Excerpt from a letter by Fr. Sean R. Harlow, O. Corm, Pastor,
St. Stephen’s Church
| The magnificent St. Stephen’s Church
(now
known as Our Lady of the Scapular and St. Stephen’s Church) has been an
anchor of our neighborhood for over one hundred and fifty years.
Long recognized a haven for poor and diverse immigrant population of many
countries and faiths, as well as being an important site in the history
of the archdiocese of New York, we are now appreciating anew the priceless
artwork and glorious beauty of the church. A tremendous contribution
to both faith and art was made by the dedicated and hard working people
who expressed their love of God and Country by building this church through
their small but numerous financial donations.
Now, I invite you to join in our efforts to preserve and
enhance for future generations, the original beauty of the church of Our
Lady of the Scapular and St. Stephens.
We have been greatly encouraged by the recent attention
given to the artist most responsible for all of the art in St. Stephen’s
church, Constantino Brumidi, on this,
the 150th Anniversary of his arrival in New York City. Brumidi himself;
however, is best known for his mural work in the United States capital
where one can see that this new immigrant from Italy so captured the American
Spirit and so loved this new land, that he was able to portray the essence
of America over and over again in the brilliant and breathtaking murals
he did for the Capital. Today, thanks to several of the most prestigious
Italian-American organizations in our nation and here in New York City,
our citizens are becoming aware of the Brumidi treasures to be found here
in St. Stephen’s Church - home to the largest collection of his work outside
of the capitol Building.
Would you please join us in honoring Constantino
Brumidi and all those parishioners and benefactors whose sweat and
toil built this Church by helping us revive our restoration effort?
Only you can restore St. Stephen’s church to its warm, elegant and wondrous
beauty - a beauty born out of the pain and suffering, as well as the hope,
love and aspirations of working-class Italian, Irish, African, German,
Hispanic, Asian, Lithuanian, Polish and English immigrants who have historically
been the parishioners of this church. |
Contribution Option I: Send contributions directly to:
Rev. Sean Harlow, O. Carm., Pastor, Our Lady of the Scapular and St. Stephens
Church, 142 East 29 Street, New York, N. Y. 10016. Phone: (212)683-1675
or 532-2232. Fax (212)683-7921. Email: OLsss142@aol.com
Contribution Option II: Purchase of Brumidi Art for homes,
schools, church chapels and new churches will aid significantly in funding
the on-going restorations at Our Lady of the Scapular and St. Stephen’s.
Thirty per cent (30%) of the sale price of the Brumidi reproduction canvases
is sent directly to St. Stephen’s. For further information contact:
BrumidiArt@aol.com
or CBrumidiArt@carolina.rr.com.
Our introductory and initial selection includes the fourteen Stations
of the Cross in three sizes: Ideal size for chapels is the 16” x
20” with a 2 7/8” wide frame that measures 21 ¾” x 25 ¾”
with an inward tapering thickness of 1 7/8 inches. Security hangars
included. Our most recent introduction includes the exact sizecanvas
replicas as painted by Brumidi. Measurements at St. Stephens are
36 x 60. We supply canvases that are 32” in width and 60” in height.
Measurement with the frame addition is 37 ¾ x 65 ¾.
Ideal for school rooms, the 11” x 14” stretched canvas secured in a
2" wide frame measuring 15” x 18” with an inward tapering thickness of
1 ½ inches. The gold or silver molding is beautiful but of
modest design so as to shelter the treasure contained therein, likened
unto the mother’s arms as she caresses the new born babe.
These exact works of reproduced art, using the Giclée (zhee'-klay)
process, are available in larger canvas sizes and proportionally sized
frames per your request.
The Crucifixion mural behind the main altar of St. Stephen is
22 feet wide by 44 feet high. We offer this reproduction in four sizes:
11x16", 22x32", 32x48" and 40x60".
Mailing address: BrumidiArt, P O Box 5189, Charlotte, N C 28299
Phone: 1-704-969-9337 (9-4 M-F EST)
Email address: BrumidiArt@aol.com
CBrumidiArt@carolina.rr.com. |