Pastoral Ministry
The parish is the center of most Catholics’ spiritual life. It is there that they receive the sacraments and help foster a Catholic community with other parishioners. Just as important as it is to church members, parishes are vital to the Church. Parishes are the heart of the church. It is through parishes that the gospel is proclaimed and celebrated.
The Capuchin Franciscans of the Province of St. Mary have ministered in parishes in New York and New England for more than 150 years. Through Our Lady Star of the Sea Vice Province, Capuchin Franciscans also do pastoral ministry in Guam and Hawaii, and through our mission work, Capuchin Franciscans minister in Honduras, Japan, and other countries where Capuchins are present. In every parish, Capuchin friars preach the message of St. Francis responding to the needs of the community and helping the poor and forgotten.
Capuchin Franciscans ensure that parish communities are kept vibrant by inviting members to take part in community outreach, attend spiritual classes and prayer groups, and take on leadership roles within their parish.
Just like parishioners, Province of St. Mary parishes are unique and different in their own way. One thing they share in common is the spiritual guidance given to them by Capuchin Franciscan friars.
Celebrating a 100-year anniversary is always a special occasion for a parish community. And for the Church of the Good Shepherd, it’s an especially joyous occasion as the parish continues to carry on its original mission of being a spiritual and social center for Upper Manhattan’s Catholic community.
To mark the centennial anniversary, the church opened its year-long celebration with a special jubilee Mass, an anniversary concert, a sold-out dinner dance, and a Mother’s Day crowning of the Virgin Mary that was followed with a street procession.
“The church was packed to capacity with standing-room only, including some parishioners gathered in the entrance ways for the anniversary mass,” said Fr. Robert Abbatiello, Pastor of Good Shepherd Church. “The bilingual Mass, concelebrated by Frs. Robert Abbatiello, Philip Bohan and Arlen Harris, brought many long-time members of the parish together with the present community.”
Additional events throughout the year will include a party for children, an ongoing concert series which will feature a visiting choir from England, a parish picnic, a gala banquet, and a special Mass of Thanksgiving on May 19, 2012, celebrated by Most Rev. Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York. Founded by the Paulist Fathers in 1911 in the Inwood section of Manhattan, the Church of the Good Shepherd was built to serve Upper Manhattan’s Irish Catholic population. At the time, Inwood was not a heavily populated neighborhood and the church’s wood frame building served the community’s needs. But with the opening of a nearby subway station in the 1930s, Inwood’s population increased. A new facility was built, which included an elementary school and convent to serve the growing population. In 2006, the Capuchin Franciscan friars of the Province of St. Mary began ministering at Good Shepherd.
The original Church of Good Shepherd before its renovation in the 1930s.
Over the years, the demographic makeup of Inwood changed. The community is now largely Hispanic and many of its parishioners are Spanish-speaking immigrants. In the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi, who encouraged his brothers to preach the Gospel at all times and to all people, much of Good Shepherd’s ministry work is done in Spanish. Weekday and weekend Masses are celebrated in both English and Spanish and are well attended.
The Capuchin Franciscan Friars also spread the Gospel by serving those most in need. The Church of the Good Shepherd’s community outreach programs include a parish food pantry that serves approximately 3,500 people each month and a homeless shelter that offers hospitality five nights a week to six adult women. In addition, the parish has an annual Thanksgiving Food Drive that assists more than 300 people and an annual Christmas Toy Drive that collects toys for hundreds of children staying in New York City homeless shelters. Father Robert, credits the church’s community outreach to the dedicated parish staff and parishioners.
“These men and women give a great deal of their personal time and talents, above and beyond the call of duty, without seeking any kind of compensation,” Fr. Abbatiello said. “Our liturgical life is strong and vibrant. Many volunteers serve in the important ministries of lector, usher, altar server, choir, and Eucharist minister.”
Another way the church has maintained its strong ties to the neighborhood is by being involved with other community groups, including civic organizations, community boards, and local businesses in Inwood. At different times during the year, Good Shepherd Church hosts a variety of concerts featuring varied artists, ensembles, and choruses. It is currently organizing a musical concert that will benefit the Capuchin Custody of Japan’s earthquake relief efforts.
As it enters its second century, Good Shepherd Church will continue laying a strong spiritual foundation, and inspire present and future generations of Catholics to live their lives formed by Gospel values.
For more information about the Church of the Good Shepherd, visit their parish website at www.goodshepherdnyc.org