St. Benedict the Moor Church (New York City) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St. Benedict the Moor Church
St. Benedict the Moor Church at 342 West 53rd Street (to right) and the rectory at 338–342 West 53rd Street (to left), which was built in 1965 to the designs of architect Joseph Mitchell
General information
Architectural style	Italianate (church)
Address	342 W 53rd Street
Town or city	Hell's Kitchen / Clinton, Manhattan, New York City
Country	United States
Completed	1869 (church) 1965 (for rectory)
Cost	$220,000 (for 1965 rectory)
Client	Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
Design and construction
Architect	1965 rectory: Joseph Mitchell

St. Benedict the Moor Church was a special Catholic church in New York City. It was located at 342 West 53rd Street in an area called Hell's Kitchen. This church was important because it was a Black Catholic parish, serving the African-American community.

A Church for the Community

In 1883, a new church group, or "mission parish," was started. It was named after St. Benedict the Moor. This church was created to serve the African-American community in Lower Manhattan. A priest named Father Thomas Farrell left $5,000 in his will to help start it. He wanted to make sure the money helped Black Catholics. If the church couldn't use the money, it would go to a Protestant orphanage for children of color.

This church was very important. It was the first Catholic church in New York City specifically for Black Catholics. It was also the first of its kind north of the Mason-Dixon line, which historically divided the northern and southern United States.

Moving to New Homes

In 1892, the parish moved into a building that used to be the Third Universalist Church. This building was located at 210 Bleecker Street. Many African Americans lived in southern Manhattan at that time. The church renamed the building for its parish. Later, when St. Benedict the Moor Church moved out, another church called Our Lady of Pompeii Church moved into the Bleecker Street building.

The first openly Black Catholic priest in the United States, Father Augustus Tolton, celebrated his first Mass in America at this church in 1889. About ten years later, William Augustine Williams, who was the first openly Black Catholic seminarian (someone studying to become a priest), became the church's sacristan. A sacristan helps prepare for church services.

As more Black families moved north in Manhattan, the church moved again. In 1898, the parish took over a building at 342 West 53rd Street in Hell's Kitchen. This building used to be the Second German Church of the Evangelical Association. They renamed it St. Benedict the Moor Church.

By the 1920s, many church members, along with other African Americans, moved to Harlem. Harlem became a major center for African-American life and culture.

Later Years and Closure

From 1953, Spanish friars from the Third Order of Saint Francis helped run the church in Hell's Kitchen. The church was rededicated in 1954. Over time, the parish became a "mission status" church. This means it was smaller and supported by a new group called the Lumen Christi congregation.

In 2007, the Archdiocese of New York decided the church would keep its parish status, even though it was considered for closure. However, on June 30, 2017, the church was officially closed and "deconsecrated." This means it was no longer used as a church.

Church Buildings

The main church building at 342 West 53rd Street was built in 1869. It was designed in the Italianate style, which often features decorative elements and a classic look. The building has red bricks and a pediment, which is a triangular shape above the entrance. It was originally built for the Second German Church of the Evangelical Association. St. Benedict the Moor Church took over this building in 1898.

Next to the church, a three-story building called a rectory was built in 1965. A rectory is where the priests live. This building was at 338–342 West 53rd Street. It was designed by an architect named Joseph Mitchell. The rectory reused a statue of the Virgin Mary with outstretched arms that came from the original church building.

Images for kids

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  Church of St. Benedict the Moor, 210 Bleecker Street, in 1893