New York City parish installs first-ever perpetual adoration chapel in Manhattan
The first-ever perpetual eucharistic adoration chapel in Manhattan, N.Y., has been installed at the Dominican-led Church of St. Joseph in the Greenwich Village neighborhood.
The idea for the chapel was that of Archbishop of New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who desired opportunities for perpetual eucharistic adoration in the city, where there was none, according to Father Boniface Endorf, OP, pastor of the Church of St. Joseph.
When Endorf became the pastor at the church five years ago, a staff member from the Office of Young Adult Outreach contacted him about the cardinal’s wishes and he responded: “Sure, we could do that!”
“And that was the beginning of this whole process,” Endorf said.
According to the pastor, there are some perpetual adoration chapels “deep in Queens and Staten Island,” but none in or near Manhattan.
The chapel, which can seat approximately 25 adorers with eight choir stalls for the Dominican friars, is located in the rectory next to the church. The chapel is on the first floor, where the parish offices are also located.
Endorf said the chapel will only be accessible to those who have a key card, which they can sign up for at the parish during office hours.
“It’s just because it’s New York City, you have to be conscious of who’s coming in and that they want to come in to pray and not for some other reason,” he said. “So it’s a way of ensuring the security of the people using the chapel.”
Front and center inside the chapel is the altar, which says “Mysterium Fidei,” meaning “the mystery of faith.” The image of divine mercy is on the tabernacle.
When Endorf became the pastor at the church five years ago, a staff member from the Office of Young Adult Outreach contacted him about the cardinal’s wishes and he responded: “Sure, we could do that!”
“And that was the beginning of this whole process,” Endorf said.
According to the pastor, there are some perpetual adoration chapels “deep in Queens and Staten Island,” but none in or near Manhattan.
The chapel, which can seat approximately 25 adorers with eight choir stalls for the Dominican friars, is located in the rectory next to the church. The chapel is on the first floor, where the parish offices are also located.
Endorf said the chapel will only be accessible to those who have a key card, which they can sign up for at the parish during office hours.
“It’s just because it’s New York City, you have to be conscious of who’s coming in and that they want to come in to pray and not for some other reason,” he said. “So it’s a way of ensuring the security of the people using the chapel.”
Front and center inside the chapel is the altar, which says “Mysterium Fidei,” meaning “the mystery of faith.” The image of divine mercy is on the tabernacle.
This article was written by Joe Bukuras, Catholic News Agency.
Featured image: The new perpetual eucharistic adoration chapel at the Church of St. Joseph in Greenwich Village in New York City was blessed by Archbishop of New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan on July 30, 2023. (Jeffrey Bruno)
