I walk by this large edifice almost every day and have never given it a second look. But then one day, the sun was hitting the concrete perfectly and the church caught my eye. I stopped to take in the facade, the concrete walls and steps, and the gold colored metal gates. Not many churches in New York City have such an entrance as this. The openness of the building contrasts the use of concrete and reminds me of a cavern. However, when the sun reflects off the opposite YMCA, it hits the concrete walls of the building and creates little pockets of glimmering light all over the front of the church. The curtain-like folds in the archways and ceilings especially represent the time period of when the church was built. The architectural style of the church is very art-deco and places its creation in the 1930’s.
My gaze turns to see a quote etched into the concrete back wall. It reads,
“While women weep, as they do now,
I'll fight
While little children go hungry, as they do now,
I'll fight
While men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now,
I'll fight
While there is a drunkard left,
While there is a poor lost girl upon the streets,
While there remains one dark soul without the light of God,
I'll fight-I'll fight to the very end!”
-William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army.
This quote, along with the time period in which the church was built reminds me of Dorothy Day and her mission. As this Salvation Army church was being commemorated, it is possible that not too far in the West Village, Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin might have been putting together and publishing their first issue of the Catholic Worker movement.
It seems that this text captures the mission statement that Dorothy Day lived by when running the Catholic Worker movement. The author of this quote is passionate about fighting for the rights of the marginalized, just like Day was.
Moreover, the location of this church fits in well with the message that is being preach—which is to evangelize to and provide help to those in need. And ‘those in need’ today were the same people in need during Dorothy Day’s time: the poor, the disabled, the drug addicts, the alcoholics, the prostitutes, the homeless, the parentless children, the list goes on. At 120 W 14th Street, between the 1, 2, 3 and F, M and L trains, and two blocks from Union Square, there is always a lot going on. People are walking quickly, trying to reach their destination, homeless people begging on the sidewalk, and druggies sitting on those same steps outside the church. So while there is this church with a call to action similar to Day’s, to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves, it is interesting to see these troubled men sitting right under it, still in need. An edifice such as this, with its great depth and presence embodies just how vast the issue of helping people in need in New York is. It is not something that can be done overnight or even within a few years. Dorothy Day understood this, and perhaps this church, The Salvation Army, understands this. It is a process. Helping people in need requires a lot of grace, a lot mercy a lot love and a lot of fight.
I walk by this large edifice almost every day and have never given it a second look. But then one day, the sun was hitting the concrete perfectly and the church caught my eye. I stopped to take in the facade, the concrete walls and steps, and the gold colored metal gates. Not many churches in New York City have such an entrance as this. The openness of the building contrasts the use of concrete and reminds me of a cavern. However, when the sun reflects off the opposite YMCA, it hits the concrete walls of the building and creates little pockets of glimmering light all over the front of the church. The curtain-like folds in the archways and ceilings especially represent the time period of when the church was built. The architectural style of the church is very art-deco and places its creation in the 1930’s.
My gaze turns to see a quote etched into the concrete back wall. It reads,
“While women weep, as they do now,
I'll fight
While little children go hungry, as they do now,
I'll fight
While men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now,
I'll fight
While there is a drunkard left,
While there is a poor lost girl upon the streets,
While there remains one dark soul without the light of God,
I'll fight-I'll fight to the very end!”
-William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army.
This quote, along with the time period in which the church was built reminds me of Dorothy Day and her mission. As this Salvation Army church was being commemorated, it is possible that not too far in the West Village, Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin might have been putting together and publishing their first issue of the Catholic Worker movement.
It seems that this text captures the mission statement that Dorothy Day lived by when running the Catholic Worker movement. The author of this quote is passionate about fighting for the rights of the marginalized, just like Day was.
Moreover, the location of this church fits in well with the message that is being preach—which is to evangelize to and provide help to those in need. And ‘those in need’ today were the same people in need during Dorothy Day’s time: the poor, the disabled, the drug addicts, the alcoholics, the prostitutes, the homeless, the parentless children, the list goes on. At 120 W 14th Street, between the 1, 2, 3 and F, M and L trains, and two blocks from Union Square, there is always a lot going on. People are walking quickly, trying to reach their destination, homeless people begging on the sidewalk, and druggies sitting on those same steps outside the church. So while there is this church with a call to action similar to Day’s, to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves, it is interesting to see these troubled men sitting right under it, still in need. An edifice such as this, with its great depth and presence embodies just how vast the issue of helping people in need in New York is. It is not something that can be done overnight or even within a few years. Dorothy Day understood this, and perhaps this church, The Salvation Army, understands this. It is a process. Helping people in need requires a lot of grace, a lot mercy a lot love and a lot of fight.
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