Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
Most Holy Redeemer-Church of the Nativity will no longer hold a regular mass schedule starting in September, according to parish and Archdiocese officials.
At a meeting held Monday night at St. Brigid's on Avenue B, Monsignor Kevin J. Nelan of Immaculate Conception on 14th Street and Eileen Mulcahy, the vice chancellor for parish planning of the Archdiocese of New York, addressed continued speculation that Most Holy Redeemer would close outright. They emphasized that while the church isn't officially closing, its operations will undergo significant changes.
Regular weekly masses will end, and in their place, the church will offer only occasional services, such as weddings, funerals, or what was described as "once in a blue moon masses" for long-time parishioners. This fall, masses that were previously held on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays (including Spanish services) will take place at nearby St. Brigid's.
Additionally, special programming, such as
concerts and the children's choir, is no longer offered.
Leadership cited the shortage of priests as a key reason for the shift. One priest, Father Thomas, is retiring, while visa and immigration issues are affecting others. The three East Village parishes are being merged, they said, and moving services to St. Brigid's will help keep the community together with fewer clergy.
Concerns were also raised about the structural condition of the building itself. There is plaster falling from the ceiling in the church, officials noted, adding that engineers would evaluate whether it remains safe.
Valeria Kondratiev, secretary of Most Holy Redeemer and St. Brigid, attended the meeting and expressed skepticism about the timing of the engineering review.
"People should be watching this, keeping it in the crosshairs. It's very suspicious," she said.
Kondratiev also wondered whether a second opinion on the building's condition might be warranted.
There's a reason for worry. Last summer, for example, the Archdiocese of New York
sold the historic Holy Rosary Church in East Harlem to a developer, citing the building's severe disrepair.
Regarding rumors about the adjoining rectory going up for sale, church officials have clarified that the building is owned by the Redemptorists, not the Archdiocese. The church had been renting the space, and whether the Redemptorists plan to sell or at what price remains an open question.
Most Holy Redeemer stopped using the large space for its office in the spring.
Going forward, Most Holy Redeemer will rely on joint masses with priests brought in from elsewhere, except for Father Elder, who teaches at the seminary and returns on weekends.
For now, neighbors and parishioners are left to watch closely, hoping to preserve a church that has anchored the block for more than 170 years.
History of Most Holy Redeemer
Construction of the current church was completed in October 1851.
A major overhaul of the church began in 1912. Many of the renovations are still evident. With a tower that today reaches into the sky far beyond most of the structures of the East Village at 232 feet, it is hard to believe that it once was even taller. The 250-foot tower was reinforced and lowered to its current height and capped with a new copper dome and gold cross.
Founded in 1844 by Redemptorist missionaries, it was initially a small frame building serving the growing German population. The current church, designed in German Baroque style, was completed in 1851 and consecrated in 1852.
Here's a view of the church looking west, dated 1875...
In July 2015, the Church of the Nativity, previously located on Second Avenue between Second Street and Third Street,
closed and merged with Most Holy Redeemer as part of a significant consolidation, reportedly due to changing demographics and a shortage of priests.
H/T Carol from East 5th Street
Previously on EV Grieve:
