History of the Parish
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Church of St. Paul, N.Y. City
The Record of St. Paul Church on East 117 Street Forms an interesting part of history of the Catholic Church in New York City. This Church is one of the pioneer churches, taking rank among the first six erected in New York City. Within its parish limits, when founded, in 1834 was all upper area of the old city of New York and it then was the only church between it and New Rochelle. It began its existence under the saintly Bishop Dubois and Rev. James Walsh was the first priest to minister to the spiritual needs of the people in that territory. The yea 1835 saw the erection of a substantial stone church with the Rev. Michael Curran as Pastor.
Father Curran labored in the vast parish territory for many years until succeeded by Rev. John Walsh in 1843 under whom the parish flourished for the next nine years. By this time the population had increased by large numbers and new parishes were formed in Carmansville and Nanhattanville, local names that only old New Yorkers will recognize as being north of Harlem on the westerly side of the city.
In 1853 Rev. George Brophy who had struggled for many years with difficulties of life in the rural part of New York State began his long term of 13 years as pastor of St. Paul’s. He was revered and loved by all his people.
After Father Brophy came Father Eugene Maguire in 1866 and for seventeen years he conducted the affairs of the parish to increasing prosperity. By his vigor and effort the church was considerably enlarged and the parochial school was built in 1807. Father Maguire died abroad in 1883 and was succeeded by the Rev. John McQuirk, D.D., L.L.D., Whose pastorship lasted until November 1924, when his death occurred.
Father McQuirk spent his first years as Pastor in careful management of the funds of the church and discharged some dept that was existent when he took charge. At this time there was immigration from European countries with a high percentage of Irish from that time until 1905 when other people came into the district, some Italian and some German.
In 1904 and 1905 Father McQuirk advocated the building of new church and school and his people were happy to join in his plans. The old school was demolished in 1905 and a new building erected on its site. It was, and still is, a splendid structure accommodating, presently 725 children. After the completion of the school, its auditorium was used for services and the removal of the old church was begun and the new church erected.
The following is an excerpt from the old Daily News dated Sunday, July 2, 1905, recounting the cornerstone laying at which Bishop Cuasack presided and at which Msgr. Momahon preached “St. Paul’s Church has had an interesting history. It has stood since 1835, when Harlem was a little more than wilderness. For many years St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral was the only church in Manhattan Island north of Canal Street. It was necessary for some of the priests attached to it to attend all the Catholics scattered throughout the forest-like parts of Manhattan’s northern sections. They said mass in private homes and in barns.
The hardships which these priests endured were many. Often when one would be called to attend the sick or dying in some remote corner of the island, he would have to journey through snow and storms. There were times when the roads, if such they could be called, were impassable to vehicles of any kind.”
At this time a new Rectory was also built and it must be said that these constructive works reflect the greatest credit on the Father McQuirk who was not a young man when he undertook such a huge task, being then in his 63rd year.
Rev. Thomas F. Kane was appointed Pastor on the Death of Monsignor McQuirk in 1924 and remained in charge until 1940 when he was transferred to Hasting, N.Y. During his pastorship Father Kane Beautified St. Paul’s by installing a marble altar rail and pulpit together with a roredos of solid oak to match the pews. He also redecorated the interior of the church and renewed the Baptistery with one of unusual beauty.
Father Kane’s successors were Rt. Rev. Cornelius J. Drew (Former superior of the N.Y. Apostolate Mission Band), 1940-43 under whose administration tremendous spiritual strides were made in the parish, coordinating disparate language groups and instituting the Spanish program here.
The Rt. Rev. John C. Mulcahy,1943-46(Ph.D.), upheld his predecessor’s high parochial standard, ably administrating parish affairs as well as doing responsible work for the Archdiocese during the difficult war years.
The Rev. James V. Hart, Ph.D. was appointed pastor by Cardinal Spellman in April 1946. Father Hart has stimulated the spiritual life of the parish particularly among the young. He has organized a boy choir that has earned the highest praise from his own people and all visitors who hear its singing of the high mass.
Since his taking over, Father Hart has made structural changes and improvements in church and school that time made necessary. He also redecorated the church and has plans for improvements.
St. Paul church is of Homan architecture, in deference to the great saint for whom it is named, built of brick, with a facade of Indian limestone. It is 160 feet in length and 50/60 feet in breadth, with nine exits. The seating capacity is 1,300, with individual seats and individual kneelers. Underneath the brick stone is a steel frame, the cross beams of which are encased in solid oak, artistically carved.
This grand old parish of St. Paul’s has undergone tremendous population changes during the past 25 years. Of the founding Irish who were in the vast majority during the first century of its life, only a sparse few hundred of their line remain. For the past 10 years Spanish has been spoken at 10 o’clock Sunday Mass and Spanish-speaking priest available for confession. Though the area is now predominantly Puerto Rican, Every nation under the sun is represented in the truly catholic parish.
St Paul's Parish began its existence in 1834 embracing the whole upper area of old New York from New Rochelle to downtown Manhattan. At that time Harlem was little more than a wilderness. In 1832, some business people had obtained permission from the city to lay a double track for horse-drawn cars from City Hall to the Harlem River along Fourth Avenue (Fourth Ave. was renamed Park Avenue). It was hoped that the street car line the first on the island- would attract Harlem commuters and shoppers who ordinarily used the riverboats to get downtown and back. For many years, St. Patrick's Old Cathedral (downtown) was the only church on Manhattan Island. It was necessary for some of the priests attached to it to attend to all the Catholics scattered throughout the forest-like parts of Manhattan's northern section. They said Mass in private houses and in barns. Harlem, from Dutch times, had been a little hamlet by itself. It had gradually become a center whose increasing population included numerous Catholics. The first priest to minister regularly to the Catholics of this area was Rev. James Walsh. In 1834, Bishop DuBois decided to establish a church with a resident priest who could from that center minister to Catholics in many directions. Rev. Michael Curran, who had been a zealous worker in the mountains of Pennsylvania, was chosen as the first pastor of St. Paul’s next the site for St. Paul's Church was selected and purchased, and the cornerstone was laid on June 29th 1835. The Church, through the zeal of its pastor and the generosity of its people, was soon completed mid-century and the construction costs defrayed.
By East Harlem had a population of 1500. Fr. Curran was succeeded at St. Paul's by Father John Welsh who remained there until 1853. The next pastor was Father Brophy who had struggled for years with the rural missions. It was during this time-frame that Father Maguire erected a Parish School in 1872 and asked the Sisters of Charity to take charge of it. Since 1850 two Sisters had taught catechism at St. Paul's coming during the early years from the mother house at McGowan Pass. For many years, Saint Paul's had stood as the only Catholic church between the site of the present cathedral and New Rochelle.
By the latest thirties, large numbers of Afro-Americans people were coming to live in East Harlem but even larger numbers of Spanish-speaking people, mostly Puerto Rican, were coming, too. In 1920 about 7000 people lived in the city, most of them in a part of East Harlem.During its long and beautiful story, Saint Paul's was staffed by diocesan priest. In 1998, Card. John O'Connor, for the first time in the story of the parish trusted the pastoral care of Saint Paul's to a religious order. On February 2nd 1998 two priests of the Institute of the Incarnate Word arrived at Saint Paul's. But the best story of St. Paul’s is written only in the hearts and minds of those who have participated in this wonderful parish and the whole story is in the heart of God where it continues to be and to become good news.In 1998, Saint Paul’s Church placed in the pastoral care of the Institute of the Incarnate Word
The Institute of the Incarnate Word is a religious Institute with diocesan approbation founded by Rev. Carlos Buela in Argentina. It was started on March 25th, 1984, with a small number of priests and seminarians. The goal of the Institute is following Jesus Christ, and him crucified, through the profession of the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, taking the Blessed Virgin Mary for our protectress and guide. We consecrate ourselves to her according to the method laid down by Saint Louis de Montfort.
The formation of the Institute was approved by Bishop Leon Kruk, the Bishop of San Rafael (Argentina), who was the Bishop at the time. He also entrusted the initiation and care of the diocesan seminary of San Rafael for several years. Recognizing the Institute's rapid expansion throughout the world and its providential growth, the Holy See, in a letter to the Superior General dated July 8th, 1995 declared that "the Institute of the Incarnate Word is an Religious Institute with diocesan approbation."
Our specific goal, following the call of His Holiness John Paul II, is the evangelization of the culture. We seek to inculturate the Gospel in the various cultures so that they can be redeemed. In this way we seek "to sum up all things in Christ" (Eph 1:10). Since the Institute was born within the Church, it is nurtured by its bimillenary wisdom and therefore it uses the various methods utilized by the Church's best: the saints. Its pastoral work is principally in the form of the preaching of missions according to Saint Alphonsus Liguori, as well as the Spiritual Exercises according to Saint Ignatius of Loyola. The Institute assists local Bishops in staffing seminary faculties for the formation of clergy, and for the undertaking of parishes and schools.
Currently, the Institute has 200 priests (among them, 66 have received their Licentiate degree and 3 have received their Doctoral degree, and another 14 are about to obtain their Licentiate or Doctoral degrees), 140 seminarians, 100 minor seminarians, and more than 50 novices. Among the members, more than 160 have taken private perpetual vows.
The Institute has seminaries in San Rafael, Argentina, in Arequipa, Peru, and in Maryland, U.S. The Institute also provides priests for the formation of seminarians at seminaries in Brazil, Israel, Russia, the Ukraine, Egypt, Ecuador and Papua New Guinea. The Institute has been blessed with many vocations who enter our novitiates in Argentina, Peru, Italy, and in the United States. Some of the members of our Institute live contemplative life. There are contemplative monasteries of the I.V.E. in Argentina, Brazil, Peru and Israel.The Feminine Branch of the Institute of the Incarnate Word
On March 19, 1988, Fr. Buela founded the "Institute of the Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matara," as the feminine branch of the Institute of the Incarnate Word. The clergy and religious sisters live the same founding charism and evangelical plan. The sisters work throughout the world in just about everywhere that the Institute of the Incarnate Word carries out its work.
The feminine branch has 400 members (more than 100 have taken private perpetual vows) and more than 50 novices who have come from various countries. The sisters also have a contemplative branch with monasteries in Argentina, Peru, Brazil, Italy, and in the United States.
The sisters work in hospitals, houses for the elderly, as well as houses for orphaned and disabled children. Many sisters carry out the important task of teaching in schools and in catechetical instruction.The Third Order
The support for the work of the Institute is carried out by many lay people who share in the religious family in one form or another. Many of them have requested to belong to the Third Order of the I.V.E., living various lifestyles and apostolic commitments.