Honestly, I am shocked my last post was in 2011 -- it seems like maybe a only year has passed. But regardless, it is really time to gear up this project...especially since nine parishes are being closed this summer. I kept telling people I am visiting all 98 Catholic Churches in Manhattan, so I need to stick to that before the list starts dwindling.
This morning I visited St. Stephen of Hungary's for Palm Sunday Mass. I just noticed it the other day while heading to Patsy's on 117th -- there is also a St. Elizabeth of Hungary just two block away. Unfortunately, both are scheduled to close this year (well, the official term is "merge" but just like "laid off" basically means fired....merged in this instance means closed). St. Stephen's has a K-8 school that looks adorable -- I was looking in all the windows before I realized it was creepy (especially as my child is basically a "grown man"....the words are his, the quotes are mine because he is not "quite" grown, in my humble (and correct) opinion).
Okay -- back to the church...the outside is old school NYC Catholic Church -- bonus points for the GIRLS and BOYS separate entrances. But inside, I was surprised. It was beautiful, but on the more modern side -- clean with non fussy architecture. It felt very calming and I wish I wasn't so lazy because I am curious if the interior is original -- or if it was updated at some point after it opened in 1902.
The church wasn't crowded but wasn't empty either. I was happy to see little kids at the Mass -- I didn't realize until this morning that you don't see little kids at Mass that often (or at least the masses I have been going to -- but both churches that I have been attending most often have older populations, so it makes sense). It seemed like a good community -- people seemed to know each other and were chatting after Mass.
Afterwards, I stopped at Annelise's on 1st avenue -- coffee and rugelach. Every Catholic Mass should end with Jewish pastries. It was delicious and I appreciated the rack of magazines to read while you drank your coffee. I promise it won't be as long for the next post...but that bar was set pretty low!
NOTE: I am an idiot. I was just reading some of my back posts after I published this and I already used Annelise's coffee shop when I visited St. Monica's almost 4 years ago! And I even commented on the magazines. I am pathetic...and need to get out more.
