Immaculate Conception Church (Bronx)

The Church of the Immaculate Conception is a Roman Catholic parish church under the authority of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, located at 754 Gun Hill Road, Williamsbridge, Bronx, New York City, New York. The parish was established in 1902-1903.[3] The parish is currently run by Capuchin friars.

The Church of the Immaculate Conception
Immaculate Conception Church on Gun Hill Rd.
General information
Architectural styleItalianate / Neo-Romanesque
Town or cityWilliamsbridge, Bronx, New York City, New York
CountryUnited States
Construction started1902 (first church)[1]
Completed1905 (first church)[1]
1925 (present church)[2]
ClientRoman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
Technical details
Structural systemMasonry brick

The third pastor (appointed in 1906), the Rev. Contantino Cassaneti was chaplain on the public work of the Croton Dam, and had the temporary chapels of St. Michael and St. Mary's erected at Peekskill Quarry, New York, on the suggestion of the contractor and builder J. J. Coleman.[1]

Parish history

An Immaculate Conception parish church was around in 1892 for the German community, located at 151st Street, near Third Avenue.[4] That, and other Immaculate Conceptions (on Manhattan's 14th Street and in Queens) are not connected with this parish. "In December 1902, Cardinal Farley assigned to the Rev. Joseph Cirincione the task of organizing the parish of the Immaculate Conception for the Italians of this neighborhood."[1] In November 1903, Rev. Patrick J. Lennon succeeded in the pastorate and began the work of building a church, which was contributed to by Cardinal Farley, Msgr. Lavelle, and the Jesuits of St. Ignatius and St. Francis Xavier.[1] That first church structure "was dedicated October 8, 1905.[1] It is situated on the corner of Maple and Briggs Avenues."[1] In 1914, "the congregation numbers about 1,500, and the value of the church property is estimated at $23,000."[1]

Buildings

On December 23, 1923, the previous structure burned. The present Italianate - Neo-Romanesque brick twin-towered church , across Gun Hill Road from the previous church, was built in 1925, designed by architect Joseph Ziccardi.

The rectory address is 754 East Gun Hill Road, Bronx NY 10467.[5]

Priests
  • Rev. Joseph Cirincione (1902-1903)[1]
  • Rev. Patrick J. Lennon (1903-1906)[1]
  • Rev. Contantino Cassaneti (March 25, 1906-?)[1]
  • Father John LoSasso ca. 1996 [1]
  • Father John Aurilia, present.

Immaculate Conception Catholic Elementary School

The parochial elementary school opened in 1950. As of 2011, it is staffed by fourteen Religious Sisters and lay faculty members. "The school offers a full curriculum from Early Childhood - Pre Kindergarten - Kindergarten to Grade Eight.... More than 95% of our graduates are accepted into the top Catholic High Schools of the Archdiocese or Charter High Schools in the city of New York."[6]

References
  1. Remigius Lafort, S.T.D., Censor, The Catholic Church in the United States of America: Undertaken to Celebrate the Golden Jubilee of His Holiness, Pope Pius X. Volume 3: The Province of Baltimore and the Province of New York, Section 1: Comprising the Archdiocese of New York and the Diocese of Brooklyn, Buffalo and Ogdensburg Together with some Supplementary Articles on Religious Communities of Women.. (New York City: The Catholic Editing Company, 1914), p.386.
  2. See Thomas J. Shelley, The Archdiocese of New York: the Bicentennial History, (New York: Archdiocese of New York / Strasbourg: Éditions du Signe, 2007), p.231.
  3. Immaculate History Archived 2010-08-15 at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved 11 May 2011.
  4. The World Almanac 1892 and Book of Facts (New York: Press Publishing, 1892), p.390.
  5. Joe McMahon, Bronx Catholic "Immaculate Conception, Gun Hill Road, Williamsbridge", "This is an attempt to index references to The Bronx in "The Archdiocese of New York: the Bicentennial History," a marvelous 624-page book written by Thomas J. Shelley. The 2007 book may still be available at the St. Patrick Cathedral gift shop. The strength of this blog will be in the alphabetic list of labels to the right, or use the search box at top left. The blog format requires that entries move from recent to old. I continue to add photos and information." (Retrieved 11 May 2011)
  6. Immaculate Conception School Philosophy: Where Faith and Education Shape The Leaders of Tomorrow, Official School Website (Retrieved 12 May 2011.

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