Saint Francis Xavier’s, previously described,  has been in the hands of the Jesuits since its foundation in the 1840s. Other churches in Manhattan that have remained under the control of the same religious order from their origins: Saint Ignatius Loyola (after a very early archdiocesan phase!) (also the Jesuits), Saint Paul the Apostle (Paulists), Our Lady of Pompeii(Scalabrinians). But a whole series of other parishes, formerly archdiocesan, have more recently been transferred to religious orders.  This has become especially common as clerical manpower in the archdiocese has grown scarcer and scarcer. The most egregious example is not in Manhattan but in Westchester, where the whole town of Port Chester (formerly four parishes) has been entrusted to the Salesians.

Saint Paul’s in East Harlem is one of these newer religious order parishes. 1) Originally an archdiocesan parish of the first magnitude,  its founding Irish population disappeared generations ago,  In 1998 the Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE) assumed direction of the parish. By that year Spanish or, formerly, Italian, Harlem was, at least in the eyes of the Archdiocese, mission territory. The IVE is a new institution founded in Argentina in 1984. It has spread throughout  the world and seems to specialize in the more exotic “peripheries” like Tadjikistan (“Tachikistan,” as a sign here formerly informed us)or Gaza.  The chapter at Saint Paul’s is the Ven. Pierre Touissant Community. In 2015 St. Paul’s was combined with the closed parish of the Holy Rosary (East 119^th Street).

I regret to report, however,  that the IVE has had issues similar to those faced by all too many recent foundations of charismatic leaders and which Celine Hoyau has chronicled in her book The Betrayal of the Fathers. 2) The founder of the IVE, Fr. Carlos Buela, was removed from office. It seems many of his disciples at the IVE cannot reconcile themselves with that treatment. 3) The troubles of the IVE, however, have continued even into this year, with Rome intervening and new issues arising in Chicago. 4) 

(Above) From the facade.

.

Saint Paul’s, built in 1907-08, is indeed a very large church. Once one gets beyond the grandiose facade, however, the architecture and furnishings of the church are less distinguished. The interior resembles a very large lecture hall – some post-Conciliar iconoclasm in the sanctuary reenforces that impression. Some items of the décor, like the stained-glass windows, are of lower quality than those found in other churches contemporary with this one. Not everything that was created in the golden age of the architecture of the Archdiocese of New York is absolutely first class!

In evangelization, however, the parish of Saint Paul is much more successful. For starters, the church is open – on my recent visit I had first stopped at three or four (archdiocesan) parishes all of which were closed. Second, the cavernous interior of this church provides sufficient space for is a vast array of “Hispanic” devotions. Seemingly every nationality is catered to! And these shrines are clearly still objects of continuing devotion.

(Above and below) Two of the devotional images at St. Paul’s.

While I was visiting the church,  a sister of the order affiliated with the IVE – dressed in religious habit – was instructing a group of school children. For there is still an active school associated with this parish (the “Academy of St. Paul and St. Ann School”).

In the vestibule is a chapel that I assume originally was the baptistry. When I was last here in 2012 it had been converted into a shrine of Our Lady of Lujan ( a devotion in the Argentinian home of the IVE). It has since been “repurposed”  for eucharistic adoration.  A number of people were quietly praying before the Eucharist. A desk in the vestibule is staffed to supervise the situation. 

(Above and below) Perpetual adoration.

Thus, “flying below the radar,” St. Paul’s is exercising an apostolate in some respects similar to the highly publicized developments so many blocks to the south at Saint Joseph’s in the Village or Saint Patrick’s Old Cathedral. Of course, the Hispanic working class or poor of St. Paul’s are not as interesting to the media as NYU students! It is a shame that the troubles of the IVE cast a shadow over the good that is being done.

1. For our prior article on this church see “First in Harlem,” The Society of St Hugh of Cluny (2/12/2012). The website of the “St. Paul & Holy Rosay Church “ is stpaulchurchive.org; that of the IVE America is iveamerica.org. NB: St. Paul’s (East 117^th Street) is not to be confused with the church of St. Paul the Apostle on the West Side!
2. See our review, “The Betrayal of the Fathers.”
3.  Carlos Miguel Buela, en.wikipedia.org. 
4. “Pope Francis Intervenes in Two of the Most Vocationally Flourishing Congregations: The Incarnate Word and the Women’s Branch,“ Zenit 1/11/2025; Payne, Daniel, Chicago priest removed after ‘inappropriate conversations’ with children, women, EWTN News  (5/12/2026). Association of the IVE with Cardinal Theodore McCarrick didn’t help: McCarrick gave $1, million to scandal-hit religious order, Angelusnews.com (from CNA, 2/17/2020).

All sites accessed 6/26/2026.

It was reported that an exhibition (“Twilight of the Idols”) that had been scheduled for the Sheen Center had been cancelled at the last minute and relocated to Saint Francis Xavier parish. The artist in question, Fr. Nick Leeper SJ, is a member of the Jesuit community there and a teacher at Xavier high school next door. I accordingly set off an early June to take a look at what was going on. You could imagine my disappointment when I found the exhibition had closed at the end of May after a run of only a few  weeks. But my visit gave me the opportunity to reacquaint myself with this parish.

As to the exhibition,  I provide some links to enable the reader to assess this art for himself.

Barone, Camillo, “Controversial art show canceled at NY archdiocese venue finds home at Jesuit parish,”  National Catholic Reporter (5/20/2026)

Leeper, Nicholas Kerestan,  “Twilight of the Idols,” www.nkleeperssj.com (05/2026)

I cannot say I find this show impressive– a tired imitation of Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol.  In the best case, it’s like a National Lampoon satire of the 1970s. And, speaking ecumenically,  I wonder what the Orthodox or the Copts think of such a direct parody of their traditions (Roman Catholics have long since lost any such sensibilities). By the way, a perceptive observer wondered whether the Sheen Center cancelled the exhibition not because of any offense it might have given to the pious, but rather for the clearly perceptible misogyny of many of the show’s images.

Yet, I thought to myself, could there indeed be – cached subconsciously perhaps – an angle of liturgical and cultural self-criticism present here that a traditionalist can sense ? Fr. Leeper’s pictures seem to equate Catholic religious art with secular advertising. Now, already in 1981, Alfred Lorenzer associated the introduction of the Novus Ordo and the associated “massacre” (Cristina Campo)of Catholic symbols with our age’s all-encompassing dominance of the images of the advertising industry.  And another commentator – whose name escapes me – compared the Novus Ordo itself with a television show, with the priest as moderator. Perhaps “Twilight of the Idols” was too self-revealing for the Church today!

St.  Francis Xavier parish otherwise is relatively unchanged from some six years ago. Only the political and “woke” aspects, already present everywhere then, have become ever more dominant and pervasive. All is politics, race, LGBT, feminism, migrants, yoga, Zen, etc. Perhaps the only discordant element is this parish’s attempt to throw fragments of traditional art into the “mix”:  the architecture and paintings of the church (except for the sanctuary), the covers of the bulletins…. It’s a change from the aggressive iconoclasm of the 1960’s and 70’s.

As always seems to be the case, the church is empty except for one or two individuals. The only sound heard in the vast space is the tinkling of a fountain emptying into the baptismal pool set before the former high altar. The parish website shows us that the parish yoga group spreads their mats out here in the “sanctuary.”

(Above) In the narthex hang tapestries commemorating advocates of economic, racial and sexual politics.

(Above and below)A set of paintings has been distributed around the church embodying a program that appears to be unique in Catholicism:  figures of the Catholic faith selected on racial grounds (they are not white). Well, you could argue about the inclusion of Oscar Romero or Rose of Lima  – but as “Hispanics” they qualify as “people of color.”

(above)The side altar/memorial to the victims of AIDS seems to have been expanded with elements taken from the closed church of St. Veronica where the original AIDS memorial was located. 

As always,  the bulletin of St. Francis Xavier parish is memorable –  here are some recent selections:

Bulletin of 6/21/2026:

Intercessions:

For all who live in our country: that the anniversary of Juneteenth on June 19 that we observed at our 11:30am Sunday mass will help us honor the proclamation of the full emancipation of 1865 of enslaved people in our country, we pray…

For all who live in our country: that the 105th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Riots will help us remember that we have not eliminated racism in our culture and society, we pray…

Bulletin of 6/07/2026: 

Happy Pride Month! …. will start the meeting for queer womyn with a presentation covering a combination of the history of drag in New York City and some gender performance theory. This presentation will culminate in practical application and exploration—the first ever Catholic Lesbians Drag Night, featuring performances from your lesbians truly! Regardless of whether you are performing, you are invited to play around with your gender expression and attend dressed with that in mind. We also will participate in Dyke March as a ministry and NYC Pride March as a parish. 

Pride March

Sunday June 28 – Church of St. Francis Xavier will continue our tradition of partaking in the Pride March. We will begin with a blessing of our Marchers at our 11:30 AM Mass. A gathering to view the Pride March is in the works. More details to come. If you would liketo join us for viewing or (to) march…..

Juneteenth Liturgy

Sunday, June 14 | 11:30AM Mass

The eleventh Sunday of Ordinary time will see our parish honoring Juneteenth. The service will feature liturgical dance, a special music program, and a reflection by parishioner, ……, Organized by Racial Justice Group

Some religious aspects do remain: 

A few years ago, as part of the Eucharistic Revival called by Pope Francis, we organized presentations from leading experts on various aspects of the Eucharist. At core, we believe that Jesus is present in the bread and wine consecrated through the prayer of the community lead (sic) by a priest at the mass. (Bulletin 6/7/2026)

I also see that there is still loyalty being shown to a certain former Jesuit artist who achieved notoriety in recent years: Bulletin 1/4/2026

The influence of the culture of St. Francis Xavier parish is not at all confined to its parish boundaries or to the Chelsea neighborhood. It sits next to Xavier high school (for males) also administered by the Jesuit order. It has connections with the theology department of Fordham University. And, for Pride month, it publishes a newsletter in collaboration with like-minded institutions:

This newsletter is the result of a collaborative effort bringing together LGBTQ+ ministries and leaders from Catholic parishes seeking to build relationships, strengthen communication, and share ideas and opportunities for community across parish lines. Participating parishes currently include Church of St. Francis Xavier, Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, Saint Paul the Apostle Church, and The Church of the Ascension.

(For some reason St. Francis of Assisi, NYC, didn’t make the cut-SC)

Traditionalist readers of this blog should further consider that all these parish activities are more aligned with the Roman Catholic hierarchy than are their own. All is open and on the record. The bulletins and other publications of St. Francis Xavier parish are often signed and, as far as I can see, not subject to any ecclesiastical censorship. Whereas traditional masses often cannot be disclosed in parish bulletins, when they are permitted at all.  Just in the last couple of weeks, I have looked at several books and articles advocating aspects of traditional culture that are anonymous or pseudonymous. Yes, the art exhibition scheduled for the Sheen Center was cancelled by the Archdiocese at the last minute –  but then it was relocated to St. Francis Xavier,  which is a parish in good standing with the Archdiocese of New York. Like his predecessor, Archbishop Hicks must be fully aware of what is going on (as are the papal nuncio and the Vatican) but does nothing.

PS: Perhaps I should summarize my impressions of this parish. There are few churches where the triumph of Catholic progressivism – and therefore of the liberal civil society it represents – is as complete as in this parish. Uniquely, at St. Francis Xavier, the dominance of the progressive agenda in all its aspects also assumes visual form: not just in a gutted sanctuary, but in shrines, banners, tapestries, and paintings. At St. Francis Xavier, though, this culture of Catholic progressivism still coexists with elements of the past which have been retained and even restored: elaborate neo-baroque  stucco decoration, Tiffany stained-glass windows, and large-scale pictorial cycles  of the stations of the Cross and of Jesuit history. Thus, the clash between the culture of Vatican II, taken to its extreme, and the past of the Catholic Church and of the Jesuit order is nowhere else in New York as clear as here.

PS #2. I had mentioned the neighboring high school, Xavier. What has been the interaction of the high school with the parish? Looking at the school’s publicity, we see very nice pictures of boys and men  in ties,  jackets or sweaters, athletes and military cadets – all just like in the good old days! Yet, if we consult the online presence of the school, we see influences at work similar to those governing the parish –  if not as exclusively and aggressively:

Xavier Magazine: Winter 2026 Edition

Examples taken from the above publication:

-Criticism of the immigration policies of the Trump administration (by the school’s president) pp. 2-3

– The art of Fr. Nicholas Leeper SJ (including one particularly controversial image from his recent exhibition) is prominently featured and commended.  (p.6 and elsewhere in this issue)

-James Martin SJ addressed students.(p. 6)

-Students participated in a Catholic social justice conference  in Washington, and spoke  on “lessons from the Holocaust, fighting anti-Semitism” based on their experiences in Xavier’s Holocaust Studies program. (p.6). Students in the Holocaust Studies program had previously traveled to Poland. (p. 7)

-Xavier’s Gay-Straight Alliance sponsored a successful “Ally Week.” Former US Representative Mondaire Jones, at a “fireside chat” moderated by the president of Xavier, “spoke about his time in Congress, the intersectionality of being Black and gay, and the role politics plays in that experience.” (p.7)

-On the school’s list of prominent initiatives over the last 25 years  are the founding of the Gay-Straight Alliance in 2014 (of course, favorably mentioned by the New York Times) and of the Holocaust Studies Program in 2023. The same list does take note of the fact that the leadership (and most of the faculty) of Xavier has transitioned to the laity.  (article starting on pp. 22-23)

In conclusion, I would find it hard to distinguish Xavier from your average expensive private secondary school, whether religious or not. 

(Above) An engraving of a censer by Martin Schongauer (15th century).

A most unusual exhibition can be seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art until July 19th. It displays medieval and early renaissance designs for works of Gothic architecture and art. Many of these architectural drawings are actual working documents for the creators of the Gothic cathedrals.  Some of them are of considerable size. The condition of the drawings is astoundingly good, the penmanship incredibly precise. 

What is noteworthy is the unity in Gothic art of aesthetics, mathematics and engineering. In the age of the Gothic there was no separation of these elements. There was no contrast, as in modernity, between the “decorative” and the “structural,”  between the “symbolic” and the “functional.”  And of course, each Gothic cathedral also “preached” in a mystic, liturgical and symbolic language – sophisticated, but nevertheless accessible to those who shared the religion and culture of  that time .   

But the genius of the Gothic was not confined solely to ecclesiastical architecture. This exhibition displays drawings of secular buildings, outdoor shrines, tabernacles and liturgical vessels. And in addition to drawings, we see examples of early engravings produced by artists in collaboration with the artisans and cathedral builders. In all these cases the same design principles governed. 

The overwhelming majority of the exhibits comes from the German world, as it was then organized in the Holy Roman Empire. There are also major objects on display from France, England and the Low Countries. The relative  lack of examples for these regions has to do, I would guess, with losses due to centralized destructive campaigns  as in case of   the English reformation or the French Revolution. In the more diffuse political and religious environment of the Holy Roman Empire much more survived. 

(Above) Drawing of a crozier by Hans Holbem the Elder – perhaps in collaboration with a goldsmith..

For starting from Strasbourg, Cologne and Mainz in the West  to Freiburg, Ulm, Regensburg and on to Vienna the various lodges of masons within the Empire exchanged ideas and developed creative “solutions” (as we would say today)to the design challenges of their projects. For the construction of a Gothic cathedral proceeded for generations, even centuries. So, we can see in the exhibition early versions of such masterpieces as the facade of Strasbourg cathedral or the tower of the minster of Freiburg-im-Breisgau. Inevitably, much remained unrealized. 

(Above) Design for a since-destroyed outdoor shrine in Ulm.

I can only give this exhibition my highest recommendation!

(Description of the Exhibition – with many photographs)

It intrigued me to discover several years ago that Ida Görres had written a review of Dietrich von Hildebrand’s Trojan Horse in the City of God. 1)  Her review of the Trojan Horse was published in Erbe und Auftrag (“Heritage and Mission”),  a somewhat obscure Benedictine publication.  Nevertheless, it is prominently described in the collection of correspondence between Ida Görres and Paulus Gordon OSB (the editor of Erbe und Auftrag). 2) My curiosity was piqued by this encounter of two German Catholic authors who in the distant past, in various ways, had been considered in Church circles as “progressives.” I had looked forward to an encounter of these two writers, having similar views in many cases, but with seemingly contrasting reactions to Vatican II. I was disappointed to find Görres’s review to be not a detailed appraisal of von Hildebrand’s thought, but a minor polemical response, not even a full page in length.  It does, however, reveal much about Görres’s – and the official Church’s – attitudes toward reform, tradition and the emerging post-Conciliar culture. Unfortunately,  I find that I need to write a review longer than her original to do justice to this matter!

I’ve already reviewed several works by Ida Görres.  I would summarize her position as that of a supporter  – in a somewhat nebulous but real sense – of renewal and even revolution in the Church. Yet she also – both before and after the Council – profoundly disagreed with specific concrete applications of the renewal, such as in sexual morality, politics, liturgy, or the nature of the Catholic priesthood.  On the latter point,  Ida Görres, in contrast to most other Catholic literary figures of her generation that I have read, was extremely focused on the institution of the Church. Her concern here was not so much the papacy or the hierarchy, but the clergy’s evangelizing leadership – or lack thereof. She obviously set the greatest importance on maintaining good connections with the clerical establishment,  especially its progressive members. The concern – even reverence –  for the role of the clergy was combined with a quest for saints – both living and dead. This,  despite her series of disappointments in men she had once revered  – like Karl Rahner.

Paulus Gordon had been a correspondent of Görres for many years. About the time her review of von Hildebrand’s book appeared,  he was appointed to be the secretary of none other than Rembert Weakland in Rome. So,  her review is very much in harmony with the attitudes of the clerical establishment of the day. In fact, Görres reassured Gordon that although he may have feared that she would be favorable to von Hildebrand’s book,  her review was going to be very critical.

I don’t want to write my own review of the Trojan Horse for the purposes of these remarks,  but I do need to say something about this very early (1967) reaction to the developing crisis in the Roman Catholic Church in the wake of Vatican II. 3) Von Hildebrand’s book is a kind of 20^th century Adversus Haereses, describing non-Catholic philosophies, perverse attitudes and heretical tendencies which by then were manifesting themselves throughout the Roman Catholic Church. Compared to subsequent works it is restrained: generally, the proponents of these tendencies are not named. One conspicuous exception is a footnote castigating none other than Fr. Paulus Gordon! 4) An even more significant exception is von Hildebrand’s extended critique of the thought of Teilhard de Chardin who of course had been dead for many years by the time von Hildebrand wrote his book. By 1967, however, his ideology was all the rage in Catholic circles  – the 1969 volume of Erbe und Auftrag lists several works dealing with Teilhard in its “books received” section. 

Görres begins her review by pointing out  – astutely, I would say – that the “Trojan horse” metaphor is a little out of date because by 1967 the horse’s crew had disembarked and in fact were swaggering shamelessly throughout the city. She also finds that in substance the book does indeed make many valid points. However,  Görres attacks the book above all for its style. According to her, von Hildebrand is rigid, thinks only in black and white terms, lacks empathy and understanding. “(The book) lacks any fraternal sympathy for the pains of anxiety, of seeking, of the distress of straying.” Instead of seeking out the good even in erroneous positions, von Hildebrand delivers only blanket condemnations. Furthermore,  he supposedly falls into the sentimental and outmoded rhetoric of past devotional writing.

But the real crux of Görres’s review is her emotional reaction to von Hildebrand’s criticism of the thought of Teilhard de Chardin. For von Hildebrand had systematically attacked a man who Görres elsewhere had praised for his “angel-like nature”  (Engelhaftigkeit). 5) Görres accuses von Hildebrand of defaming this “great mystic and fervent apostle.” She insinuates that von Hildebrand was motivated by personal animosity based on one direct encounter with Teilhard in 1950. Görres herself, however, did not share all of the philosophical positions of Teilhard. 6) Görres concludes her review by lamenting how some of those who seek to defend the Church and address the acknowledged problems use such weird weapons to do so. 

Now in commenting on Görres’s critique,  I would first say that her review gives the reader hardly any idea of von Hildebrand’s book. He would get the impression from her review that, stylistically, it is a violent polemic interspersed with old-fashioned, mawkish passages. But the Trojan Horse is in fact a sober catalogue of mostly philosophical aberrations in the Church. Further, Görres does not reveal to the reader the positions of the book she is reviewing – even those with which Görres agrees. Indeed, some of what von Hildebrand says about the state of the Church prior to Vatican II is not dissimilar to what Görres herself had written – if von Hildebrand does so in a more nuanced manner. 7)

Clearly, Ida Görres as late as 1969 remained committed to the “vision” of Catholic renewal. In no way was she a progressive on issues of morality, nor was she an adherent of the Catholic Church’s left in secular politics. Nevertheless,  in this review, she rejected public, straightforward criticism of aspects of the Catholic culture that had developed after Vatican II. I think she in some way intuited (which von Hildebrand at this stage perhaps did not) that a too forthright attack on abuses was actually an unstated attack on the origin of the abuses  – namely the Catholic movement of renewal and Vatican II itself.  Despite all her disagreements with the unfortunate developments which she saw exploding all around her, Görres never could never do that. In a sense,  although the term is anachronistic,  her position resembled that of what later became known in the United States as “conservative Catholicism.” 

But this review is relevant to more than just elucidating the personal philosophy of Ida Görres towards the end of her life. For the argumentation of her review already illustrated deeply problematic aspects of the post-Conciliar Church. First is the attraction Görres feels for “angelic” ecclesiastical figures. Their sanctity inspires blind devotion and insulates them from any rational criticism of their practices and ideas. What Görres writes about Teilhard, for example, is exactly the same as what the devotees of Dorothy Day have been repeating for decades: Day’s supposed sincerity and sanctity render any criticism of her political and economic ideas an act of treason. Celine Hoyeau has recently summarized for us the history of devotion to charismatic founders and spiritual leaders of Catholic movements in France and the resulting disastrous consequences in the area of sexual abuse. And we all know of numerous other examples elsewhere throughout the Catholic world (e.g.,Maciel). 

Second,  Görres’s review of course was not just the private opinion of that author. It appears in an official publication of the German Benedictines. I see her review as an initial response of the Catholic clerical establishment to the first stirrings of criticism of the post-Conciliar developments. For von Hildebrand was associated with those thinkers who in the United States coalesced around Triumph magazine and attempted to understand the rapidly unraveling Church and secular culture in which they were living. Görres’s review shows the answer of the clerical establishment: a total refusal to “dialogue.”  Von Hilderbrand’s attempt to set out a rational framework for analysis of the contemporary Catholic scene was met with a blistering response and ad hominem attacks. For there was never a possibility of dialogue with a “reform” movement that, as Pope Francis much later explained,  proceeds from the axiom that it directly embodies the will of the Holy Spirit. This stance of the establishment has remained intact until the present day!

1.  45 Erbe und Auftrag at 348(1969). I would like to thank Dr. Nicholas Salazar and the Yale University Libraries for their aid in locating this review.
2. Görres, Ida, “Wirklich die neue Phönixgestalt?”  Über Kirche und Konzil: Unbekannte Briefe 1962-1971 an Paulus Gordan. Hanna-Barbara Gerl-Falkovitz (Editor) (Be & Be Verlag, Heiligenkreuz, 2015) See the discussion at pages 318 and 420 (both pages have footnotes with a not totally accurate citation to Görres’s review) 
3. Hildebrand, Dietrich von, Trojan Horse in the City of God, (Sophia Institute Press, Manchester, N.H.1967 (this edition 1999)). There are questions about the edition of this book reviewed by Görres. First,  the German edition is a translation, and the advertisement  in Erbe und Auftrag (to which Görres refers) indicates it includes additional material by the author.I don’t know if these additions made it into the subsequent English reprints . Second, the Sophia edition I am using states that an “appendix” in previous editions has been deleted. I strongly suspect this is the document that can be found online here:  “Critique of Fr. Teilhard de Chardin by Dr. Dietrich von Hildebrand, Absoluteprimacyofchrist.org. (posted 10/11/2012; accessed 1/22/2026).This is referred to in several online discussions of Hildebrand’s critique of Teilhard. Hildebrand, however, criticizes Teilhard on several other pages in the Trojan Horse. 
4. Hildebrand, Trojan Horse at 48 n.26 (wondering about Paulus’s belief in the Resurrection as a historical fact).
5. Görres, “Wirklich die neue Phönixgestalt? at 69.
6. Id. at n.83
7. E.g., Hildebrand, Trojan Horse at pp. 51-60.

CHANT CAMP
August 2026 • St. Mary’s, Norwalk

Monday, August 10–Friday, August 14
9:15 a.m.–1:15 p.m.

Learn to read and sing Gregorian chant and great sacred polyphony • Enjoy fun and fellowship • Lift your voice to the glory of God!

The Chant Camp scholars will sing a Missa cantata daily at 12:10 p.m., starting on Tuesday and ending with Mass for the Vigil of the Assumption on Friday.

Led by Charles Weaver and Elizabeth Weaver (St. Mary’s)
and Nicholas Botkins (St. John’s Basilica, Stamford)

Age range: 8–18 years 
(Both high and low voices welcome)
Camp fee: $50 per participant

Open to participants from any school or parish

Register at: stmarynorwalk.net/chantcamp

Fr. Joseph Marie Falciano, FSSP, celebrated a traditional Solemn Mass last evening at St. Mary’s Church in Norwalk. Having been ordained to the priesthood on May 28, Fr. Falciano was celebrating his first Mass in his former parish. After Mass he offered his first priestly blessing to each of the faithful. This Mass and the music was sponsored by our Society.

This Friday, June 12, is the Feast of the Sacred Heart. The following churches will offer traditional Masses.

St. Mary Church, Nowalk, CT, 12:10 pm low Mass

Georgetown Oratory of the Sacred Heart, Redding, CT, 7 pm, Byrd Mass for Five Voices. A light reception follows.

Sts. Cyril and Methodius Oratory, Bridgeport, CT, High Mass at 6:00 p.m., followed by followed by the Litany and Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Please note that this will be the ONLY Mass (no morning Mass or confessions). Music: Missa Brevis of Andrea Gabrieli, and motets by Handl and Amerio.

Transfiguration Church, New York (Chinatown), 7pm Missa Cantata followed by benediction and consecration to the Sacred Heart.

St. Vincent Ferrer Church, New York, NY, 9:30 am, Solemn Mass, featuring Josquin des Prez “Misssa Pange Lingua.”

Holy Innocents Church, New York, NY, 6 pm High Mass

Pontifical Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, New York, NY, 7 pm High Mass

St. Josaphat Oratory, Bayside, Queens, 7 pm High Mass.

St. Margaret of Cortona, Riverdale, Bronx, 6 pm, Solemn Mass. Following the Mass, there will be a procession to the parish’s Sacred Heart shrine. The celebrant of the Mass will be Fr. Shane Conlon, FSSP. The Church’s address is 6000 Riverdale Avenue. There is a large parking lot adjoining the Church on its north-side.

St. Paul the Apostle, Yonkers, NY, 12 noon

Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament, Raritan, NJ, 7 pm

St. John the Baptist, Allentown, NJ, 7 pm High Mass, followed by a reception.

Corpus Christi Church, South River, NJ, 7 pm

St. Mary Church, Norwalk, is giving to the Church two new priests this year.

Fr. Joseph Marie Falciano, FSSP, was ordained to the priesthood at St. Cecilia Cathedral in Omaha on May 28.   He will be celebrating at Solemn Mass at St. Mary’s on Tuesday, June 9 at 7 pm. He will be giving first priestly blessings after Mass. A reception will follow.

Deacon Juan Colon will be ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Bridgeport on Saturday June 13 at 11 am in St. Augustine Cathedral.   He will be celebrating his First Mass at St. Mary’s  on Sunday June 14 at 12 noon (Spanish Mass). 

Please keep both of these young men in your prayers.

Fr. Falciano will be celebrating traditional Masses at the following churches in the area:

Tuesday June 9, St. Mary Church, Norwalk, 7 pm Solemn Mass, reception to follow

Wednesday, June 10, St. Josaphat Oratory, Bayside, Queens, 7 pm, Solemn Mass, reception to follow

Friday, June 12, St. Vincent Ferrer, New York, NY, 9:30 am, Solemn Mass for Feast of the Sacred Heart, Missa Pange Lingua by Josquin des Prez.

Saturday, June 13. St. Margaret of Cortona, Bronx, NY, 10 am, Solemn Mass

Sunday, June 14, Annunciation Church, Crestwood, NY, 2 pm, Solemn Mass, reception to follow

The following churches will celebrate traditional Mass for the Feast of Corpus Christi. Please contact us, if you know of a Mass that is not on our schedule.

Thursday, June 4

Connecticut

St. Mary Church, Norwalk, 12:10 pm low Mass

Sts. Cyril and Methodius Oratory, Bridgeport, 6 pm Solemn Mass and outdoor procession

St. Patrick Oratory, Waterbury, 6 pm high Mass followed by outdoor procession. Reception afterwards.

St. Joseph Church, Danbury, 6 pm Solemn Mass followed by procession to St. Peter Church, benediction. Bus transportation back to St. Joseph’s will be provided.

New York

Holy Innocents, New York, NY, 6 pm High Mass followed by outdoor procession with triple benediction.

Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, New York, NY, 7 pm sung Mass followed by outdoor procession and benediction

St. Josaphat Oratory, Bayside, Queens, 7 pm High Mass and Eucharistic procession

St. Margaret of Cortona, Riverside, Bronx, 6 pm Solemn Mass and procession

St. Paul the Apostle, Yonkers, 12 noon

Blessed Sacrament, New Rochelle, 6 pm Solemn Mass followed by 40 hours devotion

New Jersey

Our Lady of Sorrows, Jersey City, 7 pm Mass and outdoor procession

Holy Trinity Church, Hackensack, 7 pm Sung Mass

Our Lady of Fatima, Pequannock, 7 am, 9 am, 7 pm

St. Anthony of Padua Oratory, West Orange, 9 am Low Mass; 7 pm High Mass and procession

St, John the Baptist, Allentown, NJ, 6:30 pm, Solemn Mass followed by outdoor procession and the start of 40 hours devotion, which ends with Benediction and closing Mass at 12:45 pm on Sunday.

Sunday, June 7, external feast day

Connecticut

St. Mary Church, Norwalk, 10 am Solemn Mass and outdoor procession

Georgetown Oratory of the Sacred Heart, Redding, 12 noon

New York

Holy Innocents, New York, NY, 9 am Low Mass; 10 am High Mass followed by procession in the church and benediction

St. Josaphat Oratory, Bayside, Queens, 9:30 am Mass followed by a procession

Annunciation Church, Crestwood, 2 pm

New Jersey

Our Lady of Sorrows, Jersey City, 9 am

Our Lady of Fatima, Pequannock, 7 am, 9 am, 11 am, 1:30 pm, 5 pm

Shrine Church of the Blessed Sacrament, Raritan, 11 am Mass followed by outdoor procession