God has blessed our Parish with an opportunity to do something heroic. This work will have a real impact on our Parish, on our community, and on the soul of our city—now and into the future.
Let us answer Him together with faith and hope.
The Parish of St. Vincent Ferrer and St. Catherine of Siena has stood as a beacon of Christ’s light and love for over one hundred years. Now, it is time for us to bear this light to the future.
Give NowLocated exactly where God would have it, the community that would later become the Parish of St. Vincent Ferrer and St. Catherine of Siena has borne the light of Christ to the Upper East Side since 1867. Much has changed in the century and a half that has passed. But even as the city has grown, its need for this Parish and the Gospel it lives has remained constant.
Today, the Parish of St. Vincent Ferrer and St. Catherine of Siena serves as a lifeline for countless souls, residents and visitors alike. It is a refuge in the heart of the city. It is a place for prayer, a chance to encounter the immeasurable mercy of God, and an invitation to experience the peace of Christ, made present by our Parish community—a community that is exactly where God would have it.
In more ways than one, St. Vincent Ferrer and St. Catherine of Siena carries the role of a “preaching parish,” spreading the Gospel to the city around it and bearing the light and clarity of Christ to a society lost in confusion, doubt, and sin. Beyond traditional preaching, the Parish is a living testament to the fundamental, transformative role of beauty.
Beauty is the beginning of conversion; it reaches an inexpressible longing in the human heart for something greater. And each and every day, our Parish offers this powerful, lifelong invitation to conversion to every soul that passes through its doors.
Our church preaches Christ in the serenity of its shadows and brilliance of its stained glass; in the might of its columns and the intricacy of its woodwork. Our Parish proclaims Truth in the careful reverence of our liturgy and the stirring triumph of our sacred music. And above all, we bear witness to the unbridled joy and brilliance of the Gospel in our very lives: in the love we have for each other, in the refuge we offer the weary, and in the faith we demonstrate through our generosity.
In perceiving that all he had created was good, God saw that it was beautiful as well. The link between good and beautiful stirs fruitful reflection. In a certain sense, beauty is the visible form of the good, just as the good is the metaphysical condition of beauty.
Believers find nothing strange in this: they know that they have had a momentary glimpse of the abyss of light which has its original wellspring in God.
Is it in any way surprising that this leaves the spirit overwhelmed as it were, so that it can only stammer in reply?
Our churches are not an heirloom. We are members of a living thing, charged with grace—an active body of believers called to respond to the needs of the day, even as we seek eternity. True, this is a rich and ancient heritage; we steward a worthy patrimony; we honor sacred Tradition. But Tradition only has value when it is lived and shared.
As we look ahead to our future and to the recipients of this treasure that we steward, we have identified three important areas of work that God has entrusted to us.
More than a beautiful space, our churches stand as an invitation to conversation with God. By being attentive to this beauty, we enter more deeply into the spiritually rich traditions of our Faith. By preserving and uplifting this beauty, we share that Faith with others.
We act both in faith and in prudence, well aware that even simple work done with charity glorifies God. We must respond to the practical needs of the churches we call home to ensure that they will continue to stand as steady, undeniable signs of God’s love and mercy.
Even as we plan for the future, we recognize that the men and women who call our Parish home are the “living stones” of the church. We must do what we can to nurture this flourishing, joyful community.
God has blessed our Parish with an opportunity to do something heroic. This work will have a real impact on our Parish, on our community, and on the soul of our city—now and into the future.
Let us answer Him together with faith and hope.