St Stephen's Church
The History of
St Stephen’s Church
The Catholic Church in the United States of America., Vol.II , The province of Baltimore and New York, 1909, The Catholic Editing Company, New York. P 228 Para 4-11
St Stephen- New York, NY- In the Month of November, 1848,Rev.Jeremiah W. Cummings, an American priest who had been graduated with distinction at Rome, was appointed by Archbishop Hughes to Organize a parish and build a church on Madison Avenue near twenty eighth Street. The site at first selected was on the block now covered by Madison Square Garden and at a temporary Church was erected there at a cost os $14,000 and dedicated on December 23,1849,by Archbishop Hughes. Soon after its erection, however, the Harlem Railroad company gained possession of the rest of the block and the noise and confusion of shifting cars and other din connected with a railway station made the site unsuitable for a church. After this nuisance had been endured for five years, the site was finally sold on January 6, 1853, to the railroad company, for $46,000 and a new grounds were bought on the north side of Twenty eighth street near Lexington Avenue. The new church was designed by James Renwick; the lots cost about $40,000 and the church some $50,000, with out including a fine organ. It was opened on March 5, 1854, though the solemn dedication was deferred till the return of Archbishop Hughes. On the opening day the High Mass was offered by the Very Rev. William Starrs,V G. The Solemn dedication took place on May 21,1854.
Dr Cummings remained pastor of St Stephen’s until his death, January 4, 1866. He was born in Washington in April,1814.
Before the death of Dr Cummings it had become clear that the church was much too small for its congregation and in 1865 the work of extending it through to the next street was began and finished in 1866 by Dr McGlynn, at the cost of $100,000. The entire value of the church in 1909 was 700,000.
The Church is one of the finest in the city. Above the high Altar is a crucifixion by Brumidi and other paintings are Immaculate Conception and the Martyrdom of St Stephen. The altars are among the finest ever made for a Catholic Church in the Country.
The Pastors and Assist Priests of St Stephen’s Church
St Stephen’s Church
The Catholic Church in the United States of America., Vol.II , The province of Baltimore and New York, 1909, The Catholic Editing Company, New York. P 228 Para 4-11
St Stephen- New York, NY- In the Month of November, 1848,Rev.Jeremiah W. Cummings, an American priest who had been graduated with distinction at Rome, was appointed by Archbishop Hughes to Organize a parish and build a church on Madison Avenue near twenty eighth Street. The site at first selected was on the block now covered by Madison Square Garden and at a temporary Church was erected there at a cost os $14,000 and dedicated on December 23,1849,by Archbishop Hughes. Soon after its erection, however, the Harlem Railroad company gained possession of the rest of the block and the noise and confusion of shifting cars and other din connected with a railway station made the site unsuitable for a church. After this nuisance had been endured for five years, the site was finally sold on January 6, 1853, to the railroad company, for $46,000 and a new grounds were bought on the north side of Twenty eighth street near Lexington Avenue. The new church was designed by James Renwick; the lots cost about $40,000 and the church some $50,000, with out including a fine organ. It was opened on March 5, 1854, though the solemn dedication was deferred till the return of Archbishop Hughes. On the opening day the High Mass was offered by the Very Rev. William Starrs,V G. The Solemn dedication took place on May 21,1854.
Dr Cummings remained pastor of St Stephen’s until his death, January 4, 1866. He was born in Washington in April,1814.
Before the death of Dr Cummings it had become clear that the church was much too small for its congregation and in 1865 the work of extending it through to the next street was began and finished in 1866 by Dr McGlynn, at the cost of $100,000. The entire value of the church in 1909 was 700,000.
The Church is one of the finest in the city. Above the high Altar is a crucifixion by Brumidi and other paintings are Immaculate Conception and the Martyrdom of St Stephen. The altars are among the finest ever made for a Catholic Church in the Country.
The Pastors and Assist Priests of St Stephen’s Church
First pastor:- Dr. Jeremiah W. Cummings,D.D., December,1849 to January 1866, under whom served Rev.Fathers Joseph Andrade, Ambrose Manahan,D.D., James Quinn, John McCarthy, John L. Doyle, Louis Gambosville, Wm.H. Clowry, John Arsenigo, and Edward McGlynn D.D.
Second pastor:- Rev. Edward Mcgynn,D.D., January 1866 to January 1887
Third Pastor:- Rev.Charles H. Colton , September 1887 to 1903
Fourth Pastor:- Rt. Rev. Thos. F. Cusack, D.D., 1904 to 1915
Fifth Pastor:-His Eminence, Cardinal Patrick j Hayes, D.D., 1915 to 1919
Sixth Pastor:- Rev. Francis P.J. Cummings,1919 to 1922
Seventh Pastor:- Rt.Rev. William A. Courtney, Sept.1922 to August,1948
Eighth Pastor:- Rev. Michael A. McGuire September 15,1948
Rev. Dr Cummings
Jeremiah Cummings was born at Washington, D.C., April 5, 1824. He was of North Ireland Protestant stock, his ancestors having immigrated to this country from the North of Ireland about the year 1782, during the heat of the Revolutionary War. Shortly before the birth of Father Cummings, his mother entered the Catholic Church, which resulted in an estrangement from her family. At the age of fourteen he began his studies for the Priesthood. He was ordained January 3rd, 1847 by Monsignor Brunelli, and received his degree of Doctor of Divinity at the hands of Pope Gregory XVI. Returning to America, he was assigned to the Cathedral parish of the Diocese- in those days, St Patrick’s in Mott Street. Shortly thereafter he was assigned to prepare for the founding of St Stephen’s Parish; He threw himself with ardor into the work of raising funds and getting his Parish started. The Parish of St Stephen’s was cut out of the Parish of St John the Evangelist which at that time was situated at the present site of the Cathedral at 50th Street and Fifth Avenue, and the Parish of the Nativity on lower Second Avenue. Work had already begun on the extension of the Church when on January 4, 1866 Dr Cummings died. He was buried on January 8th from the church he had founded and although it was bitterly cold because of the portions of the walls were open with the work of extension, the church was thronged with people. (From the “Centennial Journal, 1848-1948”, Nov.29th, 1948 P.13)
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