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LIFE STORY

Vet's name a quirk in parish's history

When St. Joseph's parish in Rensselaer opened its new church building in 1925, the first baptism scheduled there was that of twin babies Edward and Eileen Barrington during the following year.

However, the pastor at the time felt it necessary to christen the two infants not with the names their parents had chosen, but with two of the most popular names in the Bible. 

"All I know is, for one reason or another, it was important to the new pastor that, being twins, my sister and I [were] named Joseph and Mary," said 83-year-old Joseph Barrington, who now resides in Saratoga Springs.

The World War II veteran sat in his living room, the wall and counter behind him covered with pictures of his family, reminiscing on his life. His faith, beginning with the unusual circumstances of his baptism, was with him from the very beginning.

"My mother was incredibly Irish Catholic," he remarked.

One of seven children, Mr. Barrington was born in Brady Maternity Hospital in Albany, which now houses part of the diocesan Pastoral Center. From his birth in the "roaring 20s" to today, the veteran could be called a living timeline of contemporary U.S. history.

Over to Albany
Mr. Barrington's fondest childhood memories are of walking across the bridge into Albany with his friends to get to Hawkins Stadium, where the Albany Senators baseball team played, and of working at a local caramel corn shop. 

Though the economic climate was much like today's, Mr. Barrington didn't recall feeling very deprived.

"It was typical 1930s," he explained. "The Depression didn't really settle in with me back then because every family up and down the street was alike. Nobody had anything, so we didn't know life any other way."

Mr. Barrington also noted that his family was lucky in that his father was able to hold onto a part-time job throughout the Great Depression.

Life took a big turn for Mr. Barrington in 1944, however, when he was drafted into the Army during World War II. After leaving the States on Thanksgiving Day, the soldier would spend the next two years traveling throughout France, Luxembourg, Germany and Belgium.

"It was something, fortunately, I was able to get out of my head immediately after it was over," the veteran said of his wartime experiences. 

The few battles he fought near the end of the war were "not a pleasant experience by any means," he said simply; "but, to an 18-year-old like myself, it was a big adventure."

That is not to say, however, he did not appreciate how dangerous the situation 
was.

"I just felt very fortunate to come out alive, because many of the fine people there did not."

Back home
When he returned home, Mr. Barrington went to work, spending the next 45 years as a manager at numerous dairy plants throughout the area. It was a job he loved.

"It involved a lot of work," he said. "By nature I am, if anything, an 'exaggerated worker.'"

Today, Mr. Barrington is retired and lives with his second wife. He has five children, eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Though his altered identity is a significant moment in the history of St. Joseph's Church - which merged with St. John the Evangelist in 2006 - he admitted that "I've never given it any deep thought. But it is quite an honor to be named after St. Joseph."

Now a parishioner at St. Peter's in Saratoga, Mr. Barrington believes that, in the span of his life, the Church "has changed much for the better. Growing up, we weren't really members of a church; we were just onlookers while a priest did the work. Now, we are more part of it."

The veteran and senior citizen said there's nothing about his many years that he would change. 

"God has smiled on me," he stated. "I've had a very good life and I've been very blessed."

(09/03/09) [[In-content Ad]]

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