Church of the Annunciation (New York City)

The Church of the Annunciation is a Roman Catholic parish church, located in Manhattanville/West Harlem in Manhattan. Founded in 1853, it is a parish of the Archdiocese of New York under the pastoral care of the Piarist Fathers The church is located at 88 Convent Avenue. Annunciation School is located at 461 West 131st Street. The pastor is the Rev. Jose A. Gimeno-Ortega, Sch.P.HistoryThe parish was founded in October, 1852 by Archbishop John Hughes with the Rev. Arthur J. Donnelly as the first pastor.The congregation first met in a donated colonial-style house that also included classrooms and sleeping quarters for the students of nearby Academy of the Holy Infancy, the precursor to the present Manhattan College. The cornerstone of the church was laid at West 131st St and Old Broadway on November 27, 1853 by Archbishop Gaetano Bedini, the first Papal envoy to the United States. The church was completed and dedicated in the Winter of 1854 by the Very Reverend William Stares, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of New York. Students of Manhattan College used the church for prayer, retreats, baccalaureate Masses and graduation.By the turn of the 20th century, Manhattanville became more urbanized from country estates in the previous century. The congregation, largely Irish outgrew the old church. The cornerstone for a new church was laid at West 131st St and Convent Avenue in September 1906. The church was completed and dedicated on December 15, 1907 by Archbishop John Farley. The church building seats 700. The stained glass windows, brass altar rail and baptismal font were taken from the old church.