How about we step back to 1918 on Staten Island? The story of St. Clare Catholic Church begins then. Nearby St. Patrick’s Church established St. Clare’s as a mission in Great Kills. This humble beginning marked the start of a spiritual home for many.
In 1921, St. Clare’s erected a modest white clapboard church. It served the growing congregation. Just four years later, in 1925, St. Clare’s became an independent parish. This independence signified its increasing importance.
The 1950s brought large-scale growth to the parish. To accommodate this expansion, a much larger colonial-style church was built between 1958 and 1960. Cardinal Spellman dedicated it on May 22, 1960. The original church was moved a short distance. It continues to serve as the parish chapel. This shows a blend of the old and the new.
In 1979, St. Clare’s added the Cardinal Cooke Center. It houses a parish hall and a gymnasium. This addition provided space for community activities.
As of 2008, St. Clare Church was huge. It had over 7000 registered families. This made it the largest Roman Catholic parish on Staten Island. It may even have been the largest in the Archdiocese of New York.
The music at St. Clare’s is beautiful. In 2002, the Peragallo Pipe Organ Company enlarged the existing organ. The M.P. Möller organ was from 1959. Peragallo reused all the Möller pipework. They added new gallery divisions with pipe and digital ranks. The entire organ is controlled by a movable console. It has three manuals and terraced drawknobs. It is located in the chancel.
The original organ was built in 1959 by M.P. Möller. The company installed a modified “Double Artiste”. It was in a chamber on the right side of the chancel. A four-rank Antiphonal division was exposed in the gallery. The chancel Swell and Great divisions each had three ranks. They were separately enclosed. Möller provided a two-manual tilting-tablet console in the chancel. The organ cost $14,320 in 1959.
St. Clare Church stands as a testament to faith. It reflects community growth. From its humble beginnings as a mission, it has become a pillar of Staten Island. Its history is etched in every brick. The echoes of hymns fill its halls. St. Clare’s continues to be a beacon of hope for generations to come.