Contact: Colleen Roche/Brenda Pérez (212) 788-2958
St. Augustine Catholic Church, located at 1183 Franklin Avenue, is the oldest Catholic Church in the Bronx. From a humble church built in 1849 by mostly German and Irish immigrants to the great, "Cathedral of the Bronx," St. Augustine has been a focal point of spiritual and social activity in the community.
Today, the Church remains a tower of hope for the neighborhood of Morrisania, not only to Catholics but to the many non-Catholic children who attend St. Augustine School and to those who utilize the food pantry and other social service programs.
The social mission of the Church has been further strengthened by its current pastor, the Reverend Keith Outlaw, who came to St. Augustine in 1994.
Therefore, in honor of the 150th Anniversary of the founding of St. Augustine's Church, it is fitting that Franklin Avenue, between Third Avenue and East 168th Street, be named "St. Augustine Way."
For the reasons previously stated, I will now sign the bill.