St. Vincent de Paul Church (Baltimore, Maryland) facts for kids
|
St. Vincent De Paul Roman Catholic Church
|
|
 |
|
| Location | 120 N. Front St., Baltimore, Maryland |
|---|---|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1840 |
| Architect | Gildea, Father John Baptist |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| NRHP reference No. | 74002215 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | February 12, 1974 |
St. Vincent de Paul Church is a very old and important Catholic church in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It is located at 120 N. Front Street. This church has been a part of Baltimore's history for a long time.
Contents
A Look Back: The Church's History
St. Vincent de Paul Church was officially opened in 1841. It is known as the oldest Catholic church in Baltimore that has been used continuously since it was built.
How St. Vincent's Church Started
The church was founded in 1840 by Irish workers. These workers were busy building big projects like the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. Father John Baptist Gildea was the first leader, called a pastor, when the church opened in 1841.
Many Irish immigrants were part of the Catholic community here. But people from all walks of life attended, including enslaved people. St. Vincent's was the fifth Catholic church built in Baltimore. It was meant to serve the growing number of English-speaking Catholics in the area.
Welcoming Everyone: A Special Place
By 1865, about 2,000 people attended church each week. St. Vincent's was special because it welcomed everyone. This included free people of color and enslaved people. You can still see marks on the floor in the back of the church. These marks show where a special section for enslaved people used to be. This section was removed during a renovation in the 1890s.
In 1875, a special ceremony called a consecration took place. Archbishop James Gibbons led this event. This made St. Vincent's one of only four churches in America to be directly protected by the Pope. A famous person from this church was James Cardinal Gibbons (1834-1921). By the 1880s, St. Vincent's was the biggest church in the area. It had over 7,000 members!
In the 1890s, many new Italian immigrants moved into the neighborhood. The church was updated to reflect these changes.
"Printers' Masses" and Social Action
In the 1920s, fewer people were attending church. So, St. Vincent's started offering special services late on Saturday nights. These were for the people who printed the Sunday newspapers, like the Baltimore Sun. Soon, there were four of these "Printers' Masses" each weekend. About 1,400 people attended them. Many people who had been out late also came to these unique services.
In the 1960s, the church became involved in important social movements. This included protests against the Vietnam War. These actions helped attract young activists to the church. The church is proud of its diverse history and the many different cultures it has welcomed. St. Vincent's is still an active church today. The current pastor is Father Raymond Chase.
The Church Building: Its Design and Look
The church building itself is built in a Neoclassical style. This means it looks like ancient Greek or Roman buildings. Its brick walls are painted white to make them look like wood. Inside, there are strong cast iron columns that help support the building.
Maintaining a Historic Look
The inside of the church has been updated several times. However, the outside of the church has never been changed. Over its 178 years, people have worked hard to keep the original building in good shape. A big update to the inside was finished in 1991. This was just in time to celebrate the church's 150th birthday!
The Iconic White Tower
The church has a tall, thin Georgian-style brick tower. It is also painted white. This tower stands 150 feet tall above the main entrance area, called the narthex. It looks very different from the buildings around it. The tower has several levels that get smaller as they go up. At the very top, there is a copper dome and a twelve-foot gold cross.
The white tower of St. Vincent's is often seen with the nearby red brick Phoenix Shot Tower. Together, they are famous symbols of Baltimore's historic Jonestown neighborhood. The church also has special stone features around its doors and windows. These stones came from the nearby Jones Falls river.
St. Vincent De Paul Roman Catholic Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. This means it is a very important historical site.
A letter from the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation said: From November 7, 1841, until today, St Vincent de Paul Church has been a major landmark in Baltimore. Its white tower was easy to see in the 1800s skyline. It was visible from the harbor to all the ships. It was the only building to survive when other buildings were torn down in the 1950s. This made it even more visible. It is one of the few early Catholic churches left in this city.
Where is the Church Located?
When the church was finished, the back of the building faced the Jones Falls. This was an open river back then. The Jones Falls often flooded, which was a problem for the church. In 1911, the river was covered over and paved. This created the Jones Falls Expressway, which now ends in front of the church.
Helping the Community: Services and Outreach
The church is very active in both worship and helping others. It is open every day for Mass. It also has many programs to help the local community. These programs especially help people who are poor or experiencing homelessness.
Support for Those in Need
- The church runs a monthly clothes closet for men.
- It has a weekly food pantry.
- It offers a Resource Exchange. This provides household items for people who are moving into new homes.
- Every Friday, the church partners with another church to host "Breaking Bread With the Hungry." Volunteers serve hot dinners to local people experiencing homelessness.
The church also owns a small park. Everyone is welcome there. This park is home to the "Homeless Jesus" statue. This bronze sculpture is seen in many places around the world. It reminds people of the Bible's message to care for "the least of these."
Learning and Local Projects
The church also offers many ways for children, teenagers, and adults to learn about faith. This includes classes, retreats, camps, workshops, and discussion groups. St. Vincent's also helps with local housing needs. They work to replace public housing projects with row homes for families. Their most recent project is on Pratt Street.
St. Vincent's also helped create the Heritage Walk, a special tour in Baltimore. The church is one of the stops on this tour. Besides helping in Baltimore, St. Vincent's also works with two sister churches. One is in Nicaragua and the other is in Lithuania.
