[EVG file photo]
This past summer, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York desacralized the former Church of the Nativity on Second Avenue between Second Street and Third Street ... clearing the way for a potential sale of the desirable property.
Tomorrow afternoon, Friends of Nativity Church and the Cooper Square Community Land Trust are holding a prayer service at the Most Holy Redeemer on Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B... before walking over to the Second Avenue building.
According to the flyer, participants will pray "that the resources of Nativity & Most Holy Redeemer be used to serve the most needy among us and for the good of the world." (AKA, Please don't tear down the church and build luxury condos.)
The church closed in July 2015 as part of a massive consolidation reportedly due to changing demographics and a shortage of priests available to say mass. The Church of the Nativity merged with Most Holy Redeemer.
The Friends of Nativity had previously proposed a Dorothy Day Shrine and retreat center with services for the homeless at 44 Second Ave. (Read more about that proposal here.)
Archdiocese officials allow 10 days for parishioners to appeal the decree of a closed church. In this case, the Archdiocese made the announcement this summer on the Friday before the long July 4 holiday weekend.
Updated 10 a.m.
Just received the news release on the service...
Parishioners and friends of the former Church of the Nativity will gather for a prayer service on Dec. 2, led by Father Sean McGillicuddy at 1:30 PM at the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer followed by a Walk to Church of the Nativity and remarks and prayers in front of the church at 2:30 PM.
The former parishioners of the Church of the Nativity are advocating that the site be used to serve the most needy, hopefully by providing low income housing in a neighborhood that is rapidly gentrifying.
The parish was first established in 1842 and for time was a Jesuit mission parish. Dorothy Day, the co-founder of the Catholic Worker, who is being proposed for canonization, was a parishioner. Her Funeral Mass was held there in 1980.
In the spirit of Dorothy Day and Pope Francis, Joanne Kennedy, a parishioner of Nativity and Most Holy Redeemer and member of the Catholic Worker stated: "Other shuttered Catholic churches nearby have been sold to developers for luxury housing, including Mary Help of Christians. This cannot happen here, where Dorothy came to pray."
The Cooper Square Community Land Trust and Nativity/Most Holy Redeemer parishioners have requested a meeting with Cardinal Dolan to discuss a proposal to redevelop the site as low-income housing for families, seniors, disabled and the homeless, a community center (to replace homeless services lost when the Holy Name Center closed) as well as a small meditation room dedicated to Dorothy Day.
The Cooper Square Community Land Trust has been protecting and preserving affordable housing in the Lower East Side for over 20 years, and in collaboration with the Cooper Square MHA owns, manages and operates 21 buildings.
Previously on EV Grieve:
As the Church of the Nativity closes for good tonight, take a look at the original structure
Parishioners fight to save the Church of the Nativity on 2nd Avenue