St. Francis Xavier's Church (Bronx, New York)
Encyclopedia
The Church of St. Francis Xavier is a Roman Catholic parish church under the authority of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
, located at 1658 Lurting Avenue, Morris Park
, in the Bronx. The parish has a church and school, both of which were founded by the Rev. James Edward Kearney (1884–1977), later the Bishop of Salt Lake City
and Bishop of Rochester
.
. He later was to become Bishop of Rochester
. John M. J. Quinn
(1886–1955) was pastor from 1951 until his death in 1955, and headed a Catholic War Veterans organization. Fr. Kearney was influential spreading Catholicism in the Bronx, founding this parish first "using two portable structures as a temporary church and auditorium." During his pastorate, he also served as professor of religion at Good Counsel College
in White Plains
and as superintendent
of parochial schools in the Bronx. Father Matthew Furey is the current church pastor.
of the Bronx. The church building was blessed and re-dedicated by Cardinal Spellman with more than 1000 people attending the ceremony. The architecture of the church is very monumental for its neighborhood, if a bit retrograde for its post-ward period of design. However, in contrast to several post-war Modernist brick box churches that the Archdiocese erected in this period, St. Francis Xavier's Church is designed in an early Gothic-style
with pointed arched windows and entrances accentuating a stolid masonry mass of low gabled nave and hipped square tower in leafy and manicured lawned surroundings. The architecture is in the style of thirteenth-century Italian Gothic. The general red brick masonry of the walls is elegantly trimmed with white limestone, as is the corbelled tower cornice, which match the white masonry statues above the principal entrance gable and on the tower upper stage side elevations.
"The parish has several substantial buildings, including what appear to be two schools. A convent was refurbished for the Franciscan sisters sponsored by Fr. Benedict Groeschel." The address for the rectory is 1703 Lurting Avenue. The convent was likely originally built for the Sisters of Mercy
. The eleven-bay two-storey-over-raised-basement brick school with Romanesque design accents
was built 1937, and extended in 1955. The structure has a prominent broad hipped slate roof with a ornamental louvre surmounted by a copper-clad Latin cross. Despite varying dates, all the structures of the complex appear to have been built in harmonious styles with a brick color that very much matches the vernacular neighborhood architecture.
. An annex for that building was begun in 1955. The school has around 325 to 370 students.
as their Opus 7529 2 manuals, 18 stops, 16 ranks. Kilgen is famous for its design of the monumental 5 manual organ at St. Patrick Cathedral.
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 1658 Lurting Avenue, Morris Park
Morris Park, Bronx
Morris Park is a neighborhood in the Bronx borough of New York City . The neighborhood is part of Community Board 11 in the East Bronx. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise are: Pelham Parkway to the north, the Amtrak Northeast Corridor tracks to the east and south, and...
, in the Bronx. The parish has a church and school, both of which were founded by the Rev. James Edward Kearney (1884–1977), later the Bishop of Salt Lake City
Roman Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City, officially in Latin Dioecesis Civitatis Lacus Salsi, is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. It comprises the entire state of Utah. Also known as the Utah Catholic Church or the See of Salt Lake City, its mother church is the...
and Bishop of Rochester
Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester is a diocese of the Catholic Church in the Greater Rochester region of New York State in the United States. The region that the Diocese comprises extends from its northern border on the south shore of Lake Ontario through the Finger Lakes region to its...
.
Parish
The parish was established in 1928 and dedicated in honor of St. Francis Xavier (1506–1552), the Spanish-born Jesuit missionary to India and Japan, who died en route to China. The first pastor was the Rev. James Edward Kearney (1884–1977), who served St. Francis Xavier from 1928 until 1932, when he became Bishop of Salt Lake CityRoman Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City, officially in Latin Dioecesis Civitatis Lacus Salsi, is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. It comprises the entire state of Utah. Also known as the Utah Catholic Church or the See of Salt Lake City, its mother church is the...
. He later was to become Bishop of Rochester
Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester is a diocese of the Catholic Church in the Greater Rochester region of New York State in the United States. The region that the Diocese comprises extends from its northern border on the south shore of Lake Ontario through the Finger Lakes region to its...
. John M. J. Quinn
John M. J. Quinn
John M. J. Quinn was a Monsignor and from 1951 to 1955 head of St. Francis Xavier's Church in the Bronx, New York, and also head of the Catholic War Veterans.-Biography:...
(1886–1955) was pastor from 1951 until his death in 1955, and headed a Catholic War Veterans organization. Fr. Kearney was influential spreading Catholicism in the Bronx, founding this parish first "using two portable structures as a temporary church and auditorium." During his pastorate, he also served as professor of religion at Good Counsel College
Pace University
Pace University is an American private, co-educational, and comprehensive multi-campus university in the New York metropolitan area with campuses in New York City and Westchester County, New York.-Programs:...
in White Plains
White Plains, New York
White Plains is a city and the county seat of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in south-central Westchester, about east of the Hudson River and northwest of Long Island Sound...
and as superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
of parochial schools in the Bronx. Father Matthew Furey is the current church pastor.
Buildings
In 1951, a new building was erected at 1658 Lurting Avenue (at the intersection of Van Nest Avenue), in the Morris Park sectionMorris Park, Bronx
Morris Park is a neighborhood in the Bronx borough of New York City . The neighborhood is part of Community Board 11 in the East Bronx. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise are: Pelham Parkway to the north, the Amtrak Northeast Corridor tracks to the east and south, and...
of the Bronx. The church building was blessed and re-dedicated by Cardinal Spellman with more than 1000 people attending the ceremony. The architecture of the church is very monumental for its neighborhood, if a bit retrograde for its post-ward period of design. However, in contrast to several post-war Modernist brick box churches that the Archdiocese erected in this period, St. Francis Xavier's Church is designed in an early Gothic-style
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
with pointed arched windows and entrances accentuating a stolid masonry mass of low gabled nave and hipped square tower in leafy and manicured lawned surroundings. The architecture is in the style of thirteenth-century Italian Gothic. The general red brick masonry of the walls is elegantly trimmed with white limestone, as is the corbelled tower cornice, which match the white masonry statues above the principal entrance gable and on the tower upper stage side elevations.
"The parish has several substantial buildings, including what appear to be two schools. A convent was refurbished for the Franciscan sisters sponsored by Fr. Benedict Groeschel." The address for the rectory is 1703 Lurting Avenue. The convent was likely originally built for the Sisters of Mercy
Sisters of Mercy
The Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy is an order of Catholic women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831. , the order has about 10,000 members worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations....
. The eleven-bay two-storey-over-raised-basement brick school with Romanesque design accents
Romanesque Revival architecture
Romanesque Revival is a style of building employed beginning in the mid 19th century inspired by the 11th and 12th century Romanesque architecture...
was built 1937, and extended in 1955. The structure has a prominent broad hipped slate roof with a ornamental louvre surmounted by a copper-clad Latin cross. Despite varying dates, all the structures of the complex appear to have been built in harmonious styles with a brick color that very much matches the vernacular neighborhood architecture.
St. Francis Xavier School
The parish school is located at 1711 Haight Avenue and has students from New Beginnings to Eighth Grade. Following the parish's founding in 1928, Fr. Kearney founded the school in 1929, which was initially housed in the "portable" (temporary) auditorium building. The school first opened on September 15, 1930; the first principal was Miss Helen Kelly. Ground was broken for a permanent eight-classroom school building on April 11, 1937, which was then staffed by the Sisters of MercySisters of Mercy
The Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy is an order of Catholic women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831. , the order has about 10,000 members worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations....
. An annex for that building was begun in 1955. The school has around 325 to 370 students.
Music
The organ at St. Francis Xavier Church was designed in 1951 by the George Kilgen Organ CompanyKilgen
Kilgen was a prominent American builder of organs which was in business from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century.-History:-The Kilgen family:...
as their Opus 7529 2 manuals, 18 stops, 16 ranks. Kilgen is famous for its design of the monumental 5 manual organ at St. Patrick Cathedral.
Pastors
- 1928-1932: Rev. James Edward Kearney (1884–1977)
- 1951-1955: Rev. John M. J. QuinnJohn M. J. QuinnJohn M. J. Quinn was a Monsignor and from 1951 to 1955 head of St. Francis Xavier's Church in the Bronx, New York, and also head of the Catholic War Veterans.-Biography:...
(1886–1955)