Our Lady of Vilnius Roman Catholic Church stood on Broome Street in Manhattan at the Entrance to the Holland Tunnel since 1910. Cardinal Egan locked it on February 26, 2007. It was demolished in 2015. I live here even though it is gone, serving food for thought at a virtual "kavine."
"An intelligent person fights for lost causes, realizing that others are merely effects." e.e. cummings
The fate of Catholic churches in the East Village is beginning to sound like an Agatha Christie mystery. A Hoodline NYC item dated February 24 informs us that a DOB application has been submitted for a 206 foot-tall, 21-story building with about 350 apartments. The Archdiocese of New York sold the site in 2024 for $35 million.
The parish of St. Emeric was extinguished and the church became a secondary church in the parish of St. Brigid-St. Emeric in 2013, when the last Mass was held. It was closed in and relegated to profane but not sordid use on November 4, 2020. Relegation is the last canonical step before disposition of the property.
Church of Nativity, which had been attended by Dorothy Day was sold for $20 million in 2020 and demolished in 2022. St. Brigid's and Most Holy Redeemer are still standing. Most Holy Redeemer was closed on September 1, 2025. Parishioners are working to save it.
The elusive object in my life is St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, the church in Yonkers where I attend Mass every Sunday.
When I started going there it was a parish with 5 Masses every weekend, a Pastor, Father Anthony Columba Ekanem, and a parish council. Then, on May 24, 2024, Cardinal Dolan issued a decree ending its life as a parish and making it a secondary church in the Parish of St. Peter/St. Denis. Masses were reduced to one Sunday Mass in English.
Devoted to their spiritual home, parishioners appealed to the Cardinal to reverse his decision. When his reply was a denial they sent an appeal to the Dicastery for the Clergy, a department of the Holy See, on July 23, 2024. The Dicastery for Clergy ruled in favor of the parishioners and St. Mary's/Immaculate Conception became a parish again on March 31, 2025.
Nothing changed! St. Mary's was not assigned its own pastor, no parish council was assembled and the Mass schedule was not restored. Parishioners were baffled and began drafting a letter to the Dicastery for Clergy informing them that the Archdiocese was ignoring their decree.
On December 17, 2025, the day before his official retirement, Cardinal Dolan issued a new decree making St. Mary's again a secondary church in the Parish of St. Peter/St. Denis. Parishioners hand delivered an appeal to Cardinal Dolan's office on December 23, 2025. Because no reply was received, the parishioners again sent an appeal to the Vatican's Dicastery for the Clergy on February 4, 2026.
Right now St. Mary's is a church, not a parish. I hope at some point I will be singing a new song unto the Lord. Until then its Donovan.
These are the opening lines of Melanie's "Groundhog's Day." I admit that I've overhibernated and missed the February 2nd cue to stick my head out to look for my shadow. But I am now bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and motivated to continue resisting the closure of my church, St. Mary's in Yonkers, and supporting others like the parishioners at Most Holy Redeemer church.
What disturbed my torpor? A visit to historic Mary House for a screening of "Foreclosing on Faith," a 2017 film that documents parishioners' response to the closing of their churches. The film also associates these closings with the Church's need to meet expenses related to the abuse crisis and subsequent period of denial, minimization and downright deception. Here are the specifics:
Mary House - historic Catholic Worker house of hospitality and residence of Dorothy Day. It really exuded a vibe of hallowed ground with echoes of Our Lady of Vilnus. The CW people were very friendly as were the 2 blase cats who circulated among the audience throughout the screening.
Edita - a Lithuanian woman I met who admitted to reading my blog and thus inspired me to wake up and write.
Brody Hale - My telephone friend and advisor of 20 years who I met in person for the first time. You can see hear him, too, on podcasts on Save Rome of the West.
So this is the context in which I awakened and clawed my way through 16 inches of snow to greet you anew. Now for the song. Hit it Melanie...
The name Save Rome of the West sounds very specific. Sure, it was started to help parishioners hold on to their churches in St. Louis, Mo. However it is chock full of resources to help you learn your rights as a parishioner and appeal the closing of your church or the extinction of your parish.
It presents the rudiments of canon law beginning with basic definitions and lays out strategies, canonical and other, to start and conduct a movement to save your parish and/or church. For those who might be intimidated by so many inches of text information is also presented in podcasts. In addition to being educated I enjoyed the byplay between the two charming canon wonks, Brody Hale and Jason Bolte, as they made inherently confusing content clear and even mildly entertaining.
The average parishioner standing alone in objection to losing their church feels powerless against a diocese or archdiocese. Parishioners standing together can make an impact and send a powerful message. Multiple parishes standing on their rights can send a powerful message to the institutional church as high up as the Vatican.
The resourceful and resilient All Hallows seniors nearly lost the opportunity to gather as a class for the last time when their prom was almost cancelled because not enough students could afford the tickets. They reduced the ticket price by finding a less costly venue and began to raise money on their own.
Why can't some of the greater than $1 million raised in the failed attempt to keep the school open be used to send every senior and his or her date to the prom for free? They deserve it, especially the young women of Saint Barnabas who were sent to All Hallows when their school abruptly closed.
The Vatican overruled Cardinal Dolan's decree extinguishing St. Mary's as a parish and merging it into the parish of St. Peter-St. Denis. But this is Canon Law and, unfortunately, there is not a Canon PD to call when it is violated. Therefore, it is a very good sign that the weekly bulletin header reads "Immaculate Conception - St. Mary's Church.
As opposed to the previous week's, which was headed "St. Peter's - St. Denis and Immaculate Conception Church."
The little church at 52 Main Street in Hastings on Hudson, NY began its life in the 1800s serving a Baptist congregation. In 1914 it was consecrated by Vicar General Msgr. Joseph Mooney and began its 93 year life as the Parish of St. Stanislaus Kostka in Hastings on Hudson, NY. The parish was born of the efforts by the sizable Polish community to have a place where they could worship in a manner consistent with their culture and traditions. Over time the congregation evolved into a mix of descendants of the original parishioners, immigrants from everywhere and random Catholics who appreciated worshipping with a small but enthusiastic community in a structure reminiscent of a country church.
The little building was sold, then painted in vibrant purple and orange when it opened as "The Purple Crayon Center for Learning and Social Innovation." This institution evolved into Purpl, "an incubator for people to build lives they're passionate about." Purpl closed, the building was put on the market and the bright colors faded. After a long period on the market (for approximately $1 million) the building was withdrawn. It was later repainted and Purpl was resurrected for a while before being sold.
I am very happy to see that it is once more a church where immigrants are gathering to worship Jesus Christ and spread the Good Word. Welcome to Iglesia Milej de El Salvador!
An activist trying to save his parish once used the slogan "1011 is our 9/11." Sadly, this saying will be obsolete when the Arch moves out later in the year and Vanbarton begins the conversion to residential at 1011 First Avenue.
Forwarded on behalf of the Office of the Superintendent of Schools.
Media Contact: Gerald J. Wutkowski, Jr. Director of Communications and Digital Media Office of the Superintendent of Schools Archdiocese of New York
Mt. Carmel-Holy Rosary School in East Harlem to Close at the End of the 2024-2025 Academic Year
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 6, 2025
NEW YORK – The Superintendent of Schools Office has announced that Mt. Carmel-Holy Rosary School in East Harlem will close at the end of the 2024-2025 academic year.
As part of the Archdiocese’s ongoing School Viability Study, Mt. Carmel-Holy Rosary was initially identified for closure due to ongoing challenges in meeting sustainability benchmarks. “In response, school community members worked hard to boost enrollment and demonstrate the school’s viability. We are deeply grateful for those efforts.” said Sr. Mary Grace Walsh, ASCJ, Ph.D., Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of New York, in a letter to school families.
Unfortunately, despite these efforts, enrollment for the 2025–2026 school year is currently at just 63 students, well below the level needed to keep the school operational, even when including pending applications.
“Please know that this decision was made with much prayer and discernment, rooted in our desire to nurture and strengthen Catholic education for generations,” Sr. Mary Grace emphasized. “We recognize how painful this is. Mt. Carmel-Holy Rosary has been a place of faith, learning, and love for generations.”
To support affected families, every student will be offered a seat at another Catholic school. During this transition, Mr. Christopher Quito, Enrollment Director, will work directly with families to provide guidance and assistance. Mr. Anthony Biscione, Regional Superintendent for the Manhattan School Region, will also be available for non-enrollment-related concerns.
Families can reach Mr. Quito via email at Christopher.Quito@archny.org. Additionally, the bilingual parent helpline is available Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at (646) 794-2885. Mr. Biscione can be contacted at (646) 794-2006.
The Manhattan School Region will also host a School Fair on a later date to help families explore nearby Catholic schools, including Our Lady Queen of Angels, St. Charles Borromeo, and Our Lady of Lourdes. Representatives from these schools will be present to answer questions and guide families through available options.
