22. Pastorate of Arthur Avard: 1936-1952
On July 18, 1936 Fr. Arthur Avard was assigned to St. Mary's by Cardinal Hayes. He had been pastor of St. Catherine's in Blauvelt for ten and a half years. He brought to our church in Yonkers a welcome burst of enthusiasm and energy. At the 100th anniversary of the parish in 1948 it was written of him in the Anniversary Journal that he wanted to be remembered for invigorating the spiritual life of the parish. "He has encouraged the frequent reception of the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Eucharist. A Holy Hour is conducted each week as well as services in honor of Our Blessed Mother and St. Joseph. The Confraternity of Our Lady of Lourdes and the Legion of Mary have been established in the parish and the previously established groups like the Children of Mary, the Holy Name Society- Senior and Junior,the Sacred Heart Sodality have been continued and encouraged." He had a special devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes and it was he who erected the grotto in her honor in the church.
One of his first major projects was cleaning up and organizing St. Mary's Cemetery (established in 1855).He had experience with cemeteries in his previous assignment. He put the cemetery on the "lawn plan"and appointed Fr. McGrath, his assistant priest, to do the important preliminary work of map drawing and record checking. This was not an easy task because many owners of graves did not want their barrier railings and vigil candles removed. They were finally removed during World War II when the metal railings ( seven tons) were donated as scrap metal for the war effort.The blackouts(aIl lights out at night) forced the removal of the vigil lights.
The great project which took many years was the channeling of the Sprain Brook that flows through the cemetery. Even today architects marvel at the stone work that created this channel and the three stone bridges across it. Probably workers employed by the W.P.A during the Depression years were used at the beginning of the project but most of the work was completed under the supervision of Mr. Lotzy Proft. Thanks to Babara Macy we have some wonderful photos of Mr. Proft and his crew at work in the cemetery. In 1946 a parcel of land, one and a half acres, across Sprain Road, was purchased.The first burial in this" New Section" was made in August, 1946. In 1952 Msgr. Avard was also involved in preliminary negotiations with New York State on how to use part of the cemetery for a new State Thruway.
Once World War II began in 1941, Yonkers and St. Mary's were fully involved in the war effort. Two of the assistant priests Frs. McGrath (twenty two years at S. Mary's) and Lawrence Gough( three and half years) became Army chaplains. Fr. Gough was killed in a plane accident on September 11, 1942 at a training field in the United States. Fr. McGrath returned safely home after the war and became pastor of the Church of the Sacred Heart of Mary in Croton on the Hudson.
It is estimated that 20,000 of Yonkers residents served in the military during World War II. 532 died.Many of Yonkers 's manufacturing plants were transformed to serve the war effort.TheAlexander Smith and Sons Carpet Factory (which sometimes employed 5,000 people)made blankets. Otis elevator manufactured munitions.In July of 1943 there was a huge explosion near this factory. Habirshaw Cable and Wire factory was involved in a secret work, called Operation Pluto, that manufactured in record time the pipeline under the English Channel. This was used to transport fuel for the Normandy Invasion. Masses and Novenas e.g Cross and Flag Novena, were often said for the soldiers and their families. Names were placed onflags and placed in the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes 700 employees of the Habirshaw factory attended Sunday Mass in honor of fellow employees in the Armed Forces and "those who made the supreme sacrifice." Many married women worked in these factories during the war years. This experience proved to be a turning point for the changing role of women in our society.
Post World War II were great years for St. Mary's. Marriages and Baptisms rose dramatically. The Catholic Church, after years of discrimination, was celebrated by Hollywood in such films as the Bells of St. Mary's, the Song of Bernadette, Boys Town,. Ordinations were sky high (40 to 50 each year). The high point for St. Mary's was the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the parish in 1948. Professional photographs of this celebration show the pageantry and confidence of the Catholic Church and St. Mary's. As a reward for his work,Fr. Avard was made a Monsginor at this celebration by Cardinal Spellman.
There is no doubt that Msgr.Avard was the driving force during these years at St. Mary's He was known also to have a temper. Cardinal O'Connor told me this story about Msgr. Avard.Fr. James Killeen was an assistant under Msgr. Avard for nine years (1942-1951.) After hearing confessions one evening the pastor lost his temper and yelled at Fr. Killen. Since this was not the first time this happened over the nine years, Fr. Killeen went out the two days later and signed up to be chaplain in the U.S.Navy. At this time the Korean War was being fought (June 25,1950-July 27,1953). When Fr. Avard cooled down and apologized, it was too late. Fr. Killeen eventually became Chief of Chaplains where he met and mentored Fr. John O'Connor.Fr. Killen became a Bishop in 1976 but died two years later. Fr. John O'Connor succeeded him as the Chief of Chaplains in the U.S. Navy."So you see, Fr. Corrigan, I am where I am today because of the temper of Msgrr. Avard."
In January of 1953 Msgr. Avard became pastor of his home parish, Blessed Sacrament on W.71th St in Manhattan. He died on Feb. 12, 1970 (one day after the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes) at the age of 87 and was buried, appropriately enough, in St. Mary's Cemetery