Regional celebrations mark Diocese's 150th

Regions throughout the Albany Diocese continue to plan events to celebrate the Sesquicentennial of the Albany Diocese with a local touch. Leading off the latest round are parishes in the Mohawk Valley.

MOHAWK VALLEY

Recognizing the rich and diverse ethnic heritage of the Mohawk Valley was an important consideration for those planning regional Sesquicentennial celebrations in Fulton, Herkimer and Montgomery counties.

To that end, Joseph DiTata of Amsterdam, Gerald Brown of Richfield Springs, and Anna Marie and Richard Adach of Gloversville are inviting parishioners from their region to gather at the Kateri Shrine in Fonda for a noon Eucharistic Liturgy on July 12.

"We chose the Kateri Shrine partly because it is centrally located in the Mohawk Valley and also as a sign of our desire to include people of all ethnic backgrounds. July 12 was chosen as the date because it was the Saturday closest to Kateri's Feast Day," July 14, explained Mr. DiTata.

Theresa Steele, a Native American woman, will perform "The Kateri Monologue" at the conclusion of the noon liturgy. Music will be provided by the St. Mary's Contemporary Choir from Amsterdam, under the direction of Rachelle Cotugno. (The Liturgy will be followed at 1:30 p.m. by a family picnic; tickets have already been sold for that portion of the day.)

Optional afternoon and evening events include a talk on the efforts to canonize Blessed Kateri, a Peace Pipe Ceremony, a Four Directions Ceremony and an Indian Healing Service.

ONEONTA

Next on the calendar of Regional Sesquicentennial Celebrations is a "Festive Choral Praise," July 20, 4 p.m., at St. Mary's Church in Oneonta.

Marty Meadows, coordinator of the event for Otsego County, said she and other representatives of the Diocese's Southern Tier originally hoped to present one large celebration but were discouraged by vast geographical distances between them. The solution was to host three separate celebrations -- one in each of the three southern counties.

Rev. James Cribbs, pastor of St. Paul the Apostle Church in Hancock, is coordinating plans for Delaware County together with Elie de Comminges, while Jack Canning of Schoharie is leading Schoharie's regional Sesquicentennial team.

Father Cribbs is optimistic that a highlight of Delaware's celebrations will include a pilgrimage to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany on August 2. The "tentative plan" is to charter two buses to leave Hancock that morning and pick up people along the way, arriving at the Cathedral around noon.

"Father William Pape [rector] has graciously offered to lead a tour of the Cathedral," Father Cribbs said, "and, if all goes well, the tour would end around 2 p.m., at which time participants could attend Mass."

Credit for the idea of making a pilgrimage to the Cathedral goes to Father Pape, the priest said. "He sent out a letter that really touched me, inviting parishioners from our region to visit the Cathedral this year. It really hit me that doing so would be one way of building a bridge between Albany and Hancock."

SCHOHARIE

Meanwhile, August 17 has been set aside as a day of outdoor celebrations in Schoharie. Jack Canning, coordinator for the rural county, said the Sesquicentennial event will begin at 1 p.m. with a prayer service at a Cobleskill ski area. In the event of rain, celebrations will be moved inside to a ski lodge on the premises.

"We hope to have a procession, with representatives of each of our parishes carrying a banner as well as our Sesquicentennial flags to the grounds where the prayer service is taking place," he said.

Scheduled to officiate is Rev. Paul Engel, a retired priest from St. Catherine's Church in Middleburgh, who has contributed greatly to Schoharie's Sesquicentennial Committee. Other priests from parishes in the county are also expected to participate.

"Our goal is to have every parish involved in some way on that day," said Mr. Canning, adding that Father Engel will call for reflection on a number of points "from the traditional to the environmental to the history of the Diocese and the area."

Mr. Canning said participants can look forward to hearing music from the combined choirs of Schoharie parishes during the service and that other musicians will help lend a festive air to the occasion at an outdoor concert later in the day. Among those who have agreed to perform are folk musicians Kim and Reggie Harris, who are parishioners of a Schoharie County church.

Plans for the afternoon also include a family picnic during which members of the different congregations in the county will have an opportunity to become better acquainted and to view displays featuring the histories of the Catholic churches in the area: St. Anna's in Summit, St. Catherine's in Middleburgh, St. Joseph's in Schoharie, St. Mary's in Sharon Springs, St. Vincent de Paul's in Cobleskill and Our Lady of Fatima in Delanson.

Mr. Canning hopes the celebrations will mark the beginning -- rather than the end -- of "something beautiful" among the parishes.

"Like the song says, I think this could be the start of something big, something really beautiful, in Schoharie County," he said. "Parishes traditionally tend to stick within their own borders, but working on this event together has brought us much closer together than we've ever been. I'd like to think it won't be the last time the parishes join together for a celebration."

RENSSELAER

Rensselaer County coordinator Mary Lou Hamlin said her region will host a "House of Prayer" in Grafton, August 19-21. The event, which is being promoted as a family gathering, will culminate with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Howard J. Hubbard.

In addition, parishes are planning a Eucharistic Liturgy to be celebrated simultaneously with the ringing of bells throughout the county in conjunction with the 150th anniversary of St. Joseph's Church in Troy on Oct. 19.

ALBANY

The final Regional Sesquicentennial Celebration will take place at the Cathedral in Albany on Nov. 15. Presiding at the 11 a.m. Eucharistic Liturgy will be Bishop Hubbard. A historical display will be open for viewing between noon and 4 p.m. Handling details for the Albany celebration will be Carol and Neil Hook.

(Those wishing more information about regional Sesquicentennial events should call Betsy Rowe at 453-6632.)

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