St. Teresa of Avila Church
M T I still miss St. Teresa of Avila. I was the Director of Music & Liturgy there for 16 years (1992-2008)...music director(organist-cantor-choirmaster 16 years & liturgist 13 years). Some of the most beautiful and exquisite pictorial stained glass windows anywhere in greater NYC. The late Fr. Don Kavanagh told me they were appraised in early 1990s & just the side windows worth over a million dollars back then. One of the great church architect, Patrick Charles Keely, designs. It was altered many times, with the front open portico added & then enclosed as church vestibule. Bits art deco added so it became a mix of designs. It has a rich history. The church originally had not one but two pipe organs, one in front and the big Midmer gallery organ which was replaced by a truly wonderful Casavant in 1934, with a small keyboard attached for playing the 10 tower bells from the Meneely Bros. Foundry of Troy, NY. The carillon at West Point was fashioned after St. Teresas tower bells. The Commandant visited and was so taken with the St. Teresa bells that he asked that they be model for West Points bells. The organ was placed back into the care and curatorship of Casavant in 1996 and prior to my departure, we were close to a full restoration of this beautiful organ, under the pastorship of the wonderful Fr. Tom Ahern. Sadly, he was transferred & less than a year later, I was gone. I hope and pray the organ and that gorgeous church have been receiving care, restoration and renovation since becoming part of the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph. I have so many, many fond memories of too many folks to list, but the late Fr. Don Kavanaugh, Fr. Phil Pizzo (retired) who become a kind and loyal friend, and the amazing and very, very kind Fr. Tom Ahern, also the late great St. Teresa School principal, Dr. Ken Cottrell. I enjoy socializing many times with him and Fr. Pizzo. So many lovely and wonderful people there during my 16 years. How I miss it and that beautiful pipe organ. Ive forgotten the names, but each tower bell was cast with the name of a saint and a scripture passage, the largest bell being the St. Teresa of Avila bell. I hope they got the bells & tower clock restored and bells singing again. It was a joy to play them for weddings and feasts and the sad knell of the St. Teresa Bell for funerals and solemn times. The church is worth a visit to see the unique architecture and, most especially the gorgeous windows. In the vestibule area where the choir door is, there are two visible and two not visible non-religious ornamental stained glass windows that are stunning. They are the same design but each in different color palate. Also on the front wall of the vestibule & what was originally the baptistry (religious articles & book shop when I was there) are other glorious stained glass windows.
