St. Agnes Church

The Church of St. Agnes is a Roman Catholic parish church in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, located at 143 East 43rd Street, Manhattan, New York City. The parish was established in 1873.ParishThe parish was intended to serve Italian laborers of Grand Central Terminal and Depot. Rev. Harry Cummings Macdowell, nephew of Father Jeremiah Cummings of St. Stephen's, was the first pastor, assisted by Rev. A. Catoggio. The parish was organized on July 13, 1873. Macdowell had rented a hall over Croton Market on 42nd St. as a temporary chapel and passed out handbills to announce the fact to the local Catholic residents.A Sunday school was begun on 43rd St. The parish school, located at 152 East 44th Street, was organized in 1893.The church hosted Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen's radio and television broadcasts on behalf of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith for over half a century. The broadcasts, including the famous "Death of Stalin," were some of the most important influences in reshaping mainstream twentieth-century American attitudes on Catholicism. As an important venue for media, and with its proximity to the center of New York City, the church often played hosts to rallies, such as the starting point for John Cardinal O'Connor's anti-abortion march from this church.BuildingsThe church was built 1873-1877 to the designs of Lawrence J. O'Connor. Builders were Moran and Armstrong and Michael J. Newman. The basement was completed and used as a chapel which was dedicated by John Cardinal McCloskey on January 11, 1874. A Celtic cross crowned the gable. The sanctuary contained a chancel window depicting St. Agnes. The completed church was dedicated by Cardinal McCloskey on May 6, 1877.