Parish marks 150 years

In 1855, Catholics built a small parish church in the town of Cambridge. Though Masses had been celebrated in that area by "circuit-riding" priests since 1839, St. Patrick's parish marks its official inception as the later date. On Aug. 7, Bishop Howard J. Hubbard celebrated a liturgy marking the 150th anniversary of the founding of St. Patrick's Church.

In 1862, the Augustinian fathers of Philadelphia assumed care of the parish, a relationship that would last for 135 years. Before present-day parish clusters were ever dreamed of, St. Patrick's participated in such an arrangement with the nearby Catholic congregation in Salem as early as 1867: The two parishes shared a pastor who was also credited with establishing a mission church in Greenwich, which grew into the current St. Joseph's parish. (The Salem mission eventually became Holy Cross parish.)

In 1997, the Augustinian fathers left St. Patrick's, which had already rejoined its former sister parishes to form the "Battenkill cluster:" St. Joseph's in Greenwich, Holy Cross in Salem and Notre Dame/Visitation parish in Schuylerville.

As part of their anniversary celebration, parishioners designed a special prayer card that read in part, "We are blessed with a strong heritage of Irish Catholics who moved to this area and worked hard to create a new life for themselves and their children. They risked much in the hope of better opportunities. Like them, O God, help us recognize all as grace."

(8/11/05) [[In-content Ad]]