of the Nativity (Manhattan)
The Church of the Nativity is a Roman Catholic parish church in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, located at 44 Second Avenue between Second and 3rd Streets in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City...
until Rev. Joseph Lutz was appointed pastor. Four months later, the parish was again under interdiction
Interdiction
Interdiction is a military term that refers to the act of delaying, disrupting, or destroying enemy forces or supplies en route to the battle area. A distinction is often made between strategic and tactical interdiction...
. Fr. Lutz explained: "On account of the obstinacy of the parishioners this church was closed and the administration of the Sacraments prohibited by order of His Grace, November 24, 1851." Rev. P. J. Matschejewski arrived as pastor on 7 March 1852 but remained only two weeks. "Rev. Augustine Danter, O.M.Cap., was appointed in 1852 and remained until 1869 when he was obliged to retire and the church remained close for some months."
In response to the many disputes, Archbishop John Cardinal McCloskey suppressed St. John the Baptist in 1870 and requested the Capuchin Friars
Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
assume control of the resurrected parish. Under the Capuchins, especially the first Capuchin pastor, the Swiss-born Father Bonventura Frey, parish animosity dissipated. Under Fr. Frey, the German congregation began to erect the present substantial church. Fr. Frey left in 1879 to become the Provincial of the Capuchins, and moved to Calvary, Wisconsin
Calvary, Wisconsin
Calvary, Wisconsin is an unincorporated community located in the town of Marshfield, in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin. The community was originally know locally as Calvary Station since the community was built around the railroad depot for Mount Calvary...
, but returned from 1888 to 1891 to prepare the parish for its Golden Jubilee. In 1914, The Catholic population of the parish was 1,500.
Buildings
The present French Gothic-styleFrench Gothic architecture
French Gothic architecture is a style of architecture prevalent in France from 1140 until about 1500.-Sequence of Gothic styles: France:The designations of styles in French Gothic architecture are as follows:* Early Gothic* High Gothic...
stone church was built between 1871 and 1872 to the designs of the prolific ecclesiastical architect Napoleon LeBrun
Napoleon LeBrun
Napoleon Eugene Charles Henry LeBrun was an American architect. LeBrun is best known as the architect of several notable Philadelphia churches, including St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Twentieth Street ; the Seventh Presbyterian Church , the Scots Presbyterian Church , the Church of St...
, architect of several New York Catholic churches as well as the cathedral in Philadelphia. The cornerstone was laid by Fr. Frey on Pentecost Sunday, June 4 or June 11 of 1871. The church is 165 feet long and 67 feet wide, originally accommodating 1,200 people, and costing $175,000 to construct
Fr. Frey returned to the parish in 1888 and built the central bell tower in preparation for the church's Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee
A Golden Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 50th anniversary.- In Thailand :King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, celebrated his Golden Jubilee on 9 June 1996.- In the Commonwealth Realms :...
held on 18-19 January 1891 and marked by Archbishop Michael Corrigan, Bishop Wigger of Newark, Archbishop-elect Katzer of Milwaukee and Abbott H. Pfraengle of Newark. The tower has a carillon of five swinging bells cast by the J.G. Stuckstede & Brothers Foundry in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. The peal still rings each day. The church was dedicated on June 23, 1872, by Archbishop John Cardinal McClosky, the first American cardinal.
The church's organ and choir gallery, as well as a number of statues and stained-glass windows, were destroyed in a fire on January 10, 1997. The damage was repaired and the organ was replaced with an electronic one.
According to bronze memorial plaques affixed to the wall of the narthex, for the 160th anniversary of the parish and the Great Jubilee Year of 2000, the bell tower was restored by funds provided by Antonio D'Urso and his wife Giovanna Parpo in 2000. The rededication of the St. Joseph, Ave Maria, St. Clare, St. Fidelis Bells were the gift of Kevin Ward, blessed November 30, 1890 by Archbishop McClosky and rededicated November 7, 1998, by Father Bernard Smith, O.F.M, Cap., the Provincial of the Capuchins.
The AIA Guide to NYC (2010) described the church as "...a Roman Catholic Trinity. The interior of white, radiates light. Worth a special visit."
The brown brick Capuchin Monastery of St. John the Baptist was built in 1974 in the Brutalist style
Brutalist architecture
Brutalist architecture is a style of architecture which flourished from the 1950s to the mid 1970s, spawned from the modernist architectural movement.-The term "brutalism":...
.
School
Fr. Frey had opened a school in a hotel on Sixth Avenue with 50 children during the winter of 1870-1871. An additional floor was added to the rectory to accommodate the school and the Brothers of Mary, who were in charge of the boys. The Sisters of St. Dominic were in charge of the girls. A four-storey-over-basement Collegiate Gothic monastery block of four bays wide and two bays deep was built behind the church, opening 19 April 1872. The casino for young men was opened 7 April 1893. In 1914, the school had 160 male pupils and 200 female pupils, in the charge of four Brothers of Mary and six Sisters of St. Dominic, respectively.External Links
- "St. John the Baptist" on the New York City Chapter of the American Guild of Organists website