(917) 492-3668
Community St. Rose Duchesne
149 E 117th St.
New York, NY 10035
East Harlem, NY
Serving in the Archdiocese of New York.
Our community was started in December 2002. Our mission includes the pastoral work at St. Paul’s Church in East Harlem, New York, and Religious Education and administrative work at Saint Paul’s Catholic School.
Apostolates
The main works of evangelization for this community are the following:
- Catechism: The sisters are in charge of the school of Religion, which includes 315 children this year, both English and Spanish speaking. They also assist in the formation of young adults for a more active Christian life. St. Paul’s Catholic School: Sisters direct the Religious Education in the school, serve as teachers, and hold positions in the administration, including the duty of Vice-Principal.
- Youth Groups: “Maria Goretti” – a weekly group for girls between seven and eleven years old; Teenagers Youth Group on Saturdays.
- Visit the Sick: the sisters visit the sick and the elderly in their homes. They pray with them, bring them Holy Communion, and assist them in their last days.
- Support Group: the sisters give spiritual support and advice to the different cultural groups that belong to the parish
Our Patroness | Saint Rose Duchesne (August 29, 1769 – November 18, 1852)
Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne was born in Grenoble, France and died in St. Charles, Missouri. She was the daughter of Pierre-Francois Duchesne, an eminent lawyer. Her mother was a Perier, ancestor of Casimir-Perier, President of France in 1894. She was educated by the Visitation nuns, entered that order, saw its dispersion during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror, vainly attempted the reestablishment of the convent of Ste-Marie-d’en-Haut, near Grenoble, and finally, in 1804, accepted the offer of Mother Barat to receive her community into the Society of the Sacred Heart. From early childhood, the dream of Philippine had been the apostolate of souls: heathens in distant lands, the neglected and poor at home. Nature and grace combined to fit her for this high vocation; education, suffering and, above all, the guidance of Mother Barat, trained her to become the pioneer of her order in the New World. In 1818 Mother Duchesne set out with four companions for the missions of America. Bishop Dubourg welcomed her to New Orleans, when she sailed up the Mississippi to St. Louis, finally settling her little colony at St. Charles. She yearned to teach the poor Indians, and old and broken as she was, she went to labour among the Pottowatomies at Sugar Creek, thus realizing the desire of her life. But Providence led her back to St. Charles, where she died at the age of 83. She is considered an American Saint. Her feast day is November 18th. She was canonized on July 3, 1988, by Pope John Paul II.
