Integral part of the local community
Located between Broadway and Eighth Avenue, the Catholic Church of St Malachy was built in 1902. Over the years, there have been many changes in the neighborhood but the church remains an active, integral part of the local community. At first it was just another church, but as Broadway grew, actors, dancers, musicians and tourists started to fill the pews. Fortunately, the priests adapted easily, with masses and other religious services reorganized to fit the schedules of theaters and nightclubs. Soon St Malachy's was famous as the show business church. Douglas Fairbanks married Joan Craford here, and actors like Spencer Tracy, Irene Dunne, Bob Hope and Ricardo Montalban all worshipped here. In 1968, St Malachy's saw over 16,000 parishioners attending mass per month.
