Misplaced Pages

Church of Saint Agnes
General information
Architectural style	Gothic Revival (1877 church) Baroque Revival (1998 rebuild)
Location	New York City, United States
Construction started	1873
Completed	1877 (church) 1904 (sacristy and rectory) 1998 (rebuild)
Demolished	December 10, 1992 (fire)
Cost	$31,000 (sacristy and rectory) $8,000,000 (demolition and rebuild)
Client	Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
Technical details
Structural system	Masonry
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Lawrence J. O'Connor (1877 church) Jeremiah O'Rourke & Sons (1904 sacristy and rectory) Acheson, Thornton, Doyle (1998 rebuild)
Website
Church of St. Agnes, Manhattan

The Church of St. Agnes is a parish church in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, located at 143 East 43rd Street, Manhattan, New York City. The parish was established in 1873.

Parish

The parish was intended to serve Italian laborers of the new Grand Central Depot. Rev. Harry Cummings Macdowell, nephew of Rev. Jeremiah Williams Cummings of St. Stephen's, was the first pastor, assisted by Rev. A. Catoggio. The parish was organized on July 13, 1873. Macdowell had rented a hall over Croton Market on 42nd Street as a temporary chapel and passed out handbills to announce the fact to the local Catholic residents.

A Sunday school was begun on 43rd Street. The parish school, located at 152 East 44th Street, was organized in 1893.

In 1939, St. Gabriel Church on East 37th Street was closed to make way for the Queens–Midtown Tunnel, and part of the congregation was directed to St. Agnes.

The church hosted Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen's radio and television broadcasts on behalf of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith for over half a century. The broadcasts, including the famous "Death of Stalin," were some of the most important influences in reshaping mainstream twentieth-century American attitudes on Catholicism. Other notable clergy have included Bishop John J. O'Hara, Monsignor John P. Chidwick, Monsignor Eugene V. Clark, and Father George W. Rutler. As an important venue for media, and with its proximity to the center of New York City, the church often played host to rallies, such as the starting point for John Cardinal O'Connor's anti-abortion march from this church.

Buildings

The church was built during 1873–1877 to the designs of Lawrence J. O'Connor. Builders were Moran and Armstrong and Michael J. Newman. The basement was completed and used as a chapel, which was dedicated by John Cardinal McCloskey on January 11, 1874. A Celtic cross crowned the gable. The sanctuary contained a chancel window depicting St. Agnes. The completed church was dedicated by Cardinal McCloskey on May 6, 1877.

The parish constructed a four-story brick and stone rectory and sacristy in 1904 to designs by Jeremiah O'Rourke & Sons of Newark, New Jersey, for $31,000 ($1,100,000 in current dollars).

The church has suffered two fires. The first, which badly damaged it but left the towers standing, occurred on December 24, 1898. The following February, plans were filed to rebuild it and add a semi-octagonal chancel to the rear, at the expected total cost of $40,000 ($1,500,000 in current dollars). The second fire, on December 10, 1992, left only the outside walls and the towers standing, costing $2 million for demolition ($4.3 million current) and $6 million for the new building ($13 million current). The church was rebuilt to designs by the firm Acheson, Thornton, Doyle, and opened in 1998. The new church was modeled after the Church of the Gesù in Rome, but with the original towers from O'Connor's church flanking the new building.

The altar triptych in the rebuilt church was painted by Sean Delonas. St. Agnes Boys High School, located behind the church on East 44th Street, relocated to the Upper West Side until closing in 2013.

References

1. ^ "St. Agnes Church". NYC Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. Retrieved March 26, 2011.
2. ^ "Official Church Website". Retrieved March 26, 2011.
3. The World Almanac 1892 and Book of Facts. New York: Press Publishing. 1892. p. 390.
4. Lafort, Remigius, censor (1914). The Catholic Church in the United States of America Vol. 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. pp. 307–308.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
5. ^ Shea, John Gilmary, ed. (1878). The Catholic Churches of New York City. New York: Lawrence G. Goulding & Co. p. 106.
6. "2,500 at Last Mass in St. Gabriel's: Formal Closing of 73-year-old Edifice Near Site of New Tunnel is Marked". The New York Times. January 16, 1939. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
7. Inventory of the Church Archives in New York City: The Roman Catholic Church Archdiocese of New York. Vol. 2. New York City: United States Work Projects Administration Historical Records Survey. 1941. p. 65. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
8. Chicoine, Christie L. (August 6, 2014). "Bishop O'Hara: His Broadcaster's Voice is Paired With a Pastor's Heart". Catholic New York.
9. ^ Ruse, Austin (Summer 1998). "Risen From the Ashes". Sursum Corda. Archived from the original on February 13, 2002.
10. Office for Metropolitan History. "Permit Search". Retrieved December 8, 2023.
11. Staff (February 22, 1899). "St. Agnes's Church to be Rebuilt". The New York Times.
12. McFadden, Robert D. (December 11, 1992). "Fire Guts St. Agnes, a Historic Manhattan Church". The New York Times.
13. Dunlap, David W. (2004). From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press. p. 188. ISBN 0-231-12543-7.
14. Landman, Beth; Mitchell, Deborah (February 16, 1998). "Delonas's Saints of Circumstance". New York Magazine.
15. "St. Agnes School Sold to Condo Developer". West Side Rag. December 4, 2014. Retrieved December 8, 2023.

External links

• Church of Saint Agnes website
• Catholic Blog Spot

v t e Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
v t e Ordinaries of the Archdiocese of New York Bishops of New York R. Luke Concanen John Connolly John Dubois John Joseph Hughes Archbishops of New York John Joseph Hughes John Cardinal McCloskey Michael Augustine Corrigan John Murphy Cardinal Farley Patrick Joseph Cardinal Hayes Francis Joseph Cardinal Spellman Terence James Cardinal Cooke John Joseph Cardinal O'Connor Edward Michael Cardinal Egan Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan Auxiliary bishops, current Peter John Byrne Gerardo Joseph Colacicco Edmund James Whalen John Samuel Bonnici Joseph Armando Espaillat Auxiliary bishops, emeritus Josu Iriondo John Joseph Jenik Dominick John Lagonegro James Francis McCarthy John Joseph O'Hara Gerald Thomas Walsh Auxiliary bishops, former, currently living Henry J. Mansell Theodore McCarrick Timothy A. McDonnell Edwin Frederick O'Brien Dennis Joseph Sullivan Auxiliary bishops, former, deceased Patrick Vincent Ahern Edwin Broderick Thomas Cusack Edward Vincent Dargin Joseph Patrick Donahue John Joseph Dunn John Michael Fearns Joseph Francis Flannelly Francisco Garmendia William Jerome McCormack James Griffiths George Henry Guilfoyle Edward Dennis Head Walter P. Kellenberg John Joseph Maguire James Patrick Mahoney William Jerome McCormack James Francis McIntyre Anthony Francis Mestice Emerson John Moore Joseph Thomas O'Keefe Joseph Maria Pernicone Fulton J. Sheen Patrick Joseph Thomas Sheridan Austin Bernard Vaughan Robert Anthony Brucato Bishops who served as priests in the archdiocese, living Charles Daniel Balvo Charles John Brown William Muhm Bishops who served as priests in the archdiocese, deceased St. John Nepomucene Neumann Patrick Aloysius O'Boyle Charles H. Colton John J. Conroy Philip Joseph Furlong Charles Edward McDonnell Francis Patrick McFarland Francis McNeirny Bernard John Joseph McQuaid Rrok Kola Mirdita John Joseph Mitty Joseph Thomas Dimino William Quarter Francis Frederick Reh Joseph Francis Rummel William Scully Catholicism portal
v t e Churches in the Archdiocese of New York Archdiocese Cathedral St. Patrick's Cathedral, Manhattan Former cathedral Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral New York City Bronx Blessed Sacrament Church Church of the Sacred Heart Christ the King's Church Holy Cross Church Immaculate Conception Church Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church Our Lady of Mercy's Church Our Lady of Mount Carmel's Church Our Lady of the Nativity of Our Blessed Lady's Church Our Lady of Solace's Church St. Angela Merici's Church St. Anselm's Church St. Ann's Church St. Anthony's Church St. Anthony of Padua Church St. Athanasius's Church St. Augustine's Church St. Barnabas' Church St. Brendan's Church St. Clare of Assisi's Church St. Dominic's Church St. Frances de Chantal's Church St. Frances of Rome's Church St. Francis Xavier's Church St. Gabriel's Roman Catholic Church St. Helena's Church St. Jerome's Church St. Joan of Arc's Church St. John's Church St. John Chrysostom's Church St. Joseph's Church St. Lucy's Church St. Luke's Church St. Margaret Mary's Church St. Margaret of Cortona's Church St. Martin of Tours' Church St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church St. Pius V's Church St. Raymond's Church Church of St. Simon Stock St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus Church SS. Peter and Paul's Church Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Manhattan All Saints Church Church of the Annunciation Chapel of the Resurrection Church of Notre Dame Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church of Our Lady of Sorrows Church of Our Lady of the Scapular–St. Stephen Church of Sts. Cyril & Methodius and St. Raphael Church of St. Catherine of Genoa Church of St. Ignatius Loyola Church of St. Joseph Church of St. Michael Church of St. Vincent Ferrer Church of the Ascension, Roman Catholic Church of the Blessed Sacrament Church of the Epiphany Church of the Good Shepherd Church of the Holy Agony Church of the Holy Family Church of the Incarnation, Roman Catholic Church of the Most Precious Blood Church of the Nativity Chapel of the Resurrection Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church of the Transfiguration, Roman Catholic Corpus Christi Church Holy Cross Church Holy Innocents Church Holy Name of Jesus Roman Catholic Church Holy Rosary Church Holy Trinity Church Immaculate Conception Church Our Lady of Esperanza Church Our Lady of Good Counsel Church Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. Bernard Church Our Lady of Lourdes Church Our Lady of the Holy Rosary's Church Our Lady of Pompeii Church Our Lady of Victory Church Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church Our Saviour Church San Lorenzo Ruiz Chapel St. Agnes Church St. Aloysius Catholic Church St. Andrew Church St. Ann Church St. Anthony of Padua Church St. Benedict the Moor Church St. Catherine of Siena Church St. Cecilia Church and Convent St. Charles Borromeo Church St. Elizabeth Church St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church St. Emeric Church St. Francis of Assisi Church St. Francis Xavier Church St. Gregory the Great Church St. Jean Baptiste Roman Catholic Church St. John the Baptist Church St. John the Evangelist Church St. Joseph of the Holy Family Church St. Joseph Chapel St. Jude Church St. Lucy Church St. Malachy Roman Catholic Church St. Mark the Evangelist Church St. Mary Church St. Monica Church St. Patrick's Old Cathedral St. Paul Church St. Paul the Apostle Church St. Peter's Church St. Rose of Lima Church St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr Church St. Stephen of Hungary Church St. Teresa Church St. Thomas More Church St. Veronica Church Slovenian Church of St. Cyril Staten Island Church of Our Lady Help of Christians Church of Our Lady of Pity Church of Our Lady Queen of Peace Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea Church of the Blessed Sacrament Church of the Holy Family Our Lady of Good Counsel's Church Sacred Heart Church St. Adalbert's Church St. Charles's Church St. Clare's Church St. Mary's Church St. Patrick's Church St. Peter's Church St. Rita's Church St. Roch's Church St. Teresa of the Infant Jesus's Church Dutchess County Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Church (LaGrangeville) Church of Regina Coeli (Hyde Park) Church of St. Martin de Porres (Poughkeepsie) Church of St. Mary, Mother of the Church (Fishkill) St. Mary's Church (Poughkeepsie) St. Mary's Church (Wappingers Falls) Church of the Good Shepherd (Rhinebeck) Immaculate Conception Church (Amenia) Immaculate Conception Church (Bangall) Our Lady of Mount Carmel's Church (Poughkeepsie) St. Anthony's Church (Pine Plains) St. Charles Borromeo's Church (Dover Plains) St. Christopher's Church (Red Hook) St. Columba's Church (Hopewell Junction) St. Denis Church (Hopewell Junction) St. Joachim and St. John the Evangelist's Church (Beacon) St. John the Evangelist's Church (Pawling) St. Joseph's Chapel (Rhinecliff) St. Joseph's Church (Millbrook) St. Patrick's Chapel (Millerton) St. Paul's Chapel (Staatsburg) St. Peter's Church (Poughkeepsie) St. Sylvia's Church (Tivoli) Orange County Putnam County Rockland County Sullivan County Ulster County Westchester County Blessed Sacrament Church (New Rochelle) Church of the Holy Family (New Rochelle) Church of the Resurrection (Rye) Church of St. Augustine (Larchmont) Church of St. Joseph (Bronxville) Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Scarsdale) Immaculate Conception Church (Tuckahoe) Immaculate Conception St. Mary's (Yonkers) Most Holy Trinity Church (Mamaroneck) Our Lady of Mercy Church (Port Chester) St. Gabriel's Church (New Rochelle) St. Vito's Church (Mamaroneck) St. Vito-Most Holy Trinity Parish (Mamaroneck)
v t e Education in the Archdiocese of New York Archdiocese Seminaries Saint Joseph's Seminary Charities List of Catholic charities in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York Universities and colleges Fordham University Iona University Manhattan University University of Mount Saint Vincent New York City Bronx high schools Academy of Mount St. Ursula All Hallows High School Cardinal Hayes High School Cardinal Spellman High School Fordham Preparatory School Monsignor Scanlan High School Mount Saint Michael Academy Preston High School St. Barnabas High School St. Catharine Academy St. Raymond Academy St. Raymond High School for Boys Manhattan high schools Cathedral High School Convent of the Sacred Heart Cristo Rey New York High School Dominican Academy La Salle Academy Loyola School Marymount School of New York Notre Dame School Regis High School St. George Academy St. Jean Baptiste High School St. Vincent Ferrer High School Xavier High School Staten Island high schools Monsignor Farrell High School Moore Catholic High School Notre Dame Academy St. Joseph by the Sea High School St. Joseph Hill Academy St. Peter's Boys High School Dutchess County Our Lady of Lourdes High School Orange County John S. Burke Catholic High School Rockland County Albertus Magnus High School Westchester County Iona Preparatory School John F. Kennedy Catholic High School Maria Regina High School Sacred Heart High School Salesian High School School of the Holy Child Archbishop Stepinac High School The Montfort Academy The Ursuline School Closed John A. Coleman Catholic High School College of New Rochelle
Catholicism portal New York (state) portal New York City portal

40°45′6.57″N 73°58′28.08″W / 40.7518250°N 73.9744667°W / 40.7518250; -73.9744667

• Roman Catholic churches completed in 1877
• 19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in the United States
• Roman Catholic churches completed in 1998
• Demolished churches in New York City
• Demolished buildings and structures in Manhattan
• Building and structure fires in New York City
• Church fires in the United States
• Religious organizations established in 1873
• Roman Catholic churches in Manhattan
• Gothic Revival church buildings in New York City
• Baroque Revival architecture in New York City
• Midtown Manhattan
• Turtle Bay, Manhattan
• 1873 establishments in New York (state)