St. John's Church (Bronx, New York)
Encyclopedia
The Church of St. John is a Roman Catholic parish church under the authority of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
, located at 3021 Kingsbridge Avenue, Bronx, New York City
. The parish was established in 1877 and has had long ties with the Religious of Jesus and Mary as their main base in New York.
(founded as St. John’s College), mass was originally celebrated in an old schoolhouse on Spuyten Duyvil Hill. Upon the 1869 founding of St. Elizabeth’s parish
in Fort Washington
by the Rev. Cornelius O’Callaghan, St. John’s became an out-mission of that immediate Fort Washington parish. A St. John's Church was listed at 2911 Church Street, in 1892. In 1914, it was recorded, that the "Rev. Francis Xavier Kelly, successor to Farther O’Dwyer, is assisted by the Rev. Joseph MacCarthy."
on December 4, 1877, establishing the parish of St. John. The Rev. Edward O’Gorman was appointed the first resident pastor where he remained for 18 years and during that time greatly increased the church’s property holdings. Rev. O’Gorman “removed” the 1877 church in 1893 and there built half of the present church’s basement at a cost of $21,000. The following pastor, the Rev. Daniel H. O’Dwyer, converted the old church in a well-equipped hall.
Rev. O’Dwyer erected the present church. “It is built after the Tudor style, and has a beautiful paining, a copy of Brumidi’s ‘Crucifixion,’ above the altar. The basement contains a chapel, hall, theater, club-rooms, and gymnasium.”
at Kingsbridge. In 1950, the Brothers of the Christian Schools took charge of the Boys' Department at the invitation of Monsignor Martin Scanlan. For more than 20 years they continued to serve the parish until, with vocations declining, they withdrew. Memorable members of their community were Brothers Celestine George, first principal, Arthur Philip, renowned educator in numerous Bronx Parish schools and Adelbert Patrick, noted musician and choral director. Notable educators among the sisters were Mother Mary Catherine (Kenny), Mother Camillus and Mother Regis. As of 2011, the school was still affiliated with the Religious of Jesus and Mary had students enrolled from PreK-3 through Grade 8.
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 3021 Kingsbridge Avenue, Bronx, 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 parish was established in 1877 and has had long ties with the Religious of Jesus and Mary as their main base in New York.
Parish history
Founded in the 1860s as a mission attended by a Yonkers parish, and later by the Jesuits of Fordham UniversityFordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
(founded as St. John’s College), mass was originally celebrated in an old schoolhouse on Spuyten Duyvil Hill. Upon the 1869 founding of St. Elizabeth’s parish
St. Elizabeth's Church (Manhattan)
Church of St. Elizabeth is a Roman Catholic parish church in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, located at West 187th Street at Wadsworth Avenue, Manhattan, New York City. The parish was established in 1869, originally located on 187th Street at Broadway from 1869 to 1929.-Parish...
in Fort Washington
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...
by the Rev. Cornelius O’Callaghan, St. John’s became an out-mission of that immediate Fort Washington parish. A St. John's Church was listed at 2911 Church Street, in 1892. In 1914, it was recorded, that the "Rev. Francis Xavier Kelly, successor to Farther O’Dwyer, is assisted by the Rev. Joseph MacCarthy."
Buildings
In 1870, Rev. Henry A. Brann was appointed to take charge of the mission. During his 16-year pastorate, he purchased land and built a small timber-framed church, which was dedicated by John Cardinal McCloskeyJohn Cardinal McCloskey
John McCloskey was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was Archbishop of New York from 1864 until his death in 1885, having previously served as Bishop of Albany...
on December 4, 1877, establishing the parish of St. John. The Rev. Edward O’Gorman was appointed the first resident pastor where he remained for 18 years and during that time greatly increased the church’s property holdings. Rev. O’Gorman “removed” the 1877 church in 1893 and there built half of the present church’s basement at a cost of $21,000. The following pastor, the Rev. Daniel H. O’Dwyer, converted the old church in a well-equipped hall.
Rev. O’Dwyer erected the present church. “It is built after the Tudor style, and has a beautiful paining, a copy of Brumidi’s ‘Crucifixion,’ above the altar. The basement contains a chapel, hall, theater, club-rooms, and gymnasium.”
Pastors
- Rev. Cornelius O’Callaghan (-1870)
- Rev. Henry A. Brann (1870-1886)
- Rev. Edward O’Gorman (1886-1904)
- Rev. Daniel H. O’Dwyer (1904-1913)
- Rev. Francis Xavier Kelly (1913-)
Convent of Jesus and Mary at Kingsbridge
“The Convent of Jesus Mary at Kingsbridge was founded in 1903, and is within the parish limits.” Several nuns had left the mother-house in Rome in 1902 to establish this congregation, which developed into a century of service at the church where more than 200 RJM sisters dedicated countless years of educational service to thousands of local Catholic boys and girls. Notable educators among the sisters were Mother Mary Catherine (Kenny), Mother Camillus and Mother Regis.St. John’s Parish School
The parochial school is located on 3143 Kingsbridge Avenue. In 1914, had an attendance of 73 boys and 114 girls, and was run by six sisters from the Convent of Jesus and MaryConvent of Jesus and Mary
The Convent of Jesus and Mary, Delhi, India, often known by the acronym CJM, is a prestigious all girls' day school in Delhi, India. Established in 1919, it is one of a network of Convents of Jesus and Mary in India, Pakistan, and the UK.-History:...
at Kingsbridge. In 1950, the Brothers of the Christian Schools took charge of the Boys' Department at the invitation of Monsignor Martin Scanlan. For more than 20 years they continued to serve the parish until, with vocations declining, they withdrew. Memorable members of their community were Brothers Celestine George, first principal, Arthur Philip, renowned educator in numerous Bronx Parish schools and Adelbert Patrick, noted musician and choral director. Notable educators among the sisters were Mother Mary Catherine (Kenny), Mother Camillus and Mother Regis. As of 2011, the school was still affiliated with the Religious of Jesus and Mary had students enrolled from PreK-3 through Grade 8.