A RICH HISTORY
The history of St. Charles Borromeo is integrally bound to the social and cultural changes in the Harlem Community. The anticipated development of the land north of 135th Street motivated Archbishop Michael Corrigan to establish the parish. It began with the offering of the Sacrifice of the Mass by the first pastor, Rev. Dr. Charles O’Keefe, in a storefront at 2660 Eighth Avenue on January 29, 1888.
By November 4, the feast of its patron saint, the first church was built on the south side of 141st Street. When the property was later sold, the church building was moved across the street. The present Gothic structure often referred to as “The Cathedral of Harlem”, was completed in 1904. The school staffed by the Sisters of Charity was opened that year in the old church. In 1915, Monsignor Francis H. Wall invited the La Salle Christian Brothers to teach the older boys.
In 1926 Harlem witnessed the shift of population from Irish to African Protestants presented a challenge met by the appointment of Rev. Walter McCann, a famed preacher of the Mission Band, as pastor. He selected the New York Apostolate to Harlem. This group of zealous priests included Father Walter L. McCann, Owen J. Scanlon, Bernard F. Russell, Lawrence J Cahill, Joseph M. Walsh and Frank J Dohman. Their convert work is unprecedented: yearly classes resulted in the Baptism to Catholicism of as many as three hundred thirty-nine converts in a year.
