Church of St. Clare
(Roman Catholic)
137-35 Brookville Boulevard
Rosedale (Queens), N.Y. 11422
http://stclareqns.com/
The Roman Catholic parish of St. Clare was established by Bishop Thomas Molloy in 1924 to serve the farming community of Rosedale in Queens. The founding pastor was the Rev. Joseph Goeller, who rented the local firehouse to celebrate the first Mass on Sunday, July 20, 1924. This building is still standing across the street from the present St. Clare's Church. Plans were drawn up for a permanent church building and construction began in 1926. The completed church was dedicated by Bishop Molly on November 13, 1927. But the Great Depression and World War II would leave work on the other parish buildings on hold.
A fundraising drive for a school building was begun in 1950, but it was not until September 1957 that the school was opened. Initially, the Sisters of St. Joseph were entrusted with teaching the parish youth, but today the school has a staff of lay teachers.
St. Clare's was affected when the Diocese of Rockville Centre was created in 1957. The parts of St. Clare’s Parish that were in Nassau county were incorporated into a parish in the new diocese. Furthermore by 1960 the worshiping community had grown to such a size that St. Pius X Parish was erected to better serve Rosedale’s Catholics. That time of change also saw the closure of St. Clare’s Convent.
With less Josephite Sisters in residence there, it was decided under the guidance of Msgr. John McCullagh to renovate the convent building and lease it to the Mercy Home for Children. Named after one of their benefactors, the Kevin Keating Residence opened in 1985. Under the auspices of the Mercy Home for Children, this intimate living setting is the home for autistic young men.
By the 1970s the area underwent a change of demographic as the original settlers of Rosedale and Laurelton moved away and their residences were inhabited by new immigrants, many of them from the Caribbean. This transition brought some great tensions with it and the parish staff was quick to preach and facilitate harmony. St. Clare’s Parish has blossomed into a community of many cultural heritages from many nations. |
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M. P. Möller, Inc.
Hagerstown, Md. – Opus 5069 (1927)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 21 stops, 10 ranks
The Factory Specifications (July 6, 1927) show that this two-manual organ had a detached stop key console, quartered oak casing, and gold bronze decorations. All pipes were in one expression chamber and were voiced on 5" wind pressure. Möller indicated the organ would be completed by September 15, 1927.
At an unknown time, a new console was installed by the Kilgen Organ Service Co. |
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Great Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
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8 |
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Open Diapason |
61 |
4 |
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Octave |
SW |
8 |
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Melodia |
73 |
4 |
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Flute Traverso |
SW |
8 |
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Dulciana |
73 |
8 |
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Oboe |
SW |
8 |
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Salicional |
73 |
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Swell Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, enclosed
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16 |
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Bourdon [unit] |
97 |
4 |
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Orchestral Flute |
— |
8 |
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Open Diapason |
73 |
2 2/3 |
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Flute Twelfth |
— |
8 |
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Lieblich Gedeckt |
— |
2 |
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Flautina |
— |
8 |
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Dulciana |
GT |
8 |
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Oboe |
73 |
8 |
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Salicional |
GT |
8 |
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Vox Humana |
61 |
8 |
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Vox Celeste [TC] |
61 |
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Pedal Organ – 32 notes
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16 |
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Bourdon [unit] |
44 |
8 |
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Flute |
— |
16 |
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Lieblich Gedeckt |
SW |
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Couplers
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Great to Pedal |
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Great 16', 4' |
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Swell to Pedal |
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Swell 16', 4', Unison Separation |
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Swell to Great 16', 8', 4' |
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Mechanicals
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Tremulant |
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Crescendo Indicator |
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Adjustable Combinations
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Pistons No. 1-2-3-4 affecting Great and Pedal stops |
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Pistons No. 1-2-3-4 affecting Swell and Pedal stops |
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Pedal Movements
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Great to Pedal Reversible |
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Balanced Swell Pedal |
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Grand Crescendo Pedal |
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Sources:
O'Connor, Fr. John. History of St. Clare Church.
St. Clare Church web site: http://stclareqns.com/
Trupiano, Larry. Factory Specifications of M.P. Möller Organ, Op. 5069 (1927).
Illustrations:
Lundy, Michael Xavier. Interior; organ. |
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