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Mary Vanderwarker explained the scene upon walking into the Mother Teresa Community, located in the former Our Lady Help of Christians Church in Albany, on a Sunday afternoon.

"You walk in and there's nothing there except, in front of the altar, a turned over canoe," she said. "And you wonder what it's all about, but then you hear the story and it's just so neat and interesting."

The story comes from Rev. Peter Young, who has been using the canoe since he began preaching in the Albany Diocese in 1976 at Blessed Sacrament in Bolton Landing.

Father Young is most known for his work with drug addicts and convicts. His foundation, Peter Young Housing, Indus-tries, and Treatment, just recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and continues to thrive in the area. However, there is another side to Fr. Young; a passion for local history and its religious overtones. 

"The first sign of ecumenism in the United States and it was right here on the Hudson River," he said.

Four centuries 
The history resonates this year, which marks the twin 400th anniversaries of the voyage of English Captain Henry Hudson, who led the first European expedition to sail up the river, and of Frenchman Samuel de Champlain, the first European to see the lake that bears his name.

As Father Young spoke about the history of Fort Orange in the 17th century, enthusiasm radiated throughout his voice. He recalled the feud between the Dutch and the French, the Algonquin and Iroquois Indians, and the courage of St. Isaac Jogues, the Jesuit missionary and martyr. 

While he was telling the story, there was no secret as to who his favorite character was.

"Father is a big fan of St. Isaac Jogues," said Andy Korts, a longtime friend of Father Young. "He's so enamored with the history and the struggles he went through."

To Father Young, it seemed as though Isaac Jogues' struggles were what brought the first signs of peace to the country.

"The Dutch and the French did not get along at all," he explained. "But when they saw how poorly Isaac Jogues had been treated, they treated him with hospitality."

Saintly missionary
St. Isaac Jogues was a French Jesuit from Canada who was captured by Iroquois in 1642 and brought down Lake Champlain and across the Mohawk Valley to their encampment, Ossernenon, located at today's Auriesville. 

Despite persecution, he continued to evangelize, often using a canoe as an altar. He eventually escaped through Albany with the help of Dutch settlers. Jogues returned to France, but came back to the Mohawk Valley to continue his missionary work and was eventually martyred in 1646.

Thus came the idea for Father Young to use the canoe to say Mass.

"I thought, 'This would be great to have Mass the way the Jesuits did it with turning their canoe over and saying Mass.'"

He was loaned an authentic Algonquin canoe in Fort Ticonderoga, and began the practice immediately. From there, it took off.

"It caught on like wild fire," he recalled. "People were very excited about this. It brought back the history to the area."

When he moved from Bolton Landing to Albany seven years ago, he decided to take the practice with him. 

Gather round
On weekends scores of people - many of them in treatment or recovery from addictions - come for a liturgy at Mother Teresa Community to and gather round the canoe.

Father Young distinguished the service from a regular parish Mass. 

"It's a mission. We are there to offer transitional housing. There's no collection [at the service] and everyone gets a free meal."

They also can get a free history lesson if they want.

"Father knows so much about the history of the area," said Mrs. Vanderwarker. "And he's willing to tell it to anybody who's interested."

Father Young cheerfully answers all questions.

"Which is what I like," he said, "because it gives me a chance to explain the story."

Father Young is hoping that the Capital Region will soon join him in telling the story. 

With the 400th anniversary of Hudson's and Champlain's trips, Father Young has been pestering the Albany city council to arrange an event this summer to commemorate the historic occasion. 

"I'm pushing that to be an event that should be remembered," he said. "It was the Dutch treating the French hospitably. Humanity came in and (the Dutch) took a great risk, knowing the Native Americans could have wiped them out at any time. I feel it's the only thing they're leaving out."[[In-content Ad]]

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