About Chapel of the Resurrection (Parish of St. Charles Borromeo, Resurrection & All Saints) · New York, New York
The Chapel of the Resurrection is a Roman Catholic worship site at 276 West 151st Street in Central Harlem, Manhattan. It originated as the independent Church of the Resurrection, founded in 1907 to serve the (then largely white) Catholic residents of Harlem, and the present modest church, school, and rectory complex opened in 1908. After more than a century of independent life — through the dramatic demographic and pastoral shifts of 20th-century Harlem — the Resurrection parish was consolidated with the historic St. Charles Borromeo parish (often called 'Harlem's Cathedral'), and the Resurrection church building was retained as a chapel of the combined parish, today officially styled the Parish of St. Charles Borromeo, Resurrection & All Saints. The Chapel of the Resurrection hosts a 10:00 AM Sunday Mass in English and a 12:00 PM Sunday Mass in Spanish, as well as a 7:00 PM Thursday evening Mass in Spanish, serving as the bilingual Latino outreach arm of one of the most storied African-American Catholic parishes in New York City.
- Established
- 1907
- Patron
- The Resurrection of the Lord
- Rector
- Rev. Willem Klaver
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
Why belong here
The Chapel of the Resurrection welcomes both English- and Spanish-speaking Catholics of Harlem into a worship site with more than a century of continuous parish life. Whether you attend the 10:00 AM English Mass, the 12:00 PM Spanish Mass on Sunday, or the 7:00 PM Thursday Mass in Spanish, you join a community shaped by the ministries listed on scbrchurch.org — choirs (Amen Choir, Gospel Lites Choir, Spanish Choir at Resurrection, Praise & Worship), the SPIRIT Youth Group for ages 12–17, the Youth Alliance, St. Vincent de Paul outreach to the poor, sick, and elderly, and parish-wide faith formation for First Communion and Confirmation. Membership is open to all registered parishioners of either St. Charles Borromeo or the Chapel of the Resurrection.
Mass times at Chapel of the Resurrection (Parish of St. Charles Borromeo, Resurrection & All Saints)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 5:00 PM – 5:20 PM (at St. Charles, before the 5:30 PM Vigil Mass)
- By appointment — call the rectory at (212) 281-2100
Adoration times
- Saturday evening adoration at Resurrection (per Archdiocese of New York parish listing)
- Wednesday mid-day adoration (per Archdiocese of New York parish listing — see parish for exact hours)
Parish History & Heritage
The Chapel of the Resurrection traces its roots to 1907, when the Church of the Resurrection was founded to serve the Catholic residents of Central Harlem — at that time a predominantly white neighborhood. A modest building containing the church, school, and rectory opened in 1908. As Harlem's demographics shifted through the 1930s and beyond to include many Hispanic and Black residents, the parish evolved with its community. By the 1970s the Rev. Lawrence E. Lucas had been named its first African-American pastor — one of the first in Harlem. Under Msgr. Wallace A. Harris (pastor of St. Charles Borromeo from 1989 to 2008), the Church of the Resurrection ceased to be an independent parish and was retained as a chapel of the larger St. Charles Borromeo parish. The 2015 Archdiocese of New York pastoral planning process brought All Saints Church into the same combined parish, producing the present name: the Parish of St. Charles Borromeo, Resurrection & All Saints.
Worship at the Chapel of the Resurrection
The Chapel of the Resurrection is one of two worship sites of the combined parish. Its centerpiece is a 10:00 AM Sunday Mass in English and a 12:00 PM Sunday Mass in Spanish, both of which draw a lively, bilingual community. A 7:00 PM Thursday evening Mass is also celebrated in Spanish, making the Chapel the principal Spanish-language outreach site of the combined parish in Harlem.
- Sunday 10:00 AM — English (at the Chapel of the Resurrection)
- Sunday 12:00 PM — Spanish (at the Chapel of the Resurrection)
- Thursday 7:00 PM — Spanish (at the Chapel of the Resurrection)
- Saturday Vigil 5:30 PM — English (at St. Charles Borromeo)
- Monday–Saturday 8:30 AM — English (at St. Charles Borromeo)
Parish Staff
The combined Parish of St. Charles Borromeo, Resurrection & All Saints is led by Pastor Rev. Willem Klaver, with Rev. Benedict Ohanga serving as Parochial Vicar and Rev. Bryan Massingale as Weekend Associate. Deacons Rodney A. Beckford and Michel Hodge assist at the liturgies and in ministry leadership. Sr. Dorothy Hall, OP serves as Pastoral Associate. Deacon Michel Hodge and his wife Stacey co-coordinate the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).
- Rev. Willem Klaver — Pastor
- Rev. Benedict Ohanga — Parochial Vicar
- Reverend Bryan Massingale — Weekend Associate
- Deacon Rodney A. Beckford
- Deacon Michel Hodge — RCIA Coordinator
- Sr. Dorothy Hall, OP — Pastoral Associate
- David Sorden — Business Manager
- Pam Smith — Parish Administrative Assistant
- Tulip Bain-Rock — Office Administrative Assistant
- Dr. BrVon Neal — Director of Music
- Darren Johnson — Sacristan
- Joseph Salerno — School Principal
- Dr. Monica White — Religious Education Coordinator
- Letisha Noel & Br. William Sherlog, CFC — Confirmation Coordinators
- Joseph Salerno — Director of Religious Education, Resurrection
Deacon Michel Hodge — RCIA Coordinator
Deacon Michel Hodge has been a member of St. Charles for over 14 years and a deacon for 4.5 years. He is an executive administrator at CUNY New York City College of Technology. His Catholic education began with the Marist Brothers at Mount Saint Michael Academy in the Bronx; he holds a B.S. in Aviation Management, an M.A. in Organizational Leadership, and an M.A. in Theology, and is pursuing a Doctorate in Executive Leadership at St. John Fisher College. He and his wife Stacey have been married 23 years and reside in the Bronx.
Sacraments
The parish prepares its members for the seven sacraments according to Archdiocese of New York norms. Baptisms for infants through age 7 are celebrated on the first Sunday of the month at the Chapel of the Resurrection and on the second Sunday at St. Charles Borromeo (no Baptisms in August); parents must be registered and regularly attending Mass. First Holy Communion is received in the third grade after at least two years of Sunday School or attendance at St. Charles School, on the first Sunday of May. Confirmation is prepared from the First Sunday of Advent in eighth grade and received in tenth grade. Couples must contact the pastor at least six months before marriage. The Anointing of the Sick is offered to the seriously ill or before surgery; the family or patient may ask the hospital Catholic chaplain or call the rectory at (212) 281-2100.
- Baptism — first Sun. at Resurrection, second Sun. at St. Charles
- First Holy Communion — third grade, first Sunday of May
- Confirmation — tenth grade, begins First Sunday of Advent in eighth grade
- Reconciliation — Saturdays 5:00–5:20 PM or by appointment
- Anointing of the Sick — by request
- Marriage — six months' notice to the pastor
- Funerals — coordinated through the funeral home and the parish office
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Sunday School is held at the Chapel of the Resurrection at 8:00 AM and at St. Charles after the 10:00 AM Mass each Sunday. Children preparing for First Communion who do not attend St. Charles School must attend Sunday School at either site for at least two years. The parish also runs the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) — a September-to-Pentecost process for adults who are unbaptized, baptized but uncatechized, or Catholic adults seeking enrichment — coordinated by Deacon Michel Hodge and Stacey Hodge. Modified processes are offered for teens (RCIT) and for children eight and older (RCIC).
Music Ministries
Music is central to the liturgical life of the combined parish, and the Chapel of the Resurrection is home to several choirs that animate its Sunday liturgy. The Amen Choir blends traditional hymns, spirituals, and gospel music to enhance the 10:00 AM Sunday Mass at Resurrection. The Spanish Choir at Resurrection serves the parish's Spanish-speaking liturgical celebrations. The Gospel Lites Choir, in continuous service for over 40 years, inspires parishioners during Sunday Mass and hosts an annual November choir concert that supports the church financially. The Praise & Worship Team, founded in 2012 by Danielle Beckford in response to the Black Catholic Congress's call, brings a youthful, contemporary gospel sound to worship. The parish also lists a Men's Choir, Liturgical Dancers, and a New Media Ministry among its liturgical groups.
- Amen Choir (at Resurrection, 10:00 AM Mass)
- Spanish Choir at Resurrection
- Gospel Lites Choir (40+ years; annual November concert)
- Praise & Worship (founded 2012)
- Men's Choir
- Liturgical Dancers
- New Media Ministry
Youth & Young Adult Ministries
Young parishioners find several points of entry at the Chapel of the Resurrection. SPIRIT is the parish youth group for ages 12–17, providing religious and spiritual development through Mass, Church services, and workshops, and creating community through college/career programs, sporting events, game nights, and service alongside the St. Vincent de Paul Society. The Youth Alliance Ministry meets on the third Sunday of each month after the 10 AM Mass in Charlie's Cafe, offering the After Mass Gamers' Club and a positive social environment for parish kids with adult supervision.
- SPIRIT Youth Group (ages 12–17)
- Youth Alliance / After Mass Gamers' Club (third Sunday after 10 AM Mass)
- Youth Ensemble & Praise & Worship Concert (annual fundraiser)
Outreach & Social Justice
The parish's outreach is anchored by the St. Vincent de Paul Society, a non-profit lay organization committed to working together to meet the needs of the poor, sick, and elderly in the parish area. Membership is open to any registered parishioner 18 or older. Other ministries with a service dimension include Catholic Women of Harlem, the Knights of Peter Claver, the Lazarus Project, Social Justice, and the Altar Rosary Society (whose primary purpose, in the words of Pope Leo XIII, is 'to praise the Blessed Virgin Mary' and assist with the upkeep of the altar in the church).
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Catholic Women of Harlem
- Knights of Peter Claver
- Lazarus Project
- Social Justice
- Health Ministry
Contact & Location
The Chapel of the Resurrection stands at 276 West 151st Street, New York, NY 10039, at the corner of West 151st Street and Seventh Avenue in Central Harlem. The parish main rectory is at 211 West 141st Street, New York, NY 10030 (St. Charles Borromeo, often called 'Harlem's Cathedral'). Both sites share the parish phone (212) 281-2100 and email [email protected]. The rectory office is open Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with weekend reception on Saturday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM and Sunday 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. For all Sacramental and Business matters, please call or email the St. Charles Borromeo Rectory.
- Chapel of the Resurrection: 276 W 151st St, New York, NY 10039
- Main rectory (St. Charles Borromeo): 211 W 141st St, New York, NY 10030-1797
- Phone: (212) 281-2100
- Email: [email protected]
- Rectory office: Mon–Fri 9 AM–5 PM; Sat 9 AM–3 PM; Sun 9 AM–1 PM
Parish Governance
The combined Parish of St. Charles Borromeo, Resurrection & All Saints is governed in collaboration between the pastor and a Parish Council with lay trustees, ex-officio members, and elected leadership. The pastor presides; the business manager and trustees assist in temporal affairs. Cardinal Timothy Michael Dolan serves as Archbishop of New York.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Dr. Charles O'Keefe1888 (founding pastor of St. Charles Borromeo)
First pastor of St. Charles Borromeo, offered the first Mass in a storefront at 2660 Eighth Avenue on January 29, 1888 (context for the combined parish lineage).
- Monsignor Francis H. Wall
Invited the La Salle Christian Brothers to teach the older boys at St. Charles in 1915.
- Rev. Harold A. Salmon1968
First Black pastor of St. Charles Borromeo in the Archdiocese of New York, preached on reconciliation to a nearly all-Black congregation.
- Rev. Lawrence E. Lucas1970s
Named the first African-American pastor of the Church of the Resurrection (one of the first in Harlem).
- Rev. Msgr. Emerson J. Moore1975–1989 (at St. Charles)
Became the first Black monsignor in the U.S. (1978); welcomed Pope John Paul II to St. Charles in 1979; appointed Auxiliary Bishop of New York in 1982; died 1995. Pastor of St. Charles during the period when Resurrection's community was folded into St. Charles.
- Rev. Monsignor Wallace A. Harris1989–2008
Third Regional Vicar of Central Harlem; under his leadership, the Church of the Resurrection ceased to be an independent parish and became a chapel of St. Charles Borromeo.
- Rev. Philip Amankwa-Danquah2008–
Parish Administrator at St. Charles Borromeo / Resurrection Chapel after Msgr. Harris's unexpected departure; continued the rich liturgical tradition begun by Msgr. Harris.
- Rev. Willem Klavercurrent
Current pastor of the combined Parish of St. Charles Borromeo, Resurrection & All Saints.