Great News from the Lower East Side Preservation Initiative (LESPI)- the historic church of St. Mary’s has been landmarked! There had been rumors that the Archdiocese was closing it.

Wonderful news! On Tuesday, the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) Commissioners voted unanimously to designate the Church of St. Mary on Grand Street an Individual Landmark. Although public testimony was not allowed — the Commissioners heard public testimony at the March 9 public hearing — a crowd of supporters was there to witness the vote. Once the church’s landmark designation was declared final, the crowd broke out in enthusiastic applause.Constructed in 1833, St. Mary’s has served its Lower East Side congregation — first Irish immigrants, then Germans, Latinos, Asians and others — continuously for almost 200 years.

News from Lespi (4/9/2026). See also:

LItvak, Ed, “Landmarks Preservation Commission Designates Church of Saint Mary as an Individual Landmark,” The Lo-Down: News from the Lower East Side (4/7/2026)

St. Mary’s is one of the oldest Catholic parishes – and one of the oldest Catholic church buildings – in New York City. We previously described it here:

“The Churches of New York XXIV: In the Beginning,” The Society of St.Hugh of Cluny (4/26/2012)

The Terence Cardinal Cooke Building/ Church of St. John the Evangelist in its former “glory.” (2010)

The former archdiocesan headquarters/parish/ school now being reconstructed. For the parish’s former appearance see “The Restoration of Christian Culture.” The facade has by now been largely stripped of its stone “Catholic” cladding. (Photos from March 26, 2026)

The church in the corner of this notice is definitely not Old St Patrick’s Basilica.

Very Good! But will the subject be raised of a prior significant interaction of the Basilica with one of the Byzantine rite churches? The Russian Catholic chapel of St. Michael had been present in a building of this parish – formerly the chancery of the (arch)diocese of New York – since the 1930’s. St. Michael’s congregation was tiny but its liturgical heritage and renown great – at least one Patriarch of a Byzantine Cathollic church celebrated the Divine Liturgy there. In 2019, the Archdiocese and the Basilica summarily evicted the congregation of St. Michael’s and repurposed their chapel as a gift shop.

We received this update from the Committee to Save Most Holy Redeemer. The source of our report

“The doors of our historic church and crypt remain closed to the faithful, with one recent exception: the Funeral Mass of Sacristan +Robert Keck on January 17. Parishioners embraced the opportunity to honor Mr. Keck for his many years of service to Most Holy Redeemer, and to attend the Mass for him inside the church. 

“The Committee had not expected this service to be held at Most Holy Redeemer, after receiving a late December letter from Timothy Cardinal Dolan in which His Eminence stated that the church had to be shuttered by the parish administrator due to safety concerns. The Committee’s request for a Mass on the 173rd anniversary of the church’s consecration was also denied for safety reasons.

“These decisions were difficult to accept, as services continued to be held last summer for several weeks after a small chunk of plaster fell from the ceiling above the sacristy. Now they are even more so. 

“As reported by EV Grieve, NYC Department of Buildings issued a violation on January 13th for failure to maintain the premises, citing cosmetic (not structural) issues. Photos and details are included in the article. 

“Parishioners have repeatedly been told in public meetings that funds from the sale of Nativity Church, whose demolition many of us still mourn, are more than adequate to take care of properly maintaining Most Holy Redeemer. 

“It can take time to assess conditions and plan repairs, but no work has been observed, no plans or permits have been filed, and parishioners have received no updates on the status of any assessments that may have taken place. The parish council and finance committee have not been called to meet, and the faithful whose parents raised funds for the renovation for the 150th Anniversary of the church in the 1990s have been completely cut out of the decision-making process. 

“This is an all-too-familiar and very concerning pattern. Since 2000, the number of parishes in the Catholic Archdiocese of New York has decreased from 412 to 287 as a result of parish mergers. Parish mergers have led to the closing of churches, rectories, convents and schools, leading to the sale of parish property to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars — but this path is not inevitable. “

The Committee is organizing a public event in a few weeks:

Register on Eventbrite for a Screening and Panel Discussion of Foreclosing on Faith, Saturday Feb. 21 at 6 pm at Maryhouse 55 East 3rd Street.

Join us for a screening of a documentary highlighting the power of the faithful, followed by a panel discussion and Q & A with documentarian Viktoria Somogyi and attorney Brody Hale, who has guided parishes nationwide to defend their canonical rights and save their churches! Please register!

The event is free, but donations to help us and other Catholics who are fighting to keep our churches open are welcome. You can donate via check on the evening of the event, or via PayPal Giving Fund. Visit Save Rome of the West for more information, including resources to help keep your church open!

We have all heard by now of the replacement of Cardinal Dolan. It is fitting, therefore, to take a look at two projects, launched at his initiative,and currently underway involving historic parishes of New York City

(Above) St Elizabeth of Hungary being demolished. (12/17/2025).

We have often covered on this site the parish of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, formerly one of the loveliest churches in Yorkville/the Upper East Side. Most recently, we published The End of the Churches: St. Elizabeth of Hungary (8/19/2024)(with links to earlier posts)

The parish was closed by Cardinal Dolan in 2014 and sold to a developer for $11.8M in 2024. It will be replaced by a building offering eight luxury condominiums, each with its own outdoor space. Now, demolition has begun. See Young, Michael and Pruznick, Matt, “Preliminary Rendering Revealed For 213 East 83rd Street On Manhattan’s Upper East Side,” New York Yimby (7/15/2025)

(Above and below) St. Elizabeth church and tower in happier days. (7/12/2005)

(Below) as it is today.

(Above) The main entrance today.

(Above) The cornerstone has been (ritually?) defaced. (Below) As it appeared in 2005.

Almost inevitably, when I take such pictures – and again last Thursday – a bystander speaks up. Whether he or she is a former parishioner, a neighbor or simply a passerby I usually don’t learn. They always express their sorrow at the loss – and sometimes indignation at the cardinal and the archdiocese. The clergy, however, have long ago ceased to care about such people and their opinions. What counts now is the immediate realization of cash.

Moving south and west to far-off Chelsea, we see that demolition has begun on the complex of buildings of the parish of St. Columba on 343 West 25th Street. One of the oldest Catholic churches on Manhattan island, St. Columba’s name and architecture reflect its beginnings in the 1840’s, as the Irish flocked to New York fleeing the great potato famine. For whatever reason, the original parish church built at that time of poverty – resembling a shed – was retained, although later impressive windows and furnishings were added. In 1909 a splendid new school was built. By 2013, the parish was predominantly “Hispanic.” In those years I had friendly dealings with the 1-woman “IT department” of the parish (they had a avery nice website).

For our report on this parish in 2013, see: The Churches of New York XXXVIII: a Survivor in Chelsea (6/24/2013)

Under Cardinals Egan and Dolan things unwound with ever increasing speed. In 2006 the school was closed. On 11/2/2014 the parish was merged with Guardian Angel parish, with the latter parish being the main “worship site.” In 2015 the pastor of St. Columba’s since 2011 was removed for, the archdiocese stated, “violations of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.” 1) On 7/12/2022 the pastor found that a canopy over the altar had collapsed ( also tearing down with it a recent work of “art” on the wall behind the sanctuary). Immediately thereafter the church was closed – permanently. 2) 0n 1/1/2023 the church was “relegated to secular purposes” (= offered for sale). In January, 2025 the properties of St. Columba parish – the church and rectory, a school building and convent – .were sold to a developer for $48M. It was subsequently announced that 197 residential rental units in two towers would be built on the site. Demolition has now begun.

(Above) St. Columba Church (12/17/2025)

(Above and Below) The former school covered with netting and scaffolding.

(Above and below) The former convent.

(Above) The former parochial school. It was rented out until quite recently to a non-Catholic school which has moved on to the premisses of another closed Catholic parochial school in Manhattan. (Based on my own experiences in Brooklyn, I doubt if in its last decades of operation St. Columba school actually used the separate boys’ and girls’ entrances as such.)

(Above and below) The collapsed canopy in 2022 ( From the website of Guardian Angel/St. Columba parish – see footnote 2)

1. Fr. Keith Hennesy, bishopaccountability.org (accessed 12/19/2025)
2. “Photo Album, St. Columba’s Collapsed Canopy – July 12, 2022,” guardianangelstcolumba.org. This site still has many other pictures of the church (including its appearance in a 1976 Kojak episode). See also Rosenstock, Bonnie, “Uncertainty Builds, After St. Columba Church Canopy Collapse,” chelseacommunitynews.com, (9/19/2022) on the circumstances (and controversy)surrounding the canopy incident.
3. “Timber Equities Preps 197-Unit Residential Project on Former St. Columba Church Site in Chelsea”, Traded.co (11/14/2025).

(All accessed 12/19/2025)

(Above) The Memorial to 9/11 (and Fr. Mychal Judge) at St. Francis of Assisi Church in 2012. I note that in this and other pictures the “gold-plated rose” is not yet present.

In regard to St. Francis of Assisi, a well-informed reader has kindly pointed out that the opening times of the lower church were restricted after a monstrance was stolen in 2018. (It was later recovered – I note a gentleman once frequently encountered at the TLM in New York was involved in the recovery). In 2018 the church made this announcement:

For Your Safety and Our Security

The New Year didn’t start very happily for us because on Tuesday morning, January 2nd, at approximately 7:20 AM, a monstrance was stolen from the altar in the lower church. The Blessed Sacrament was not in the monstrance at the time. The police were called and they are investigating the theft.

As you are probably aware, security issues have risen over the past few years. We having been working hard to enhance the security and safety of our buildings and property with video surveillance and other measures. However, incidents like this are almost impossible to prevent because we cannot patrol every inch of the property at every moment.

We have decided to try to limit access to parts of the church when they are not in use.

Effective immediately, the lower church will be open only during the following hours:

Monday to Friday: 7:30 to 8:30 AM; 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM; 4:00 to 5:30 PM

Saturday: 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 3:30 to 5:30 PM

Sunday: 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM and 4:00 to 5:30 PM

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament will take place in the upper church Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 11:30 AM and 1:00 and 4:30 PM.

We regret having to put these measures into effect, but we are concerned about your safety as well as the security of our church and buildings. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation, and remember, if you see something, say something.

“New Safety Measures- St Francis of Assisi”

I do not know if these exact times are still in force. Even AI is stumped when asked about the current opening times at St. Francis. And the dire security situation does not seem to have improved since 2018:

 New York City police are searching for a man accused of stealing a gold-plated rose from a Manhattan church memorial honoring the victims of 9/11.

The metal flower had served as the centerpiece of a memorial at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, whose long-time pastor, Father Mychal Judge, was crushed by falling rubble while praying for victims and rescuers on the morning of the attack. …

The memorial, which rests on a base of twisted steel leftover from the wreckage of the World Trade Center, arrived at the church 22 years ago, he said, through a donation coordinated by a local ironworkers union. …

It was dedicated to the former pastor, Judge, as well as a parishioner, Carole LaPlante, who was also killed in the attacks.

Following his death, the priest’s admirers urged the Catholic Church to grant him sainthood, pointing to his efforts in pushing the church to be more welcoming to LGBTQ people. (my bolding)

Offenhartz, Jake, “Gold-plated rose stolen from NYC 9/11 memorial honoring influential pastor,” apnews.com (November 21, 2024)

Perhaps these events have discouraged visitors. Perhaps some are not “on board” with the recent direction of the parish as compared with its traditional role as an all-purpose Catholic devotional center for those traveling in and out of Manhattan. And is there the same demand for such a “commuter church” at a time where Catholic devotional life is in overall decline? Our reader also pointed out that the declining number of clergy has also contributed to the reduction of both opening times and hours of the sacrament of penance. In any case, St. Francis of Assisi today is a less active place than it was in the 1980’s.

(Above) The former Catholic Center, surrounded by scaffolding. (Below)) The “Catholic” identifiers are progressively stripped away – you can still barely make out “New York Catholic Center.” An inglorious end to the main legacy of Cardinal Cooke in Manhattan.

Meanwhile, at St. Patrick’s Cathedral:

The new set of “murals” (actually panel paintings, apparently on canvas) in the entrance to St. Patrick’s cathedral were recently unveiled. These works are accompanied by an extravagant dedication to Cardinal Dolan. What can we say? The style is exceedingly similar to Soviet “Socialist Realism” or National Socialist “Heroic Realism” – a combination of photographic realism (almost colored photographs)and idealism. Most of the figures depicted are staring at something in space or above them in the sky, while we, similarly, gaze up at them. For some reason, Mother Cabrini’s image does make “eye contact” with the viewer. Some of the panels follow the lead of contemporary media and advertising by carefully distributing the figures among approved categories: a woman, a black, an “Asian,’ an “Hispanic.”. And, despite the presence of an image of the Virgin Mary, most of it is thoroughly secular as well. The themes are those approved by the secular media: migrants, 9/11 first responders, catholic social activists… The panels are entirely manipulative and propagandistic – art has ceded to the didactic.

(Above) The tower of St. Francis of Assisi church on West 31st Street.

A. St. Francis of Assisi

The church near Penn Station best known to the general public – at least in New York City –  is the Franciscan St. Francis of Assisi. In addition to its accessibility to commuters in and out of Penn Station, the extended hours for the sacrament of penance used to attract Catholics from all over the city. The main church and even more so the large downstairs church offered all manner of devotions to the faithful. This parish still seems active and operational; not too long ago the sanctuary was  given an effective renewal, substituting an impresive gilt reredos resembling the shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne for some mediocre modernistic decor from the 1960’s – 70’s. 

Other recent changes seem more problematic. The downstairs church has been reconfigured, reducing both the number of confessionals and the size of the church space. A nondescript “workers chapel “ was recently installed. (Why? – hasn’t the whole church since the 1920’s catered to the men and women working in New York City, wherever their home might be?) I believe confession times have also been reduced. And of course, the parish has attracted attention for its LGBT engagement. My general impression is that the parish of St. Francis of Assisi and the Franciscans have made efforts to fit in with the “modern world.”  On the other hand, of the Catholic churches around Penn Station, St Francis of Assisi has received the least attention as a potential candidate for closure.  I seem to remember that there was once talk of selling some of the buildings – such as those on 32nd Street – but now I cannot find even a reference to such supposed plans.

On a recent visit this church seemed quieter and more deserted than I recall it being in the past. Very few candles were lit in the outside courtyard. Unless I had  overlooked an additional entrance, the downstairs chapel and shrines were locked. Is this dwindling of the formerly lively activity just a chance occurrence on one particular day  – or was it  because the decline of Catholic practice at the parish level eventually reduces the “business” at New York  “commuter churches” such as St. Francis of Assisi as well? Does the Catholic population still experience the desire for shrines, devotions, confessions and daily mass that St. Francis of Assisi offers when their basic knowledge of their faith is declining ever more rapidly?

(Above) The old school. St. Francis of Assisi was once a German ethnic parish. (Below) Banks of candles in the courtyard, mostly unlit.

(Above) This recently reconstructed altar imitates medieval art of the 12th-13th centuries in what is now Germany and Belgium. (Below) The most notable feature of this church are the mosaics – very expensive at the time of their creation. I can’t say these are masterpieces of the art of mosaic.

(Above and below) More successful are mosaics in small chapels in the rear of the nave.

B. St John The Baptist.

The Capuchin church of St. John the Baptist, on West 30th Street,  is now the parish of “Holy Cross — St. John the Baptist,” linking St. John’s with Holy Cross Church on West 42^nd Street – even though several other parishes lie between the two halves of “Holy Cross – St. John the Baptist parish.” But then, the alleged “Making all Things New” parish planning initiative was not necessarily known for producing logical or sustainable results. 

Artistically, St. John’s is a far more important building than its nearby Franciscan competitor. While St. Francis of Assisi is your typical New York Victorian Catholic church, St. John the Baptist is a French Gothic jewel by the noted architect Napoleon LeBrun. Regrettably, over the years this beautiful, historic church has frequently been mentioned as a target for closure or sale. For example,  in 2016, after the Capuchins sold their monastery to a developer, there was a report that that space – and perhaps the church as well – would make room for a retail building.1) More recently, there emerged a (revived) plan to demolish the church – and the entire block – to make room for the expansion of Penn Station. As of 2025 that plan has been scrapped.2) 

The 1974 Capuchin monastery on West 31^st Street , sold to developers around ten years ago, remains a dilapidated ruin. The central medallion of the facade was long ago stripped of its Vatican II–style  “resurrected Jesus.” Now the only entrance to the church is on 30^th street. In front of the tower of the church, a small Marian Garden has been created. 

Inside,  the church of St. John the Baptist is in remarkably fine condition. It is a wonderfully Catholic space: Gothic, but bright, not dark – with fine windows, shrines with banks of lit candles, and statues. Especially the shrine of Padre Pio – and several of his relics on display – attract the devotion of the faithful. The only discordant element is the new paintings filling the apse,  similar to what was installed in St. Brigid’s on Tompkins Square. The intent was to fill a visual vacuum created by an early stage of the liturgical movement – but sometimes it’s best to leave well enough alone

St. John’s today seems a very active, even lively place. It’s quite a contrast with 30-40 years ago, when the church of St. John’s was usually silent and deserted, and all the activity was to be found at St. Francis of Assisi.  Is this change – if that is what it is –  attributable to the devotion to Padre Pio? Or could this parish have somehow preserved or recovered an authentically Catholic atmosphere and spirituality  – and that is what the men and women of today are really seeking?

(Above and below) The wreck of the former Capuchin convent on 31st Street. For the original appearance see the photos in the article cited at footnote 1.

(Above) The garden on 30th street.

(Below) The new paintings in the apse.

(Above and below) St. John the Baptist has very fine windows from Innsbruck.

(Above) The shrine to Padre Pio (Below) One of several relics of Padre Pio.

(Above) I seem to recall that this icon was previously in the vestibule.

1.  Schulz, Dana, “Historic church near Penn Station to be converted to modern retail space,” 6sqft.co (11/09/2016)
2. Oreskes, Milton, “Hochul’s Retreat on Penn Station Expansion Will Spare Entire Block from Demolition,” Our Town NY (3/22/2025); See also: Allen, Dashiell, “Reimagining Penn: Politicians Pitch Housing-Focused Alternative to Abandoned Vornado Plan,” West42st.com ( 3/7/2025).

Our post about the – former? – parish of St. Michael the Archangel on West 34th Street attracted some interest among those with knowledge of the situation.

One reader wrote:

In addition to the physical restoration of the church, Fr. Rutler also undertook its liturgical and musical renewal according to the principals of the “reform of the reform”. Under the direction of Robert Prior (RIP), the previous longtime music director at Our Saviour, sacred music was reestablished in the parish and expanded under his successor George Nowak. The full Gregorian mass ordinaries were sung weekly and the complete Propers in Latin (including the gradual) were sung by the cantor or schola, although often in simplified form and following the modifications required by the new calendar.  Repairs and restoration work to the organ were also undertaken although there was more to be done. 

Beginning in fall 2016, Sunday Masses were celebrated ad orientem, followed eventually by all the parish Masses.  The principal sung Masses were all celebrated with incense, boys and men served in cassock and surplice, and the full ceremonies of Holy Week were offered (except during the 2020 lockdown). 

Attendance was hit hard by COVID and then the immediate uncertainty surrounding the departure of Fr. Rutler, but activities stabilized and began to grow again under the parochial vicar, Fr. Joseph Marabe, who generously stayed on long past his canonical retirement age, and continued to support these liturgical initiatives. The most precipitous decline began after his departure when Masses were supplied by an unpredictable rotation of visiting priests, whose varying approaches to the parish’s established customs led to great uncertainty about what would transpire any given Sunday.  

The same reader commented: 

I generally agree with your assessment of the situation and I will note that although the physical facilities at Most Holy Redeemer are arguably better for the traditional rites (that magnificently large sanctuary!), both St. Michael’s and Holy Innocents are in more accessible locations for regional transit and daily office/commercial foot traffic, and in an area that is slated for massive residential re-development if the Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan zoning changes go through ( https://www.midtownsouthplan.nyc/ ).  Some of those 10,000 new housing units might house Catholic families and all could be potential converts!

Presumably the boiler project will also facilitate the separation of convent, school, rectory, and church for separate use or sale (the systems were previously interconnected).  The rectory, I believe, is the only “single-family” historic residence remaining on 34th Street and so seems would be enormously valuable even without its air rights or if landmarked. 

The additional mentioned work around the “assembly space” seems to be a project to renovate the basement for use as a parish hall or regional facility serving multiple parishes, adding bathrooms and bringing it up to code, requiring asbestos abatement and new emergency exits on ground level through the sacristy on the Epistle side, which should not require visible alteration to the sanctuary or side altars.  

I am not certain there is any natural constituency for a landmarking initiative remaining among parish and school alumni but perhaps readers of this blog will make connections to facilitate something.  

The new baldacchino arrangement at least leaves the crossing altar accessible from both directions, reducing the temptation to mess with the original sanctuary should a new administration be insistent on Mass “facing the people”, and preserving the apse and high altar intact for its eventual restoration as the primary altar in the church.  I hope at that point whoever takes over will have the grace to repurpose the canopy for sacred use elsewhere, showing respect for the donors and artists involved as Fr. Rutler did while incorporating the existing structure (and unlike the dishonorable stripping of Ken Woo’s artwork in Our Saviour’s in 2015).

Another reader commented:

I read with great fascination your article about St Michael’s on 34th Street and how it has been closed for some time now, with no indication if/when it might reopen. Keeping a church closed for that long seems fatal in the Archdiocese of New York.

I, too, was surprised to see the cathedraticum and the interest owed to the diocese were so high. I’d like to propose the idea that these numbers were disproportionate to the offertory income because they were owed in arrears to ADNY. I remember another parish had an internal audit after a transition of leadership which revealed that the parish hadn’t fulfilled its financial obligations to the diocese. Of course, the diocese wasn’t going to forgive the debt! 

Nonetheless, St Michael’s in in a perfect location to minister to Catholics in the Hudson Yards neighbourhood. ADNY has a unique opportunity to ensure the vitality of the parish and the community it serves.

The first reader’s point about the interconnectedness of the parish systems may indeed explain what is going on. The project may not be merely (as initally announced) “replacing a boiler,” but redoing the entire infrastucture of the parish to prepare for the separation and sale of the other buildings of the parish (rectory, two schools, convent). Another knowledgeable reader – but only speculating – has pointed out to me that a sale of real estate may require curing outstanding deficiencies or complexities of all kinds – and that may paradoxically require additional investments before a sale can be made. In conclusion, the fate of St. Michael’s may not be an all-or-nothing proposition!

The second reader’s observation about the cathedraticum and school tax merits further discusion. In looking at comparative data from other parishes I could not immediately identify a relationship between the income of the parish and the level of the Archdiocesan charges. I believe the “school tax” or “school assessment” arose from the separation carried out years ago in the Archdiocese between the parochial schools and their home parishes. The schools were set up on a separate basis and supported by an assessment on all parishes. That arrangement has not prevented the schools’ further decline in number and enrollment.

Below is the financial statement for St. Michael’s for the FY ended August 31, 2022 (FY 2023 is in the original post). Note that, but for two extraordinary government benefits, the Archdiocesan assessment woud also exceed the parish revenue in that year.

I have put together a brief comparative schedule based on readily available online information for the FY ending in 2024 of New York City parishes stronger financially than St. Michael’s.

• St. Francis Xavier (Total Revenue: $3.1M; Archdiocesan Assessments: $0.494
• St. Ignatius Loyola (Total Revenue: $4.45M; Archdiocesan Assessments: $0.232
• Blessed Sacrament (Total Revenue: $1.75; Archdiocesan Assessments: $0.161
• Epiphany (Total Revenue: $1.15; Archdiocesan Assesssment: $0.601

Now there may be finer distinctions behind these numbers: both St. Ignatius Loyola and Blessed Sacrament parishes have or had viable parochial schools that may not have been consolidated with the Archdiocesen-wide effort. As to Epiphany, the pastor notes:

This year, for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024, we incurred a deficit of $383,713, mainly be-
cause of an extraordinary assessment from the Archdiocese in the amount of $500,000 to carry
on with its charitable works. Thankfully, most of this was covered by several generous supporters
who included Epiphany in their final testaments (bequests). Obviously relying on bequests is not
a sustainable way forward.

(The assesssment, as noted above, is $600,000. And a special assessment for “charitable works” seems very odd. I wonder what the deceased donors would think if they knew their bequests were being used to cover a current operating deficit – created by the Archdiocese?)

Sources:

1. St. Francis Xavier 2024 Annual Report
2. St. Ignatius Loyola 2024 Annual Report
3. Blessed Sacrament 2024 Financial Statements
4. Epiphany Church Financial Report 2024

(All acesssed 9/26/2025)

(Above: on the facade of St. Michael’s three dates are recorded. 1857 – the foundation of the parish. 1892 – the building of a newer, larger church. 1906 – the relocation of the parish to yet another new building after the expansion of the Pennsylvania railroad “footprint.”)

St. Michael the Archangel

The church of Saint Michael the Archangel offers today a forlorn appearance. The parish has been closed since early 2024. As of today, we do not know what the schedule for reopening, if that ever occurs, will be. Yet, the website of the parish still assures us that the suspension of activity is only temporary:

 Church of Saint Michael (stmichaelnyc.org) All references below to the parish bulletin can be found here.

Saint Michael’s twelve years ago was a parish that had obviously seen better days. Yet it remained active and the church building itself seemed in good condition. But even at this time there was talk of a potential sale –   the dramatic development of the nearby Hudson Yards had caused real estate values in the immediate neighborhood to skyrocket. Suddenly this out-of-the-way collection of buildings – church, schools, rectory – of a once important Catholic parish had become very valuable indeed.

 Fr. George Rutler took over the parish in 2013 and with his usual energy launched a dramatic program of improvements in the interior. The high altar was refurbished. New Statues and shrines were set up. Then in 2019 a new baldachin was erected over a permanent Novus Ordo altar. ( I do have had mixed feelings about that.) Moreover, all kinds of spiritual and social activity returned to St. Michael’s – much of it involving young Catholics. 1)  But in 2020 Fr. Rutler stepped down as pastor in the wake of an accusation and, although subsequently the matter was resolved in his favor, did not return. By 2022 a new “temporary administrator” had taken over  – a monsignor who had an administrative “day job” with the archdiocese. 

(Above) the facade on 34th Street, which may have come partially or totally from the preceding parish church building. (Below) The facade on 33rd street.

The parish bulletins chronicle the subsequent decline of the parish. The July 2nd, 2023, bulletin reported startling  – I would think- news. Mrs. Eileen Mulcahy, Vice-chancellor of the archdiocese had addressed all four masses during the prior weekend. She made the following points: 

First, the parochial vicar is retiring in a week – she thanked him for his services.

Second, only two masses will henceforward be celebrated on the weekend.

Third, a process to replace the boiler has begun. Because of the noise and potential loss of air quality, the church may have to be closed on weekdays. In any case there will be no further masses at St. Mchael’s on weekdays “until further notice.” (Bulletin July 2, 2023)

Notice that the bearer of bad tidings was not the archbishop or any other cleric but a lay bureaucrat. Mrs. Mulcahy seems to specialize in this role– she delivered similar news to the parishioners at Most Holy Redeemer church this year. 

The financial situation of the parish also seems to have gone steadily downhill.  Collections at the end as a rule dwindled to around  $500 – $700 a week. (e.g., $683 “weekend tithings” – Bulletin, October 15, 2023).  The financial statements for fiscal year ending August 31, 2023 showed an annual loss of $560,000. This includes, however, largely notional expenses such as $154,900 for  the “cathedraticum” (Archdiocesan assessment) and school tax as well as $80,000 of interest accrued to the archdiocese. It does seem strange that a parish would be charged archdiocesan assessments and school taxes higher than its total income – I do not know how these charges are calculated. Nor do I immediately understand how interest payable to the archdiocese increased in fiscal year 2023 to $80,130 from $1,600 in fiscal year 2022. (Bulletin, January 14, 2024; 2022 financials published in Bulletin, November 6, 2022.)

Finally, Mrs. Eileen Mulcahy announced that as of January 15th, 2024, Saint Michael’s would be closed for renovations until further notice.  It was expected that these renovations (including the above-mentioned boiler)would last for at least three months:

Cardinal Dolan asked vice chancellor Mulcahy to assure parishioners that there was no plan to close St. Michael’s permanently. In fact, the new boiler and future renovation plans are part of making the church including its uniquely large assembly spaces, better able to serve the needs of the lower midtown and Hudson Yards work and residential communities for generations to come. (Bulletin, January 14, 2024)

 “Uniquely large assembly places” what an odd description of a Catholic sacred space! 

The parish bulletin also terminates as of that date. Since January 15th, 2024,  the parish has remained closed. 

St. MIchael’s church forms the center of a complex of now largely unused Catholic buildimgs. (Above) The entrance to the “world-class” – in size – rectory on 34th street; (below) the facade of the church embedded in a series of institutional buildings on 33rd street.

Based on the above data and the undoubted potential value of the real estate under the parish and its buildings  I would view the situation of St. Michael’s as terminal. However, there are countervailing arguments . First, it seems that after a delay of a year to a year and a half since the project was announced,  building permits were indeed issued for boiler work. It would seem odd to be investing substantial amounts of money in repairs if the buildings were to be shortly thereafter sold. Second,  there have been persistent “rumors“ of a transfer of this parish to one of the (ex-)Ecclesia Dei  (“ED”)communities. Indeed, there were reports that in 2021 a deal was imminent until Traditionis Custodes scuttled the project. 

If there is substance in these stories,  traditionalists finally would obtain the presence of an ED society on Manhattan Island – something that had been previously proposed but blocked by the archdiocese. I think, however,  St. MIchael’s might be a mixed blessing. First, I  suspect it would be accompanied by shutting down nearby Holy Innocents parish (ten years ago it had been rumored that both St. Michael’s and Holy Innocents parish were targeted for disposition.) Second, I would be concerned that any hand over to an ED community  would only be a temporary measure until the archdiocese could arrange a subsequent sale of some or all of the property. Third, there are much more attractive possibilities for a traditional order on the island of Manhattan today  – such as Most Holy Redeemer church. Regardless of whatever comes of this talk, it would be shameful to abandon the Catholic presence in this neighborhood as it is being transformed into a new ecomomic center of New York.

1, For our earlier reports on St. Michael the Archangel parish (including descriptions of the interior) see  New Baldacchino at St. Michael’s Parish, New York (June 9, 2019);  Restoration of the Reredos of St. Michael’s Church, New York ( July 12, 2015); The Churches of New York XXXI: the Wrong Side of the Tracks (January 30 2013).(all The Society of St. Hugh of Cluny)

(Above) Evidence that a permit was issued for work on a boiler in 2024-25).

(Above) The threat to St. MIchael’s – the Hudson Yards development)