Church of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (Manhattan, New York)

Church of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Facade of the former church
Location	309-315 East 33rd Street, Manhattan, New York,
Country	United States
Denomination	Roman Catholic
History
Founded	1914
Founder(s)	Right Rev. Msgr. Joseph Congedo
Dedication	Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Dedicated	October 1, 1916
Associated people	Nazzareno Formosa
Architecture
Status	Closed
Architect(s)	Nicholas Serracino
Style	Greek Revival
Years built	1915-1916
Groundbreaking	October 4, 1915
Completed	October 1, 1916
Construction cost	$35,000
Closed	January 2007
Demolished	2007-2008
Administration
Archdiocese	New York

The Church of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary was a former Roman Catholic parish church, primarily serving Italian-Americans, that has been demolished. The church was located on 309-315 East 33rd Street, in the Kips Bay area of Manhattan. It has since been replaced by a chapel under the same name.

History

Parish church

The parish was established in 1914, to serve an estimated population of 10,000 Italian Americans living in the area. A brick church was built in 1916 for $35,000 to designs by Nicholas Serracino of 1170 Broadway. The first rector was Joseph M. Congedo.^[1]

The parish was established in 1914 and construction of the church was begun the following year with the laying of the cornerstone on October 4 by Cardinal John M. Farley, the Archbishop of New York. The completed church was dedicated on October 1, 1916, by Archbishop Giovanni Bonzano, P.I.M.E., Apostolic Delegate to the United States at the time.^[2] There were a few little changes later with the replacement of the original oak doors with cruciform windows with black metal doors with square windows.^[3]

The parish operated a school with the same name from 1925 through 1937. The parish also operated Immaculata High School, which was run by the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The high school was closed in the 1970s.^[3]

The parish was closed in January 2007, one of several closed that year by the then-archbishop, Cardinal Edward Egan. It was then merged with the Church of Our Lady of the Scapular-St. Stephen^[4] and the church and school were demolished.^[5] In November 2014, it was announced by the archdiocese that the existing parish was to be merged into Our Saviour Parish as of the following year.

Chapel

After the demolition of the parish church, a small chapel and residence for the clergy, also dedicated to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, was built on the site, 325 East 33rd Street, with "A.D. 2009" prominently carved into the cornerstone of the building. The first Mass was celebrated on May 18, 2009. It served as the residence of the same Cardinal Egan who ordered the closing of the parish, after his retirement as archbishop, until his death in 2015.^[6] He himself dedicated the chapel in May 2010.

Clergy

These include

Former pastors:

• Right Rev. Msgr. Joseph Congedo (1914-1954)
• Rev. John McEvoy (1954-1962)
• Right Rev. Msgr. Thomas A. Dunn (1962-1971)
• Rev. Msgr. William Rinschler (1971-1985)
• Rev. Msgr. Albert DeLuca (1985-2006)
• Rev. Msgr. Donald Sakano (2006-2007)
• Rev. Msgr. Lawrence Connaughton (2007-2009)

Administrators of the chapel:

• Rev. Msgr. Lawrence Connaughton (2009–2012)
• Rev. Robert J. Robbins (2012- )

References

• Dunlap, David W. From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. (New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.).

Coordinates: 40°44′39″N 73°58′32″W / 40.74405°N 73.97558°W / 40.74405; -73.97558