Photo from August by Stacie Joy
The New York Times recently reported on efforts to reopen Most Holy Redeemer, the historic Catholic church on Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B, which has been closed to regular services since August 2025.
The article revisits the frustrations of longtime parishioners, who have continued to gather outside the locked church to pray, and the broader campaign to preserve the 175-year-old building, as we've reported extensively over the past 14 months.
Of particular interest is a statement from Joseph Zwilling, spokesperson for the Archdiocese of New York, who told the Times that repairs to the church's ceiling began last month.
Zwilling said the Mass schedule will be determined after the work is completed.
In January, the Department of Buildings issued a "failure to maintain" violation after an inspector observed detached ceiling plaster inside the sanctuary, as we first reported.
How often services resume will depend on several factors, including "the needs of the people, the availability of Mass elsewhere and the ability to provide priests to celebrate the Mass."
He also disputed claims that the archdiocese had violated canon law by suspending services without formally closing the church, saying its status has not changed and that the closure was solely for safety reasons.
Zwilling further stated that the closure was unrelated to the archdiocese's potential $800 million settlement with victims of clergy and lay sexual abuse.
Meanwhile, parishioners and preservation advocates continue pressing for the church's reopening and landmark designation.
Despite the reported start of repairs, no date has been announced for the resumption of regular Mass.
Most Holy Redeemer has reopened only once since regular services ended — for a special Mass in January.
Previously on EV Grieve:
3 comments:
Great that we're getting some publicity. Today's NY Post has a full page spread on churches in danger of being closed. When our dynamic pastor Father Sean was abruptly sent to the Bronx (!) church attendance dwindled as a revolving door of priests filled in. Mass attendance dwindled and the church had a perfect excuse to close down (which I'm sure was part of the plan).
limelight 2.0, make it happen
I want to share the meaningful impact Father Sean had on my life and faith journey.
For a long time, my prayer life was something I practiced individually wherever I happened to be, whether at home, on the bus, or waiting in a doctor's office. I rarely attended church services until I had the opportunity to hear Father Sean speak at a friend's funeral. His warmth, kindness, endearment, and relatable nature deeply touched me and inspired me to return to the church. After that, I often found myself walking to the church just to sit, pray, and spend time in the house of God.
I truly miss Father Sean’s presence and the positive effect he brought into my life. I know this church holds a special meaning not just for me, but for so many others in our community, and I deeply hope that it will be able to reopen its doors in the future.
I Thank Father Sean for his warm guidance and for helping me reconnect with the church community.
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