Workers’ Chapel Dedicated in New York City

In November 2024, Fr. Brian Jordan OFM – a New York City labor priest and good friend of the Catholic Labor Network – dedicated a Workers’ Chapel at St. Francis of Assisi parish in Manhattan. Attending the dedication Mass, along with assorted local political leaders and union officers, was New York City AFL-CIO President and Catholic Labor Network Board member Vincent Alvarez.

The chapel is intended to offer a place of reflection and prayer to New York workers. It was inspired by the role of Franciscan friars in the Middle Ages who frequently served as spiritual directors for the various craft guilds.

“The opening of the Workers’ Chapel at St. Francis of Assisi Church is a testament both to the dignity of Labor and the shared humanity of all working people,” said Alvarez. “As a centrally-located space open to all faiths and backgrounds, the Chapel serves as a sanctuary for reflection, unity, and prayer, embodying the spirit of solidarity that is at the heart of the Labor Movement.”

“The introduction of the Workers’ Chapel at St. Francis of Assisi Church is a welcome addition to the union construction and larger labor community,” said Gary LaBarbera, President of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York. “It is now an accessible and inclusive haven of prayer, worship, and solitude for our members and other workers throughout the city, offering them the opportunity to take a step back from their busy lives to reconnect with their collective and individual spirituality and values.”