Showing posts with label School. Show all posts
Showing posts with label School. Show all posts

Thursday, July 9, 2020

Parish schools sudden closure 7.9.2020

Link to article in The Riverdale Press HERE.

 St. John's, Kingsbridge Avenue
Our Lady of the Assumption, Pelham Bay.
Sts. Philip and James, East 213th St. and Boston Road.
Nativity of Our Lady, Dyre Avenue
St. Luke, East 139th Street
St. Thomas Aquinas, West Farms

 The press release from the archdiocese is linked HERE.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Bronx elementary school statistics

The Bethpage NY public library has just purchased a copy of the Official Catholic Directory 2019. This analysis is based on the figures reported to the OCD, with two caveats. Some figures are unreliable, as the same enrollment appears yearly, and is obviously not updated. Also, if the enrollment numbers are bloated by Pre-K 3 and Universal Pre-Kindergarten, city-funded programs, I have yet to learn how many students are being added to the enrollment. Thirty-one of thirty-nine Catholic elementary schools participate, so there is a chance the bloat averages out.
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When the count was made (now two years stale?), there were about 12,883 students in the Bronx Catholic elementary schools. The top five schools were St. Raymond (802), Immaculate Conception Melrose (510), St. Lucy (480), St. Theresa (471) and St. Clare of Assisi (466). The median was St. John Chrysostom at 319.
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The lowest enrollments were at St. Thomas Aquinas (188), Nativity of Our Blessed Lady, Dyer Avenue (194), Sts. Philip and James (225 pupils, on East 213th Street near Boston Road), St. Luke, East 139th Street (232), and St. Margaret Mary (234).

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Four Bronx schools to lose grades K-8.

Sad to report, Dr. Timothy McNiff, Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of New York, has announced the closure of three parish schools in The Bronx, and the elimination of grades K-8 in one other. Closed are Visitation School in Kingsbridge, where the church lost regular services in August, 2015, St. Ann School, Bainbridge Avenue, likewise with a church without regular worship, and St. Mary School, Carpenter Avenue. The school at the parish of Sts. Peter and Paul, Brook Avenue, Morrisania, will become a Universal Pre-Kindergarden school financed by the City of New York.
Please see the link HERE. The superintendent's euphemism is "operational changes."

Thursday, January 26, 2017

Catholic New York special section 1.19.2017

Available on the internet is the special Catholic Schools Week section published 1.19.2017. A link is HERE.
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The sixteen pages include high schools and elementary schools in the seven counties of the Archdiocese of New York. However, my focus is on the elementary schools of The Bronx. The sole paid advertising for Bronx elementary grades is for Mount St. Michael Academy, grades 6-12. Cardinal Hayes HS and Fordham Prep also placed ads.
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One hundred forty elementary schools will have Touring Tuesday on January 31, 2017, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Of the forty-four Catholic elementary schools in The Bronx, eighteen are listed with a schedule for Open House. The special section lists school names, dates and times, but not phone numbers or addresses.
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For Bronxites living near Manhattan or Westchester, please do not overlook nearby schools, such as Good Shepherd School, one block from the Bx12 bus terminal in Inwood.
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More information may be found at http://buildboldfutures.org/
Scroll down on that home page to Coming Events. Or use the information links at the top of the home page.
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The New York Daily News on 1.26.2017 published an Advertising Supplement for Catholic Schools. In several aspects, this supplement gives better coverage to Bronx Catholic elementary schools than I saw in Catholic New York (above). The link to the Daily News supplement for Catholic schools is HERE. Don't give up when you see ads for a few New Jersey schools. Continue scrolling through the pages and you will find more Bronx schools.

Monday, September 26, 2016

Elementary school statistics

With the recent publication of the 2016 Official Catholic Directory, it is possible to look at some statistics of the Catholic elementary schools in The Bronx. Please realize that the data was probably collected more than a year ago, and some of the numbers may include pre-kindergarten enrollment, the free municipal Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program. Also, some of the forty-four schools are listed with the same exact enrollment three years running, quite unlikely, and therefore suspect. The forty-four schools open in September, 2015, are listed in the directory as having about 14,300 students. As St. John's-Visitation did not submit enrollments to the 2016 OCD, I use the word "about." I neglected to include Villa Maria numbers. The 2012 directory listed 17,380.
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The following analysis marks schools with suspect numbers with an asterisk, usually due to round numbers or the same enrollment repeated annually. The five elementary schools with the highest enrollments are St. Raymond (901), Immaculate Melrose (511), Santa Maria (500*), St. Lucy (498*), Sacred Heart (471), and St. Clare (452). At the median are Holy Family (340*), St. Francis Xavier (332), and St. Athanasius (315*). Lowest numbers were Sts. Philip and James (217), St. Philip Neri (209), St. Gabriel (204), St. Thomas Aquinas (180*), and St. Nicholas of Tolentine (163).
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Also, please see the official websites:
http://buildboldfutures.org/regions/northeast-east-bronx/
and
http://buildboldfutures.org/regions/northwest-south-bronx/
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According to the above links, the total number of elementary school students in The Bronx is 13,721, probably a more accurate figure than the OCD totals.

Thursday, August 25, 2016

New York Daily News Back to School Section

About August 22, 2016, the New York Daily News included a special advertising section for Back to School vendors. Interspersed are laudatory descriptions of several Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens Catholic elementary and high schools.
Warning! Links to Daily News sections often go stale and become useless.
If you are quick, please try
http://www.nydailynews.com/services/back-to-school

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Holy Rosary / Nativity of Our Blessed Lady





Above is Holy Rosary church on Eastchester Road near Gun Hill Road. See pages 484 and 486 in Thomas Shelley's book for the 1925 creation of the parish. The rectory is to the left at 1510 Adee Avenue, Bronx NY 10469, telephone 718-379-4432. The church dates from 1970, probably just before architects realized that imposing steps often impose difficulties. An alternate access is at the blue sign. Clicking on any photo enlarges it.
On August 1, 2015, the archbishop of New York merged the parish of the Nativity of Our Blessed Lady (two miles north) with that of Holy Rosary. The parish bulletin displays the merged names.




Above, a Catholic church that advertises the time for Bible Study!


If you click on the above bulletin pages, you might be able to read the text, which somewhat clarifies the size of the two parishes in the merger.


Above, the school in 2009.



For decades, the Presentation Sisters taught in Holy Rosary School and lived above it. The school address is 1500 Arnow Avenue, likewise near the intersection of Gun Hill Road and Eastchester Road. The website of Holy Rosary Elementary School is linked here.

Sunday, November 1, 2015

St. Frances of Rome and 3 other churches in Wakefield = one parish in 2015



The parish of St. Frances of Rome includes four older separate parishes, which can be seen listed on top of the new website. Please consult this website for current (2017) Mass schedules and staffing. The office and rectory are adjacent to the church in the 2010 photo above. The postal address is 4307 Barnes Avenue, Bronx NY 10466.
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Also, please see the extensive Parish Booklet available at this link. It lists many parish organizations and meeting schedules through 2018 and 2019. It contains a helpful history of the parish.
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Before the 1960's only the lower church existed, on the ground floor. Then a magnificent, bright upper church was added,designed by the architect Paul Waldon Reilly, who also designed the new church of St. Frances de Chantal, Throgs Neck. More recently, an elevator helps those who have difficulty with the foyer staircases.

The church, as seen from the west.
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From Catholic New York: 10.15.2015: Father Georginus Ugwu, M.S.P., who was named pastor of the newly merged parish of St. Frances of Rome-St. Anthony-St. Francis of Assisi-Our Lady of Grace, the Bronx, on Aug. 1, had previously served as temporary administrator of the Wakefield Catholic Churches of St. Frances of Rome, St. Anthony and St. Francis of Assisi since July 2014. He was pastor of the Catholic chapel and chaplain of Florida A & M University in Tallahassee, Fla., 2007-2014. He was associate director and bursar of his religious congregation’s office in Houston, 2005-2007. A native of Nigeria, he earlier served there and in the Central African Republic. He was ordained for the Missionary Society of St. Paul in 2000.
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In this merger of four parishes, two church buildings ended up having no regular religious services. Yet, these two (Our Lady of Grace, Bronxwood Avenue, and St. Anthony, Richardson Avenue) have not yet been canonically relegated to profane use. In a sense, they are closed but still available for use.
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See pages 299 and 301 for the 1897 creation of the parish of St Frances of Rome, near East 236 Street and Barnes Avenue, Wakefield, east of White Plains Road. The present church dates from 1967. For many years, the Sisters of the Presentation taught in the parish school. The rectory address is 4307 Barnes Ave., Bronx NY 10466, telephone 718-324-5340. The pastor of this parish is also responsible for St. Anthony's on Richardson Avenue and St. Francis of Assisi on Baychester Avenue.
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For St. Francis of Assisi elementary school, please use this link.
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For Our Lady of Grace elementary school, please use this link.

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Elementary school statistics

With the recent publication of the 2015 Official Catholic Directory, it is possible to look at some statistics of the Catholic elementary schools in The Bronx. Please realize that the data was probably collected more than a year ago, and some of the numbers may include pre-kindergarten enrollment. Also, fourteen of the forty-four schools are listed with the same exact enrollment three years running, unlikely, and therefore suspect. The forty-four schools open in September, 2015, are listed in the directory as having 15,590 students. The 2012 directory listed 17,380.
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The following analysis ignores schools with suspect numbers. The five elementary schools with the highest enrollments are St. Raymond (given as 925), Immaculate Melrose (515), Santa Maria (500), St. Lucy (498), and Sacred Heart (456). At the median are Holy Family (340), St. Francis Xavier (320), and St. Athanasius (315). Lowest numbers were St. Simon Stock (210), St. Nicholas of Tolentine (200), and St. Thomas Aquinas (180).
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Also, please see the official websites:
http://buildboldfutures.org/regions/northeast-east-bronx/
and
http://buildboldfutures.org/regions/northwest-south-bronx/
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According to the above links, the total number of elementary school students in The Bronx is 14,145, probably a more accurate figure than the OCD totals.

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Elementary school statistics

With the recent publication of the 2013 Official Catholic Directory, it is possible to look at some statistics of the Catholic elementary schools in The Bronx. Please realize that the data was probably collected more than a year ago, and some of the numbers may include pre-kindergarten enrollment. Also, fourteen of the forty-three schools are listed with the same exact enrollment three years running, unlikely, and therefore suspect. The forty-three schools open in September, 2013, are listed in the directory as having 15,111 students. The 2012 directory listed 17,380.
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The following analysis ignores schools with suspect numbers. The four elementary school with the highest enrollments are St. Raymond (given as 880), Immaculate Melrose (491), Sacred Heart (466), Holy Rosary (430) and St. Helena (415). At the median are St. Angela Merici (315), St. Benedict (301), and Sts. Peter and Paul (300). Lowest numbers were St. John Kingsbridge (226), St. Simon Stock (207), Visitation (196).

Friday, April 12, 2013

Elementary school tuition chart

Because some Catholic elementary schools are closing this June, and parents have to enroll their children in other schools, the Archdiocese has posted a series of detailed charts of the tuition in each remaining elementary school, plus what clubs, activities, and classes are available. The charts are linked here, under the title of Placement Counselor Information. Because these are 2012-2013 rates, I suspect that the link may be broken by September, so (I suggest) print now. As far as The Bronx is concerned, there is quite a spread in rates.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Seven elementary schools to close in June, 2013


The Archdiocese issued a press release on 1.22.2013 titled "Local Boards and Reconfiguration Committees Issue Final Decisions." Rather than interpret the document, I ask you to read it here.
The seven Bronx elementary schools on the list are:
Blessed Sacrament, Beach Avenue
St. Anthony
St. Mary, Star of the Sea, City Island
Holy Spirit, University Avenue
Our Lady of Angels, Kingsbridge Heights
Our Lady of Mercy, Fordham
St. Jerome, Mott Haven

Monday, August 27, 2012

St. Mary School, Carpenter Ave., Wakefield





St. Mary School, described in the banner above, takes up the entire east side of Carpenter Avenue from East 224th Street to East 225th Street. It is one block west of White Plains Road. The address is 3956 Carpenter Avenue, Bronx NY 10466, telephone 718-547-0500. The school's website, linked here is very helpful. As of February, 2015, the school's Facebook page is current.
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In Thomas Shelley's book, please see pages 299 and 300 for the 1886 founding of St Mary parish, White Plains Road at East 215 Street, Williamsbridge. In 2007, the 1887 church was transferred to the Korean Catholic parish of St John Nam. The archdiocesan website shows this rectory address for the Church of St. Mary: 650 East 226 St., Bronx NY 10466, telephone 718-547-8000. This address is near the school in the Wakefield post office zone.
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This link from 2004 provides some history of the shared church.
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Sunday, February 5, 2012

St. Nicholas of Tolentine, Fordham Road



See page 475 for the 1906 foundation of the parish of St. Nicholas of Tolentine. The church, on the southwest corner of University Avenue and Fordham Road, was dedicated in 1928. The rectory address is 2345 University Ave., Bronx NY 10468, telephone 718-295-6800. According to the AIA Guide, the church was designed by Delaney, O'Connor, and Schultz. The above view looks north on University Avenue towards Fordham Road. Left to right: an apartment house with scaffolding; a family services agency in a former school, the rectory, and the church, with its main entrance facing the busy intersection.
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A description of the church, its history, its organ, and photos is here. A website of Augustinian Fathers on the East Coast is here.
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The parish elementary school is located at 2336 Andrews Avenue, around the corner from the church. It seems to have one section per grade, with an enrollment over 300.


The sign at the rectory displays three languages of the parish: English, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Any photo may be enlarged by clicking on it. For the Mass schedule, please check the parish website here.


Sunday, January 8, 2012

St. Anselm, Tinton Avenue


On the northwest corner of East 152nd Street and Tinton Avenue stands the church of St. Anselm. The rectory address is 673 Tinton Avenue, Bronx NY 10455, telephone 718-585-8666. Originally a Benedictine parish of German heritage, the parish is now served by Augustinian Recollects with Spanish and Latin American roots.


To the left of the church is this shrine of Nuestra Madre de Guadalupe and her appearance to San Juan Diego in 1531.


To the left of the church is this Lourdes Grotto.


In Msgr. Shelley's book, see pages 216 and 219 for the 1891 foundation of St Anselm parish, by Benedictines from Collegeville, Minnesota. The present church was built in 1917. See page 606 for the parish becoming a Hispanic parish.
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On 12.9.2013, the New York Times printed an excellent article, "Bringing Back the Artistic Beauty of a 19th-Century Church," by David Gonzalez. I have linked the article here, but over time, it may receive a different URL in the archives of nytimes.com. The church suffers from deterioration and some previous inconsiderate attempts at repairs. The article describes the work of pastor, conservator, and parishioners. When I visited the church, it was obviously of Byzantine inspiration, but I had not realized that its domes imitate Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. The article explains details.
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The A.I.A. Guide says the church was designed by Anton Kloster. I cannot determine whether he was from Collegeville, Europe, or New York. I received the following comment from Dan in January, 2011:
"Something odd is happening here. I have also seen St. Anselm's attributed to Anton Kloster, about whom I can find nothing. However another architect, Gustave E. Steinback has indicated in documents to the AIA that his firm did St. Anselm. There is also a comment in the Liturgical Arts Society from 1953 by the editor who had worked for Steinback at the time that also attributes the work to Steinback. I wonder if Mr. Kloster might have worked for Mr. Steinback?" Many thanks for the comment.
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Any photo may be enlarged by clicking on it.




 The school is located at 685 Tinton Avenue, Bronx NY 10455, telephone 718-993-9464. The school's website is linked here. The newer building to the right is part of the school.
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Better photos of the church and school are on this Bronx Photo site.
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An article appeared August 2, 2023, explaining that Catholic Charities will build a 12-storey apartment house in the church parking lot at 671 Tinton Avenue. The building will offer 126 apartments, many with supportive services. The lot is on the northwest corner of Tinton Avenue and East 152 St.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Sts. Philip and James, Boston Road


Update, July 13, 2020 -- The church is open, the school is closed. The pastor is Father Steven Masinde, A.J. A relevant article from 2017 is HERE.
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See pages 488 and 489 for the 1949 establishment of the parish of Saints Philip and James on Boston Road at East 213 Street. The parish address is 1160 East 213 Street, Bronx NY 10469, telephone 718-547-2203. I neglected to take a photo of the church entrance on East 213th Street, which just around the right corner of this view from Boston Road. The property is bounded by Boston Road, East 212 Street (to the left of this photo), Msgr. Cahill Place, and East 213 Street.
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The parish and school website, offering much information, is linked here. The school address is also 1160 East 213 Street, Bronx NY 10469. The school telephone is 718-882-4576.
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For many years the Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt staffed the parish school. The Sisters also have a blog here.
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The patrons face northwest on the school wall. Since St. James wrote an Epistle, I presume he holds a scroll. The parish website has biographies of each.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Our Lady of Mercy, Fordham




Above is the Mass schedule as of October, 2011. The parish website includes a schedule (linked here) with the abbreviations spelled out.
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The schedule may have changed, as the parish has been administered by the pastor of Our Savior parish on Washington Avenue since October, 2014.


See page 472 for a reference to the current church of Our Lady of Mercy on Marion Avenue, south of Fordham Road, dedicated in 1908. The parish was begun about 1855 on the property of St. John's College. Later, the church was located on Webster Avenue. The rectory, adjacent to the church, is at 2496 Marion Avenue, Bronx NY 10458, telephone 718-933-4400. The informative and extensive parish website is linked here.
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Our Lady of Mercy parish school at 2512 Marion Avenue closed in June, 2013. For many decades renowned Sisters and lay persons directed or staffed the school. Until the 1970's, there were separate boys' and girls' departments, Ursuline Sisters teaching the girls and Dominican Sisters teaching the boys.

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Facing Marion Avenue is this shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, apparently with references to Our Lady's other titles in Latin America. La Virgen de la Altagracia is patroness of the Dominican Republic.


Weekday noon Mass is offered in the chapel here, to the right of the rectory. The sign in the window explains that this is the location for preparation for Baptism.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

St. Philip Neri, Bedford Park





See page 230 for the 1898 creation of the parish of St Philip Neri in Bedford Park to care for Italian laborers constructing a nearby reservoir. The church is located on the west side of the Grand Concourse at East 202nd St., a few steps north of Bedford Park Blvd. The rectory address is 3025 Grand Concourse, Bronx NY 10468, phone number is 718-733-3200.
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A parish website is linked here.



Any photo may be enlarged by clicking on it.
An excellent summary of the church's history and a full description of its organ is linked here.

The school address is 3031 Grand Concourse, adjacent to the rectory. For decades, the Ursuline Sisters directed and staffed the parish school. In 2010, the enrollment seems to have been about 250.
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Catholic Charities has received approval in January, 2020, for two apartment houses quite opposite each other on Villa Avenue, behind the church. Please see this article in New York Yimby. A 14 story apartment house will replace a parking lot on the west side of Villa Avenue. It seems that the new structure on the east side (church-and-school side) is a smaller apartment house.

Friday, July 29, 2011

St. John Chrysostom

The church stands on the southwest corner of East 166th Street and Hoe Avenue. One block behind the church is the busy intersection of Westchester Avenue and Southern Boulevard, at the Simpson Street station of the #2 and #5 trains.


See page 297 for the establishment of the parish of St John Chrysostom on East 167 St at Hoe Avenue, in 1899. The church dates from 1900. Also see page 521 for a 1974 photo of the parish Holy Name Society. The rectory address is 985 East 167 St., Bronx NY 10459, telephone 718-542-6164.
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Since 1914, the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill and lay teachers have staffed the parish school. The school address is 1144 Hoe Avenue, Bronx NY 10459, telephone 718-328-7266. The extensive and informative school website is lined here. With about 600 students, it apparently has two sections per grade.
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St. John, known as Chrysostom (golden-mouthed) because of his preaching, is recognized as both a Father and Doctor of the Church. He lived from about 349 to 407, in what is now Turkey and in the imperial capital of Constantinople. He spoke Greek, and many of his sermons survive in the original Greek, with some English translations available. A brief life of St. John Chrysostom is linked here.





Monday, June 27, 2011

St. Thomas Aquinas, Crotona Parkway, East Tremont



St. Thomas from Aquino, Italy, lived from 1225 to 1274. A Dominican friar, renowned for his teaching and his writings, St. Thomas is honored as a Doctor of the Church.


The rectory address is 1900 Crotona Parkway, Bronx NY 10460, telephone 718-589-5235. IN 2010, it appears that the parish is entrusted to the Institute of the Incarnate Word, priests from Argentina. The above photo looks east from Southern Boulevard and its linear park. The one-way northbound street is Crotona Parkway, parallel to Southern Boulevard. The street running west from this intersection is Fairmount Place.
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See page 296 for the establishment of the parish of St Thomas Aquinas on Crotona Parkway in East Tremont in 1890. See page 413 for a 1908 advertisement for the parish's annual picnic and games to be held at Morris Park Race Track. The directions suggest travel by trolley, perhaps influenced by the many parish males who worked for the Third Avenue Railway System, the car barn located two blocks south of the church. The present church dates from 1925.
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The address of the parish school, immediately east of the church, is 1909 Daly Avenue. For many years, the parish school was staffed by the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary. It seems to have about 230 students. Any photo may be enlarged by clicking on it.




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