St. Brigid's Roman Catholic Church, also known as St. Brigid's or Famine Church, is a church located at 123 Avenue B, on the southeast corner of East 8th Street, along the eastern edge of Tompkins Square Park in the Alphabet City section of the East Village of Manhattan, New York City. Associated with the church is a parish school, Saint Brigid School, consisting of grades Pre-K through 8, which has been in existence since 1856. Like the neighborhood it serves, Saint Brigid's Church has had a colorful and tumultuous history since its beginnings in 1848.Lafort, S.T.D., Remigius. ''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.319.] In 2013, St. Emeric Church (New York City), St. Emeric Church on Avenue D was closed and the parish merged with St. Brigid. It is now called St. Brigid-St. Emeric Church.Bastone, Maria R., "Lower East Side Embraces Renovated St. Brigid-St. Emeric Church", ''Catholic New York'', February 6, 2013
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History

The parish was organized in 1847 by Rev. Richard Kein, pastor of the Church of the Nativity. Construction began in 1848 by Irish shipwrights for those fleeing the

Great Irish Famine The Great Famine ( ga, an Gorta Mór ), also known within Ireland as the Great Hunger or simply the Famine and outside Ireland as the Irish Potato Famine, was a period of starvation and disease in Ireland from 1845 to 1852 that constituted a ...

(1845–1849). The architect of the church was Patrick Keely, who handcarved the

gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...

reredos A reredos ( , , ) is a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a church. It often includes religious images. The term ''reredos'' may also be used for similar structures, if elaborate, in secular architecture, for ex ...

himself. It was built by Irish boatwrights from the East River boatyards. The church was dedicated by Bishop John Hughes on December 2, 1849. Kein resigned the pastorate in 1852 due to poor health and was briefly succeeded by Thomas Martin O.P. Rev. Thomas J. Mooney was appointed pastor in 1853. "In its early years, St. Brigid’s served as a haven for Irish immigrants fleeing the famine, and later as a stalwart presence for the ever-changing immigrant populations to the neighborhood, from the Polish and Germans, to Ukrainians and Puerto Ricans."Farley, Adam. "St. Brigid’s Catholic Church in the East Village Reopens", ''Irish America'', April/May 2013
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Fr. Mooney and "the Fighting 69th"

The second pastor of the church, the Reverend Thomas Mooney, also served as chaplain to the nearby 69th New York State Militia. Upon its formation in 1851 it was called the 2nd Regiment of Irish Volunteers, a citizen-militia made up of Irish-Catholic diaspora from the

. Father Mooney travelled with the 69th to Virginia and was beloved by the men for his spirit and sagacious counsel. Fr.Mooney held daily Masses for the regiment and served as confessor for the largely Catholic regiment. The regimental choir was headed by Capt. Maxwell O'Sullivan, formerly the choirmaster at St. Brigid's church. Mooney was lauded for his establishment of a temperance society and for encouraging many wayward souls to return to the Faith. Father Mooney was recalled by New York Archbishop John "Dagger" Hughes in response to Mooney's baptism of a 64 lb. Columbiad cannon. Archbishop Hughes later suggested that Mooney was recalled after climbing the flagstaff of Fort Corcoran. Mooney was in the process of straightening an American flag that became stuck during a flag raising ceremony. Mooney's return was much bemoaned by the men of the regiment, but Mooney was warmly welcomed on his return to the city by 4,000 parishioners assembled in Tompkins Square. During the New York City draft riots of July 1863, Mooney organized a neighborhood group to counter the federal troops sent to New York. When the 69th returned to New York following the Bull Run Campaign, Mooney marched at the head of the regiment. On August 14, 1861 a Requiem Mass was held for the men of the 69th NYSM who had been killed in action. The St. Brigid's choir sang Mozart's Requiem during the service. Fr. Mooney was conspicuously present at all future Irish Brigade functions and was much beloved by the men who survived to remember him. A special feature of the '' New York Times'' in 1901, mentioned the church among other Catholic structures in the

Lower East Side of Manhattan The Lower East Side, sometimes abbreviated as LES, is a historic neighborhood in the southeastern part of Manhattan in New York City. It is located roughly between the Bowery and the East River from Canal Street (Manhattan), Canal to Houston Stre ...

, describing the group "for the most part ... limit ngthemselves to the functions of a parish church, in districts where social needs are otherwise supplied." The article clarified that the upper church was Irish and the basement used by Italians. In addition, the Sisters of Charity had a convent next door to the church, and there was an attached parochial school.Centres of Civilization; On the Lower East Side of New York
, '' New York Times'', Jul 21, 1901. Excerpt: "Everybody who read it must have been struck by a remark of Mr. Hewitt's, made not very long ago, touching the tenement house district, which was considerably commented on in the press. The remark was that it was not only the part of humanity and charity for the more favored to assist the less favored, but that in this particular case, it was not less the part of prudence. … St. Nicholas in Second Street, St. Rose of Lima in Cannon Street, and St. Teresa in Henry Street. There is also a remarkable church, remarkable for the ..."

Fr. Kuhn and the Tompkins Square riot

During the 1988

Tompkins Square Park Riot The Tompkins Square Park riot occurred on August 6–7, 1988 in Tompkins Square Park, located in the East Village and Alphabet City neighborhoods of Manhattan, New York City. Groups of "drug pushers, homeless people and young people known a ...

, the church allowed

homeless Homelessness or houselessness – also known as a state of being unhoused or unsheltered – is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing. People can be categorized as homeless if they are: * living on the streets, also kn ...

advocates and protesters of the police action to mobilize under its roof. A year later, when a shantytown in the park was dismantled, church pastor Rev. George Kuhn led a group of parishioners taking food to protesters and homeless people holed up in an abandoned school on East 4th Street. Father Kuhn was arrested when he defied orders not to cross a police line to deliver the food, saying, "I'm working under orders, too. The order I have is to feed the hungry, and that comes from a higher authority."Jake Mooney, "When the Bell Tolls", ''The New York Times'', March 20, 2005, Section 14, Page 1. St. Brigid's Church served as a place for protesters to organize and receive medical attention during the riot.

Closure and partial demolition

The church's main building closed in 2001 because of a crack in the building. The rear wall of the building had begun to pull away from the rest of the structure and the floor joists had separated several inches from the back wall. Mass was then held in the adjoining school while the parishioners rallied to raise money to save the church. In September 2003, the Archdiocese of New York filed with the city an application to convert the church into apartments, but an archdiocese spokesperson said was only protecting its options. In September 2004 the Archdiocese officially closed the church when the Trinitarian Order left. In 2006 demolition commenced, Archdiocesan spokesman Joe Zwilling stating: "It's a hazard. It could have literally fallen over at any point in time." At that time, the spokesperson further stated that the property would not be turned into condominiums or apartments, (as nearby St. Ann's Church had been when it was converted into a dormitory for New York University). Zwilling said the church had no interest in selling the property. "It will be used for some other form of ministry, whether for educational or charitable or healthcare purposes, possibly senior housing," said a spokesperson for the archdiocese.Ferguson, Sarah. "St. Brigid's: Archdiocese Says No Condos"
''The Village Voice'', July 27, 2006, via VillageVoice.com. Some criticized the Archdiocese for what '' New York Times'' columnist Dan Barry called its "tone-deaf" handling of parishioner and community concern. Earlier in 2006, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Barbara Kapnick ruled against the Committee to Save St. Brigid's (CSSB) and allowed plans for demolition to proceed. In June, the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division upheld that decision, Then in August Kapnick agreed to hear a separate suit in which the CSSB asserted that ownership and right to demolish are invalid due to the lack of a five-person board of trustees (including two parishioners) governing the church as required by New York law. The archdiocese said it convened such a board, in a meeting on July 18, where it agreed on demolition. The archdiocese also pointed out that the city did not question the church's ownership when they filed the building permits for demolition. On July 26, 2006, Judge Barbara Kapnick declined to halt demolition plans, but asked lawyers on both sides to appear in her courtroom to hear arguments on the building's ownership. Before those arguments were to take place, a demolition crew arrived. The destruction amounted to a hole in the rear wall, damage to the interior, and damage to at least one of the stained glass windows, the window depicting Jesus’ life which bore the names of victims of the Great Irish Famine and benefactors of the church.Peter McDermott
"Windows Smashed; Demolition Halted"
, ''The Irish Echo'', August 23–29, 2006, via IrishEcho.com. The following day workers wielding crowbars knocked out the stained glass windows on the north wall. Community leaders, among them St. Brigid's parishioner and City Councilmember

Rosie Mendez Rosie may refer to: Geography * Rosie, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Rosie River, Northern Territory, Australia People and characters * Rosie (given name) * Rosie the Rocketeer (aka "Rosie"), a Boeing spaceflight test dummy * Rosie t ...

, then-Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, State Senator

Martin Connor Martin Edward Connor (born March 3, 1945) is a former member of the New York State Senate from Brooklyn, New York. He was first elected to the State Senate in a special election in 1978. He is a Democrat. The 25th Senate District that he repr ...

, and Assemblywoman

Sylvia Friedman Sylvia M. Friedman was a former New York State Assemblywoman. She was elected to fill an unexpired term on February 28, 2006. Friedman was a long time community activist and a member of her local community board. Her main focus was on housing a ...

, who made statements denouncing the demolition and accusing the Archdiocese of greed during an overheated real estate market. A spokesperson for the Archdiocese said the demolition had nothing to do with money, again pointing out that there are no designs to sell the property. On August 24, 2006, Justice Kapnick extended an order staying the demolition of the church.

Reopening

On May 22, 2008, the Archdiocese of New York announced it had received an "unexpected but very welcome gift" of $20 million from an anonymous donor after a private meeting with Cardinal Edward M. Egan, the archbishop of New York. The gift includes $10 million to restore the building itself; $2 million to establish an endowment for the parish "so that it might best meet the religious and spiritual needs of the people living in the community"; and $8 million to support St. Brigid’s School and other Catholic schools in need. Cardinal Egan further said in a statement: "This magnificent gift will make it possible for Saint Brigid’s Church to be fittingly restored with its significant structural problems properly addressed. The two additional gifts, to create an endowment for the parish and to support the parish school, are a powerful testament to the donor’s goodness and understanding. He has my heartfelt gratitude, as I recently told him at a meeting in my residence."Chan, Sewel
"Donor Gives $20 Million to Revive a Historic Church"
May 22, 2008 ''The New York Times''See also

The New York Landmarks Conservancy The New York Landmarks Conservancy is a non-profit organization "dedicated to preserving, revitalizing, and reusing" historic structures in New York state. It provides technical assistance, project management services, grants, and loans, to owne ...

,
Sacred Sites: Historic Catholic Churches in Crisis
" (Retrieved 5 May 2011). On January 27, 2013, worshipers, including descendants of some of the original Irish parishioners, gathered as Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan consecrated and dedicated the newly renovated building. With the restoration complete, the nearby church of St.Emeric on Avenue D was closed and the parish merged with St. Brigid. The name of the new parish is "St. Brigid-St. Emeric".

Closure of elementary school

In 2019, the Archdiocese of New York permanently closed church's elementary school.

Architecture

St. Brigid's was built in 1848 to a Carpenter Gothic design by twenty-five year old Patrick Keely, who carved the five-pinnacle reredos, organ case, and wooden altar himself.

Exterior

The brownstone church of St. Brigid’s has a tripartite front façade flanked by bell towers, which once supported spires. The two steeples were removed in 1962 due to safety concerns. The wide center nave is vaulted with an unusual ceiling resembling an upside-down ship’s hull, a nod to the shipwright carpenters whose memory is preserved in corbels decorated with their sculpted faces. In 1877 the wooden beams of the towers, by then decayed and sagging, were replaced with iron.

Interior

The oil paintings of the stations of the cross, purchased in Paris in the 1870s, are believed to be the work of Théophile-Narcisse Chauvel. The stained glass windows were imported from Bavaria. It was at that time, a carved marble altar replaced the wooden one. The archdiocese hired Michael F. Doyle of the Acheson Doyle Partners architecture firm to supervise the renovations. Stucco was removed from the stone façade, the building's foundations stabilized, and the remaining stained glass windows returned from storage. Additional stained glass was moved from St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Harlem, which had closed in 2003. The restoration received the 2013 Engineering New-Record Construction Award for best cultural/worship project, citing attention to detail.

School

The Rev. Thomas Mooney, pastor of St. Brigid's, founded the school in 1856 in the mostly Irish immigrant section of what was then called the

Lower East Side The Lower East Side, sometimes abbreviated as LES, is a historic neighborhood in the southeastern part of Manhattan in New York City. It is located roughly between the Bowery and the East River from Canal to Houston streets. Traditionally an im ...

. At first, classes were held in the basement of the church. The school building was built and dedicated in 1858 and was located on 8th Street between Avenues B and C. The Christian Brothers taught the boys of the school and the Sisters of Charity taught the girls. Soon after the founding of the school, Fr. Mooney asked the Sisters of Charity to open St. Brigid's Academy on 10th Street, an "excellent select school" with an average enrollment of 200 students. In 1914 enrollment averaged 130 boys and 200 girls. By 1934, the conditions of the school building had become poor. Because of the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

, the school was forced to closed. By the Post War Period of the 1950s, the parish population increased prompting the building of a new school building at 7th Street between Avenue B and C. The new building opened on September 12, 1954 with an enrollment of 124 students under the direction of the Sisters of Charity. The building was solemnly dedicated and blessed on November 6, 1955 by

Francis Cardinal Spellman Francis Joseph Spellman (May 4, 1889 – December 2, 1967) was an American bishop and cardinal of the Catholic Church. From 1939 until his death in 1967, he served as the sixth Archbishop of New York; he had previously served as an auxiliary ...

, Archbishop of New York. The old school building was demolished in 1970. By the 1990s, the school was ailing: attendance had plummeted from 200 students to 74 in two years, and the number of teachers fell from nine to five. Father Kuhn, who was the church's pastor at the time, attributed it to local poverty. However, others in the community reported as the cause anger by some local parents at Father Kuhn because in a dispute over direction and control of the parish school he fired the popular principal, Maureen Delaney, and three teachers in the middle of the school year. In the 1990s, the Sisters of Charity relinquished their ministry of the school. A spokeswoman for the Schools of the Archdiocese of New York stated in 1995: "The

Cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...

believes very much in the school. We are all operating on the premise that St. Brigid will be with us for a while." From 1995, the parish and school were staffed by the Trinitarians until the closing of the parish church in 2004. In 2006, the school started a Partnership Program with

St. John's University St John's University may refer to: *St. John's University (New York City) **St. John's University School of Law **St. John's University (Italy) - Overseas Campus *College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University, St. Joseph, Minnesota and Col ...

in Literacy and Math. Within a year, the partnership yielded higher student test scores. As of 2010, the school had approximately 120 students enrolled. On July 15, 2019, the school closed permanently.

References

External links

Archdiocese of New York's Statement on Saint Brigid's Church
Press Release
St. Brigid's School
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Brigid's Roman Catholic Church Roman Catholic churches in Manhattan Cultural history of New York City Alphabet City, Manhattan East Village, Manhattan Patrick Keely buildings Private middle schools in Manhattan Religious organizations established in 1848 Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York Roman Catholic elementary schools in Manhattan 1848 establishments in New York (state)