Three parishes adopt new names

The Albany Diocese has announced new names and other changes for parishes that have undergone recent mergers:

* In a letter read at all Masses last weekend at Immaculate Conception, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Sacred Heart of Mary, St. Brigid's and St. Patrick's, all in Watervliet, and at St. Joseph's in Green Island, Bishop Howard J. Hubbard announced that he had accepted the recommendation of parishioners "to name your new parish Immaculate Heart of Mary."

The new name is for the Watervliet/Green Island parish that was born from the merger of the six parishes.

The name change was arrived at by Catholics in the parishes voting on four names chosen from the list submitted by parishioners. Immaculate Heart of Mary received 379 votes; Holy Family, 343; Our Lady of Hope, 323; and Our Lady Help of Christians, 76. The Bishop noted that about 70 percent of the total population of the parishes took part in the vote.

The new name was necessitated by the merger of the six parishes into one. The name incorporates three that will close: Sacred Heart, Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Three others will remain open as worship sites: St. Patrick's, St. Brigid's and St. Joseph's.

The Bishop also announced the new leadership team at the parish: Rev. L. Edward Deimeke; Rev. Matthew Frisoni, who will be ordained in June; and Carol Pickel, who currently serves as parish life director for Immaculate Conception.

The new name and the team are effective July 1.

* Parishioners of Sacred Heart parish in Philmont and Holy Cross parish in West Taghkanic have chosen St. John Vianney as their new name. A 19th-century French priest known as the Cure of Ars, he is the patron saint of parish priests. The merged parish plans to build a new church and rectory midway between the two existing sites.

* Bishop Hubbard has also accepted a recommendation that originated with parishioners to name the newly formed center-city parish in Albany as Holy Family at St. Patrick's Church. It comprises St. Patrick's, Our Lady of Angels and St. Casimir's.

* In addition, the Diocese announced that pastors and parish life directors in the Northern Rensselaer County Deanery, including Troy, have begun a year-long pastoral planning process.

(5/19/05)