V Report on the Italian population and on the Church of the Transfiguration on Mott Street in New York, by the Reverend Thomas Lynch, Rector of the same church, 1885

The number of Italians who attend the Church of the Transfiguration is always increasing, and therefore it is appropriate to take some efficacious measures for the good of their souls. Five or six thousand Italians live around the church, and here come all the Italian immigrants who arrive at this port. From this Italian quarter they then leave to go to various parts of the United States. Since the Italian people have already acquired a lot of property in this quarter, and since they have some commercial banks, drug stores, coffee-houses, some restaurants and other similar establishments, and have in fact pushed out the English-speaking population, it is improbable that the colony will decrease, but rather that in time it will increase. Hence they need a resident priest to preach, to hear confessions, to instruct the children, and to minister to the sick. Up to now a Franciscan father has celebrated two Masses and has preached every Sunday for their convenience. But there is no opportunity to go to confession, and there lacks Christian doctrine for the children, excepting only the time which immediately precedes First Communion. The Italians must go a mile and a half to find at the Italian church of the Franciscan Fathers a priest who is able to visit the sick. In these last days (from the 18 to the 27 of October, 1885) a mission was held in the basement of the above named church.

            The exercises were conducted by two Passionist priests, that is Fathers Philip and John Baudinelli. A thousand persons approached the Holy Sacraments and the number would have been ever greater if there had been a larger number of confessors. Each evening 900 persons came to hear the sermon (according to the capacity of the place) and on the last night, the exercises having been held in the upstairs church, 1,017 persons crowded to receive the apostolic blessing and to sign hymns in honor of the Blessed Sacrament. “They also gave $370 for the expenses of the mission.” These people would not be able by themselves to build and keep up a church, but surely they could do their part, if the church were already built and in at least a moderately good financial state. If an Italian priest were attached as chaplain to the Church of the Transfiguration,

residing there, he could accomplish much good among these people. The Italian children, born in this city, or residing in it for some years are gradually sent with the faithful of other nationalities. But the presence of a zealous and vigilant priest could bring about an efficacious and healthy remedy.

            A four-year experience as rector of this church persuades me that the Italians don’t like the Franciscan Fathers and that a good secular priest would be more “simpatico.” Thus, for example, when these Franciscan Fathers gave a mission in 1883, the number of people who attended was so small that one could imagine that they had lost the faith. This year, however, these same people came to the same church in such great numbers that not only could they not listen to the sermon, but neither could the two Passionists and two other religious priests hear the confessions of all those who wanted to approach the Sacred Tribunal.

            Respectfully submitted by

Thomas Francis Lynch

Rector of the above-named church.