When news broke that the Archdiocese of New York had released a list of churches scheduled for closure on or before August1, 2015, my mom called me and I headed over to http://www.churchofourladyofpeace-nyc.org/ to see how the parish https://www.facebook.com/OurLadyOfPeaceChurchwas handling this news and to learn what I could do to help as I knew our family would want to lend a hand in any way that we could. I was thrilled to learn that every tool available http://olpchurchnyc.typepad.com/my-blog/was being used https://www.facebook.com/friendsofolp?fref=nf to get the word out ,including a online (and in church) petition http://www.thepetitionsite.com/412/217/546/save-our-lady-of-peace-church-e-62nd-street-new-york-city/?taf_id=12731525&cid=fb_na . Since then, there have been many wonderful events held at Our Lady Of Peace to rally support : A MassMob https://www.facebook.com/NYCMassMob (sign up for their efforts to support churches in NYC :a new round of voting will begin soon) 
, a Founders Day celebration, held several years prematurely, to mark the churches 100th year , and
The New York Landmarks Conservancy's Sacred Sites open house weekend.
There is more to come as the parish awaits word from the vatican , we hope for the best while preparing for the worst.
In the words of my grandpa John (pictured in the photograph I am holding -shown about to head off to World War 1 ) "Rome wasn't build in a day", " He who thinks he can can" and "There is nothing to fear but fear itself". I am counting on my grandfathers words being right and I know they are all watching over us all as we work to preserve this wonderful church that so many call home .
Thank you for your kind words on Our Lady of Vilnius on Mother's Day. I used to work near Our Lady of Peace and I hope that you can save your church and your community. Our Lady of Vilnius is demolished, but we can't let it be erased from the history of the archdiocese and of New York City.
ReplyDeleteI agree and I think it lives on in all of you (wherever you all go) and -now- in the lives and actions of those of us who are fighting the very same fight. With this in mind, I would like to bring a photo of Our Lady of Vilnius with me to mass this week : is there one you would particularly like to have represent the church and it's parish? (as an artist I find images to be especially powerful)
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