WHERE THE UPPER EAST SIDE AND EAST HARLEM MEET
our mission
Taking Jesus' message of loving service to heart, all are welcome in our vibrant, hopeful diverse, Eucharistic Community where we break bread and open the Word to discover God in our Midst.
Tomando el mensaje de Jesús de servicio amoroso a corazón, todos son bienvenidos en nuestra comunidad Eucaristica vibrante, llena de esperanza y diversa, donde partimos el Pan y abrimos la Palabra y descubrimos a Dios en medio de nosotros.
our patron
St. francis de sales
St. Francis de Sales was born to a noble family at Chateau de Sales in the Kingdom of Savoy near Geneva, Switzerland on August 21, 1567. He was a Bishop and Doctor of the Church.
Francis was both intelligent and gentle. From a very early age, he desired to serve God. He knew for years he had a vocation to the priesthood, but kept it from his family. His father wanted him to enter a career in law and politics.
After much discussion and disagreement from his father, Francis was ordained to the priesthood and elected provost of the Diocese of Geneva, in 1593, by the Bishop of Geneva.
In 1604, Francis took one of the most important steps in his life -- the step toward extraordinary holiness and mystical union with God.
In Dijon, Francis saw a widow listening closely to his sermon -- a woman he had seen already in a dream. Jane de Chantal was a dedicated Catholic Christian on her own, as Francis was, but it was only when they became friends they began to become saints.
Jane wanted him to take over her spiritual direction, but, not surprisingly, Francis wanted to wait. "I had to know fully what God himself wanted. I had to be sure that everything in this should be done as though his hand had done it." Jane was on a path to mystical union with God and, in directing her, Francis was compelled to follow her and become a mystic himself.
Years after working with Jane, he made up his mind to form a new religious community. In 1610, he founded The Order of Visitation.
St. Francis de Sales was beatified on January 8, 1661 and canonized on April 19, 1665 by Pope Alexander VII.
In 1923, Pope Pius XI named St. Francis de Sales the patron saint of Catholic writers and the Catholic press because of the tracts and books he wrote. He is also the patron saint of the deaf, journalists, adult education, and the Sisters of St. Joseph. His feast day is celebrated on January 24.
our history
1895 - present
In 1894, Archbishop Corrigan established a new parish on the East Side in 100th Street. Rev Joseph L. Hoey, pastor of Milton, Ulster County, N.Y., was selected to organize the congregation. The ground floor of a house was rented and first Mass in the new parish was offered on November 18, 1894. The pastor took up collections in various churches, and soon the temporary chapel became too small. On December 8, 1895, the cornerstone of the basement church was laid by Auxiliary Bishop Farley, the first episcopal function performed by him, and on October 4, 1896, the lower church was dedicated by Archbishop Corrigan. The rectory next to the church was ready for occupancy in May, 1899.
The church is situated in 96th Street, between Park and Lexington Avenues, and is a noble Italian Renaissance marble structure. It was finished in 1903 and solemnly dedicated by Archbishop Farley on November 29, of this year. Bishop Colton of Buffalo, a classmate and lifelong friend of Father Hoey, celebrated the Pontifical Mass.
On July 1st, 2011 Fr. Philip Kelly was appointed pastor. As he began his tenure the Archdiocese was moving into "Making All Things New" a process to determine the viability of all parishes. Along with a team of parishioners Fr. Kelly has worked with the archdiocesan committee to see our parish into its next stage of growth and development. These last three years have seen a steady growth in the life of this congregation. We have seen more young people, more of a variety of persons, find their way to our doors. This is evidenced in all the different groups that have begun to serve the parish.
With our hearts and doors opened to welcome our neighbors in our East 96th St community, St Francis de Sales Church is excited to see where God will lead us in the future.
READ more about st. francis de sales
Heroes of New York—Archways Magazine Fall 2020