Singing the gospel song, “What a Fellowship,” how sweet the sound is for the members of the St. Augustine’s Our Lady of Victory Gospel Choir.

On a recent Sunday, they came together in fellowship at a luncheon to reflect on their past and try to figure out what the future holds.

What You Need To Know

  • St. Augustine’s Church was closed in 2009

  • St. Augustine’s merged with Our Lady of Victory

  • The gospel choir is putting out the call for members
  • Many Black Catholics call themselves Catholic Baptist because of blending the religions together

"From the time that it was a church on the hill on Franklin Avenue to it coming into a merge with Our Lady of Victory, this is our history,” said Adrienne Hennessy. “Our history needs to be known and cherished for the generations that are coming behind us."

The congregants are members of the former St. Augustine’s Roman Catholic Church, known as the Cathedral of the Bronx. It fell into disrepair and was closed in 2009 and later demolished.

Affordable housing was built on the lot at East 167th St. and Franklin Ave. The congregation stayed together as St. Augustine’s merged with Our Lady of Victory church about a half a mile away.

"Keep holding on as they said,” mentioned Marva Crocker. “There’s a spiritual song that said, ‘You’re holding on.’ Well, we’re still holding on with our faith and love of God."

St. Augustine’s was the house of worship for many Black Catholics in the South Bronx. Some called themselves Catholic Baptist. Their gospel choir had that Baptist sound and feel.

Big smiles came over the faces of Yvonne Fields and Rene Taylor as they sang the song, "We’ve Come This Far by Faith."

"Rain, shine, sleet or snow, I stuck to the gospel choir, I stuck to Saint Augustine’s,” proclaimed Fields. “Anytime they had anything going that had to do with the gospel choir, I was right there."

Many Black Americans joined St. Augustine’s parish in the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s. But choir membership has dwindled as people have gotten older, South Bronx demographics have changed and fewer young people are coming through Catholic Church doors.

Despite these facts, the St. Augustine's Our Lady of Victory Gospel Choir is trying to hold on. Elders are hoping and praying for new members.

But regardless, the legacy remains. They gathered for a small reunion inside the Original Venice Restaurant on East 149th St. The faithful reflected on their St. Augustine's history while looking at pictures and laughing about their good old days.

Roger Repohl is a former director of the choir and connected musically with the Black American congregation.

"One of the choir members told me at one point, ‘Sour soul is getting Blacker every day,’” said Repohl. The room laughed at that.

Father Robert Jeffers was the pastor of St. Augustine’s from 1969 to 1994. He was there when Black members started the gospel choir.

Father Jeffers, now in his early nineties, was overjoyed to join congregants as they broke bread and reminisced. And that includes me. I attended St. Augustine’s church and school.

The school is no longer a Catholic school, it has been turned into a charter school.

The memories of the parish will live on for decades to come.