Considering a residential conversion? That’s the buzz around Saint Columba’s Church these days. But let’s rewind to when its story began.
Saint Columba’s Church stands as one of the oldest Catholic churches in New York City. Its history began in 1845. Catholic residents in Chelsea wanted a closer church. The closest one was St. Joseph in Greenwich Village. Bishop Hughes assigned Rev. Patrick Joseph Bourke to the task.
Father Bourke first held services in a small frame building. It was on 27th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues. Then, he acquired a boathouse at 24th and 8th. Bishop Hughes laid the cornerstone on May 22, 1845. Parishioners built the Saint Columba’s Church. They were laborers at the west side docks. They spent evenings at the site after work. Saint Columba’s was dedicated on October 2, 1845. Coadjutor bishop John McCloskey did the honors.
Father Bourke sometimes preached in Irish. He resigned due to poor health. Rev. Michael McAleer succeeded him. The parish suffered during the cholera season of 1849. McAleer slept on a couch ready to serve. A horse and wagon were prepared for emergencies.
Upon Father Prat’s death in 1908, Rev. Thomas A. Thornton became pastor. Thornton also oversaw the New York Catholic Schools. Three parish priests served in World War II. In 2015, Saint Columba’s parish merged with Guardian Angel.
Inside Saint Columba’s, three oil paintings depict Saint Columba’s life. Stained glass windows showcase Columba, Saint Patrick, and Saint Brigid.
Father McAleer started the parish school in 1848. A brick building replaced the frame one in 1856. Brothers of the Christian Schools taught the boys. The Sisters of Charity taught the girls. In 1866, the sisters opened the Academy of St. Angela for young ladies. It was on 22nd Street. The third school building was dedicated in 1909. Its cornerstone read “For God and Country”. Saint Columba elementary school closed in June 2006.
The church at 343 West 25th Street includes the rectory. The school building is at 331 West 25th Street. The convent at 329 West 25th Street housed retired nuns.
Saint Columba parish is located among high-rise housing projects. The low redbrick facade is rather plain. Originally, Gothic pinnacles graced the exterior. A simple narthex was added in 1915. A bell peers over the facade. A tower was never built. A grand parochial school building stands tall. It was built in 1909. It features Gothic tracery and separate entrances for boys and girls.
Inside, the colorful interior surprises visitors. Beams supporting the ceiling tell stories of Irish shipwrights. Saint Columba’s houses a treasure chest of artifacts. Furnishings transform a simple hall into a Catholic worship space. Statues and devotions are abundant. Rich brown wood accents the pews, confessionals, and roof beams. The windows provide colorful illumination.
The massive two-level stone high altar dates to 1930. It unifies the space around the altar of sacrifice.
Saint Columba’s is a survivor. It was born amidst crises of Irish immigration and cholera epidemics. It has endured to the present day. It offers a lesson in history and Catholicism.