The Charity of Christ Compels Us... 2 Corinthians 5:14
| Seton’s Yesterdays History Enlightens the Future (originally appeared in Seton weekly bulletin) by Msgr. Thomas Sandi
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In the spring of 1963, Monsignor Arthur Nugent, professor of history at Cardinal Hayes High School, was notified by Cardinal Spellman that he would be the first pastor of the first parish in the world named after Elizabeth Ann Seton at what was a mission church of Yorktown St. Patrick’s Church, St. George’s, on Route 6 in Mohegan Lake. The “old stone church (1912) on Route 6, was our original church building. As St. George Chapel, it was the mission church of Shrub Oak’s St. John Church, (formerly on E. Main Street, near the cemetery), and then Yorktown’s St. Peter Church (later St. Patrick’s). It became Blessed Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in June 1963. The bronze bell which summons us to the sacraments was originally cast for St. John the Evangelist Church on Main Street, Shrub Oak, where the florist shop is now located, across the street from the Hart library parking lot exit. It is inscribed St. John the Evangelist Church, Rev, John McEvoy, Rector, Shrub Oaks [sic], N.Y., 1897, McNeeley Bell Co., Troy, NY. The two stained glass windows, which graced St. George Chapel on Route 6 for seventy years, were moved to our church in 1980, and are now in the sacristy of our church. The Sisters of Charity were requested to staff the new Blessed Elizabeth Ann Seton School by New York’s Cardinal Spellman on St. Patrick’s Day, 1963. The Seton parish plant was constructed over many years: the school and convent (1966), the church building (1981), Our Lady Memorial Chapel (2002), St. George Portico (2005). The cedar wood beams and accents in our Church were used to remind the congregation of the Old Testament cedars of Lebanon, of which the Temple of Solomon was built. Originally, cedar wood covered the entire sanctuary wall at Seton. The tabernacle was not originally at the center rear of the sanctuary. It stood at the far left of the rear wall in its own chapel for nineteen years. The baptismal font was originally attached, at an angle, to the right, rear wall of the sanctuary at the right. The Italian-cast, bronze figure of Elizabeth Seton and two children outside the main church doors was dedicated by Seton’s second pastor, Msgr Fogarty in 1986. The elegant bas relief triptych on the right-hand side wall of the church, depicting Christ’s burial, originally served as the front of the altar in St. George Church on Route 6. It was restored and mounted on walnut by Seton’s third pastor, Bishop McCarthy. The wooden plaque, depicting the coming of the Holy Spirit as a dove over the ambry (lighted Sacred Oil container), on the wall to the right of the altar, originally hung above the altar in St. George Church on Route 6. All four Seton pastors were in special pastoral work before coming to Shrub Oak: Msgr. Nugent taught high school, Msgr. Fogarty worked in Catholic Charities, Bishop McCarthy was Cardinal O’Connor’s secretary and Msgr. Sandi was an Air Force chaplain. The American flag to the left of the altar was dedicated by Marines from Stewart National Guard Base, Newburgh, on July 4, 2004. Our original church building, St. George Chapel on Route 6 was named after the benefactors’ husband, George Heins, not Saint George, patron of England. The massive, Carrara marble Pieta’ in our Lady Memorial Chapel, was carved outdoors, on a concrete slab in our backyard, over a period of two years. The brilliant sculptor of Mary Heart of Believers, a Seton School graduate, Eric Winogradoff, was only 27 years old at its dedication in 2002. The artist responsible for the four, stained glass windows depicting Elizabeth Seton at various stages of her life, were created by Albinas Elskus. The Immaculate Conception shrine, located between the Reconciliation Rooms, was dedicated by Msgr. Edmund Fogarty on Father’s Day, 1996, just before his death. When our school first opened in 1966, it was staffed by six Sisters of Charity, with our own Sr. Gabriel among them. That number would rise to a high of ten sisters. The elegant copper steeple, with St. George on horseback, confronting the dragon, at our entrance on east Main Street, was originally at the center point of old St. George Chapel on Route 6. The Holland Room, in our auditorium, is named in honor of longtime parishioner, Harold Holland, who volunteered countless hours to our school and church building. The parish auditorium/gym in our school is named in honor of Seton’s first pastor, Msgr. Arthur Nugent. The inscribed, black marble slab at the head of the main aisle, was blessed with parishioners’ prayers, petitions and creedal statements by Seton’s third pastor, Bishop James McCarthy to mark the beginning of the Third Millennium of Christianity on Christmas Eve, 2000. Seton’s third pastor, Bishop James McCarthy had the original painted cinder block walls of the church covered in sheet rock. As well, he re-created the sanctuary by removing red carpeting, expanding and covering it with white travertine marble, installing new stained glass windows above it and adding a spacious sacristy behind. The four magnificent stained glass windows at the apex of the sanctuary are entitled (from left to right): Jesus the Teacher, Jesus the Servant, Jesus the High Priest, and The Resurrected Lord. The golden icon in Our Lady Memorial Chapel was “written” by Irena Belinikov in the Russian style, especially for our church. Our parish motto, The charity of Christ compels us (2 Corinthians 5:14) was used for the first time with the phrase “into the Third Millennium,” in anticipation of the Great Jubilee Year, 2000. The bronze tabernacle, used once a year for reposition of the Eucharist after the Holy Thursday liturgy, was a gift of New York’s Archbishop, Cardinal Francis Spellman, to Msgr. Arthur Nugnet, our founding pastor, in 1963. It served us for over thirty years in our chapel, School auditorium, and, originally, in our present church building. The cornerstone of our church, inscribed “1980,” remained unseen at the back of the choir loft (originally the church entrance) for ___ years. It now graces the front entrance of our church. The “Saint George Portico,” the east entrance of our church, contains original artifacts and photographs of our first church building (1963-1966), Shrub Oak’s old stone church on Route 6. Before our present church was built in 1981, parishioners worshipped in the school auditorium for seventeen years. Many still recall the task of putting up, and taking down, hundreds of folding chairs each Saturday and Sunday. Cardinal James Farley dedicated our first Church (1912), Cardinal Francis Spellman dedicated our school (1966), Cardinal Terence Cooke dedicated our church (1981), and Auxiliary Bishop James McCarthy dedicated Our Lady Memorial Chapel (2002). Two of the beautiful stained glass windows in our Lady Memorial Chapel depict Jesus’ mother in an original manner: Mary as a raven-haired teenager at the loom, encountering the Angle Gabriel, and as an older woman at peace and surrounded by Jesus’ apostles on Pentecost. The small bronze bell that is rung at the beginning of mass was originally at the St. George Church sacristy door. The beautiful, Immaculate Conception shrine, between the confessionals, is a 1996 tribute to Seton’s second pastor, Msgr. Edmund Fogarty, on the occasion of his fiftieth ordination anniversary. The 30+ acres on which our church stands was purchased many years before there was a Seton parish by Msgr. Delaney, St. Patrick’s pastor, who foresaw a Shrub Oak parish in the future. The choir originally sat where the handicapped pews near the pulpit are. It was moved along with the organ to its present location when the vestibule was moved to the center of the entranceway. The Youth Ministry Office, in the vestibule, was originally used as a sacristy. Seton’s Tree of Life and three boxed sets of benefactor names are located in Our Lady Memorial Chapel, reached from the rear parking lot. The two candle stands with red globes in at each side of the Seton shrine originally were in Our Lady Memorial Chapel. The original, hand-carved, sanctuary crucifix, featuring “Christ the Priest,” which was fixed on the center, rear wall, above the celebrant’s chair, now hangs at eye level in the school entrance. Our magnificent marble altar was installed to replace the original wooden altar in our sanctuary with we now use. Bishop McCarthy, Seton’s third pastor, replaced the matching podium with a marble one. The large section of pews near the confessionals was originally able to be isolated from the rest of the church for weekday masses by a moveable wall from what is now the St. George Portico (east entrance) to the left side of the altar. Over the years, three sets of stained glass windows were installed over the sanctuary: Msgr. Nugent, the two widows from the old St. George Church; Msgr. Fogarty, abstract yellow and brown shapes; and Msgr. McCarthy, the present images of Jesus’ life. Mother Seton’s Anima Christi (Soul of Christ), is her adaptation of the Eucharistic devotional prayer composed by Ignatius of Loyola. It is on display for prayer on one of the kneelers at our Seton shrine. The Holland Room was dedicated Nov. 10, 1985, to the memory of Harold Holland, a longtime parishioner, who was a giant presence in our church and school. For years he Helped prepare, and make hospitable, our school for teachers and children. Nugent Auditorium (AKA, the gym) was dedicate to the memory of our founding pastor, Msgr. Arthur Nugent on silver anniversary of our parish, June, 1983. Seton’s first rectory was the Chaplain’s cottage at Ladycliff College (afterwards, Franciscan High School). The relic of Mother Seton encased in the altar was placed there on January 28, 2006 by Bishop Dennis Sullivan, Vicar General of the Archdiocese. It had been given to the late Cardinal O’Connor by the Sea Services in recognition of the service William and Richard, Elizabeth sons, rendered America as naval men. Leadership “firsts” at Seton: Pastor, Msgr. Arthur Nugent; assistant pastor, Fr. Robert McCabe, parishioner ordained a priest, Fr. James Teague; parishioner ordained a deacon, John Anderson; parishioner religious sister, Sr. Maureen Colleary; school principal, Sr. Maria Rebecca Murphy, SC, school secretary, Mrs. Dot Tarpey; parish council president, Arthur Bortz; Altar and Rosary president, Mrs. Louise Coster; Holy Name president, Mr. Arthur Bortz; and Religious Education (CCD) Coordinator, Mr. Joe Ranellone. Seton’s first Parish Council was established by Msgr. Nugent in 1970. The president was Mr. Arthur Bortz. |