Church of St. Simon Stock – St. Joseph explained

The Church of St. Simon Stock – St. Joseph
Location Town:Bronx, New York City
Location Country:United States of America
Client:Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York

The Church of St. Simon Stock – St. Joseph is a Roman Catholic parish church under the authority of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, located at 2191 Valentine Avenue, Bronx, New York City. It was established in 1919 and has been continuously staffed by the Carmelite Fathers since its founding.

History

The parish of St. Simon Stock was founded by the Irish Carmelites of Our Lady of Scapular Mount Carmel in lower Manhattan. The first Mass was offered in a two-story frame house at "Carmel Hill", at 182nd Street and Valentine Avenue, on Palm Sunday, March 28, 1920.[1]

Construction began on the church in 1921, but was interrupted by the need to build a school. On occasion, sermons were given in Irish Gaelic.[2]

Pastors

Location Town:Bronx, New York City
Location Country:United States of America
Client:Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York

St. Joseph's Church

The Church of St. Joseph was a Roman Catholic parish church in the Upper Morrisania neighborhood under the authority of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, located at 1949 Bathgate Avenue, Bronx, New York City. The parish was established in 1873.

History

St. Joseph's Parish was founded in 1873 by Archbishop John McCloskey to serve the German Catholics in the Tremont area of the Bronx. The original church, dedicated in 1874 fronted Washington Avenue near 177th Street. The first resident pastor was the Rev. Joseph M. Sorg.[3]

A new church building was begun in October 1898. Located near the original building, it faced Bathgate Avenue.[4]

As of 2015, out of repair, the church had been closed[5] and the congregation merged with the Church of St. Simon Stock about 3/4 of a mile away.[6] St. Joseph's church building was desacralized by a decree effective November 30, 2017.[7]

Architecture

The neo-Gothic church was built of white stone quarried from the lot, and faced with polished granite on the front and rear ends. When built, the church provided seating for about 1,500 persons.

School

St. Joseph's Catholic School closed in 2019.[8]

External links

40.855°N -73.8992°W

Notes and References

  1. https://saintsimonstockchurch.org/history "Parish History", St. Simon Stock – St. Joseph Parish
  2. https://books.google.com/books?id=qhvzDQAAQBAJ&dq=Church+of+St.+Simon+Stock+%28Bronx%2C+New+York%29&pg=PA181 Almeida, Linda Dowling. Irish Immigrants in New York City, 1945-1995, Indiana University Press, 2001, 9780253108531, p. 181 n.43
  3. Remigius Lafort, S.T.D., Censor, The Catholic Church in the United States of America: Undertaken to Celebrate the Golden Jubilee of His Holiness, Pope Pius X. Volume 3: The Province of Baltimore and the Province of New York, Section 1: Comprising the Archdiocese of New York and the Diocese of Brooklyn, Buffalo and Ogdensburg.. (New York City: The Catholic Editing Company, 1914), p.387.
  4. http://www.nycago.org/Organs/Brx/html/StJosephRC.html "St. Joseph Catholic Church", NYC AGO
  5. News: Andy Newman. New York Archdiocese Will Close 7 More Churches. September 26, 2015. The New York Times. May 8, 2015. The decisions are set to take effect on Aug. 1..
  6. News: David Gonzalez. In the Bronx, 'Poor Church' Is More Than a Papal Phrase. September 26, 2015. The New York Times. September 25, 2015. ...St. Joseph’s attendance had dwindled, and its walls and ceiling were crumbling from a leaky roof. Repairs would cost at least $5 million, impossible for a poor parish like St. Joseph’s.....
  7. https://www.archny.org/documents/2017/11/Saint%20Joseph%20South%20Bronx.pdf Timothy Cardinal Dolan. "Decree on the Relegation of the Church of Saint Joseph, South Bronx, New York", Archdiocese of New York, November 30, 2017
  8. Web site: Annese, Paul. 5 NYC Catholic schools set to close at end of school year in June. New York Daily News. 2019-02-06. 2020-05-05.