Hudson parish marking its sesquicentennial

St. Mary's Church in Hudson is commemorating more than just its own 150th anniversary this year.

"What we're celebrating is 150 years of Catholic life in Hudson, and we're trying to honor all the traditions that have been a part of the history of the city," said Rev. Winston Bath, pastor.

The parish -- which has included Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Our Lady of Perpetual Help/Sacred Heart parishes since a merger in 1990 -- is holding several events to mark its sesquicentennial.

Beginnings

St. Mary's parish history is filled with numerous achievements, not only by the priests who have served as its pastors and assistants, but also by women religious, lay ministers and local residents who have helped to build the church, both literally and figuratively.

Although construction of the original St. Mary's Church was completed in 1850 during the pastorate of Rev. William Howard, the history of Catholicism in Hudson began in 1768 with the establishment of hemp manufacturing, tanneries and the New England Whaling Company in the prosperous Dutch settlement.

Thomas Jenkins, reportedly the first Catholic to locate in Hudson, formed the first Catholic community there with 20 fellow Catholics. There also is a record of numerous French Catholics who resided in Hudson in 1797.

History

The first priest with whom a consecutive record of Catholic activities in Hudson begins was Rev. Michael Gilbride, pastor from 1841 to 1848. During his pastorate, the property at Third and Montgomery streets was purchased for use as the site of St. Mary's Church. Previously, Mass was celebrated in homes and in the Masonic Temple at Third and Union streets.

Catholic men in the area offered their services each week until the church was completed and ready for religious services. The sacristy served as a school, the first in the city.

In 1859, the Grey Nuns from Montreal were invited to take charge of the school, which was relocated to the first floor of the convent at Third and Allen streets. St. Mary's parish experienced tremendous growth during its early years, from more than 50 families during Father Howard's pastorate to more than 500 parishioners in 1872 during the pastorate of Rev. Thomas Keating.

Growth

In response to the growing congregation, the church was remodeled while Father Keating was pastor, two missions were established, and two assistants were assigned for the summer.

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet took charge of the school in 1874. Construction of a new school began in 1899 and was completed the following year.

St. Mary's parish grew to 600 families by 1923 during the pastorate of Rev. William Keefe. He took it upon himself to raise funds for the erection of a new church, and ground was broken in 1928 on property at East Court and East Allen streets. The parish accomplished its goal on May 25, 1930, when the new church was formally dedicated by Bishop Edmund F. Gibbons.

Father Keefe also had the convent moved to a new foundation at the rear of the property, and the renovated building was ready for occupancy in 1931.

Mass attendance remained high in the new church, so much that chairs had to be placed in the aisles to accommodate everyone. St. Mary's parish had a thriving music ministry, with choirs for men, boys and girls.

Consolidation

As businesses and factories in the Hudson area closed after the 1960s and the number of priests serving St. Mary's, Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Our Lady of Perpetual Help/Sacred Heart parishes dwindled, the possibility of consolidating the three churches grew stronger. A committee was formed in 1986 to explore options. In 1989, the three parishes merged into one.

With several ethnic traditions in each of the parishes -- Our Lady of Mount Carmel was predominantly Italian, while Our Lady of Perpetual Help/Sacred Heart had a large Polish population -- along with an influx of Hispanics in the Hudson area, Father Bath has made sure that St. Mary's parish, which has many Irish parishioners, is open to such a diverse congregation.

"What we've tried to do is welcome them as a part of our community and meet them where they're at with their customs and their traditions," he said.

A St. Anthony's Novena is celebrated during the weeks leading up to his June 13 feast day, for example, and a feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, complete with Italian food and music, will take place on July 19. Currently, there are 1,000 households registered with the parish.

Imposing building

St. Mary's Church is a striking edifice, and Father Bath has been told by visitors that it's the nicest church they've seen between New York City and the Canadian border. Some of its features, including the organ casings and a crucifix mounted on a wall behind the pulpit, came from the original church. Even the altar from the original church graced the sanctuary for several years before being replaced in 1948.

The words of the Magnificat, in Latin, encompass the church in the form of a border located near the ceiling. St. Mary's Victory Chapel, which contains the names of parishioners who served in battle, can be found near the front of the church, while brilliantly colored stained glass windows depicting various saints are dedicated to several parishioners.

Father Bath is pleased with the growth of lay ministry at St. Mary's, from Eucharistic ministers who bring communion to the homebound, to the parish council and its expanded role in the decision-making process, to the marriage preparation program and its service to engaged couples. A bereavement committee also has been discussed.

More to come

As the parish celebrates its 150-year history, it's also looking to the future and plans to build a 5,000-square-foot parish center between the church and the rectory. The building would feature a daily Mass chapel that could accommodate about 90 people, an atrium where people could congregate after liturgies or during social events, space for a display of artifacts from Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Our Lady of Perpetual Help/Sacred Heart parishes, meeting rooms, and restrooms.

Father Bath is proud to have served St. Mary's parish, first as administrator from 1985 to 1990, and as pastor since 1990, and he is optimistic about the future.

"I feel that the outlook for the Catholic Church in Hudson is still very hopeful and has many opportunities for future growth," he said.

(St. Mary's parish in Hudson has several events planned to mark its 150th anniversary: Aug. 16, picnic at parish center; Sept. 13, 10 a.m. Mass with folk singers, followed by coffee and danish; Oct. 11, closing of parish mission, followed by reception at parish center; Oct. 18, alumni/basketball players catered dinner dance at 2 p.m. at Kozel's Restaurant; and Nov. 22, closing Mass with Bishop Howard J. Hubbard at noon.)

(06-18-98) [[In-content Ad]]