“More than 20 percent of our New York City neighbors have difficulty affording food.” This is a stark reminder of the vital role St. Augustine’s Roman Catholic Church once played in its community.
St. Augustine’s was a Roman Catholic parish church in the Bronx. It stood at 1183 Franklin Avenue. The church served the Morrisania neighborhood.
Let’s journey back to 1849. The parish was established as the Bronx drew German and Irish residents. The first mass was in a private home on Boston Road. In 1850, the Morrisania site was purchased. A small wooden church was quickly built.
By 1858, a brick church replaced the wooden one. Archbishop John Hughes dedicated it. In 1894, disaster struck. A fire destroyed the structure. But from the ashes rose a new St. Augustine’s. It was dedicated in 1895.
Architect Louis H. Giele designed the new church. It showcased Baroque Revival and Renaissance Revival elements. The AIA Guide to New York City described it as imposing. Renaissance and Baroque elements combined in its facade.
As the 20th century dawned, Irish, German, and Italian immigrants swelled the parish. To serve them, a parochial school opened in 1906. The Augustine Society of Tompkinsville filed plans for the school. Architect J. O’Connor designed the two-story brick school. It cost $50,000.
The church faced challenges. Ongoing construction and debt led to the Diamond Jubilee Campaign. It proved inadequate. Post-World War II white flight and demographic changes affected the congregation. By the late 1960s, drug-related issues further reduced the parish.
St. Augustine’s remained a beacon of hope. It held weekly masses in three languages. It sponsored community programs like a food pantry and youth dances. In the 1970s, leaders strategized to improve the community. Franciscans ministered to children and the elderly.
St. Augustine’s School of the Arts was established in 1979. It offered an arts-based curriculum. The Alpha Housing Coalition assisted tenants. The church joined the SHARE Program providing food packages for community service. It co-founded South Bronx Churches in 1987.
In 2009, St. Augustine’s Church developed leaks. It was deemed unsafe. Worship services moved to the school auditorium. The Rev. Thomas Fenlon sought a developer to demolish the church. He wanted to build affordable housing and a smaller church.
In late 2013, St. Augustine’s Church was demolished. The rectory and convent also disappeared. Today, only memories remain of this once-vibrant church.
Before its demolition, St. Augustine’s School was located at 1176 Franklin Avenue. It faced closure in 2011 due to dwindling enrollment and deficits. The school served as a place of worship after the church was deemed unsafe. Despite financial struggles, nearly all its students graduated and went to college.
Today, the legacy of St. Augustine’s lives on through its food pantry. The pantry operates from the former parish. Volunteers from Our Lady of Victory serve their hungry neighbors. They provide food to New Yorkers in need. The food pantry stands as a testament to the church’s enduring commitment to its community.