Albany parish has to plan for uncertain future

In the past six months, members of Our Lady Help of Christians Church in Albany have celebrated its 125th anniversary, raised $16,500 to pay for a new electronic organ and pledged generously to the increased offertory campaign.

Although the parish is experiencing an era of good feeling, its future remains very much up in the air, according to Rev. Robert Hohenstein, pastor.

Last year, he almost became pastor of St. Teresa of Avila Church in Albany, and he probably would not have been replaced on a full-time basis.

"When I do get transferred, I know I won't be replaced," he said. "I think the Bishop is very reluctant to close a place, so he would try to make it go on a cluster level."

Sound of music

The celebration of OLHC's 125th anniversary in May took on added significance when the parish purchased a new electronic organ, replacing an old pipe organ that was nearly 100 years old, Father Hohenstein said.

Helen Kehrer, a convert, donated the first $1,000 and challenged OLHC's parishioners to pool their resources to raise enough money to pay for the new organ. They took up the challenge, and a balance of just $44 remained until recently, when a parishioner gave that amount to Father Hohenstein.

Even pledges to the increased offertory campaign were impressive, but the dwindling size of OLHC concerns its pastor.

"Parishioners respond. They have a loyalty here that goes back and is ingrained here," he said. "Our problem is the numbers. We have people that are loyal, but how much can they do?"

Shrinking size

Father Hohenstein first came to OLHC as associate pastor in 1968, a few months after his ordination. He stayed for five years before serving as chaplain at St. Peter's Hospital in Albany from 1973 to 1975. He returned to OLHC as pastor on July 19, 1975, his parents' wedding anniversary.

At that time, there were 300 families in the parish; today, only half as many belong to the church sometimes known as "Maria Hilf," the German name for "Our Lady Help" and a testimony to its ethnic roots.

Father Hohenstein's return came shortly after the parish closed its school, which had been in existence for 100 years. The school drained most of the parish resources, and the condition of the church suffered.

"It was a reality that the money was going to the school, so the parish couldn't fix things in the church," he said.

Renovations

Father Hohenstein used parish funds to complete long overdue renovation of the church, repairing windows and painting. The convent used by the Sisters of St. Francis became the rectory, and the former rectory was used as a rooming house.

The school remained empty for several years, was rented to a Pentecostal church and video commercial firm, and eventually was sold to St. Peter's Hospital, which runs its Community Residence and Day Treatment Rehabilitation Program for Alcoholism Treatment there.

Father Hohenstein has helped to keep OLHC going during his 24 years as pastor, but the neighborhood around the parish has worsened. There's more poverty, drugs, prostitution and absentee landlords, with fewer people going to church and caring about the condition of their property.

"Those who live here inherit the problems of the deteriorating neighborhood," he said.

Planning together

The future of OLHC has been in doubt for some time, and Father Hohenstein has been open with parish council members and parishioners about the seriousness of the situation.

If he's transferred, what will happen next is an issue being discussed at South End Expanded Cluster meetings. The cluster includes St. John/St. Ann's Church and the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, both in Albany; St. Patrick's Church in Ravena; and St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Delmar.

Sister Kathleen Turley, RSM, diocesan chancellor of planning and pastoral services, said that no changes for OLHC are planned for now. If Father Hohenstein is transferred and isn't replaced, OLHC would have other options, such as sharing a pastor from another parish, having a priest serve as sacramental minister or getting a parish life director.

"Right now, we're looking to maintain the status quo. We're not changing anything yet," Sister Kathleen said.

Adjustments

There are changes that can be made while Father Hohenstein continues his ministry at OLHC, he pointed out, such as coming up with a better Mass schedule for parishes in the cluster.

Parishes should think about revising their schedules and cutting back on Masses to enable priests to minister most effectively. OLHC has done its part by eliminating its 8:30 a.m. Sunday Mass, leaving the 10 a.m. Mass as the only one on Sunday.

Whatever the future holds, Father Hohenstein hopes that parishioners at OLHC and in the cluster prepare for changes that may happen.

"It's not just going to be about Our Lady Help. We all feel we have to be a part of it," he said.

(11-11-99)