The Provincial Chapter of 1925 elected Fr. Benvenutus Ryan, O.F.M. to succeed Fr. Mathias Faust, O.F.M. as Minister Provincial. The same Chapter appointed Fr. Mathias to be guardian of St. Francis Friary, as Fr. Anselm Kennedy, O.F.M. had completed his second term. However, in recognition of his excellent pastoral ministry, Fr. Anselm remained as pastor at 31st Street. He continued to improve the parish properties and to provide for the ever increasing numbers of clients who flocked to the church. Early in 1929, sickness forced the energetic friar to relax the intensity of his efforts. He sought treatment at a Michigan hospital, but when he perceived no noticeable improvement, he begged to be taken back to New York. He was taken directly from the train to St. Francis Hospital in the Bronx, where he died later on the eve of the Feast of St. Anthony, June 12, 1929.

The funeral of Fr. Anselm was the largest ever held in St. Francis Church until that time. Practically every parish in the city was represented. The funeral took place on June 17, 1929 with Patrick Cardinal Hayes presiding. There was genuine sorrow at the funeral Mass for the kindly friar who had looked out for the welfare and comfort of those who attended his church. Many in the congregation wept openly. This was the friar who would look for empty seats for those he found standing, or erect provisional confessionals when people had to wait too long. This was the friar who always put the convenience of others before his own, and who knew them by name. The death of this gently friar was a great loss to the people whom he loved and knew so well.

Fr. Anselm left a vibrant spiritual center in the midst of New York’s largest department stores, grand hotels, subways and railways. The thousands of people streaming day after day from these various locations found a true spiritual oasis. The noonday Mass, the confessionals and the various devotions were crowded with grateful worshippers. The church parlors were filled with people seeking advice, consolation or instruction. Eight public Masses were offered daily, and on Sunday 14 Masses were available.

At the side altars, during the age before concelebration, visiting bishops and priests could be seen offering Mass every half hour. Novenas and spiritual devotions were well attended, and confessions were heard throughout the day. In 1934, during the Great Depression, it was ascertained that 350,000 confessions were heard by the friars. Though not the largest church in New York City, St. Francis of Assisi had become the most popular and busiest house of worship in the world.

This series of articles on the history of our parish is adapted from the writings of Fr. Flavian Walsh, O.F.M., Pastor from 1985-87.

Today’s Gospel from St. Luke says: “Do you think that I have come to establish peace on earth? No, I tell you but rather, division.” This is a disturbing statement and yet, this is what happened in the time of Jesus and continues to happen. Not everyone believes in the values that Jesus taught and exemplified throughout his life. Not everyone lives by them in today’s world. The values of Jesus focus on the dignity and value of each person created in the image and likeness of God. Jesus constantly reached out to those who were looked down on by the people of his culture and times. Many today in our world chose primitive values that are self-centered. They do not include God or Jesus in their way of dealing with the world or people. Thus, division. Jesus did not back down on what was important to him. That can be a temptation for us.

Each month I put together the figures of our income from Sunday and weekday Masses, both for collections taken up in church and donations given online. I show the comparison between 2019 and 2018. I also include the budgeted amount that is needed to meet expenses for the month. It is rare that we meet the budgeted figure. Many people are very generous to St. Francis Church and I am grateful for their ongoing support. Some have to live on a fixed income. But some give only $1 in the collection, or nothing at all. You keep this church going; your donations pay the bills, provide beautiful music, salaries for our staff, the ministries that touch the lives of many people. The Archdiocese doesn’t pay our bills. In fact we are assessed a certain amount each year that we must pay the Archdiocese: the regular yearly Archdiocesan assessments for St. Francis are about $200,000 and the school tax is $144,000. I believe that this is important information for everyone to know.

-Fr. Andrew Reitz, O.F.M.

Fr. Anselm Kennedy, O.F.M. was a farm boy from Maple Ridge in upstate New York. He was ordained on May 26, 1888 by Bishop Wigger of Newark, and spent his early years as a priest in Paterson, NJ and Croghan, NY. In 1896 he was transferred to Denver, CO, and then served in Butler, NJ as pastor. Among the people, Fr. Anslem was known as an unassuming and gentle friar whose cheerfulness was contagious. After eight years as pastor in Buffalo, Fr. Anselm was chosen by the friars to serve as Provincial Minister of Holy Name Province from 1910 to 1916. His appointment to St. Francis of Assisi as pastor in 1919 was certainly a pastoral blessing for the parish.

He brought to the ministry an extensive pastoral experience, a simple but practical wisdom, and a genuine love for people. His first task was to carry out the celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of the parish, planned by his predecessor, Fr. Damian, Kehr, O.F.M. The observance of the jubilee began on Sunday, October 10,
1920, at the “Nightworkers’ Mass.”

The Very Rev. Monsignor Luke Evers, pastor of St. Andrew’s Church near City Hall, celebrated the Mass since he had been the first priest in New York to inaugurate an early Mass for nightworkers in 1901. It was fitting, therefore, that he be invited to offer the “Nightworkers’ Mass” on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the parish. Fr. Eusebius Schlingmann, former pastor, and Fr. Philip Waldmann, a native of New York City, assisted as deacon and subdeacon of the Mass.

On the same day, at 11:00 AM, a Solemn Mass of thanksgiving was offered. This was preceded by a procession of the school children, altar boys, Knights of Columbus, and clergy. Archbishop Patrick Hayes presided at the Mass. At the close of the Mass, Archbishop Hayes congratulated the Franciscans on their successful ministry in the New York Archdiocese.

Fr. Anselm guided the Church of St. Francis of Assisi as its pastor for ten years. During that decade he saw the little edifice on 31st Street develop into one of the busiest and most popular churches in New York City. The remarkable progress was largely due to the single-handed efforts of this short, white-haired friar. In those days the church personnel comprised at most eight priests. All worked feverishly, but Fr. Anselm did a lion’s share of the work. He was constantly ministering. He celebrated the famous Nightworkers’ Mass every Sunday and holyday. He heard confessions for hours, conducted devotions, directed the work of ushers, sexton and janitor, and busied himself in countless ways in providing comfort to those who came to the church. “Some days I am in the confessional for 11 hours, other priests hearing too,” a New York daily newspaper quoted him. It was mainly through the medium of daily confessions that “the little church among the skyscrapers” came to be known and loved by the Catholics of Greater New York.

One of the improvements that endeared churchgoers to Fr. Anselm was the little garden on the 32nd Street side of the church. When the new parochial school was built, Fr. Anselm had the old structure razed, and the entire site was transformed into an attractive garden. A fountain with a goldfish pond was placed in the center, and in a secluded corner, a statue of St. Francis, surrounded by birds and animals, was erected. A colorful column in the New York World recalls the garden and preserves the memory of what preceded the present courtyard of St. Francis on West 32nd Street:

“A little patch of green grass, geraniums, daisies and evergreens fronts on 32nd Street, hemmed in by whitish walls, and bending over the flowers is a barefooted friar in a brown cassock. On the sidewalk nearly every passerby is halted by the scene, common enough among the missions of California, that is bizarre in the heart of Manhattan. A sign on an iron fence informs that this is the entrance to the Church of St. Francis of Assisi.

‘My new St. Francis Garden!’ beams Fr. Anselm Kennedy. ‘The roses are on their way here from Assisi. For years it has been my dream to have this garden, both as a tiny beauty spot in the heart of the city, where there is so little natural beauty, and as an inviting side entrance to the church.

‘Last Sunday was the first on which we could test our garden as a means of attracting guests from the big hotels to our Masses. How they came! We had the biggest attendance in years. Our little St. Francis Rose Garden brought them.’”

This series of articles on the history of our parish is adapted from the writings of Fr. Flavian Walsh, O.F.M., Pastor from 1985-87.

Chapter 5: Spiritual Combat, Vigilance and Discernment

An essential condition for progress in discernment is a growing understanding of God’s patience and his timetable which are never our own. God does not pour down fire upon those who are unfaithful or allow the zealous to uproot the tares growing among the wheat. Generosity too is demanded, for “it is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Discernment is not about discovering what more we can get out of this life but about recognizing how we can better accomplish the mission entrusted to us at our baptism. This entails a readiness to make sacrifices, even to sacrificing everything. For happiness is a paradox.

When in God’s presence we examine our life’s journey, no areas can be off limits. In all aspects of life we can continue to grow and offer something greater to God even in those areas we find most difficult. We need, though, to ask the Holy Spirit to liberate us and to expel the fear that makes us ban him from certain parts of our lives.

Last weekend we considered the phrase from Luke’s Gospel that spoke of being “rich in what matters to God.” It is a good phrase to meditate on anytime. This week the sentence of today’s Gospel that follows along, and is fitting for further meditation, says: “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.”When I was pastor of St. Francis Parish on Long Beach Island, NJ, during the summer vacationers would mention that having some leisure time helped them to put things in perspective. They gave some thought about what was important to them and if they were giving enough time and attention to those priorities. In the hustle and bustle of life here in the Big Apple, these questions can often get lost, but they have surfaced in Luke’s Gospel these weekends. As St. Augustine once said: “Our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” There are many treasures in each of our lives. How do they speak of God’s place in your life?

One person who is a good example of “finding her treasure” is St. Clare of Assisi. Today is her feast day. She was a contemporary of St. Francis and even though she came from nobility, this was not enough for her. She was attracted to Francis’ preaching and the austerity of his life. One night, she snuck out of her family house in Assisi and ventured down to where St. Francis and the brothers lived. She began a new life under St. Francis’ guidance. We have the Poor Clares today who follow her way of life. Happy and Blessed Feast day to all the Poor Clares!

-Fr. Andrew Reitz, O.F.M.