Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church


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Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
(Roman Catholic)

23-25 Newtown Avenue at Crescent Street
Astoria (Queens), N.Y. 11102
http://www.mountcarmelastoria.org/

Organ Specifications:
23-25 Newtown Avenue at Crescent Street (since 1873)
► II/28 George Jardine & Son (c.1873); reb. Eifert & Stoehr (1915)
• II/ George Jardine & Son (c.1873)
Trowbridge Street and Van Alst Avenue (1841-1873)
• unknown

The Parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is one of the oldest parishes in Long Island, having been organized in 1841. Prior to that time, Father Michael Curran, who was assigned to St. Paul's Church in Harlem, made semi-monthly trips by ferry across the East River to missions in Astoria, Flushing, Jamaica and the Rockaways. In 1835, he celebrated the first Mass in Astoria on Cambridge Street in the home of Mr. Tobin. By 1840, there were enough Catholics in Astoria to warrant the building of a Catholic church, and on August 20, Father Michael Curran organized the church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, known as St. John’s in the early days. On July 3, 1841, the trustees secured property at Trowbridge Street (26th Avenue) and Van Alst Avenue (21st Street) to build the church.The two plots of land on which the church was built came from John Shea, a New York teacher, and his wife, Mary Ann. These lot were secured for $1.00. The first Mass was said in September 1841. Subsequent land donations came from Mr. Andersen, a prominent Episcopalian, who donated a half lot, and the Riker family provided another half lot for use as the cemetery, which is still in existence. Stephen Halsey donated the stone for the foundation of the church building.


1871 building

Our Lady of Mount Carmel grew steadily and by 1869 the church building was inadequate. Funds were raised to purchase the current site at the corner of Newtown Avenue and Crescent Street and construction began on a new and larger church. The cornerstone was laid September 9, 1871, and the completed church was dedicated by Bishop Loughlin on August 7, 1873. On May 1, 1881, an acre adjoining the church was purchased to build a rectory. Father Walsh, pastor since 1883, oversaw construction of the school and convent on Astoria Boulevard at Crescent Street, the basement of the church, the rectory on Newtown Avenue. The parish school was opened on September 14, 1891, with 300 children and a staff of six Sisters of St Joseph of Brentwood, L.I. The Parish Center, or "Institute," a two-story and basement structure designed by F. J. Berlenbach of Brooklyn, was erected across the street from the rectory and opened in 1910.

Father Walsh died in 1910, and was succeeded by the Rev. Charles F. Gibney in 1911. Father Gibney lengthened the church at the main entrance and behind the altar. In 1915, renovation of the church included the installation of twelve stained glass windows depicting St. Paul and eleven other apostles. Rededication took place on May 14, 1916, with Bishop Charles McDonnell and dozens of diocesan priests in attendance.

On January 30, 1951, Monsignor Kelaher presided over the groundbreaking to renovate and enlarge the rectory. Under his leadership, the new school was built on property adjacent to the rectory. It opened in September 1954, and in December of that year, the Sisters moved into the new convent. The 125th Anniversary of the parish was celebrated in 1966; at that time the parish buildings were renovated and modernized, and air conditioning was installed. Sadly, despite heroic efforts at recruitment, fundraising and alumni development, the parish school closed in June 2005, along with more than twenty others in the diocese.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel has welcomed all members of the community throughout its history. Starting in 1971, masses in the Czech and Slovak languages were offered in the Lower Church, and the Spanish Mass began in 1977.

George Jardine & Son New York City (c.1873); reb. Eifert & Stoehr (1915) Tubular-pneumatic action 2 manuals, 28 stops, 28 ranks In 1915, the Jardine organ was rebuilt with tubular-pneumatic action by Eifert & Stoehr of Steinway, L.I. The following specifications were recorded (Nov. 4, 1972) in an "Organ Notebook" by Charles Scharpenger, an organ serviceman in the area. Scharpenger noted that the organ was divided and had a detached console. The status of this organ is unknown.

Great Organ (Manual I) – 58 notes
16	Double Diapason	58	4	Principal	58
8	Open Diapason	58	2 2/3	Twelfth	58
8	Gamba	58	2	Fifteenth	58
8	Crialophone [sic] *	58		Mixture, 3 ranks	174
8	Dulciana	58	8	Trumpet	58
4	Harmonic Flute	58		* "Melodia" is written to the right

Swell Organ (Manual II) – 58 notes, enclosed
16	Bourdon	58	4	Flute	58
8	Open Diapason	58	4	Violina	58
8	Gedeckt	58		Cornet, 3 ranks	174
8	Viol d'Amour	58	8	Bassoon	12
8	Vox Celeste	58	8	Oboe [TC]	46
8	Aeoline	58		Tremolo

Pedal Organ – 30 notes
16	Double Open Diapason	30	8	Violoncello	30
16	Bourdon	30

Couplers
	Great to Pedal 8', 4'
	Swell to Pedal 8', 4'
	Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'

Adjustable Combinations
	Pistons No. 1-2-3-4 affecting Great Organ stops
	Pistons No. 1-2-3-4 affecting Swell Organ stops

Pedal Movements
	Balanced Swell Pedal			Great to Pedal Reversible
	Crescendo Pedal

George Jardine & Son
New York City (c.1873)
Mechanical action
2 manuals

The first organ in the present church was built c.1873 by George Jardine & Son of New York City. Specifications of this organ have not yet been located.

Sources:
     The Catholic Church in the United States of America: Undertaken to Celebrate the Golden Jubilee of His Holiness, Pope Pius X, Vol. III (New York: The Catholic Editing Company, 1914).
     LaRose, Matt, Stephen Leone, and Richard Melnick. Long Island City (Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2007).
     Our Lady of Mount Carmel web site: http://www.mountcarmelastoria.org/
     Scharpenger, Charles. "Organ Notebook" (Nov. 4, 1972) with specifications of George Jardine & Son Organ (c.1873) as rebuilt by Eifert & Stoehr (1915). Courtesy Larry Trupiano.

Photos:
     Google.com street view. Exterior.
     Our Lady of Mount Carmel web site. 1871 church exterior.

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