The religious site that I chose for my course assignment is the Church of Saint Raymond, a historical landmark. One could say that it definitely stands out boldly in the neighborhood that its located in which is the Castle Hill/ Parkchester proper in the Bronx. Growing up I frequently visited the church and was always astounded by its massive size and incredible architecture. Compared to the dimly lit parish of Santa Maria, which always smelled like wet wood (and still does), it always seemed unreal being inside. I was born and baptized a Roman Catholic, and became a parishioner of Santa Maria church located in the Zerega Avenue neighborhood of the northeast Bronx. I attended school, played on the basketball team, and was an altar server there as well. Santa Maria and St. Raymond’s always had a big rivalry when it came to the basketball season. Growing up I was fortunate enough to have attended several summers the “St. Ray’s” annual basketball training camps where I had the pleasure of meeting both college, and professional basketball players. Besides its beautiful and massive church, Saint Raymond’s has two separate elementary schools, one for boys and one girls, and a high school for boys. Its high school basketball team, “The Ravens” has a great reputation known on a national level. Another thing that I should not fail to mention is St. Raymond’s Cemetery, which is one of the busiest cemeteries in New York City. It is located in the north eastern part of the Bronx in a sector that in ranges from the Bruckner Expressway, Cross Bronx Expressway, the Hutchinson River Parkway and ends in Ferry Point Park by the Whitestone. It has an estimate of 4,000 annual burials.
The parish was established in 1842 when the land was acquired ...
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...urgical calendar the weekly estimated attendance of churchgoers can range from around 1,500-2,000. Out of those numbers there are currently about 1,200 registered parishioners.
Works Cited
"The Byzantine Revival." The Byzantine Revival. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
"Church of Saint Raymond - Education." Church of Saint Raymond - Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
"Gothic Revival." - New World Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
"St. Raymond Catholic Church - Bronx, N.Y." St. Raymond Catholic Church - Bronx, N.Y. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
Photos taken and edited by myself on premises “The Church of Saint Raymond” with a SGH-I357 Samsung Galaxy S4 Active 15 Apr. 2014
*All photos taken by myself except for St. Raymond’s Ravens team logo
"St. Raymond High School for Boys." St. Raymond High School for Boys. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
Where did Ray went to high school during his sophomore year? A: Kathleen High School (p. 38)
Sitting on a hill overlooking the community of Schnellville, Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church stands in the middle of the rural and unique township of Schnellville, Indiana. Most often referred as Sacred Heart, the church is the most visible and prominent building in Schnellville. Many Catholic churches located in Dubois County boast standing more than 100 years including the following: St. Anthony Church in St. Anthony, St. Ferdinand Church in Ferdinand, St. Mary Church in Ireland, St. Joseph Church in Jasper, and St. Henry Church in St. Henry. Since Schnellville received its first parish in 1874, Sacred Heart Catholic Church has endured and grown through two fires in 1898 and 2003, a complete renovation in 1914, numerous priests, and
Blessed Raymond of Capua. The Life of Saint Catherine of Siena . Trans. George Lamb. New York: P.J. Kennedy and Sons, 1960.
The parish of St. Anthony is located in the section of the Bronx known as "Morrisania". It was founded by Father Otto F. Strack, a German immigrant who served from 1903 until 1915. On April 30, 1905, the building was inaugurated it at first served as a church, school, And convent.
My class, 2C, had just completed our hour of reflection in the atrium and we were rewarded with a few blissful minutes of leisure on the luxurious playground of Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School. We traded our self-induced indolence for carefree play and merrymaking. As I frolicked around with my comrades I paused for an ephemeral glance at my kingdom. I owned the playground and ruled with a heavy hand. My dominion encompassed the territory as far as the eye could see which, to my keen eyes, ended at the corner of Shamrock Drive and North Sharon Amity Road.
The original church was built in 1804 and was for both white men and Indians alike. The first preacher was Joseph Brady who was pastor for 17 years. It wasn't a greatly populated area but people came from miles around for the services. As the settlement grew so did the congregation and they soon built a new church on High Street in 1841. Even with the main church there were still occasional services held in the old one until is was blown down by a storm in 1866 (Hein, 957).
In 1858 New York City laid down the first cornerstone of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral on 5th Avenue. Opening its doors after only a short 21 years in 1879 Saint Patrick’s Cathedral drew visitors from all over. Paid for by poor immigrants in the city, this cathedral stands towering, proud, and beautiful nearly 158 years later. The foremost theme of this basilica is of the Gothic style. Attention to this specific place of worship is due to the majesty of the building. Choosing this church was not challenging due to the fact that there are of 5 Patrick’s, an Erin, and an Irelyn within my family. Needless to say, my blood is heavily laced with Irish roots. In addition to my own family history, I believe that New York City is one of the utmost remarkable cities in the world. As of 2014, the amount of money that has gone into creating, renovating, and repairing this massive cathedral is beyond 300 million dollars. Yet, currently—since 1911—Saint Patrick’s Cathedral on 5th Avenue, New York City, New York, is 100% debt free. The taxes paid by the immigrants in the 19th century and the donations made since then have been plenty, and generous.
The image of the Virgin Mary seen by Juan Diego has changed the world. About forty years after Mary’s appearance to Diego, it is believed to be a turning point in western civilization. At this time there were a lot of copies of the painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe being circulated around Europe and one ended up in the hands of Admiral Giovanni Andrea Doria. The King of Spain gave this special copy to him. There were three hundred Turkish ships blocking the Gulf of Lepanto and the admiral was given command of a squadron to sail to the blockade. The Christian fleet consisting of about three hundred ships was to meet the Turkish navy head on. However, the Turkish outmaneuvered the Christian forces. It is said that when this crucial hour was at hand, Doria went into his cabin to kneel and pray before the Image of Guadalupe. By nightfall the direction of the battle started to shift. One Turkish squadron was defeated and captured causing the others to panic which lead to the destruction of the whole fleet. Fifteen thousand Christians that were enslaved in the Turkish galleys were freed. This battle marked the end of the Ottoman Empire’s expansion into the western Mediterranean.1
For this this assignment I attended a religious service at a Catholic church. I went to the weekly Sunday Mass at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Naperville, Illinois. Since it was my first time every going to a Sunday mass, and first time going to a Catholic Church, I decided on going with one of my Catholic friends, so he can help me out and make me feel like less of an outsider. He told me when to stand up, kneel, and sit down; as well as what to do.
"Our Pastors & Staff." First United Methodist Church in Monroe Louisiana. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
Feduccia, Robert, and Nick Wagner. Primary Source Readings in Catholic Church History. Winona, MN: Saint Mary's, 2005. Print.
I begin each day by taking a seat in a wooden chair near the doors of the room at St. Paul’s Newman Center called “the lounge.” I have spent a fair amount of time studying at the Newman Center and I have seen numerous others students studying and lounging in this room, but before this year it was seldom a spot that seemed conducive for studying. In the center of the west wall there is a clock. The clock makes a buzzing sound that seems to fill the whole room. Just below the clock a picture of the Madonna holding the Infant Jesus with his arms outstretched seems to call the wayward children who have wandered to the Western half of the room, furnished with tan chairs and couches. They are small and covered with coarse material, but soft. They form a semi-circle around a television and VCR on a double shelved metal cart occupying the northeast corner.
"St. Gabriel, the Archangel - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online." St. Gabriel, the Archangel –
Pollen, John Hungerford. "St. Ignatius Loyola." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 7. New York: Robert Appleton Company,1910. 23 Mar. 2014 .