The Church of St. Anthony is a

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the Church (building), church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in com ...

under the authority of the

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York The Archdiocese of New York () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church located in the State of New York. It encompasses the boroughs of Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island in New York City and the count ...

, located at 1496 Commonwealth Avenue,

Van Nest Van Nest is a working-class neighborhood geographically located in the East Bronx section of the Bronx, New York City. Going clockwise, its boundaries are Bronxdale Avenue to the northeast, the Amtrak tracks to the southeast, and Bronx Park to ...

Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, near the corner of Mansion Street and Commonwealth Avenue. Founded in 1908 as an Italian Personal Parish.

St. Anthony

St. Anthony's was founded shortly after the IRT elevated train line was extended into a part of the Bronx undergoing development.Proust, Mary Ann. "They Love This Parish", ''Catholic New York'', June 5, 2008
/ref> It was established in 1908 as a personal parish for Italians by the Rev. Henry De Vivo.Shelley, Thomas J., ''The Archdiocese of New York: the Bicentennial History,'' (New York: Archdiocese of New York, 2007), p.481. It is often referred to as St. Anthony, Van Nest, to distinguish it from St. Anthony of Padua's Church in neighboring

Morrisania, Bronx Morrisania ( ) is a residential neighborhood in the southwestern Bronx, New York City, New York. Its boundaries are the Cross-Bronx Expressway to the north, Crotona-Prospect Avenue to the east, East 163rd Street to the south, and Webster Avenue ...

. The present church building completed in 1909 at a cost of $75,000. "It is a brick building in the Roman style with a seating capacity of 500". On July 3, 1910, the church was dedicated by Archbishop Farley and the architect for the church was Mr. Sarrocino, a parishioner.

De Vivo was succeeded by the Rev. Pasquale Maltese in March 1912. In 1913, there were 149 baptisms, 29 marriages, 237 confirmations, 12,000 communions, and 300 in the Sunday-school. Rev. Antonio Burriesci was the assistant. That year the pastor, Rev. Pasquale Maltese, had reduced the parish debt of $70,000 to $63,000. At the beginning of the Great Depression, the Stratton Flats development opened nearby which brought in a large group of Irish-Americans to the Parish. By 2008, the religious community was largely Hispanic.

Pastors

*Rev. Henry De Vivo (1908-1912) *Rev. Pasquale Maltese (1912-1936)
*Msgr. Vincent J. Scully *Msgr. Dennis P. Coleman *Msgr. Robert A Ford *Rev. Joseph J. Kelly *Rev. Louis Anderson (Administrator 2016 -2019, Pastor 2019 - present)

St. Anthony's School

A school opened in 1931, staffed by the Sisters of Charity of New York, Sisters of Charity, at a time when a new development of apartment houses opened on former farmland. The current school building, located at 1750 Mansion Street, was built in 1956 and cost $350,000. When built, the new school building contained eight classrooms and a cafeteria, and its opening was officiated by Cardinal Spellman

/nowiki>] The school building facade was used as the filming location for the film '' Doubt (2008 film), Doubt'' (2008), written and directed by

John Patrick Shanley John Patrick Shanley (born October 13, 1950) is an American playwright, screenwriter, and director. He won the 1988 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for the film ''Moonstruck''. His play, '' Doubt: A Parable'', won the 2005 Pulitzer Pri ...

, an alumnus of the school. The school closed permanently on June 18, 2013.

Our Lady of Grace

Our Lady of Grace, on Bronxwood Avenue, was founded as an Italian personal parish in 1924 by Father Victor Bassi. For the first year, Rev. Bassi held Masses in two rented stores on White Plains Road until the first church building was dedicated on October 11, 1925. The present church dates from 1968. The statue of Mary and Jesus in front of the church was sculpted by Sister Angelica Ballan, and was originally outside Misericordia Hospital on East 233rd Street. The parish merged with St. Frances of Rome in 2015."Bronx Church, in Latest Round of Closures, Holds Final Mass", WNYC News, July 27, 2015
/ref>

Pastors

* Rev. Victor Bassi, (1924 - ) * Monsignor Bonaventure Fillitti * Monsignor John Rettagliata

References

External links

*The Official Parish Websit

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Anthonys Church, Bronx, New York Christian organizations established in 1908 Roman Catholic churches in the Bronx Roman Catholic churches completed in 1909 Italianate architecture in New York City Private middle schools in the Bronx 1908 establishments in New York City 1900s architecture in the United States Catholic elementary schools in the Bronx Van Nest, Bronx 20th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in the United States Italianate church buildings in the United States