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| Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Family - San Damiano Mission |
Address: 21 Nassau Avenue
I often pass this church at night when I work late, miss the ferry home and end up slumming it on the L Train. When I pass it, the lights are usually on and the front interior doors are open, allowing a vibrant glow to emanate from the entrance. The Roman Catholic San Damiano Mission leaders who now run the church have done a good job of making the church seem inviting in an otherwise industrial looking corner of Greenpoint. Every time I walk by I can’t help but want to walk in.
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| Church Rectory |
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| Parochial School |
Slovak immigrants of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy established the Slovak parish of the Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Family in 1905. The congregation first met in the basement of St. Vincent De Paul Church (demolished) on North 4th Street in Williamsburg while their new sanctuary was under construction. Their new house of worship at Nassau Avenue and N 15th Street was completed in 1911. Shortly after moving into their new church, attendance grew to 1,500 parishioners. In addition, a parochial school fronting Nassau Avenue was added in 1918. The school closed in 1970 and is now a daycare. In 2011 the Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Family merged with the Church of Saint Anthony of Padua. Then, in 2015, the church became the Roman Catholic San Damiano Mission.
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| Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Family - San Damiano Mission |
The church's design style is Romanesque Revival. The red brick building’s architectural features include a corbeled brick gable, Romanesque arched fenestration, limestone trim and a verdigris dome capped tower. Unfortunately, I can’t find the name of the church's architect.
Sources:
- Cook, Terry Sacred Havens of Brooklyn Charleston South Carolina: The History Press, 2013
- Brian Merlis & Riccardo Gomes Brooklyn's Historic Greenpoint Gomerl Publishing, NJ 2015
- Mcmahon, Joe "San Damiano Mission, Greenpoint" Brooklyn Catholic 6 May, 2015
I attended the school in the early 1960s. My nun was Sister Mary Stephen and she taught first and second grade together in the same room with 50 students in all. Daily Church attendance was mandatory for all students at the school. The priest was named Father John. He had a difficult last name. The inside of the church was beautiful, and I remember the school being nice inside as well particularly the entrance hallway. We wore cute little blue plaid uniforms with white shirts and crisscross neckties and blue beanie caps on our heads.
ReplyDeleteHello and sorry for the delayed response. Thank you for adding your personal experience with the church. It's always nice to hear more about the history the place from those who were there back in the day.
DeleteWhat was the name of the school? Does anybody have any photos?
DeleteThat was my uncle the Rev John Oravecz...I spent many Sundays in the 1960s there.....served mass as an alter boy many times...The nuns would look out the windows and tell us where the eggs were hidden on Easter.....great memories..
DeleteThank you for spelling Fr. John’s name. He signed on my first communion certificate, but I could never figure it out. I went to Holy Family School from 1st to 3rd grade.
DeleteMy goodness I remember Father John. Got on his bad side a couple of times from acting up in school. Graduated in 1968. All in all a great school, don't ever regret going there.
ReplyDeleteI attended Holy Family from 1st to 8th grade. I remember all of the nuns and would like to know where my fellow students are - if anyone sees this and knows them. We had 5 girls and 8 boys in our class - we were quite a small class. Some names - Carol, Lydia, Lucy, Denise (me), Anna, Frances, Gregory. I loved Holy Family and am sad that they painted over the altar ceiling. Great memories.
ReplyDeleteHey who is writing. This is Denise and I have been trying to find my classmates. 123witches@gmail.com
Deletehttps://www.facebook.com/AmericansofSlovakorigin17/photos/a.1680175988942192/2457205724572544/
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