A Place of Repose for Priests, Brothers

(Editor's note: The Evangelist continues its year-long series of monthly articles that take a look inside large institutions in the Albany Diocese, places you might have driven by and asked: "What goes on in there?" This week: St. John Neumann Residence in Saratoga Springs.)BY PAUL QUIRINI
Staff Writer

The elderly priests and brothers living at St. John Neumann Residence in Saratoga Springs should feel right at home in their tranquil surroundings.

And that's how Rev. John O'Connor, CSsR, wants it.

Each has a private bedroom with a television and a telephone, and there are plenty of ways for them to pass the time, whether it's Rev. George Gardner playing with his train set, Brother David Skorda putting the finishing touches on his prize-winning needlepoint, or the entire community gathering for daily Mass.

Room for pillars

"I try to keep it like a rectory and give them their privacy, their prayer time," said Father O'Connor, superior/administrator of the residence. "These [men] are the pillars of the Church."

Run by the Redemptorist Fathers and located next to St. Clement's Church, the St. John Neumann Residence is a retirement home for members of the religious order who come from the East Coast, Canada, Central America and South America. The maximum capacity is 38 residents; currently, 30 men live at the facility.

When the Redemptorist Fathers first arrived in Saratoga Springs in 1886, they lived in the former Glen Mitchell house on North Broadway and used the building as a college for the training of young men for the priesthood in the Redemptorist Congregation.

The school was named St. Clement's College in honor of St. Clement Mary Hofbauer, second founder of the order. There also was a mission band stationed in Saratoga Springs from which the priests went out to preach missions in parishes throughout the eastern United States.

Many purposes

With the founding of St. Clement's parish in 1916, the Redemptorist Fathers prepared to give up their residence at Glen Mitchell and build a monastery on the new site, where they could better supervise the operations of the parish.

The new building, completed in 1920, has served many purposes over the years: as a rectory for priests serving at St. Clement's or as missionaries, as an infirmary for priests afflicted with tuberculosis, and now as a home for retired Redemptorist Fathers.

Named for the fourth Bishop of Philadelphia who was the first man to join the Redemptorists in America, the St. John Neumann Residence is a quiet place for priests and brothers to spend their retirement years in relaxation, recreation and religious devotion.

Each day begins with breakfast from 7 to 8:30 a.m., after which the residents have free time. Whirlpool baths are given every morning, and a physical therapist often comes to work with the men in a room filled with exercise equipment, such as a stationary bike, an ergometer and walking rails.

Mass is offered in the chapel at 11:30 a.m., and the priests enjoy concelebrating from their pews or wheelchairs.

Lunch comes after Mass, and residents have more free time in the afternoon. Every other week, a barber visits to cut hair in an authentic barber shop in the building, and the men all sign up for appointments, Father O'Connor said.

Books and TV

There's a library in the basement containing books on a variety of topics, including the Bible, Church history and chess. A long table sits in the middle of the room, but there are only two chairs, since many of the residents simply sit in their wheelchairs to read.

The residents also may watch television or read local and out-of-town newspapers in lounges at the residence, while some devote time to their unique hobbies.

Father Gardner, for example, occasionally plays with his elaborate train set complete with buildings, landscape and signage. He has a clever name for the trains, the "Neumannville Railway," which is written on the door to the room where his railroad is set up. As for Brother Skorda, he tries his hand at needlepoint depicting cute slogans and cheery images. He has won awards for his creations, many of which are mounted on the walls of the first-floor hallway in the residence.

Dinner is served at 5:15 p.m., and the priests and brothers are free to do as they please until bedtime, which varies for each resident.

Fresh air

During a recent walk through the facility, Father O'Connor encountered Rev. Joseph Rowan, CSsR, a decorated war veteran who is being wheeled outside to enjoy the good weather.

"Hi, Joe. Gonna get some fresh air?" Father O'Connor asked. "Nice day."

Trees are plentiful in the area behind the St. John Neumann Residence, as a cool breeze blew through and birds chirped merrily. Tucked among these woods is the Calvary Group, a statue depicting Jesus' crucifixion that was donated by Thomas Meagher in memory of his wife and unveiled in 1920.

Stages of life

Aside from a resident watching television in a lounge, another who stops by the chapel to pray and Father Rowan, the residents seem to be relaxing quietly in their rooms. Some were professors who taught Father O'Connor, and seeing them in their old age and ill health can be somewhat difficult.

"It breaks your heart. I knew these men when they were so learned," he remarked.

A staff of nearly 30 employees attends to the men's needs and maintains the facility. Five or six nurses work during each of the first two shifts, with two nurses there during the night shift.

Although residents are dealing with a variety of age-related illnesses, Father O'Connor tries to keep their spirits high by throwing outdoor parties on the Fourth of July and Labor Day.

There's a screened-in patio area where the men can sit while Father O'Connor fires up the barbecue grill, and the doorways leading outside and to the patio are wide enough for wheelchairs or beds to fit through.

Priests and brothers get a special dinner and cake on their birthdays, and Father O'Connor also has taken them on boat rides on Lake George.

In addition to those recreational activities, the Redemptorists participate in frequent religious services in the chapel. A Holy Hour is celebrated on the first Friday of each month, and Rosary recitation takes place on Saturdays. On Wednesdays, a Mother of Perpetual Help Novena is offered, and the Stations of the Cross are presented during Lent and Advent.

"We give them the spiritual nourishment because that was their whole life, their whole ministry," Father O'Connor said. "This is the backbone of the graces they get."

(06-18-98)

[[In-content Ad]]