Our Lady of Peace Church NYC

Save Our Lady of Peace Church NYC!

Welcome Parishioners, Families, and Friends!

This site was started to support the parishioners, families, and friends of Our Lady of Peace Church, located on East 62nd Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues in New York City, in their effort to preserve this landmarked building and its mission in the neighborhood and community. 

In 1918, the early Italian immigrants founded this parish and many generations have followed and formed bonds with the church.  Set within the Treadwell Farms Landmark area, the buildings are meticulously maintained and are a source of pride within the neighborhood. 

In 2014, the Archdiocese of New York began an initiative under the banner Making All Things New.  One of the objectives of the Archdiocese is the consolidation of parishes.  In August, the parishioners became aware that the Archdiocese issued a recommendation to merge the parish of Our Lady of Peace into another church, St. Vincent Ferrer. The Parish Council and friends of Our Lady of Peace Church disagree with this recommendation for many reasons:

• The financial position of Our Lady of Peace is robust.
• Parishioners, friends, and benefactors are steadfast in their generosity and loyalty.
• The church and rectory are landmarked buildings.
• The church's community outreach programs include RCIA, AA, Al Anon, City Harvest food drives and collections for the Henry Street Settlement.

People have asked us, what will happen to Our Lady of Peace Church if its parish is merged into another?  A recent trend in New York City has seen many churches sold to redevelopers who  are converting them and building residential units.  The New York Landmarks Conservancy has described this growing trend as a crisis: "If a substantial number of Catholic churches are closed or redeveloped, all New York City neighborhoods and other denominations will be impacted."

We hope that visitors to this site - friends of all denominations, non-parishioners, and neighbors -  will join us in our efforts to preserve this beautiful church for future generations.  You can help us by signing our petition in the the rear of the church or online at The Petition Site, by following the Friends of Our Lady of Peace Facebook Page,  Save Our Lady of Peace Facebook group, @FriendsOLPNYC on Twitter, and by writing to the Archdiocese and the Vatican in support of the parish.  Thank you!

UPDATE 7: In a letter dated 10 August 2015, Cardinal Beniamino Stella, Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy at the Vatican, informed the parishioners of Our Lady of Peace that the study of their recourse against the decree of merger has been extended to 1 November 2015.

UPDATE 6:  On 1 August 2015, the people who belonged to the Church of Our Lady of Peace began a 54-Day Miraculous Rosary Novena to Our Lady of Pompeii and their Perpetual Light Vigil on the steps of the church.  The Rosary Novena lasts until September 23, the eve before the arrival of Pope Francis in New York.

UPDATE 5:  On 31 July 2015, the Church of Our Lady of Peace celebrated its last masses while the Archdiocese of New York changed the locks on its doors.  The church is shuttered from public access even while parishioners wait for the Congregation for the Clergy to review the recourse they submitted. 

UPDATE 4: In a letter dated 1 June 2015, Cardinal Beniamino Stella, Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy at the Vatican, informed the parishioners of Our Lady of Peace that the study of their recourse against the decree of merger has been been extended to 1 September 2015.

UPDATE 3: In a letter dated 4 March 2015, Cardinal Beniamino Stella, Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy at the Vatican, informed the parishioners of Our Lady of Peace that their appeal for recourse against the decree of merger has been accepted for review.

UPDATE 2: The Archdiocese of New York finally posted the decrees of mergers on their website on 11 February 2015. The decree for Our Lady of Peace can be viewed under Making All Things New Tab, Decrees.

UPDATE 1: In a letter dated November 2, 2014, Timothy Cardinal Dolan decided that Our Lady of Peace would be merged into St. John the Evangelist at the archdiocese headquarters.  In the archdiocese, 55 churches will be merged. 

Opening the Doors for Steven Moy

July 30, 2016

Steven Thomas Moy would have celebrated his 65th birthday today.  Instead, the doors of Our Lady of Peace Church will be opened for his funeral Mass, celebrated by Father Bartholomew Daly, on Wednesday, August 3, 2016, at ten in the morning. Steven died unexpectedly on June 23 after a brief illness.  

Born in Manhattan, Steven was the eldest son of Moy Nam Hling and Eva Majetich. Steven's father, who later adopted the name George, was born in Canton, China, and immigrated to Chicago, Illinois. George Moy was in the laundry business, where he met Eva Mejetich, a young woman of Croatian descent. The couple eventually located in New York, where their three children were born.

The family experienced hard times in New York. When Steven's mother was hospitalized for a lengthy illness, the children were sent to the Catholic orphanage, St. Joseph's Home for Children, in Peekskill. After the family was reunited,  Steven and his siblings, Sharon Lucille and Don Nicholas, attended Saint Catherine of Genoa School on 153rd Street in Manhattan.  Steven and his brother served as altar boys at Our Lady of Esperanza Church.

"The church was always our first home," said Sharon Moy. "The Catholic schools were stability."

As children, both Steven and Sharon competed in yo-yo contests. Steven won second place in the boy's competition held at the World's Fair in 1965, and was a champion of the Duncan Yo-Yo New York City Spinning Contest. As an adult, Steven delighted in putting on shows for kids, and he performed at the parish talent show.  His email moniker was "yoyomoy."

After graduating from George Washington High School in Washington Heights, Steven was self-employed, and developed electrical contracting and alarm system businesses.  He worked on projects for many of the residents in the Treadwell Farm Historic District, according to Julianne Bertagna, president of the neighborhood association. Steven served on the committee that researched and selected an inclinator device so that handicapped and infirm individuals could access the sanctuary of Our Lady of Peace.

A life-long fascination with mechanics led Steven to develop an interest in cameras and how they work, which led to his avocation as a photographer. 

"He liked capturing an image, telling a story," his sister said. "He took many photos of homeless people, and his images are a way of letting people see his compassion."

Steven Moy also took photographs of the interior and exterior of Our Lady of Peace, some of which he entered in the New York Landmarks Conservancy Sacred Sites Photo Contest, but mostly he photographed the people.  His chronicle of the events preceding the church closure, the NYC Mass Mob and the Founders Day Procession and Mass, and those special services, such as the September Service of Prayer and Music for Childhood Cancer Awareness and December Follow Mary: A Festival of Lessons & Carols, that were held at the steps, are a testimony of the spiritual journey of his extended family - the parishioners of Our Lady of Peace.

"He was a kind and generous man," said Tami Ellen McLaughlin, special events coordinator.  "He gave me his two tickets to see Pope Francis in Central Park last year. I got to know him as our parish events photographer, and I was so happy whenever he could attend."

"Steven always smiled and was gentle with kids," noted Jessica Bede, rosary captain. "His caveat for volunteering to help at the steps was contingent on how his wife, Ana, was feeling.  He was her caregiver. His priorities were always intact." 

Steven Moy and Ana Soto were married by Father Daly at Our Lady of Peace seven years ago.  "Ana was the love of his life," his sister said.

Steven is survived by his wife, Ana Soto; his mother, Eva Moy, who resides in California; his sister, Sharon Moy, and his brother-in-law, David Borgen, who reside in Piedmont, California; his brother, Don, who resides in Santa Monica, California; his niece, Lena Moy-Borgen, and her husband, Zack Tinkelman, who reside in Queens;  his nephew, Max Moy-Borgen;  his niece, Allison Moy-Borgen; his grand-nephew, Nathan Tinkelman; and his sisters-in-law, Terry Gavin and Maria Celine Soto, who resides in Queens. 

In lieu of flowers, charitable contributions may be made to the Friends of Our Lady of Peace, Inc. in memory of Steven Moy. 
Friends of Our Lady of Peace, Inc.   
1173‐A Second Avenue
P.O. Box 263
New York, NY 10065

 

"Blessing the People" by Steven Moy. Photographed at Our Lady of Peace Founders Day Mass, April 26, 2015.   

Click here to see More Photography by Steven Moy

All-Night Vigil and Anniversary of the Church Closing

Saturday, July 30, 2016
ALL-NIGHT VIGIL
6 PM - Angelus
Seventh 54-Day Rosary - Glorious Mysteries
(12th Day of Thanksgiving)
Blessing and Anointing

7 PM - 2000 Hail Mary Devotion
Personal Written Petitions
Deposition of the Petitions in the Urn
Solemn Hymns
Praying of the 15 Mysteries of the Rosary
(This is an event that will be spread out over several hours.  At the first break, the steps will be illuminated.)

9:00 PM -  Illumination of the Steps
(Non-wax candles will be provided. Please do not bring wax candles to the steps if they are not already in suitable glass containers.)

(Breaks will be scheduled throughout the night)

Sunday, July 31, 2016
ANNIVERSARY OF THE CHURCH CLOSING
6 AM - Angelus
Stations of the Cross with Mary
Reading of the Online Petitions
Readings of the Day, 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Conclude with the 12 Noon Angelus

-BREAK-

6 PM - Angelus
54-Day Rosary, Joyful Mysteries
Fatima II Prayer
Litany of Loreto
Prayer to Mary, Queen of Peace

Monday, August 1, 2016
ANNIVERSARY OF THE 54-DAY ROSARY
6 PM - Angelus
54-Day Rosary, Luminous Mysteries
Fatima II Prayer
Litany of Loreto
Prayer to Mary, Queen of Peace
Lighting of the Steps

(Non-wax candles will be supplied. Please do not bring wax candles to the steps unless they are already in suitable glass containers.)


WHERE TO GO FOR BREAKS
Silver Star Diner (Open until 12 Midnight) East 65th Street and Second Avenue;
Ritz Diner (24 Hours) East 62nd Street and First Avenue;
Moonstruck Diner (24 Hours) at East 58th Street and Second Avenue;

Please be advised that this is an OUTDOOR event and that there are no facilities open at the church.
Only water will be supplied for participants during the Anniversary events.
Our Lady of Peace Church, 239-241 East 62nd Street, New York, New York.

PROGRAM GUIDE

Download All-Night Vigil Program for July 2016

 

Soprano Cristina Fontanelli singing Schubert's "Ave Maria" at the Vigil Mass, July 30, 2015.
Photo Courtesy of Robin Platzer

Top of Page - "The Vigil" Design by Joseph Leone.

 

 

The Anointing

Refuge, resolve, reflection at Our Lady of Peace NYC

Next week will mark the first anniversary of Our Lady of Peace as a church on the street. While parishioners are developing plans for a vigil, the rosary group will commemorate the beginning of the 54-Day Rosary, which has endured through seven cycles of novenas, on the first of August. Along the way, stalwart parishioners have survived the harshness of the seasons, but have encountered the ravages of time - sickness, death, disparity,  and Satan.  The faithful attribute their journey to the grace of God with the protection of the Blessed Mother, the patron of Our Lady of Peace.  

On a daily basis. the church on the street lives the prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel. Rosary captain Jessica Bede reflected:  "I  loved that prayer as a child because we pray that he 'cast into hell, Satan and all those seeking the ruin of souls.'  Often, I wonder why we have been allowed to continue, and then, I am forced to pray harder for my enemies.  Along the way, I was instructed to refer to my enemies as those who just sin differently than I do.  It makes it much easier to pray for them considering sin our common denominator rather than title, status, net worth, or good deeds."

Yesterday, on a hot Friday evening, a small group gathered early at the steps before the rosary began and spoke about the daily trials each individual is facing:  Serious trials, not the typical chatter of women about the unavailability of things at the market, nor the dinner they were or were not invited to attend, but the trials of life, illness, family, spiritual equivocation and finances.    The small group included seven of the original members of the Our Lady of Peace Rosary Group, its core in the darkest of times, and people who have shared intimate pain and suffering along with the closing of their church.  

One person was compelled to come, having begun the rosary on a city bus on her mobile phone; yet, something drew her to the steps.  There was a deacon, not a regular, but one who has prayed with the group on occasion, in attendance as well.  The circle of parishioners were resolute in their prayers, and after they completed the evening prayers and petitions, they asked the deacon to bless them.  Aware that church law does not allow the laity to bless each other, the deacon's visits to the church steps have always been a treat, like ice cream during the dog days of summer.  Imagine a blessing after prayers as spiritual dessert.

The deacon graciously blessed the group.  Then he said, in his prayers, he felt that Our Lady was compelling him to do something more.  So he had brought with him blessed oils  - St Joseph’s and St. Anthony's -  to anoint them.  

Those who joined on the phone for the rosary were disappointed that the blessing and anointing could not be sent via the phone line.

Those at the steps each knew why he was sent to them. They had each suffered, or were suffering even now, a serious illness, or a difficult diagnosis, or a miraculous recovery.  It was one of the most palpable moments at the steps, as they stood in a circle, each one waiting for the moment of their anointing.  

It was an affirmation that the laity are continuing to do right and prayerful things; an affirmation that the faithful are being challenged on a daily basis, as they venture into uncharted holiness. It was an affirmation that faith grows and is growing, provided we let it.

And, that even without a church roof, these are still the children of the Almighty who have worth. 

Vigil of the Assumption 2015

 

 

Social Media and Healing through Prayer: Timothy Breen's Story

_{Statue of Saint Therese de Liseaux in the garden of Our Lady of Peace}

July 18, 2016

A year ago today, a simple prayer request was posted on the Facebook page of the Friends of OLP. It was less than two weeks before Our Lady of Peace would close, when a former parishioner, Aileen Kilcommons, wrote a message on the Facebook page and asked the prayer community to pray for her friend's son. The parish was in turmoil, anticipating the the closure of the church, the last Sunday Mass and an All-Night Vigil, and the final four Masses at the end of July. Turning to the social media community, in addition to Our Lady of Peace Prayer Group to lift up prayers, within days, hundreds of people joined the parish in prayers online for Timothy, who was near death on a ventilator.  The number of people grew to more than a thousand, some writing a simple, "Amen," while others wrote heartfelt prayers.

Soon the parishioners were locked outside the church, praying the 54-Day Rosary.  The leaders of the rosary added Timothy's name to the daily petitions, and when they reached the thanksgiving phase of the novena, they gave thanks for Timothy's progress. With each improvement, Aileen would send the social media team her update through Facebook Messenger.  Since Timothy was a young man, the parishioners also prayed to St. Therese of Liseaux, and featured a photograph of her statue in the garden behind the church with their post. Online prayers were also offered to the Blessed Mother to intervene for Timothy's  recovery.  More than 2500 people offered their continued prayers online.

The response from Timothy Breen can be found embedded in the February 28, 2016 post on Facebook. This is a true testimony to the use of social media, prayer and healing. This is God's work, and it is marvelous in our eyes:

"I would personally like to thank all of you who have kept me in their thoughts and prayers throughout my recovery. I am Timothy Breen and I was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome in July of 2015. I have come a long way in my recovery since then; I am not fully healed yet but it is amazing how far I have come in the past seven months. The week I was diagnosed in July I went from waking up and not being able to walk on a Tuesday to waking up early on a Friday morning and not being able to breathe. It was a shock to all of those who knew including myself. From that time on I could not breath on my own and was on a ventilator for four months and I did not have the ability to move anything below my neck. After the disease had practically destroyed my nervous system I began on a long recovery. For the first month I stayed in the Neurological Intensive Care Unit at Columbia-Presbyterian. Two months after my diagnosis I was transferred to a rehabilitation facility where I began intensive physical therapy. It was there that I slowly began to make small movements in my arms. I continued therapy everyday for another two months. At the end of October I became independent of the ventilator and I was transferred to facility that was closer to home. It was there in the middle of November that I began to take my first steps. I continued my therapy everyday and continued to get better at walking. On December 23, 2015 I returned home for the first time in six months. Today, my recovery still continues, and I attend outpatient therapy twice a week. I am now able to walk without a cane and perform most of my daily activities without assistance of others or any other devices. I plan on returning to work next week and I will return to college in the fall. Through the thoughts, prayers, and wishes of many (including all of you) I have made a huge accomplishment in my recovery. I believe miracles can happen and that what has happened to me is nothing short of one. Not just my recovery but the journey I have been on the last six months have taught me about the love and compassion of my family and friends and all of those around me. It has also taught me about fear, vulnerability, and the feeling of being close to death are very real and something that we all experience in our lives. I cannot express how much gratitude I have for all of you who have prayed for me as well as my family, friends, and incredibly skilled and compassionate doctors, nurses, and therapists. I do believe that the power of prayer and spiritual healing have been and are still crucial to my recovery. I would also like to thank Aileen and Katie who brought my story to your prayer group. Thank you for all of you who prayed for me. I will always remember what you have done for me and I will keep your parish in my thoughts and prayers."
- Timothy Breen — posted on Friends of Our Lady of Peace Facebook

Once again the people answered. Here are a few of their responses:

"The power of prayer and love...God is always listening, may he continue to bless you, your family, friends and the Our Lady of Peace community." - Chris W.

"Continuing to pray for Timmy!" - Helen M.

"Congratulations on your recovery. God bless you as you continue your walk." - Angie E.

"Praying for you. God is always good! Keep your faith." - Peggy F.

"Praying for your full recovery. God bless." - Francisca P.

"God bless and continue to heal you." - Gina C.

"TBTG! Will continue to pray for you, Timothy." - Donna B.

"May God continue to heal you. Amen." - Norma V.

"As [to] what you experienced: you're having a new life, a miracle of life. Keep continuing your faith & pray more... I will lift you in my prayers.. God bless." - Edna S.

"Miracle is still at work.. continue Faith journey. God bless u." - Iris S.

"God is good all the time... Keep praying." - Dags L.

 

 

 

 

The Pursuit of Our Lady of Peace

For the first time since the church was closed on July 31, 2015, a letter was sent to Our Lady of Peace parishioners from Bishop John J. O'Hara and the Archdiocese of New York Office of Strategic Pastoral Planning. The Bishop's letter reiterates many of the points that were made in a meeting held on June 17 at the Church of Saint John the Evangelist: namely, that the Archdiocese is engaged in conversations and has been pursuing negotiations to sell Our Lady of Peace to the Coptic Orthodox Church.

Meanwhile, 285 parishioners, neighbors, and local business people signed a letter to Cardinal Dolan asking him to suspend further negotiations while the Vatican appeals process continues. The letter, including 60 pages of signatures, was faxed to Rome and delivered to the Office of the Cardinal yesterday. A hard copy was sent to the Papal Nuncio in Washington, D.C. The overwhelming response from parishioners, neighbors and local businesses to the letter to the Cardinal, made it possible for leaders of the effort to save Our Lady of Peace to gather many signatures in a week's time, including during the July 4th weekend. The response demonstrated support for the recourse process itself, and the desire of many to reopen the church of  Our Lady of Peace for public and private prayer, regular masses and the sacraments.

The Congregation for the Clergy issued an Interlocutory Decree on June 16, having accepted for further study both recourses against the Cardinal's decrees, the first changing the boundaries of Saint John the Evangelist and the second decree merging Our Lady of Peace with Saint John the Evangelist. A parishioner from St. Vincent Ferrer-St. Catherine of Siena also filed recourse against the boundary decree. The Congregation decided to combine the recourse submissions because they are interrelated.

Nevertheless, the Archdiocese of New York, by its pursuit of negotiations to sell the church, is attempting to circumvent the appeals process. Bishop O'Hara's letter holds out the possibility of a weekly mass in the Roman Catholic rite performed in the church after title has changed hands. The obvious question that should be asked is this: If it is possible to hold a weekly mass if the church is sold, why isn't it possible to hold a weekly mass right now? If a former priest of Our Lady of Peace can say a mass as a condition of the Coptic Orthodox obtaining title to the church, why can't he say a mass every Sunday now? If this is indeed possible, where is the so-called "priest shortage?" Why was Our Lady of Peace closed at all?  Concerned parishioners were encouraged to  write letters in response to Bishop O'Hara.

It is obvious that the Archdiocese is determined to sell the property. If the Coptic Orthodox Church is engaged in conversations to purchase a church from the Archdiocese of New York, there are many available churches that are vacant and are not in the middle of an appeal to the Vatican. It does not make sense that the Church of Our Lady of Peace is the only option, and is disingenuous to cloak the sale of the property of Our Lady of Peace in the vestments of ecumenism.

Pope Francis has worked, as have many of his predecessors, toward the goal of Christian unity. In 1973, Pope Paul VI and Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria, Egypt, issued a Common Declaration from the Vatican. This was significant because Alexandria and the Oriental East broke communion with Rome and Constantinople in the fifth century. In 2000, Pope John Paul II traveled to Cairo to meet with Pope Shenouda III. At the first papal Roman Catholic Mass held in Egypt, Pope John Paul II said, ''dialogue and reconciliation will help to find solutions to the problems that still impede full communion.'' On the fortieth anniversary of the historic meeting with Pope Paul VI, Pope Francis met with Pope Tawadros II and gave an address. It was the first time since 1973  that that the Coptic Orthodox Pope visited the Vatican.

The parishioners of Our Lady of Peace are deeply mindful of the persecution of Christians throughout the world, and pray daily for peace at the rosary outside the church. They are aware that there are doctrinal differences between Coptic Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism.  Such doctrinal differences cannot be resolved by taking title to one church on East 62nd Street in New York City. Those issues need to be resolved at the highest levels of diplomacy between the two faiths, as evidenced by the important steps taken at the meetings between the popes.

[The painting of "Our Lady of Peace" by Donatus Buongiorno was restored in 2009 and is situated above the altar.]

 

NY Landmarks Conservancy Sacred Sites: Open House for a Closed Church

_{Listening to the Patriot Brass Ensemble - Photo by TE McLaughlin}

Although the church doors remained closed, parishioners and friends of Our Lady of Peace on East 62nd Street still participated in the New York Landmarks Conservancy Sacred Sites Open House yesterday, holding their events on the street. More than 30 parishioners, neighbors, and supporters attended a Sacred Sites Concert, performed by The Patriot Brass Ensemble, followed by a rosary novena, and refreshments after the concert.  The Friends of Our Lady of Peace, Inc. sponsored the event.

_{Getting Ready for Sacred Sites with Meagan, Shane, Michelle, Meghan and Rene - Photo by TE McLaughlin}

Our Lady of Peace is recognized as a sacred site and architectural gem by the New York Landmarks Conservancy and Friends of the Upper East Side. The architectural anchor of the Treadwell Farm Historic District, the church was designated as a landmark in 1967 by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. The Church of Our Lady of Peace is included in the National Registry of Historic Places and was featured in the New York Landmarks Conservancy Annual Sacred Site Open House Tour in 2015, among 150 other houses of worship in the state.

This year was the New York Landmark’s Conservancy’s Sixth Annual Sacred Sites Open House, and the 30^th anniversary of the Sacred Sites program. Houses of worship are encouraged to participate to build broad community support for the ongoing preservation of historic institutions and inspire residents to be tourists in their own town.

_{Sacred Sites Open House - Photo by Steven Moy}

Guests included a New York University professor of religion, parish rosary group members, and Treadwell Farm Historic District neighbors.  The occasion marked the 11th time the Patriot Brass Ensemble, a non-profit organization with a mission to provide music for Veterans, performed sacred and secular music  at the Church Our Lady of Peace.  Their musical selections brought tears to the eyes of several parishioners, as powerful hymns, including "How Great Thou Art", were played in tribute to the closed church and reminded many of Masses once held inside.

Hymns gave way to prayer as the faithful started the Angelus at six in the evening, followed by the Glorious Mysteries of the 54-Day Miraculous Rosary Novena, the Fatima Prayer, Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Prayer to Mary Queen of Peace. After the evening prayer service, parishioners placed white and yellow roses in vases on the steps in devotion.

The music resumed with plenty of time for  fellowship and refreshments - wine, cheese, fruit and cake -  on the street.  There was even an impromptu phone call and "Happy Birthday" sing-a-along to Father  Bartholomew Daly, the former pastor, who recently celebrated a milestone birthday.

_{Singing Happy Birthday to Father Daly - Photo by TE McLaughlin}

Regina Scudellari , whose great-grandfather Innocenzo Scudellari was one of the first trustees and benefactors of the Church of  Our Lady of Peace, brought her  gifts as a hospital art educator to decorate the church and connect with her heritage.

“Today was a beautiful reunion with those who are passionate about faith and our lovely landmark home,” she explained.  “God is at work here.”

_{Regina making ornaments - Photo by Steven Moy}

Revoked, Redrawn, Remerged: Three Decrees in Three Days

_{Copies of letters from Cardinal Dolan (center) in the back of Saint John the Evangelist}

New York, May 2, 2016  - Cardinal Dolan, Chancellor Mustaciuolo and the team at the Office of Parish Planning must have been in a hurry to get things done last week.  The Congregation for the Clergy had previously issued a review deadline of April 30 on the appeals of two Upper East Side parishes, Our Lady of Peace and St. Elizabeth of Hungary. In an article that appeared on April 28 in Catholic New York, "Two Manhattan Merger Decrees to be Reissued," Cardinal Dolan's spokesperson, Joseph Zwilling told the publication that the Congregation for the Clergy had given some directives to Cardinal Dolan.

"Cardinal Dolan this week plans to revoke the original decrees for the mergers of two sets of Manhattan parishes and then issue new decrees with revised parish boundaries before reissuing the decrees merging the parishes....

The Vatican Congregation for the Clergy, which oversees parish mergers, notified the archdiocese that it should have redrawn the parish boundaries before the mergers were put into effect, not afterward, as the archdiocese had planned."

Zwilling also stated that letters publicizing the new changes would be read at Masses at St. Monica’s and St. John the Evangelist churches the weekend of April 30-May 1, 2016.

Later in the afternoon of April 28, a new page appeared in the archdiocesan website's drop down menu under Making All Things New: Decrees 4/28/2016.  Citing the "useful and pertinent observations of the Congregation for the Clergy," a new decree signed by the Cardinal and the Chancellor revoked the previous decree that merged the territorial parish of Saint John the Evangelist and the personal parish of Our Lady of Peace. The decree was dated April 27, 2016.  Click here to read the decree revoking the merger of November 2, 2014.

For approximately 24 hours, Our Lady of Peace was an independent parish again. The long awaited news reached those assembled at the church steps on East 62nd Street and was announced on the 54-Day Rosary teleconference just as the Angelus was about to begin.  It was the 270th consecutive day of the novena, and the news was regarded as nothing short of miraculous. The celebratory moment was short-lived.

In quick succession, two new decrees were published to the website:  On April 28, a second decree changing the boundaries of Saint John the Evangelist was issued.  The original boundaries of Saint John the Evangelist were East 49th Street to the south, Third Avenue to the West, 59th Street to the north, and the East River. The new decree, which changed the boundaries of Saint John the Evangelist, carved out a section from the territory of Saint Vincent Ferrer-Saint Catherine of Sienna, two territorial parishes that were also merged in 2014. The new boundary decree appears to take the property of Our Lady of Peace and place it the territory of Saint John the Evangelist. Click here to read the decree changing the boundaries.

The third decree, issued on Friday, April 29, and posted on the archdiocesan website  in the late afternoon, was a new decree merging the parishes of Saint John the Evangelist and Our Lady of Peace.  Although the new decree has some different language from the first merger decree, those differences are negligible; and the description of the rights of the parishioners to be members of the merged parish,  and the circumstances during which the church would be open are vague. Click here to read the new decree of merger.

Afterward, a letter from the Cardinal to the parishioners of the merged parishes was posted on the archdiocesan website on Saturday, April 30.  Contrary to the article published in Catholic New York, neither the letter nor the new decrees were read during the Masses. A brief announcement about the "letter from Cardinal Dolan about the expansion of the parish," directed people to the side and rear entrances of Saint John the Evangelist, where they could find the letters.  Parishioners of Our Lady of Peace, who attended all the Masses at Saint John the Evangelist during the weekend, reported that the pastor, Monsignor Douglas Mathers, was not even present.  Click here to read the letter from Cardinal Dolan to the parishioners of Saint John the Evangelist and Our Lady of Peace. *

*UPDATE June 9, 2016:  The letter was taken down from the archdiocese website link on or before June 7, 2016.  To read a copy of the letter that we downloaded from the website, click here: Download  Letter from Cardinal Dolan to Parishioners of SJE 5-1-2016

The immediate publication of the decrees on the archdiocesan website contrasts with the way the archdiocese handled the merger decisions of November 2014.  A that time, only a letter of intent was read by the pastors on All Souls Day. The release of the actual merger decrees was obstructed by the archdiocese.  No one was permitted to receive, pay for, or photograph a copy. It took until February 11, 2015, for the archdiocese to finally post the decrees on its website, and for petitioners at various parishes to obtain the necessary copies, which are required by Canon Law to proceed with recourse to the Vatican. New York Times reporter Sharon Otterman broke the story "New York Archdiocese Parishioners See System of Secrets as They Fight Church Closings" on the next day.

The parishioners of several New York churches, who appealed to the Vatican in 2014 and were given multiple extensions to file recourse materials, received decrees from the Congregation of the Clergy in March 2016. Several of these parishes were merged and open, like the Church of St. Andrew on Cardinal Hayes Place in Manhattan,  or merged and closed, like the Polish parish of St. Joseph in Poughkeepsie, New York.  These two parishes posted the decrees they received from the Congregation for the Clergy online. Click here to view the decree for the parish of St. Andrew.  The decree received by the parishioners of St. Joseph's in Poughkeepsie can be viewed by clicking here.

Parishioners of Our Lady of Peace plan to file another remonstratio asking Cardinal Dolan to rescind his latest decrees and start the appeal process again.

 

 

97th Anniversary of the Dedication of Our Lady of Peace

_{The 54-Day Rosary brings together more than 30 people to start the evening of prayer and remembrance.}

New York, April 14, 2016

Yesterday parishioners of Our Lady of Peace commemorated the 97th Anniversary of the Dedication of the Church, which occurred on Palm Sunday, April 13, 1919. On that day, there was a procession from the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help on East 61st Street, where the parishioners were relegated to worship in the basement, to the new church on East 62nd Street. Archbishop Hayes consecrated this church as a sacred place. The church's titular name was Madonna della Pace, Italian for "Our Lady of Peace," and for the peace that followed the First World War. The church was bought and paid for by its founders and benefactors, who were primarily Italian and Irish immigrants friends of the pastor. With their generous contributions, Father Filippo Leone purchased the church. Last evening, parishioners honored the memory, the generosity, and the sacrifice of their ancestors and the community of the faithful  that preceded them. Once again, they were denied the ability to do so inside the church.

The Glorious Mysteries of the 54-Day Rosary Novena were attended by more than 30 people. Prayers began promptly at 6 p.m. with the Angelus, and concluded with the Litany of Lorreto and the Prayer to Mary, Queen of Peace. Each rosary leader read one of the mysteries and led the recitation of the decades of Hail Marys.

At the conclusion of the rosary, more people arrived, until there were more than 50 men, women, teenagers and children. They joined together in a procession around the Treadwell Farms neighborhood, led by a 4-part brass choir. The musicians of The Patriot Brass Ensemble played Immaculate Mary and Salve Regina, as the parishioners walked two-by two. They carried votive candles, posters, and sang as they walked.

_{Regina, great-granddaughter of one of the two first trustees, benefactor, and founder Innocenzo Scudellari, in procession}

 The anniversary of the dedication of a church is a solemnity.  Thomas G. Simons, author of Holy People, Holy Place: Rites for the Church’s House (LTP: 1998), writes:

“The celebration of the anniversary of the dedication of the parish church building is an often forgotten opportunity to celebrate the life of the local church and re-emphasize to the people the importance of the gathering place for God’s holy people. It is an occasion in which sacred identity and local history become tangible. The continuity of the faith from generation to generation is celebrated” (68).

_{Invocation and welcome}

After the procession, parishioners took seats around the brass and along the curb. Many stood on the other side of the steps. Bound programs, with the artwork of Joseph Leone on the cover, reminded everyone of the posters from the Founders Day Mass, celebrated in April 2015 with more than 400 in attendance.  Shane Dinneen, president of Friends of Our Lady of Peace, read the welcome and invocation. The opening hymn was Veni Creator, a frequent choice for the dedication of a church or anniversary celebration.  Psalm 24 was the first reading and the responsorial psalm was, "How Lovely is Your Dwelling Place." Other readings included an excerpt from the Acts of the Apostles and the Gospel according to John. The complete  program can be downloaded from the link below.

_{I Am the Bread of Life}

At the reading of the names of the founders and benefactors, descendants and other parishioners brought forward their votive candles and placed them on the steps.  The closing hymn, "I Am the Bread of Life," which was sung at the communion on the day the church was locked, brought many parishioners to tears. The sound of the brass swelled and voices rang out with the moving lyrics, "And I will raise you up, and I will raise you up, and I will raised you up on the last day."  Toward the back of the program were two color photographs of the marble tablets on either side of the vestibule of the church, engraved with the names of the original founders and benefactors and the amounts they gave.

_{Last to leave: Regina, Gloria, Joseph and Shane on the steps.}

Descendants of the founders, rosary leaders, and friends ended the evening sitting on the church steps, reminiscing about last year's Founders Day, being inside the church, and discussing the Vatican appeal.

Download the 97th Anniversary Remembrance Program 

The artwork on the cover of the program was cropped from an original poster created by Joseph Leone for Founders Day, April 26, 2015. The 2015 celebration was held in case a centennial did not take place, although the parish had already started planning for the occasion. The parish had previously held huge celebrations on the 50th and 75th Anniversaries. To read more about last year's event, click here.

This year, although the church was shuttered, parishioners sent a request to open the church of Our Lady of Peace for its 97th anniversary to Monsignor Douglas Mathers, pastor of the merged Saint John the Evangelist-Our Lady of Peace parishes. Confidence in his positive response was based on the fact that other merged and closed churches had received decrees with relevant information from the Vatican earlier in March. These decrees, issued by the Congregation for the Clergy, quoted specific canons (1167 and 1168.2) still in effect from the 1917 Pio-Benedictine Code of Canon Law and the jurisprudence of the Holy See regarding parishioners "minimum right of entry."  The Congregation for the Clergy specified that the patronal feast and the anniversary of the dedication of the church were the "minimum right of entry" and should be celebrated in the church.  Monsignor Mathers, who is himself a canon lawyer and vice-chancellor to the Archdiocese of New York, and who has been integral to the parish realignment process since the term of Cardinal Egan, rejected the request. A copy of his letter addressed can be found below.

[Photos by Steven Moy and TE McLaughlin]

Year of Mercy Pilgrimage - Basilica of Old Saint Patrick's and Shrine of the Most Precious Blood

 

"To the one who knocks, the door will be opened." - Matthew 7:8

We are viators on a pilgrimage from one house of God to another, seeking mercy for all. In his book, The Name of God is Mercy,  ‪ Pope Francis wrote: "God forgives not with a decree but a caress." He also said, "The Church...does not wait for the wounded to knock on her doors, she looks for them on the streets." In this journey of faith, from the shuttered Church of  Our Lady of Peace to the Holy Doors of the Shrine of the Most Precious Blood, we seek the spiritual medicine of mercy for ourselves that we might give to others.  We must.  We have been on the street for seven months.

Download YEAR OF MERCY PILGRIMAGE- February 21

"We met at Our Lady of Peace at 8:15 a.m. and by 8:30 a.m.,  we were on our way. Yes, each of the ladies had their hair done for the occasion. All were in their Sunday clothes, not bundled as they are for our services on the street. Each was solemn, each was part of something that was indeed wonderful. The father and daughter team was excited and ready for the experience."  - Jessica Bede, Eucharistic Minister and OLP Rosary Captain

"Celebrating the Jubilee of Mercy means learning how to not remain prisoners of the past. It means believing things can be different." - Pope Francis

"It was very important that we can still rejoice as Our Lady of Peace. It was good to begin the day together to follow the pilgrimage, just as we pray together to follow God's plan for our situation." - Gloria Casugbo, Eucharistic Minister and OLP Rosary Leader

"The driver let us out in front of the main door to the Basilica of Old St. Patrick's Cathedral, and from there we knew we were at home." - Jessica Bede

"The church is beautiful, peaceful and small -  made to order for our group. There were 53 people at the 9:15 a.m. Mass; 12 were from Our Lady of Peace. We wore our sashes and bracelets, and people smiled at us as if we were a tour group, reveling in the serene environs of this warm and inviting site." - Jessica Bede

"Then it began to sink in - with the Lord's Prayer.  As if we were home,  we reached for each others'  hands. Not just in prayer, but in fellowship. As if in a death grip, we held on to each other, but in an absolutely beautiful way. For this is the group that prays outside together, and we know each other, and we know each others' trials, doubts, fears, and faith. It was a spirit filled moment, and it was sad to let go." - Jessica Bede

"Then with the exchange of peace, we walked around to each other, and anyone within reach, to offer a handshake, an embrace, a greeting. We then prepared to receive the Eucharist- ages 15 to 80,  everyone had the same expression as we processed up the main aisle." - Jessica Bede

"Prior to the closing prayer and blessing, the pastor, Monsignor Sakano, welcomed the people from Our Lady of Peace to the Church. He asked where we were from, and we said Manhattan. After Mass, he entertained us and our pilgrimage outside the church, and said that he had spent a year in the rectory at Our Lady of Peace with Monsignor Holland. He did not seem consumed with the same fear of us as others, and it was truly a good feeling." - Jessica Bede

"We then processed to the Shrine of Most Precious Blood and went through the Doors of Mercy with our Sashes in place. We spread about in smaller groups in yet another small church to visit the different parts of the shrine." - Jessica Bede

The Spiritual Acts of Mercy include counseling the doubtful, discovering more about our faith, journeying together to a deeper understanding of our faith, as well as reconciliation.  We are able to experience many of the acts of mercy during our pilgrimage.

"We are ordinary people caring and praying for each other and our church. Our moments of mercy on the streets of New York to unite our parish and neighborhood are just a drop in the bucket of what could be accomplished if Our Lady of Peace is reopened." - Tami Ellen McLaughlin, Lector, Special Events Coodinator and OLP Rosary Leader

Entering the Holy Doors of the Shrine of the Most Precious Blood, every one is given a prayer card. One side has the photo of the entrance to the church.  The other side has the prayer Pope Francis wrote especially for the Jubilee Year of Mercy.

Pope Francis' Prayer for the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy
Lord Jesus Christ, you have taught us to be merciful like the heavenly Father, and have told us that whoever sees you sees Him. Show us your face and we will be saved. Your loving gaze freed Zacchaeus and Matthew from being enslaved by money; the adulteress and Magdalene from seeking happiness only in created things; made Peter weep after his betrayal, and assured Paradise to the repentant thief. Let us hear, as if addressed to each one of us, the words that you spoke to the Samaritan woman: "If you knew the gift of God!"

You are the visible face of the invisible Father, of the God who manifests his power above all by forgiveness and mercy: let the Church be your visible face in the world, its Lord risen and glorified. You willed that your ministers would also be clothed in weakness in order that they may feel compassion for those in ignorance and error: let everyone who approaches them feel sought after, loved, and forgiven by God.

Send your Spirit and consecrate every one of us with its anointing, so that the Jubilee of Mercy may be a year of grace from the Lord, and your Church, with renewed enthusiasm, may bring good news to the poor, proclaim liberty to captives and the oppressed, and restore sight to the blind.

We ask this through the intercession of Mary, Mother of Mercy, you who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen

"May the sweetness of her countenance watch over us in this Holy Year." - Pope Francis

"We spent about 45 minutes there combining touring and praying. There was no room for anger.  Sadness, and a wash of hope prevailed at the Lourdes Shrine with running water. There were only two other people in the church, so we really were able to cover it all. But we were together in yet another small house of prayer, where we did not feel threatened nor did we feel as if we were be solicited." - Jessica Bede

The Nativity of Mercy: Mercy from generation to generation. "We were included in those prophetic words of the Virgin Mary," wrote Pope Francis.

"With sashes in place, we proceeded to breakfast.  There were two tables for 6 available at Ferrara Bakery, and there one more person joined us to complete the group. We stayed a good while, each recalling how much this meant to them, each one thanking the others. Shane and Meagan bought us coffee and cake - in a sweet way, providing the secular indulgence to our very spiritual day." - Jessica Bede

"Merciful like the Father" is the motto of the Jubilee Year.  We don't just think of reconciliation and penance. We think of love and tenderness as we watch Rene and his 15-year old daughter. It brings to mind a quotation by Bishop Albino Luciani, that Pope Francis used in his book:

"He waits. Always. And it is never too late. That's what he's like, that's how he is....he's a father. A father waiting at the doorway."

 

[Photos contributed by TE McLaughlin, Jessica Bede, Melisande Valdes, Rene Diaz]

 

 

Walk with Mary - Prayer Service Commemorating Our Lady of Peace

According to the calendar of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, January 24, 2016, is the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. But it is also one of the days that commemorates Our Lady of Peace in Hawaii and other churches in the United States. Although parishioners of the church made a fourth formal request that a Mass be celebrated in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, they were denied. They received a letter from Msgr. Douglas Mathers, who informed them that January 24 was the feast day of St. Frances de Sales, and for that reason, their request was rejected.   Download Letter from Msgr. Mathers, 13 January 2016

A year ago Sunday, parishioners were preparing to celebrate New York City Mass Mob IV, in the hope of changing the hearts and minds of the decision makers who wanted to close the landmarked church on East 62nd Street.  The church was filled to capacity with a standing room crowd, as it was on numerous occasions. The next day, a snow storm snarled the metropolitan region.  

Now in the middle of one of the most intense blizzards, the Friends of Our Lady of Peace are summoning technology to their aid.  They are offering a telephonic prayer service, Walk with Mary, to commemorate Our Lady of Peace. Prayer services, unlike Masses, can be offered by the laity without clergy. Since the church was shuttered on July 31, 2015, prayer services have been offered for the Vigil of the Assumption, the Assumption, September 11 Memorial, Service for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Festival of Lessons and Carols, and daily rosaries and candlelight vigils.

The attached program below contains all the readings and instructions on how to participate in the teleconference:

Download Prayer Service for Our Lady of Peace