I was browsing various sites for images not yet shared with you on this site. Below is one I particularly liked, showing St. Joseph's, now burned-down and turned into a park, as seen from East Avenue in downtown Rochester. You can really get a sense as to how grand that church was, as well as how beautiful and prosperous downtown was back then. Anyone that goes to Our Lady of Victory, Blessed Sacrament, Corpus Christi, etc. knows what a daunting prospect it is to launch oneself into the bowels of urban depravity for the sake of Mass. Note that above the street are the wires and guide-lines for the trolleys which once traversed Rochester. They were discontinued in 1936, and the subway followed suit in the late 50's.
http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/rochimag/rmsc/scm03/scm03071.jpg
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
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As a young grad student at the U of R, I used to go to St. Joseph's in downtown. I lived on Clinton Ave, at the time, above a sewing shop and I remember walking to St. Joseph's. I seem to remember that it was repainted and redecorated during the early 1970's. It was beautiful. I still remember the cherubim painted on the ceiling. Shortly after the repainting, the church burned down. I was devastated. I ended up going to Sunday Mass at the Interfaith Chapel at the U of R and was equally astonished at the chapel's sterility. Unfortunately, it was sterile because it had to serve as the worship space for the Jewish, Protestant, Catholics and others on campus, hence no decorations or other religious symbology that would offend anyone. Also, unfortunately, I was introduced to the NEW mass at the Interfaith chapel promulgated by Sister Joan Sobala. I'm glad I was able to leave Rochester and I'm truly grateful that I now attend a more orthodox Catholic Church.
You're in my prayers Rochester Catholics.
UofR grad
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