Our Lady of Lourdes Church (Manhattan) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of Our Lady of Lourdes |
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An image of the church in 1914
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| 40°49′24″N 73°56′54″W / 40.82324°N 73.94827°W | |
| Location | 463 West 142nd Street New York, New York 10031 |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| Website | lourdesnyc.org |
| History | |
| Founded | 1901 |
| Founder(s) | The Rev. Joseph H. McMahon |
| Dedication | Our Lady of Lourdes |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Peter B. Wight (facade), Cornelius O'Reilly |
| Architectural type | church |
| Style | Venetian Gothic & Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1902 |
| Completed | 1904 |
| Construction cost | $80,000 |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | New York |
| Division | Vicariate of North Manhattan |
The Church of Our Lady of Lourdes is a beautiful parish church located in New York City. You can find it at 463 West 142nd Street in Manhattan, between Convent and Amsterdam Avenues. It's part of the Archdiocese of New York, which is like a large group of Catholic churches in the area.
Contents
History of the Church
The Church of Our Lady of Lourdes was started in 1901. This happened because more and more Catholic families were moving into the Hamilton Heights neighborhood. Michael Corrigan, who was the Archbishop of New York at the time, decided to create this new church.
He asked the Rev. Joseph H. McMahon to lead the new parish. Father McMahon had worked at St. Patrick's Cathedral for 15 years before this.
Building the Church
The church building was constructed between 1902 and 1904. It cost about $80,000 to build. The design was created by Cornelius O'Reilly from the O'Reilly Brothers firm.
What makes this church special is that it was built using parts from other buildings! Father McMahon was able to get these pieces at a good price from buildings that were being torn down.
Recycled Building Parts
The church used parts from three different buildings:
- The front of the church, on 142nd Street, uses pieces from the old National Academy of Design building. This building was designed by Peter B. Wight and had a style inspired by Venetian Gothic architecture. The design was chosen to remind people of the original shrine in Lourdes, France.
- The back part of the church (called the apse) and some of its eastern wall came from James Renwick Jr.'s St. Patrick's Cathedral. These parts, including some stained-glass windows, were removed when St. Patrick's Cathedral was expanded.
- The large stone bases on either side of the entrance steps came from a fancy house called the "Marble Palace." This house belonged to a department store owner named A. T. Stewart and was designed by John Kellum. It was torn down in 1901.
People have called the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes "one of the oddest buildings in New York" because of how it was put together. It was officially named a New York City Landmark on July 22, 1975.
- Bricks from St. Patrick's Cathedral were also used to help build this church.
School for the Community
The church also started a school in 1903. Ursuline nuns taught at this school. Ten years later, a bigger school building was constructed. The Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus then helped teach there.
The Church Today
Today, the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes is a vibrant place. It serves many different groups of people. These include African Americans, Dominicans, Ecuadorians, Eritreans, and Mexicans, among others. It continues to be an important part of the community in Hamilton Heights.
See also
