Saint Stephen Martyr Catholic Church (Washington, D.C.)
Saint Stephen Martyr Catholic Church | |
---|---|
Wilton Gregory | |
Priest(s) | Msgr. Paul Dudziak |
Saint Stephen Martyr Catholic Church is a Catholic parish church located at 2436 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., in the United States. The parish was founded on August 4, 1867, and the first church building consecrated and used for worship on December 27, 1868. This brick structure closed on July 15, 1959, and the current new building was consecrated and first used for worship on June 11, 1961. The church was a favorite of President John F. Kennedy.
Establishment of the parish and construction of the original structure
In the summer of 1865, Martin John Spalding, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Baltimore, suggested to the Reverend Dr. C.I. White, pastor at St. Matthew the Apostle Catholic Church in Washington, D.C., that a new parish be created in the city's west end to meet the needs of the area's rapidly growing Roman Catholic population. Dr. White purchased land at the corner of 24th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue (today 2436 Pennsylvania Avenue NW) from a Dr. Newman at a cost of $8,575 ($170,680 in 2023 dollars) for the parish church, and began raising money for the building. The cornerstone for the new brick structure was laid on June 3, 1866.[2]
The parish of Saint Stephen in Washington, D.C., was established on August 4, 1867, when the Rev. John McNally, formerly assistant pastor at St. Matthew the Apostle Church, was appointed the first pastor of the parish.[3] A Solemn Mass was held at St. Matthew's to celebrate McNally's installation and creation of the parish.[4] St. Stephen's became the ninth Roman Catholic parish established in the city.[5]
The original red brick church and rectory were designed by
Father McNally's estimate was once more optimistic, for Saint Stephen Martyr Church was not completed until the end of the year. The church was consecrated on December 27, 1868, by the Very Reverend Dr. Thomas Foley, secretary to Archbishop Spalding. The Rev. Dr. C.I. White of St. Matthew's celebrated mass, while Dr. Foley preached the sermon. The adjacent church rectory was also completed at this time. The total cost of constructing the two buildings was about $51,425 ($1,177,118 in 2023 dollars).[9] Work continued inside the church for some time after its consecration. The $300 ($6,867 in 2023 dollars) altar was not finished until February 1869.[2]
Parish school and expansion
Father McNally died on November 6, 1889, after suffering a stroke.[12] He was succeeded by Father John Gloyd, formerly of St. John's Catholic Church in Westminster, Maryland, on November 24, 1889. Father Gloyd oversaw the burial of Father McNally at Mount Olivet Cemetery (where his remains had been temporarily interred in the receiving vault).[13]
Father Gloyd's tenure was relatively short, compared to the 22-year term of Father McNally. Father McNally's advanced age left him somewhat unable to attend to the church's finances as well as he might have, and St. Stephe Martyr had incurred a significant amount of debt. Father Gloyd worked diligently to improve the church's income, and paid off the debt.[14] During this time, he also conducted a campaign to collect old gold and silver jewelry from parishioners, which was then melted down and turned into a solid gold chalice and a solid silver gold-plated chalice. He also undertook repairs and made general improvements to the church and rectory.[2] In April 1894, Father Jacob Walter at nearby St. Patrick's Catholic Church died, and James Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, assigned Father Gloyd as his successor.[14] The Rev. John J. Dougherty of St. Edward's Catholic Church in Calverton, Maryland, succeeded Gloyd on May 14, 1894.[15]
Father Dougherty's time at Saint Stephen Martyr was even shorter than Father Gloyd's, yet he significantly expanded the church. In October 1894, the congregation celebrated the installation of a large new marble altar, a gift provided by Father Gloyd and John G. Schwind of Baltimore.[2] Major architectural changes were made to the church as well. In August 1895, a $5,000 ($183,120 in 2023 dollars) renovation was made to the church. The two sacristy rooms on the south side of the sanctuary were demolished and two new chapels built there. Each chapel had a decorative stone arch over its entrance, and two windows (set aside for stained glass memorials to parishioners) which provided natural lighting. A small marble altar, carved by local D.C. artists, was added to each chapel as well. The north wall of the sanctuary was also removed, and the sanctuary extended with an apse. New sacristy rooms were placed on either side of the reinstalled large altar, and a decorative stone arch added to distinguish the apse from the sanctuary. The floor of the sanctuary was also tiled in what The Evening Star newspaper called a "graceful pattern".[16] The renovation took three months, during which time the congregation worshipped in the church basement.[17] Saint Stephen Martyr's renovated sanctuary reopened on October 27, 1895, with the Rev. Dr. D.J. Stafford of St. Patrick's Church preaching the sermon.[16]
Father Dougherty fell seriously ill with an unspecified throat infection in September 1895. By April, his illness was so severe that Cardinal Gibbons traveled from Baltimore to visit.[18] His health significantly improved by early May,[19] and he returned to his parish on June 5.[20] But Dougherty suffered several unspecified severe illnesses throughout the summer, and on September 18, 1896, he suddenly resigned his position.[21] Father Walker S. Caughy, pastor at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Laurel, Maryland,[22][23] succeeded him on September 27, 1896.[24] Father Dougherty died of tuberculosis on November 28, 1896, in Cullman, Alabama, where he had gone to try to regain his health. He was just 43 years old.[25]
Retirement of debt and construction of a new parish school
Father Caughy became one of the best-known clergy in the District of Columbia during his tenure at Saint Stephen Martyr. He was admired for his broad-mindedness, compassion, and good humor, and he was widely considered to be a
Father Joseph J. Cassidy of St. John's Catholic Church in
Father Cassidy had two goals he wished to accomplish at Saint Stephen Martyr: The addition of a parochial school and the founding of a convent.
Father Cassidy's health began to deteriorate, however. He suffered from
Father Vincent Fitzgerald, assistant rector at Saint Stephen Martyr, led the congregation for 10 months as interim pastor. He purchased the House of Mercy at 2048 K Street NW,[a] and at a cost of $25,000 ($438,506) renovated the structure along with the St. Stephen's School temporary school building into a convent. The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur moved into the convent on April 19, 1927,[43] and took up teaching duties at the new parochial school.[44]
Father George B. Harrington of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Hagerstown, Maryland, succeeded Msgr. Cassidy.[45] The church was $104,000 ($1,824,184 in 2023 dollars) in debt, and Father Harrington worked for most of the following decade to retire the debt.[46]
Mid-20th century
Father Harrington was highly regarded by the archdiocese for his administrative capabilities. He fell ill in early December 1941, and died at the rectory of an unspecified illness on January 7, 1942. [47] The assistant pastor, the Rev. Niles T. Welch, led Saint Stephen Martyr while the search for a permanent successor went on. During his three months as pastor, he had the interior of the convent finished with new plaster walls and flooring.[48]
Father Edward Jerome Winter was appointed pastor at Saint Stephen Martyr on May 28, 1942. Father Winter was formerly an assistant priest at the
On May 19, 1949, Father Winter was transferred to the Shrine of the Sacred Heart, where he replaced the Right Rev. James A. Smyth, who had recently died. Father Joseph F. Denges, pastor at the Church of the Holy Ghost in
Construction of modern structure
Early work of Monsignor Denges
Father Denges was named head of the 1954 and 1956 war victims' fund-raising drive for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington which had been formed in 1947.[53] He was named a domestic prelate of the papal household in February 1956.[54]
A plan was made to repair St. Stephen's School and the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur convent.[55] But enrolment at the school was rapidly declining, and the cost of upgrading the school to meet modern accreditation standards was unaffordable; the school closed in May 1954, and the building was purchased by the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul. Immaculate Conception Academy, a Catholic school for girls administered by the Daughters of Charity, began operating in the building in the fall of 1954.[56][b]
In the late spring of 1959 part of the ceiling collapsed after a load-bearing pillar failed. Plans were proposed to reinforce the building and make it safe,[58] but architects determined that repairs would only temporarily abate the problems.[58][59] With membership in Saint Stephen's parish having grown significantly to 2,500 members,[5] the decision was made in July to replace the worn brick church with a modern structure.[59]
The new Saint Stephen Martyr Church
The architectural firm of Johnson & Boutin designed a new brick and stone building.[60][61] After mass in the old church on July 15, 1959, services were held at Immaculate Conception Academy.[62]
The old church was razed some time after July 15,
Assassination of President Kennedy
President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy often worshipped at Saint Stephen Martyr because the United States Secret Service believed it to be safer and more secure than other Catholic churches in the area.[65] The Kennedys used the seventh pew on the right, from the back.[66]
Because the church played an important part in the spiritual life of the Kennedys, Saint Stephen Martyr Church had a role in the President's
As the afternoon and evening wore on,
At 10:30 p.m. on November 22,[68] Ralph A. Dungan, special assistant to the President, telephoned Saint Stephen Martyr Church and asked to borrow items from the church for the lying-in-repose. Father Wintermyer approved the loan of four large wooden candlesticks, which were placed at the four corners of Kennedy's coffin while he lay in the East Room.[69] Two prie-dieux (wooden desks at which people could kneel and pray) were also loaned to the White House and used by priests who prayed during the vigil.[70] In January 1964, the White House contributed six small bronze plaques to affix to the items in commemoration of their role in President Kennedy's state funeral. On February 2, 1964, the Catholic War Veterans of the District of Columbia unveiled a bronze plaque affixed to the pew President Kennedy used when attending services at Saint Stephen Martyr.[70]
1965–1999
Pastoral turnover
The parish of Saint Stephen Martyr celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1967.[58] Monsignor Denges retired on May 2, 1968—his 70th birthday.[71]
Saint Stephen Martyr Catholic Church suffered heavy turnover among its pastors over the next several years. Father Edward J. O'Brien, Denges' successor, resigned due to ill health in November 1970 after just two and a half years as pastor.
Father Sheehan's appointment as pastor ended the rapid turnover of priests at Saint Stephen Martyr. He did not retire until May 1997.[75]
New rectory and church refurbishment
Father Sheehan was well-read, had a gift for preaching, and had a warm and friendly personality which endeared him to his congregation and people in the neighborhood.[75] He also led the fund-raising campaign to build a new rectory at Saint Stephen Martyr.[75] The new rectory building was completed and dedicated by Father Sheehan in 1993.[76] The Cluss rectory, much altered since its initial construction, was razed and the new rectory designed by the D.C. architectural firm of Smith Blackburn Stauffer Architects. The basement contained offices, community rooms, and a gallery with a skylight. The ground floor housed more offices, a reception area, a private lobby, and a parlor. The second and third floors contained a kitchen, communal dining room, and apartments for the parish priest and his assistants. The building was constructed around a three-story courtyard. The main entrance was situated off from the center of the rectory, with balconies above it on the floors above.[6]
Sheehan's successor was Monsignor Kenneth W. Roeltgen, formerly the rector of Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He had won a national reputation for recruiting men for the priesthood, and had revolutionized testing and screening for priestly applicants. His peers called him a "priest's priest", and his congregation and friends found him charismatic, compassionate, and full of good humor. He was well known for his attention to detail, which served him well when he undertook a $250,000 ($457,251 in 2023 dollars) fund-raising campaign to beautify the church. The effort added a new stained glass window to the sanctuary and relocated the altar closer to the congregation. Monsignor Roeltgen also deepened and expanded the church's relationship with the Catholic community at George Washington University, whose campus bordered the parish. Monsignor Roeltgen fell ill with cancer in 1995, but appeared to make a full recovery.
Twenty-first century
In January 2002, Archbishop James Aloysius Hickey assigned Roeltgen to the pastorate at the Church of the Annunciation in Washington, D.C. He was preparing to leave Saint Stephen Martyr when his cancer returned in March. He died April 7, 2002, at Sibley Memorial Hospital.[77]
Father R. Cary Hill was named Monsignor Roeltgen's successor at Saint Stephen Martyr. Previously having served as a parish priest and university chaplain, Father Hill had spent several years serving the archdiocese, most recently as Secretary for Clergy since 2000. In July 2004, he received the title Chaplain of His Holiness from Pope John Paul II.[78]
Monsignor Hill left Saint Stephen Martyr in July 2005 to take up a position as pastor of Holy Cross Catholic Church in
Monsignor Paul Langsfeld became pastor at Saint Stephen Martyr as Monsignor Filardi's successor in January 2010, and he helped complete plans for the church building's 50th anniversary. Monsignor Langsfeld was previously Vice Rector at Mount St. Mary's Seminary, and later the Rector of the
Monsignor Langsfeld spent just two and a half years at Saint Stephen Martyr before being called to the pastorate at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Monsignor Robert Panke was appointed the temporary administrator of the church in June 2009, while continuing to serve as archdiocesan Director of Priest Vocations and Formation.[81]
In October 2013, Monsignor Paul M. Dudziak, former pastor at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church,[79] became parish priest at Saint Stephen Martyr.
References
- Notes
- ^ The House of Mercy was founded by the Association for Works of Mercy, a group of Episcopal Church. It was run by the Community of St. Mary, an Anglican religious order of nuns.[42]
- ^ The Archdiocese of Washington sold the school for $2.1 million ($6,424,190 in 2023 dollars) in December 1984. The school closed suddenly on January 6, 1984, and the building was razed a few days later. A Doubletree Guest Suites was constructed on the site.[57]
- ^ Bishop Spence died on March 7, 1973, after a long and unspecified illness. He was just 63 years old.[74]
- Citations
- ^ a b Zimmerman, Mark (December 9, 2011). "New doors at St. Stephen Martyr Church provide dramatic look at saint's life and death". The Catholic Standard. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g Riordan et al. 1914, p. 119.
- ^ "Clerical". The Evening Star. July 27, 1867. p. 1.
- ^ "The New Parish". The Evening Star. August 5, 1867. p. 1.
- ^ a b c "St. Stephen's to Be Consecrated". The Washington Post. June 10, 1961. p. C6.
- ^ a b c d e f Forgey, Benjamin (August 14, 1993). "Saints Preserve Us: A Timely Addition". The Washington Post. p. D01.
- ^ "Religious". The Evening Star. September 9, 1867. p. 3.
- ^ "Church Dedication". The Evening Star. December 28, 1867. p. 4.
- ^ "Dedication of St. Stephen's Catholic Church". The Evening Star. December 28, 1868. p. 4.
- ^ Commissioner of Education 1876, p. 486.
- ^ "Our Public Schools". The Washington Post. January 14, 1880. p. 2.
- ^ "Death of Father McNally". The Evening Star. November 7, 1889. p. 2.
- ^ "New Pastor of St. Stephen's Church". The Evening Star. November 25, 1889. p. 8.
- ^ a b "St. Patrick's Pastorate". The Evening Star. May 3, 1894. p. 2.
- ^ "New Pastor at St. Stephen's". The Evening Star. May 14, 1894. p. 8.
- ^ a b "St. Stephen's Reopening". The Evening Star. October 26, 1895. p. 8.
- ^ "In the Churches". The Evening Star. September 21, 1895. p. 3.
- ^ "Illness of Father Dougherty". The Evening Star. April 27, 1896. p. 9.
- ^ "In the Churches". The Evening Star. May 9, 1896. p. 13.
- ^ "In the Churches". The Evening Star. June 6, 1896. p. 24.
- ^ "In the Churches". The Evening Star. September 19, 1896. p. 15.
- ^ a b Langley 1968, p. 38.
- ^ "A Distinguished Gathering". The Evening Star. June 10, 1893. p. 1.
- ^ "In the Churches". The Evening Star. September 26, 1896. p. 19.
- ^ "Death of Rev. John J. Daugherty". The Evening Star. December 1, 1896. p. 8.
- ^ a b "Grieve for Father Caughy". The Washington Post. February 4, 1910. p. 2.
- ^ "Passing of a Priest". The Evening Star. February 3, 1910. p. 9; "Mass for Pastor". The Evening Star. February 5, 1910. p. 8.
- ^ "Mass for Father Caughy". The Washington Post. March 4, 1910. p. 11.
- ^ "Succeeds Father Caughy". The Washington Post. February 19, 1910. p. 11.
- ^ "Parish Changes". The Evening Star. March 30, 1910. p. 13.
- ^ a b Langley 1968, p. 46.
- ^ "Cardinal Opens Fair". The Washington Post. November 16, 1910. p. 12.
- ^ a b "St. Stephen's Roman Catholic Church to be Reopened Tomorrow". The Evening Star. September 25, 1915. p. 10.
- ^ a b "Cardinal Attends Mass". The Washington Post. September 27, 1915. p. 3.
- ^ a b c d "Mgr. J.H. Cassidy Dies". The Washington Post. September 27, 1926. p. 2.
- ^ a b c d "Funeral Thursday for Mgr. Cassidy". The Evening Star. September 27, 1925. p. 5.
- ^ "Parochial School Building Planned". The Evening Star. September 23, 1923. p. 12.
- ^ "Local Priest Honored". The Evening Star. September 9, 1924. p. 17; "St. Stephen's Pastor Elevated by Pope". The Washington Post. September 9, 1924. p. 4.
- ^ "Capital Priest Gets Papal Honor". The Evening Star. November 24, 1924. p. 13; "Monsignor Cassidy Invested Domestic Prelate of Pontiff". The Washington Post. November 24, 1924. p. 2.
- ^ "Mgr. Joseph H. Cassidy Suffers Loss of Leg". The Evening Star. October 14, 1925. p. 22; "Mgr. J.H. Cassidy's Left Leg Amputated". The Washington Post. October 14, 1925. p. 1.
- ^ "Mgr. J.H. Cassidy to Have Big Service". The Evening Star. September 28, 1925. p. 4.
- ^ Commissioners of the District of Columbia 1894, pp. 234–235.
- ^ Langley 1968, p. 61.
- ^ "Catholics Conduct May Processions in Virgin's Honor". The Washington Post. May 23, 1927. p. 16.
- ^ "Archbishop Curley Changes Pastorates". The Washington Post. June 11, 1927. p. 16.
- ^ Langley 1968, p. 62.
- ^ "Fr. Harrington Dies". The Washington Post. January 8, 1942. p. 30; "Fr. Harrington Dies At St. Stephen's Rectory". The Evening Star. January 8, 1942. p. 5.
- ^ Langley 1968, p. 70.
- ^ "Bishop Curley Announces Pastorate Changes for D.C.". The Washington Post. May 30, 1942. p. 3; "Archbishop Curley Announces Transfers of Catholic Clergy". The Evening Star. May 29, 1942. p. 5.
- ^ Langley 1968, p. 76.
- ^ Langley 1968, p. 77.
- ^ "New Pastors Named for Sacred Heart, 2 Other Churches". The Evening Star. May 20, 1949. p. 5.
- ^ "Catholic Bishops' Fund for War Victims to Open Tomorrow". The Evening Star. March 20, 1954. p. 9; "Bishop Fund Plans to Be Completed". The Evening Star. February 21, 1956. p. 66.
- ^ "Reception for Pastor". The Evening Star. February 11, 1956. p. 7; Dole, Kenneth (February 11, 1956). "News of the Churches: Church Membership Outgains Population". The Washington Post. p. 13.
- ^ Langley 1968, p. 80.
- ^ Dole, Kenneth (April 10, 1954). "News of the Churches: Catholic Girls' School Will Be Relocated". The Washington Post. p. 9.
- ^ Feinberg, Lawrence (January 4, 1984). "Archdiocese Sells High School in District". The Washington Post. p. B8; Lindsey, Cynthia L. (February 2, 1984). "Archdiocese Sold Academy Site for $2 1/2 Million". The Washington Post. p. DC3.
- ^ a b c "Parish Centennial". The Evening Star. November 4, 1967. p. 6.
- ^ a b "Old Church to Be Razed". The Evening Star. July 12, 1959. p. 16.
- ^ "New St. Stephen's to Replace Landmark". The Washington Post. September 4, 1959. p. B2.
- ^ a b c "St. Stephen's Church Ground Breaking Is Sunday". The Washington Post. November 7, 1959. p. A11.
- ^ a b "New Edifice to Replace St. Stephen's". The Washington Post. July 12, 1959. p. B4.
- ^ "Saint Stephen statue at St. Stephen Church in Washington, D.C. by Felix W de Weldon". dcmemorials.com. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
- ^ "St. Stephen Martyr - Washington, D.C. - Smithsonian Art Inventory Sculptures on Waymarking.com". waymarking.com. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
- ^ Cox 2015, p. 90.
- ^ Dole, Kenneth (November 25, 1963). "Mourners Fill City's Churches to Overflowing: Tolling Only Sound". The Washington Post. p. A11.
- ^ a b c Langley 1968, p. 105.
- ^ Langley 1968, pp. 105–106.
- ^ Manchester 1967, pp. 437–438.
- ^ a b Langley 1968, p. 106.
- ^ "Msgr. J.F. Denges to Retire After 40 Years as a Priest". The Evening Star. April 27, 1968. p. 10.
- ^ "Catholic Pastors Changed". The Washington Post. November 14, 1970. p. B8.
- ^ "Catholic Archdiocese Plans To Form Three New Parishes". The Washington Post. May 27, 1972. p. A29.
- ^ "Bishop John S. Spence, D.C. Auxiliary, Dies". The Evening Star. March 8, 1973. p. 49; Hailey, Jean R. (March 8, 1973). "John Spence, Washington Auxiliary Bishop". The Washington Post. p. B10.
- ^ a b c d "Father Thomas Sheehan dies, was an Irish priest who led St. Stephen, Martyr Parish". The Catholic Standard. September 15, 2009. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
- ^ Cox 2015, p. 36.
- ^ Zielinski, Graeme (April 10, 2002). "Washington Monsignor Kenneth W. Roeltgen Dies". The Washington Post. p. B6.
- ^ "Two Priests Receive Papal Honors". Archdiocese of Washington. July 24, 2003. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
- ^ a b "Religion Notes". The Washington Post. July 28, 2005. p. T15.
- ^ "26 Catholic Parishes Under New Leadership". Archdiocese of Washington. July 24, 2005. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
- ^ a b "Twenty-six priests of archdiocese receive new appointments". Archdiocese of Washington. June 4, 2009. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
Bibliography
- Commissioner of Education (1876). Report of the Commissioner of Education Made to the Secretary of the Interior for the Year 1875. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.
- Commissioners of the District of Columbia (1894). Annual Report of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia for the Year Ending June 30, 1894. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.
- Cox, Christina (2015). Catholics in Washington, D.C. Charleston, S.C.: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9781467120807.
- Langley, Harold D. (1968). St. Stephen Martyr Church and the Community, 1867-1967. Washington, D.C.: St. Stephen's Centennial Committee.
- Manchester, William (1967). The Death of a President, November 20-November 25, 1963. New York: Harper & Row.
- Riordan, Michael J.; Duffy, P.L.; Magri, F. Joseph; Weber, Edward E.; O'Hara, Arthur J.; McSweeny, James L.; Veale, James; Clavreul, Henry P.; Hintemeyer, Felix; Smith, John Talbot; Donahue, Thomas A.; Meehan, Thomas F.; Gabriels, Henry (1914). The Catholic Church in the United States of America, Undertaken to Celebrate the Golden Jubilee of His Holiness, Pope Pius X. Voume 3: The Province of Baltimore and the Province of New York, Section 1. New York: The Catholic Editing Co.