Lord

The heart of the Christian community is our Triune Lord: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Geography, history, and numbers are not the heart, but probably I will type mostly on these topics. As the internet already provides many encouraging spiritual guides and discouraging contentious forums, I intend to offer neither.
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To find a parish, enter a keyword in the search box at the top left, or look through the labels and links down the right-hand column. The posts themselves follow the Blogger format of newest items on top.
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Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Sing to the Lord a new song

Apparently, last Sunday's Entrance Hymn or Introit is from Psalm 98, Sing a new song to the Lord, for He has done marvelous deeds.  In our parish, Dan Schutte's paraphrase or almost perfect translation was sung. 

St. Catherine of Sienna, Franklin Square



The church and rectory of St. Catherine of Sienna are located at 33 New Hyde Park Road, Franklin Square NY 11040, a short block north of Hempstead Turnpike, telephone 516-352-0146. I have linked the parish website here. The parish office is in the former school at 990 Holzheimer Street, seen to the left, behind the church in this photo from 2011.  




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Early in the twentieth century, four men of German ancestry asked that a parish be established in Franklin Square, and they offered to collect funds for it.  Each of the four wives was named Katharina.  The parish patron is St. Catherine of Sienna. For the work of the parishioners who helped found the parishes of St. Boniface and St. Catherine of Sienna, I recommend the excellent books by the historian Paul D. van Wie, "The German Settlements of Nineteenth Century Long Island" and "A History of Franklin Square and its Environs," both available at the Franklin Square Library.  In particular, the latter book has nine pages, beginning on page 102, narrating the history of St. Catherine's parish.  The author explains the events depicted in the stained glass windows.  In late 2011, Dr. Van Wie also collaborated in the publication of "Franklin Square" in the Arcadia Publishing Images of America series.  Beginning on page 82, there are photos and a history of the parish school.  Beginning on page 98, there are photos and a history of the church. Of note, the chapel or first church was sold to the American Legion and moved to nearby Pacific Street.  It then was purchased and expanded by the Franklin Square Jewish Center.
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Along the north side of the church property is Lutz Street, named after the first resident pastor, Conrad Lutz, who served from 1913 to 1953.


This entrance with a ramp is seen from Lutz Street. The door leads to the church (on the left) and to the Sienna Center and its chapel (on the right).


The parish school, above, in January, 2011.  It closed in 2012.





Above, in April, 2013, the former school and the Sienna Center on Holzheimer Street, named after Fr. Anthony Holzheimer, second pastor.


Above, the parish office on Holzheimer Street, with the word "school" removed.  Clicking on a photo will enlarge it.


Three Sunday Masses are offered in this building, which also provides access to the church.  When one is in the church, the door to the right of the Sacred Heart statue leads to the Sienna Center, which has an outdoor ramp on the north side of the building and, on the south side, an elevator to this doorway to Holzeimer Street.  Another three Sunday Masses are offered in the church, which has beautiful stained glass windows depicting the life of St. Catherine of Sienna. Padre Pio is honored outside.


Above is the cornerstone of the church.


I note the lack of year on this banner.  Is it 2012 or 2013?