The bells of St. Brigid's

In the last few days, several readers who live near St. Brigid's on Avenue B and East Eighth Street have noted hearing the church bells chime. (Or whatever sound church bells make...) Dave on 7th noted the sound was coming from the north tower.

And per Dave on 7th: "I wonder if there are actual bells in there? They were lovely. And I wonder, if they're a daily thing, how long it will be before the complaints start?"

St. Brigid's at night

Last night.

When St. Brigid's dared to have a picnic

I was doing some research about St. Brigid's on Avenue B and found this post on McNamara's Blog ... with a repost of an article from The New York Times circa July 22, 1869 BW (Before Woo)...

It is well known that the Roman Catholic Church in this country has forbidden picnics. The ordinance against them was issued last year, and this was the first season for putting it into practice. The origin of the prohibition was the great number of abuses which were found to prevail at these festive gatherings.

With one exception, no Church picnic has taken place this year — at least in connection with the Roman Catholic denomination. The clergy of that faith have exerted themselves vigorously in enforcement of their Church ordinance. They have denounced fairs and picnics from the altar, interdicted them by special mandate, and used all their influence in their several parishes for their suppression. And very effectually so far, with one exception, as has been said.

The people have, in general, yielded with docility to the voices of their clergy in the matter, and at some sacrifice of enjoyment have quietly foregone the annual festivity which was customary. The exception alluded to was the picnic held yesterday by the Total Abstinence Benefit organization in connection with the Roman Catholic Church of St. Bridget, Avenue B and Eighth Street.

Father Mooney is the pastor of said church, and when he heard of the contemplated picnic immediately denounced it and assailed its promoters. It was even announced in some of the papers that it would not take place, in consequence of being forbidden by the priest. But it did take place yesterday in Jones’ Wood, and, considering the ecclesiastical opposition it encountered, was a very successful thing its way.

The Brotherhood marched to the ground in the forenoon, and all day streams of people continued to flow in through the gates, even though the price of admission was fifty cents a head. The picnic was a quiet and orderly affair, held by temperance men and conducted on temperance principles. There was good music and much dancing, and by 8 o’clock in the evening all had departed for their homes. It would scarcely have been worth distinguishing from similar affairs of its class but for the collision between clergy and laity that took place in connection with it.

I know, I know. If you don't like picnics, then move back to...

Wash day at St. Brigid's yesterday

... where workers were hosing down the church on the East Eighth Street side. Photo by Bobby Williams.

And now, a lot of photos of St. Brigid's

We continue to stockpile photos of the under-renovation St. Brigid's on Avenue B and Eighth Street... taking photos whenever we happen to pass by...

We were gawking at the basement space ... where there looks to be meeting rooms/community space, etc.

On Friday, workers removed the last of the scaffolding...

So we have now have mostly construction-free views...

As for an opening, we last heard sometime this fall via The Villager...

The towers of St. Brigid's

Workers have removed the scaffolding from the north tower of St. Brigid's on Avenue B and East Eighth Street... and now we get to see both completed towers with their spires ...

Workers finished the south tower spires in July.

Looking at the Church of Saint Emeric on East 13th Street

Catholic churches are coming and going these days in the East Village. Parishioners held the last mass this past Sunday at Mary Help of Christians on East 12th Street. (The Villager has a nice farewell feature in this week's issue.)

The Catholic Archdiocese is selling the church property, which includes the Don Bosco Salesians rectory adjacent to the church and the church's former school on East 11th Street. No official word just yet on the new owner.

Meanwhile, renovations continue at St. Brigid's on Avenue B at East Eighth Street.

And then there the Church of Saint Emeric. As The Villager first reported in June, St. Emeric’s, built in 1950 at 740 E. 13th St. at Avenue D, will close and merge with St. Brigid's.

Per The Villager, Father Lorenzo Ato, priest in charge at St. Emeric for the past four years, will be the pastor of the new parish and has already moved into the Brigid's rectory.

Joseph Zwilling, archdiocese spokesperson, said there weren't any immediate plans for the St. Emeric’s church building or the two-story parochial school built in 1952 next door on East 12th Street and Avenue D.

In any event, I figured this was a good time to visit St. Emeric's ... located down a rather lonely stretch of East 13th Street, which dead ends at the Con Ed power plant. The church sits next to the Manhattan Pumping Station that's currently being refurbished ...

... and across the street from the Con Ed power plant...

On the morning that I walked by here, there were a handful of men huddled atop the sidewalk bridge sleeping...

... and here's a look from the East 12th Street side...

The church building itself is fairly unremarkable (I haven't been inside) and the chunk of real estate is in an unglamorous spot — surrounded by the Con Ed plant, pumping station and public housing. Not sure what would work here outside of some utilitarian purpose or nonprofit use. In other words, no dorms or condos.

But!

Things being what they are these days in Manhattan, I could see some enterprising restaurateur open an eatery and offer an East-River-to-table small plates Tasting Menu for thrill-seekers who desire a real "gritty" East Village meal (don't worry — the eel with be flown in fresh daily from Nihonbashi) ... or a developer launch a boutique hotel with Super Charged Weekend Packages for travelers who yearn what it's like to work at a power plant. Other authentic "street" touches include the housekeeping staff who push their supplies in imitation C-Town grocery carts (for sale in the gift shop for $1,695) and the bar that sells craft beers in brown paper bags.

Yeah, anyway — this is the Church of Saint Emeric

Have you seen St. Brigid's at night?

There are exterior lights on the East Eighth Street side of the church.

Spectacular. The renovations continue here at Avenue B, with an eye toward a possible October opening.

Previously.

And now, a lot of photos of St. Brigid's with steps and sidewalks

On Saturday, a crew continued work on the sidewalk and steps in front of the under-renovation St. Brigid's on Avenue B...

...and as the front looked at the end of the work day...

[Bobby Williams]

[BW]

And last week, crews finished up the sidewalk on the church's Eighth Street side...

...and a bonus aerial view courtesy of Dave on 7th...

...and a night shot...

Last we heard, the church was still on target for a fall opening...

Previously.

Scaffolding and blue paint at St. Brigid's

Workers are putting up scaffolding this morning at St. Brigid's here on Avenue B at Eighth Street... presumably to start work on the small spires for the north tower...

Meanwhile, glad we got a photo of this on the plywood the other day...

[Robert Miner]

Because a worker slapped on another coat of blue paint today...

The baby spires of St. Brigid's

On Tuesday, Dave on 7th pointed out the arrival of the small (baby?) spires atop the south tower of St. Brigid's on Avenue B at East Eighth Street...

Yesterday, courtesy of Bobby Williams, we got a better look at the new tops after workers uncovered them...

Well, not quite the 50-foot, crocketted steeples that, as The Villager noted, "adorned the church until they became unstable and were removed in the 1960s" ...

[St. Brigid's in the 1870s]

...but impressive enough?

Man on a ledge, sort of

Watching some men at work this afternoon atop St. Brigid's on East 8th Street and Avenue B ... inching closer to the edge, though he was fully secured in a safety harness...

Photos by Bobby Williams.

St. Brigid's now has front steps

The renovations continue on Avenue B at East Eighth Street.

Photo by Bobby Williams.

A merger and new stairs for St. Brigid's

[Early last evening]

There's news to report about St. Brigid's, the under-renovation church on Avenue B and East Eighth Street. Good scoop in the current issue of The Villager, where Albert Amateau reports that St. Emeric’s Church, built in 1950 at 740 E. 13th St. at Avenue D, will close and merge with St. Brigid's.

A few passages:

Joseph Zwilling, archdiocese spokesperson, said he hoped for a September opening of St. Brigid and St. Emeric but he was not able to give a definite date.

Father Lorenzo Ato, priest in charge at St. Emeric for the past four years, will be the pastor of the new parish and has already moved into the rectory. Ato, a native of Peru, will also continue to serve as assistant director for Hispanic media for the archdiocese.

Zwilling said there was no decision yet on the disposition of the St. Emeric’s church building or the two-story parochial school built in 1952 next door on E. 12th St. and Avenue D.

[St. Emeric via Google]

Read the full story here.

Meanwhile, yesterday, the work continued at St. Brigid's... where Bobby Williams took shots of the new front steps going in... (being poured?)...

And Dave on 7th noted how the cross looked at sunset...

...and a shot of workers carry a window frame for one of the towers...