St. Frances de Chantal Catholic Church - The Bronx, NY
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Church of St. Frances de Chantal
(Roman Catholic)

190 Hollywood Avenue at Harding Avenue
The Bronx, N.Y. 10465
http://www.sfdchantal.org/

Organ Specifications:
Present building (since 1970)
► III/37 Wicks Organ Company, Op. 5097 (1969)
First building (1930-1970)
• unknown

St. Frances de Chantal parish had its humble beginnings in a tent erected at Meagher and Lawton Avenues where the first Mass was celebrated in July, 1922. At that time Throggs Neck was a part of Holy Family parish. In 1926 this little chapel was placed under the care of Father William Jordan who was entrusted with the task of founding a new parish and replacing the tent with a church. The parish was formally established by Patrick Cardinal Hayes in 1927.

Father Jordan directed the building of the new church despite the hardships and difficulties that were brought on by the stock market crash in 1929 and the ensuing Depression. St. Frances de Chantal Church was completed and the first Mass offered in 1930. The parish school opened its doors for the first time in September of that same year. During Father Jordan’s 29 years as pastor the parish grew not only in size but in the variety of ways in which the needs of parishioners were cared for. One of the proudest moments in now Msgr. Jordan’s pastorate was when Francis Cardinal Spellman came to dedicate the new convent on October 9, 1953. It was around this time that Monsignor’s health began to fail and he died on May 7, 1955.

The second pastor of St. Frances de Chantal was Father John T. Halpin who came to the parish at a time of rapid growth and expansion. He began plans to build an addition to the school and started to buy up land on which to build a new and larger church. A new wing to the school and an expanded convent were dedicated by Cardinal Spellman in 1957.

By the 1960s, the parish had increased in size and Father Halpin made plans for the present church which would incorporate liturgical changes brought on by the Second Vatican Council. Construction began in April 1969 and was completed in September 1970. His Eminence Terence Cardinal Cooke celebrated the Mass of Dedication on October 25, 1970.

St. Frances de Chantal Parish is a large parish of over 2,500 registered families. Masses are celebrated in three languages (English, Spanish and Italian).
         
Wicks Organ Company
Highland, Ill. – Opus 5097 (1969)
Direct-Electric ® action
3 manuals, 41 registers, 32 stops, 37 ranks


The organ in St. Francis de Chantal Church was built in 1970 by the Wicks Organ Company of Highland, Illinois. The Factory Specification (November 6, 1969) shows that Wicks would provide a detached three-manual console. Wicks also included 17 bronze tuning slides for selected exposed pipes.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes, exposed
16
   Rohrbordun
85
4
   Rohrflöte (fr. 16')
—
8
   Principal
61
2
   Octave
61
8
   Harmonic Flute
61
     Mixture IV ranks
244
4
   Prestant
61
8
   Trumpet
61

     

     
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Rohrflöte
61
1 3/5
   Terz (TC)
49
8
   Salicional
61
8
   Trompette
61
8
   Voix Celeste (GG)
54
8
   Oboe
61
4
   Spitzprincipal
61
4
   Rohr Schalmei
61
2 2/3
   Nazard
61
     Tremulant  
2
   Flautino
61
        
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed
8
   Geigen Diapason
61
1 1/3
   Quint
61
4
   Koppelflöte
61
8
   Clarinet
61
2
   Hohlflöte
61
     Tremulant  
               
Antiphonal Organ (floating) – 61 notes, exposed
8
   Holzbordun
61
2
   Kleinprinzipal
61
8
   Erzähler
61
8
   Cor Anglais
61
4
   Flachflöte
61
    
Chimes
preparation
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes
16
   Contrabass
32
     Mixture III ranks
96
16
   Quintaton
56
16
   Posaune (ext. GT)
12
8
   Principalbass
44
8
   Trumpet
GT
8
   Waldflöte
32
4
   Clarion
GT
8
   Erzähler
CH
     Antiphonal Pedal (exposed)
4
   Choralbass (fr. Principalbass)
—
16
   Untersatz (ext. ANT)
12
4
   Quintaton (fr. 16')
—
8
   Flute
ANT
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal   Swell 16', Unison Silent, 4'
    Swell to Pedal   Choir 16', Unison Silent, 4'
    Choir to Pedal   Antiphonal on Great
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'   Antiphonal on Swell
    Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'   Antiphonal on Choir
    Choir to Swell   Antiphonal to Pedal
    Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'    
               
Adjustable Combinations
   
Great Pistons 1-5 affecting Great stops (thumb)
Swell Pistons 1-5 affecting Swell stops (thumb)
Choir Pistons 1-5 affecting Choir stops (thumb)
Antiphonal Pistons 1-5 affecting Antiphonal stops (thumb)
Pedal Pistons 1-5 affecting Pedal and Antiphonal Pedal stops (thumb & toe)
General Pistons 1-5 affecting all stops and couplers (thumb & toe)
               
Reversibles
    Great to Pedal   Antiphonal to Pedal
    Swell to Pedal   Sforzando
    Choir to Pedal    
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Swell Expression Pedal      
    Balanced Choir Expression Pedal      
    Crescendo Pedal      
           
Sources:
     Church of St. Frances de Chantal website: http://www.sfdchantal.org/
     Shelley, Thomas J. The Bicentennial History of the Archdiocese of New York 1808-2008. Strasbourg: Éditions du Signe, 2007.
     Wicks Organ Company: Factory specification (Nov. 6, 1969) of Wicks Organ, Op. 5097. Courtesy Jeff Scofield.

Illustration:
     Shelley, Thomas J. The Bicentennial History of the Archdiocese of New York 1808-2008. Exterior of present church building.