 In 1841, Bishop de Forbin-Janson, on a missionary tour to the United States for the Fathers of Mercy, lamented that French-American Catholics in New York City had not been as devoted to raising churches in their national customs as Irish and Italian immigrants had.The community responded to this challenge, and accordingly the first Church of St. Vincent de Paul was opened the next year on Canal Street.That church grew, and moved north to 23rd Street in 1868.