St. Columba Church, Roman Catholic church in Chelsea, Manhattan, US

St. Columba Church stands on West 25th Street in Chelsea with a stone facade and ornamental architectural details typical of religious buildings from its era. The structure features the classical elements that define the Catholic church design of that period.

St. Columba parish was established in 1845 for Chelsea's Catholics, whose nearest church was St. Joseph in Greenwich Village. Bishop Hughes put Rev. Patrick Joseph Bourke in charge; the cornerstone was laid on May 22, 1845, and the church was dedicated on October 2, 1845 by coadjutor bishop John McCloskey. Parishioners who worked the west side docks built it in the evenings after unloading ships. The parish merged with Guardian Angel in 2015 and had closed by 2023.

The parish drew Irish immigrants to Chelsea; Father Bourke occasionally preached in Irish. Three oil paintings depict the life of Saint Columba, and stained-glass windows show Columba, Saint Patrick and Saint Brigid. The parish merged with Guardian Angel in 2015 and the church had closed by 2023.

The church at 343 W 25th St was found in danger of collapsing and had closed by 2023; the church, school and convent were sold and demolished in 2026. There is no building left to visit, so plan for the site itself rather than a church interior.

Multiple priests from the parish served as military chaplains during World War II, reflecting the congregation's commitment to national service. This lesser-known chapter of the parish history remains part of the church's story.