The Catholic Community of Northern Columbia County

By now, you probably have heard that the diocese has an agreement with Official Committee of Tort Claimants in the Diocese's 
Chapter 11 reorganization. To read the complete statement and the bishop's letter, please go to either the RCDA website or the CCNCCparishes.org website. Each parish in the Diocese is being asked to contribute a portion of the settlement and our three parishes' amounts have not been announced as of the deadline for this bulletin. Please be aware that Bishop Mark is NOT ASKING ANY PARISH TO CONTRIBUTE MORE THAN WHAT IS IN THEIR SAVINGS AND INVESTMENT ACCOUNTS (as of June, 2026). While it may be a relatively large amount for each of our parishes, we will not need to ask for any additional funding to pay our contributions. May I also repeat what the bishop has said previously and I have said, our parishes will not be closed because of this settlement or for any other reason at
this time. (Please see the articles on Pastoral Planning and Listening Sessions for more information.) Let us continue to pray for the victims/survivors and all those affected by the sin of abuse in the world, church and our diocese. Let us hope that this step helps in some way on their recovery journey. I will have more information as it becomes available. Thank you for your prayers and understanding.

Fr. Steve

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A estas alturas, probablemente ya habrán oído que la diócesis ha llegado a un acuerdo con el Comité Oficial de Demandantes por
Daños y Perjuicios en el marco de la reorganización de la diócesis al amparo del Capítulo 11. Para leer la declaración completa y la
carta del obispo, visiten la página web de la RCDA o la de CCNCCparishes.org. Se está pidiendo a cada parroquia de la diócesis que contribuya con una parte del acuerdo y, en el momento de cerrar este boletín, aún no se han anunciado las cantidades correspondientes a nuestras tres parroquias. Tengan en cuenta que el obispo Mark NO ESTÁ PIDIENDO A NINGUNA PARROQUIA QUE CONTRIBUYA CON MÁS DE LO QUE HAY EN SUS CUENTAS DE AHORRO E INVERSIÓN (a fecha de junio de 2026). Aunque puede ser una cantidad relativamente elevada para cada una de nuestras parroquias, no tendremos que solicitar fondos adicionales para pagar nuestras contribuciones.
Padre Steve

By now, you probably have heard that the diocese has an agreement with Official Committee of Tort Claimants in the Diocese's 
Chapter 11 reorganization. To read the complete statement and the bishop's letter, please go to either the RCDA website or the CCNCCparishes.org website. Each parish in the Diocese is being asked to contribute a portion of the settlement and our three parishes' amounts have not been announced as of the deadline for this bulletin. Please be aware that Bishop Mark is NOT ASKING ANY PARISH TO CONTRIBUTE MORE THAN WHAT IS IN THEIR SAVINGS AND INVESTMENT ACCOUNTS (as of June, 2026). While it may be a relatively large amount for each of our parishes, we will not need to ask for any additional funding to pay our contributions. May I also repeat what the bishop has said previously and I have said, our parishes will not be closed because of this settlement or for any other reason at
this time. (Please see the articles on Pastoral Planning and Listening Sessions for more information.) Let us continue to pray for the victims/survivors and all those affected by the sin of abuse in the world, church and our diocese. Let us hope that this step helps in some way on their recovery journey. I will have more information as it becomes available. Thank you for your prayers and understanding.

Fr. Steve

-----------------

A estas alturas, probablemente ya habrán oído que la diócesis ha llegado a un acuerdo con el Comité Oficial de Demandantes por
Daños y Perjuicios en el marco de la reorganización de la diócesis al amparo del Capítulo 11. Para leer la declaración completa y la
carta del obispo, visiten la página web de la RCDA o la de CCNCCparishes.org. Se está pidiendo a cada parroquia de la diócesis que contribuya con una parte del acuerdo y, en el momento de cerrar este boletín, aún no se han anunciado las cantidades correspondientes a nuestras tres parroquias. Tengan en cuenta que el obispo Mark NO ESTÁ PIDIENDO A NINGUNA PARROQUIA QUE CONTRIBUYA CON MÁS DE LO QUE HAY EN SUS CUENTAS DE AHORRO E INVERSIÓN (a fecha de junio de 2026). Aunque puede ser una cantidad relativamente elevada para cada una de nuestras parroquias, no tendremos que solicitar fondos adicionales para pagar nuestras contribuciones.
Padre Steve

Alleluia! Is God Calling you to something more?
More joy? Deeper Relationship?
Happy Easter–Alleluia!

Today is the Second Sunday of Easter and we continue to celebrate this wonderful event for 50 days—all the way through Pentecost!
It was great to see so many people at church for Mass, a number of students home from college for “spring break,” others who were invited to come by family or friends (parishioners–thank you!), still others who perhaps were prompted by the Holy Spirit.

I read a brief article in the NY Times (sent to me by a St. James parishioner) regarding the number of people asking for Baptism
in the Catholic Church at Easter this year! Bishops and Archbishops were comparing numbers and were excited! In our Diocese, it
was around 150 or so; in our three parishes, there were 3 people plus 6 others completing their Sacraments of Initiation. 

Congratulations and Blessings to all nine, and the thousands of people in the United States who joined the Catholic Church this Easter. I
wonder why now? Could it be the prompting of the Holy Spirit? Could it be that people are looking for more than social media?
Do you have a need for more than what you have been experiencing? Maybe you are looking to fill a void in your life? If you are, or
know of someone who might be, please reach out and contact me—let’s talk! Better yet, you talk—I’ll listen! Maybe the Holy
Spirit is prompting you to come explore – no obligation! God Bless! 
God Bless,
Fr. Steve, Pastor of the CCNCC:
(518) 758-9401 
Steve.Matthews@rcda.org

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¡Aleluya! ¿Te está llamando Dios a algo más? ¿A
más alegría? ¿A una relación más profunda?
¡Feliz Pascua! ¡Aleluya!

Hoy es el segundo domingo de Pascua y seguimos celebrando este maravilloso acontecimiento durante 50 días, ¡hasta Pentecostés!
Fue estupendo ver a tanta gente en la iglesia para la misa: varios estudiantes que habían vuelto a casa desde la universidad para las «vacaciones de primavera», otros que habían sido invitados por familiares o amigos (parroquianos, ¡gracias!), y otros que quizá fueron impulsados por el Espíritu Santo.

Leí un breve artículo en el NY Times (que me envió un feligrés de St. James) sobre el número de personas que solicitaron el bautismo
en la Iglesia católica en esta Pascua. ¡Los obispos y arzobispos comparaban cifras y estaban entusiasmados! En nuestra diócesis, fueron unas 150 personas; en nuestras tres parroquias, hubo 3 personas, además de otras 6 que completaron sus sacramentos de iniciación. Felicidades y bendiciones a los nueve, y a las miles de personas en Estados Unidos que se unieron a la Iglesia católica esta Pascua. Me pregunto: ¿por qué ahora? ¿Podría ser la inspiración del Espíritu Santo? ¿Podría ser que la gente esté buscando algo más que las redes sociales? ¿Sientes la necesidad de algo más de lo que has estado experimentando? ¿Quizás estás buscando llenar un vacío en tu vida? Si es así, o conoces a alguien que pueda estarlo, por favor, ponte en contacto conmigo: ¡hablemos! Mejor aún, tú hablas y yo escucho.
Quizás el Espíritu Santo te esté impulsando a venir a explorar, ¡sin compromiso! ¡Que Dios te bendiga! P. Steve (Consulta la portada para ver mi información de contacto).

Que Dios te bendiga,
P. Steve, párroco de la CCNCC:
(518) 758-9401 
Steve.Matthews@rcda.org

You came to Jerusalem with love, and gave your life for us; help me follow you.

Viniste a Jerusalén con amor y diste tu vida por nosotros; ayúdame a seguirte. Amén.

New Ministry within Family Faith Formation this year: Greetings and Gifts for college-aged youth!

Many experienced joy, support, and caring on both the giving and receiving ends of the work of this group. Thanks to Andria Barkley, and Ava and Bella (below), and our new Teen Council, in assembling St. Patrick and Easter mailings for our college youth. If you would like to place your (undergraduate –aged) youth on our mailing list, contact Ann Valley. Sheila Stumph, Kathleen McCrudden, and Fay Antalek can receive names at each parish as well.

Additional thanks—Sidewalk Warriors! Sue M., Cathy B., Joan P., Nancy P. were invaluable and efficient in preparing lunches!

April Family Faith Formation event! Join our trip to the Shrine of Divine Mercy (2 Prospect Hill Rd, Stockbridge, MA)—10:30 am
Mass and Stations of the Cross (or visit their many shrines); return to Valatie by 1:30 pm. Cars leave St. John/St. Joseph, 9:15 am; St. James, 9:45 am; return by 1:45 pm (message Ann Valley for rides).

May Gathering—May 17, St. John the Baptist, 4:30 pm; May 31, St. James, 9 am.

June (final) Family Faith Formation gathering—ALL attend 5 pm Mass, discussion, picnic at St. John’s Sacramental Preparation sessions/retreats

1st Eucharist/1st Reconciliation lesson—next session, EVENING Mon., Apr. 13, St. Joseph, 6-7:15 pm

1st Reconciliation Retreat—Sat., Apr. 18, 10:30–2:30 pm; St. John

1st Eucharist Retreat—Sat., Apr. 25, 11:30 am-3:45 pm. St. John

Final Monday evening youth-only session, April 13 at St. Joseph’s (grades 4+ and any receiving sacraments), 6-7:15 pm

1st Eucharist ceremonies: St. John’s (May 2 at 4 pm), St. James (May 3 at 9a m), and St. Joseph’s (May 17 at 10:45 am).

Confirmation at St. Mary’s church in Hudson, NY; May 31 at 3 pm

Please contact Ann Valley at (W) (518) 758-1828, (C) (518) 227-1025 or ccnccformation@gmail.com for more information about
any of our programs.

“... por su gran misericordia.” (1 Pedro 1, 3)

Al iniciar su carta, San Pedro alaba a Dios, quien “por su gran misericordia” nos “concedió renacer” (1Pedro 1, 3). En este Domingo de la Divina Misericordia, repasemos algunas de las bendiciones que la misericordia de Dios nos ha concedido. La esperanza de una vida nueva(1Pedro, 3). Jesus, resucitado en gloria, ha abierto los cielos. Nosotros no estamos destinados a una vida sin esperanza marcada por el pecado y la muerte. Libres ahora de estas fuerzas, podemos vivir cada día con la seguridad de que Dios, que está en el cielo, camina a nuestro lado. Podemos experimentar una esperanza viva que nos asegura que “vamos transformándonos… porque cada vez tenemos más de su gloria” mientras permanecemos unidos a él (2 Corintios 3, 18).

Una herencia en el cielo (1 Pedro 1, 4). Así como los padres dejan una herencia a sus hijos, Jesus nos dejo una que es eterna. Por muy valiosos que sean el oro y la plata, solamente pueden darnos seguridad terrenal. Pero Jesus nos dejo los dones de la fe, la esperanza y el amor y estos duran para siempre (1 Corintios 13, 13). Estos nos sostienen y nos animan en los tiempos buenos y en los malos, en la abundancia y en la escasez. Nos unen a Dios que nos ama infinitamente. 

La salvación que les tiene preparada y que él revelara al final de los tiempos (1 Pedro 1, 5). A veces vemos la misericordia divina
como un don para hoy, pero Dios mira también más allá. El Señor nos promete que al final de los tiempos nos tiene reservada una gran salvación. Al entrar en la eternidad, “seremos como él, porque lo veremos tal como es” (1 Juan 3, 2). Todo el dolor, el sufrimiento, la tentación, la tristeza y el pecado serán borrados, y entraremos en la nueva creación para vivir para siempre en la presencia del Señor. Nuestro Dios es misericordioso más allá de toda comparación. ¡Nunca dejemos de alabarlo!

Amén

Upcoming Listening Session on Clergy, Staff and Volunteer Wellness, including Mass Time Changes – Please Review Before Meeting

 

As a lifelong member of the Catholic Community of Northern Columbia County, married in one of our churches and now raising my daughters, Anna and Nora, in this faith, I care deeply about the future of our parish family and the Church they will inherit. Today, our community is served by one full-time priest across three churches, and out of love and respect for both clergy and leadership wellness, we must recognize that our current Mass schedule is not sustainable long-term. While no decisions have been made, thoughtful and prayerful conversations are now beginning about what comes next.

To help guide our reflection, we are sharing a series of articles written by Fr. Dan, a former associate here in the CCNCC and now a pastor in Albany, who recently led his own parish community through similar changes. His insights remind us that this challenge is not unique to us, but one faced by many parishes striving to remain vibrant and spiritually nourishing. At its heart, this conversation is about more than scheduling, it is about strengthening our parish life, ensuring our priest can truly know us and walk with us, and creating space for deeper relationships, meaningful worship, and a sustainable future. Change can be difficult, especially when it touches long-held routines, but it also offers an opportunity to grow, to come together more intentionally, and to reimagine how we live our faith as a community.

My hope is that you will take time to read, reflect, and pray on these realities, and most importantly, join us for a Listening Session on April 11 at Church of St. Joseph beginning at 10:30 AM or April 16 at St. James starting at 6:30 PM. Your voice matters. Together, guided by faith and the Holy Spirit, we can shape a path forward that strengthens our community for generations to come.

—Julie (Antonovich) Horn, “Josh’s wife” and “Anna and Nora’s mom”

Bulletin Articles from Fr. Dan Quinn - re mass times are changing in Albany.

 

Article I – Feb. 14 - 15 From the Pastor’s Desk – New Mass Schedule Starting After Easter – Part 1 of 5

        As everyone may or may not be aware, there are only three priests actively assigned to the parishes of the city of Albany: Fr. Torres is responsible for the four churches downtown, which includes a Mass in Spanish, and Fr. Yusko and I (Fr. Quinn) are responsible for All Saints, Mater Christi, Blessed Sacrament, and the Shrine of Our Lady of the Americas, which also includes a Mass in Spanish, and a Mass in Urdu.  St. Vincent, meanwhile, is taken care of by Mrs. Elizabeth Simcoe and older priests.  Our neighboring suburban parishes also share priests between multiple parishes, in Colonie, Delmar, Westmere, etc.

     Retired priests, and hospital chaplains who have minimal time for parish work, help all of our parishes when the parish priests can't be present.  I'm so grateful that they are all happy to help when called!   But unfortunately, relying on so many priests in their 80s means that we must always be on the lookout for two things: the future priests of our parishes, which come from our families and parishes, and a schedule that doesn’t rely heavily on octogenarians.

     Currently around the city and suburbs of Albany, there are 9 vigil Masses at 4:00.  With just a few parish priests, and just under half of these Masses currently served by priests in their 80s, this is going to be impossible to sustain.  The same goes for Sunday mornings, when the bulk of Masses land within the "Goldilocks Zone" of 9:00-10:30 AM.  Masses that start within these times are generally more well-attended and have a greater variety of people.  This might be because of the type of schedules young families with young children keep, because of the need for some people to ramp up to get going in the morning, or simply because a later time allows people who are up early all week to sleep in a little later.

     And it’s not just the Masses that priests need to attend to; Sundays also have Faith Formation for young people, families, and those joining the Church through OCIA.  Sometimes we get to celebrate a Baptism, or have time for Adoration, or the parish has a reception, or we are burning the palm for the ashes for Ash Wednesday.  In short, there is a way to do Sundays better, so that we can all be together for the Lord’s Day without having to have the priests leave immediately.

     Therefore, a new schedule is being developed for my parishes of Mater Christi, Blessed Sacrament, All Saints, and the Shrine (formerly St. Patrick) that can be handled, if need be, by only the active priests, with minimal help from our senior priests.

     Stay tuned, because there is more to come on this topic next week.

Article II – Feb. 21 - 22 From the Pastor’s Desk – New Mass Schedule Starting After Easter – Part 2 of 5

     Last week, I discussed the difficulties with the current Mass schedule, and why it is being adjusted.  This week, I want to share the process, and the difficulties, in designing a new schedule. It was important to take into consideration the data of current Sunday Mass attendance, demographics, and historical trends, and a few guiding principles: 1) No two Masses should begin at the same time. 2) There should be a variety of options of Mass times, considering not just our own but our neighboring parishes.  3) We should do our best not to disenfranchise groups of people who need specific times or locations.  4) We should allow the priests time to be able to be around before and after Mass for Faith Formation, OCIA, requests for an Anointing of the Sick or for Confession, or simply for conversations.

     5) Another important consideration is that priests and the people ought to be familiar with one another; I want, for myself and for the other priests, to be able to be at each parish regularly, with time enough to get to know people.  We, as priests, with fatherly hearts, want to be able to see and know our people, other than just at baptisms, weddings, and funerals.  We want to be more than functionaries fulfilling the task of showing up for Mass.  We want to fulfill our role in the community as spiritual fathers and evangelizers, not just our function in the liturgies at the altar, and as parish managers at a desk.  The converse is therefore necessarily true: I want all of our parishioners to be familiar and comfortable with us.  This goes for the hospital chaplains as well; when someone is in the hospital and meets one of the priests there, it's comforting when he is already a familiar face.

     Familiarity requires a lot of time.  Fr. Tallman, for one, has been a familiar face as a hospital chaplain and as the Albany Fire Department's chaplain for many years.  That sort of familiarity and care of so many different people in so many situations (firefighters, hospital administrators, nurses, physicians, patients) takes years to grow.  In much the same way, Fr. Sidoti, Fr. Lefebvre, Fr. O'Connor, Fr. Sweigart, Fr. Bradley, Fr. Pape, and Fr. Doyle grew along with the families of their parishes.  It is my hope that we continue to grow, through good times and bad, sickness and health, with our parishes and parishioners, in much the same way.  I have been in Albany now five years, but when I’m only present at a parish every third weekend, it takes three times as long to get to know people.

     Reducing Masses and adjusting start times is necessary, though painful, so that the priests we have can spend their time and attention most efficiently.  The schedule we have devised allows for Fr. Yusko and I, with the help of just one hospital chaplain or retired priest, to make the rounds at our four churches comfortably.  In an emergency situation in which only two priests are available, the Masses can be offered by two priests.

     There is still some more to be discussed next week!  Thank you for your patience!

Article III – Feb. 28 - March 1 From the Pastor’s Desk – New Mass Schedule Starting After Easter – Part 3 of 5

     Every club, a gardening club, a book club, a hiking club, a bowling club, a volunteer organization, or political party needs to have club meetings.  Finding times that work for everyone is one of the hardest parts of keeping everyone organized and while newsletters and other forms of media help, including social media, people have to be in the same room together, see each other in-person in order to build the bonds of the community and accomplish the works of the club, whether it’s bowling, gardening, hiking, or putting together the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

     As members of the Christian family, our most important “family meeting” or “club meeting” is the time we have each week for the Lord’s Day, at the Lord’s Supper.  We're more than a club, we are the church, formed by God as a family, as his children.  We meet regularly on the Lord's Day around His table, for what we describe as the "source and summit" of our faith, the celebration of the Eucharist.  From this flows our strength and our mission and our vision and our context for the rest of our life’s work.  And each week we bring back to that Sunday Eucharist the joys, successes, sorrows, and failures, looking for help, transformation, and the care that comes from Our Father.  So making sure the Mass is a treasured part of our week, and being prepared to do it well, are so important.  This is a bigger movement or mission than any of the rest.  We're involved in helping the salvation of the world.

     To do it properly, we need to have everyone together, from young to old, and we need a priest.  Without enough men taking on the role of a priest, living the priestly life, we have to rearrange our Sundays so that we can do this well.  Of course, the ultimate solution is to grow more priests out of our families.  We all hope and pray that the life and ministry of priesthood is attractive to men, so that God's calling to them to priesthood can be heard and encouraged: by the community, by families, and by the example that our current priests set by their love, service, and self-sacrifice.  It’s very different from other walks of life that can be so attractive, but is nonetheless a fulfilling way of life for those who are called to it.

     Starting the Sunday after Easter (April 11/12), the Mass schedule will be as follows:

All Saints - 4:00 Saturday (Confession at 3:00); in place of two Masses on Sunday at 8:00 and 10:30, there will be one Mass at 10:00.

Blessed Sacrament - 4:00 Saturday moves to 5:00 PM (Confession at 4:00); 9:00 Sunday stays put. 6:00 PM Sunday in the Urdu language for the Pakistani people continues according to the availability of the visiting priest who speaks the language (when he is unavailable, there is a simpler prayer gathering at 6:00, but parishioners attend another Mass time).

Shrine of Our Lady of the Americas - 9:00 Sunday continues only with retired priests; when none are available, parishioners attend another Mass; 11:00 in Spanish.

Mater Christi - 4:00 Saturday moves to 5:30 PM (Confession at 4:45); 8:00 Sunday stays put; 10:30 Sunday moves to 11:00 AM.

     Confession precedes the Saturday Masses, but if a priest is coming from another church, the time for confession may be shortened.  Other opportunities for confession:

• 11:30 AM - M/W/F at St. Mary
• 12:30-1:30 on T/Th at Blessed Sacrament
• 4:00-5:30 PM - Wed at Mater Christi
• 7:30-9:00 AM - 1st Saturdays at Blessed Sacrament

P.S.     When Mass times change at a parish, statistically, people often keep their preferred Mass time rather than their parish.  I find this interesting because I have always thought of a parish as the group, who would stick together no matter what time they would meet for Mass.  Of course, studies have shown that generally people don't think like this, except in small towns or rural areas where there might only be one Mass at a parish anyway.  But apparently, usually, people might drive a little farther to keep the time they like to keep the routine to which they have become accustomed.  A good question for discussion, then, is, how you do think about your Mass time and place?  How do your neighbors think about it?  What are the priorities at play?  I have shared my thoughts for a few weeks now, and I’ll have a little more next week.

Article IV March 7- 8 From the Pastor’s Desk – New Mass Schedule Starting After Easter – Part 4 of 5

     When there is a turnover in pastoral leadership, it's not an easy or quick task to get to know the parishes, the families, the students, the clubs, the hangouts, the homeless.  Much of it only comes with time.  Pope Francis emphasized, in a quippy way, that pastors should "smell like their sheep."  So, like being a husband or father, the role of a priest in relation to the parish isn't only one of fulfilling certain duties or jobs, but of being there, getting to know his kids as they grow, and ensuring they all become adults, particularly in a spiritual sense.  It’s their role to love and sacrifice and play and pray with them and for them all, so that all may come together to resemble the true head of the family: Jesus.  By restructuring our time together on the Lord's Day, I'm hoping we can facilitate improved familiarity between all the people of our parishes in our city: whether they are children or adults or deacons or priests or consecrated religious sisters and brothers.

     It may seem that parishes are the usual place for priests to spend their lives and ministry, with the family that surrounds the neighborhood or village church.  While that is generally true, there are a number of ways that priests may serve.  They work as hospital chaplains, caring for the spiritual needs of the sick in the hospital, as well as for the physicians, nurses, and administrators, and often dealing with the questions of medical ethics that arise.

     Some serve as prison chaplains, serving the particular (and in my opinion, strange) society of prisoners and corrections officers, being agents of heroic forgiveness while operating in a system with mechanisms that operate on a high level of justice and merit.  They work for conversion and metanoia in a place where growth and change may otherwise not be fostered.

     Military chaplains have to be agents of divine peace and order in an environment of conflict, violence, and sometimes chaos.  Being called to be a peacemaker when the work of the organization is to recognize threats can be heroic.

     Meanwhile, some other priests work in academia, teaching at universities and at seminaries, spending their time in studies and in teaching.

     But what all priests hold in common is the offering of the sacraments for the sanctification of the people of God entrusted to their care.  Of all the sacraments, though, what very much defines a priest’s ministry in any of these places?  Sure, in a university there may not be much of a need for the Anointing of the Sick.  In a prison there is not often a need for marriage preparation and the celebration of a Wedding.  In hospitals, there is not much of a demand for academic-heavy homilies when patients and their families are in a more emotional space.  But in all of these places, the priest’s role is to birth new members into the world, and then to gather the family together around God’s table and to feed them with the Bread that comes down from Heaven.

     Therefore, Baptism and Eucharist are, in a way, our primary sacraments, and are the primary concern of priests in whatever milieu we find ourselves.  We prioritize our mealtimes each day, our family feeding times over and above all the other obligations we have, but we must also prioritize the sacrificial meal that we are invited to by our God, recognizing in it a foretaste of the banquet of heaven.

Article V From the Pastor’s Desk – New Mass Schedule Starting After Easter – Part 5 of 5

     I know that this change of Mass times will not be easy for some, and I’m sorry for the need to make adjustments.  However, circumstances are what they are.  I hope that my explanations over the last five weeks have shown how complex the difficulties are.  I know that I see all 10 Masses across the four churches, while most people only see one or two, at their own usual Mass times, and changing our routines can be difficult.  When being tasked with 4 churches and their schools, I also had to greatly adjust the patterns and routines of my life.  And of course there are more considerations, with Masses at the hospital, convent, and other parishes, that I have not gone into.

     As a gentle reminder, not everyone who belongs to our parishes has the luxury to travel, who instead attend their closest church, who walk or use public transportation.  Making sure the Mass schedule takes their needs into consideration was also one of the priorities I had, along with the people who helped me assemble the new schedule.

     As a final note, I’d encourage us all to remember the importance of encouraging serious consideration of the vocations God calls us to.  More and more often nowadays, serious decisions are put off.  While in the past, teenagers were visiting convents, religious orders, seminaries, and then in their 20s made these commitments, these days it’s after university or the beginning of a career that these vocations are being considered.  Marriage, too, is happening later in life, with the result that children are being born parents in their late 20s and 30s.  Add to that the fear that some have to make a commitment because it necessarily involves sacrifice, and all of this contributes to the priesthood not being something men are considering, or see as having much value by contrast to the other good choices out there.  But I guarantee it does.  It has such great value and is such a good life to live, despite it being a different set of sacrifices from those of married life.  So please encourage young men to consider the priesthood, or religious life.  Encourage young men and women to be strong in their convictions to make commitments to each other in marriage, or in the consecrated life as sisters or brothers.

     And it all starts with encouraging them to belong to the church at all, to being baptized and active members of our Church, living the challenge of the Christian life, and the call to holiness that God has for all of us.

 

Rev. Daniel Quinn

Pastor

Upcoming Listening Session on Clergy, Staff and Volunteer Wellness, including Mass Time Changes – Please Review Before Meeting

 

As a lifelong member of the Catholic Community of Northern Columbia County, married in one of our churches and now raising my daughters, Anna and Nora, in this faith, I care deeply about the future of our parish family and the Church they will inherit. Today, our community is served by one full-time priest across three churches, and out of love and respect for both clergy and leadership wellness, we must recognize that our current Mass schedule is not sustainable long-term. While no decisions have been made, thoughtful and prayerful conversations are now beginning about what comes next.

To help guide our reflection, we are sharing a series of articles written by Fr. Dan, a former associate here in the CCNCC and now a pastor in Albany, who recently led his own parish community through similar changes. His insights remind us that this challenge is not unique to us, but one faced by many parishes striving to remain vibrant and spiritually nourishing. At its heart, this conversation is about more than scheduling, it is about strengthening our parish life, ensuring our priest can truly know us and walk with us, and creating space for deeper relationships, meaningful worship, and a sustainable future. Change can be difficult, especially when it touches long-held routines, but it also offers an opportunity to grow, to come together more intentionally, and to reimagine how we live our faith as a community.

My hope is that you will take time to read, reflect, and pray on these realities, and most importantly, join us for a Listening Session on April 11 at Church of St. Joseph beginning at 10:30 AM or April 16 at St. James starting at 6:30 PM. Your voice matters. Together, guided by faith and the Holy Spirit, we can shape a path forward that strengthens our community for generations to come.

—Julie (Antonovich) Horn, “Josh’s wife” and “Anna and Nora’s mom”

Bulletin Articles from Fr. Dan Quinn - re mass times are changing in Albany.

 

Article I – Feb. 14 - 15 From the Pastor’s Desk – New Mass Schedule Starting After Easter – Part 1 of 5

        As everyone may or may not be aware, there are only three priests actively assigned to the parishes of the city of Albany: Fr. Torres is responsible for the four churches downtown, which includes a Mass in Spanish, and Fr. Yusko and I (Fr. Quinn) are responsible for All Saints, Mater Christi, Blessed Sacrament, and the Shrine of Our Lady of the Americas, which also includes a Mass in Spanish, and a Mass in Urdu.  St. Vincent, meanwhile, is taken care of by Mrs. Elizabeth Simcoe and older priests.  Our neighboring suburban parishes also share priests between multiple parishes, in Colonie, Delmar, Westmere, etc.

     Retired priests, and hospital chaplains who have minimal time for parish work, help all of our parishes when the parish priests can't be present.  I'm so grateful that they are all happy to help when called!   But unfortunately, relying on so many priests in their 80s means that we must always be on the lookout for two things: the future priests of our parishes, which come from our families and parishes, and a schedule that doesn’t rely heavily on octogenarians.

     Currently around the city and suburbs of Albany, there are 9 vigil Masses at 4:00.  With just a few parish priests, and just under half of these Masses currently served by priests in their 80s, this is going to be impossible to sustain.  The same goes for Sunday mornings, when the bulk of Masses land within the "Goldilocks Zone" of 9:00-10:30 AM.  Masses that start within these times are generally more well-attended and have a greater variety of people.  This might be because of the type of schedules young families with young children keep, because of the need for some people to ramp up to get going in the morning, or simply because a later time allows people who are up early all week to sleep in a little later.

     And it’s not just the Masses that priests need to attend to; Sundays also have Faith Formation for young people, families, and those joining the Church through OCIA.  Sometimes we get to celebrate a Baptism, or have time for Adoration, or the parish has a reception, or we are burning the palm for the ashes for Ash Wednesday.  In short, there is a way to do Sundays better, so that we can all be together for the Lord’s Day without having to have the priests leave immediately.

     Therefore, a new schedule is being developed for my parishes of Mater Christi, Blessed Sacrament, All Saints, and the Shrine (formerly St. Patrick) that can be handled, if need be, by only the active priests, with minimal help from our senior priests.

     Stay tuned, because there is more to come on this topic next week.

Article II – Feb. 21 - 22 From the Pastor’s Desk – New Mass Schedule Starting After Easter – Part 2 of 5

     Last week, I discussed the difficulties with the current Mass schedule, and why it is being adjusted.  This week, I want to share the process, and the difficulties, in designing a new schedule. It was important to take into consideration the data of current Sunday Mass attendance, demographics, and historical trends, and a few guiding principles: 1) No two Masses should begin at the same time. 2) There should be a variety of options of Mass times, considering not just our own but our neighboring parishes.  3) We should do our best not to disenfranchise groups of people who need specific times or locations.  4) We should allow the priests time to be able to be around before and after Mass for Faith Formation, OCIA, requests for an Anointing of the Sick or for Confession, or simply for conversations.

     5) Another important consideration is that priests and the people ought to be familiar with one another; I want, for myself and for the other priests, to be able to be at each parish regularly, with time enough to get to know people.  We, as priests, with fatherly hearts, want to be able to see and know our people, other than just at baptisms, weddings, and funerals.  We want to be more than functionaries fulfilling the task of showing up for Mass.  We want to fulfill our role in the community as spiritual fathers and evangelizers, not just our function in the liturgies at the altar, and as parish managers at a desk.  The converse is therefore necessarily true: I want all of our parishioners to be familiar and comfortable with us.  This goes for the hospital chaplains as well; when someone is in the hospital and meets one of the priests there, it's comforting when he is already a familiar face.

     Familiarity requires a lot of time.  Fr. Tallman, for one, has been a familiar face as a hospital chaplain and as the Albany Fire Department's chaplain for many years.  That sort of familiarity and care of so many different people in so many situations (firefighters, hospital administrators, nurses, physicians, patients) takes years to grow.  In much the same way, Fr. Sidoti, Fr. Lefebvre, Fr. O'Connor, Fr. Sweigart, Fr. Bradley, Fr. Pape, and Fr. Doyle grew along with the families of their parishes.  It is my hope that we continue to grow, through good times and bad, sickness and health, with our parishes and parishioners, in much the same way.  I have been in Albany now five years, but when I’m only present at a parish every third weekend, it takes three times as long to get to know people.

     Reducing Masses and adjusting start times is necessary, though painful, so that the priests we have can spend their time and attention most efficiently.  The schedule we have devised allows for Fr. Yusko and I, with the help of just one hospital chaplain or retired priest, to make the rounds at our four churches comfortably.  In an emergency situation in which only two priests are available, the Masses can be offered by two priests.

     There is still some more to be discussed next week!  Thank you for your patience!

Article III – Feb. 28 - March 1 From the Pastor’s Desk – New Mass Schedule Starting After Easter – Part 3 of 5

     Every club, a gardening club, a book club, a hiking club, a bowling club, a volunteer organization, or political party needs to have club meetings.  Finding times that work for everyone is one of the hardest parts of keeping everyone organized and while newsletters and other forms of media help, including social media, people have to be in the same room together, see each other in-person in order to build the bonds of the community and accomplish the works of the club, whether it’s bowling, gardening, hiking, or putting together the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

     As members of the Christian family, our most important “family meeting” or “club meeting” is the time we have each week for the Lord’s Day, at the Lord’s Supper.  We're more than a club, we are the church, formed by God as a family, as his children.  We meet regularly on the Lord's Day around His table, for what we describe as the "source and summit" of our faith, the celebration of the Eucharist.  From this flows our strength and our mission and our vision and our context for the rest of our life’s work.  And each week we bring back to that Sunday Eucharist the joys, successes, sorrows, and failures, looking for help, transformation, and the care that comes from Our Father.  So making sure the Mass is a treasured part of our week, and being prepared to do it well, are so important.  This is a bigger movement or mission than any of the rest.  We're involved in helping the salvation of the world.

     To do it properly, we need to have everyone together, from young to old, and we need a priest.  Without enough men taking on the role of a priest, living the priestly life, we have to rearrange our Sundays so that we can do this well.  Of course, the ultimate solution is to grow more priests out of our families.  We all hope and pray that the life and ministry of priesthood is attractive to men, so that God's calling to them to priesthood can be heard and encouraged: by the community, by families, and by the example that our current priests set by their love, service, and self-sacrifice.  It’s very different from other walks of life that can be so attractive, but is nonetheless a fulfilling way of life for those who are called to it.

     Starting the Sunday after Easter (April 11/12), the Mass schedule will be as follows:

All Saints - 4:00 Saturday (Confession at 3:00); in place of two Masses on Sunday at 8:00 and 10:30, there will be one Mass at 10:00.

Blessed Sacrament - 4:00 Saturday moves to 5:00 PM (Confession at 4:00); 9:00 Sunday stays put. 6:00 PM Sunday in the Urdu language for the Pakistani people continues according to the availability of the visiting priest who speaks the language (when he is unavailable, there is a simpler prayer gathering at 6:00, but parishioners attend another Mass time).

Shrine of Our Lady of the Americas - 9:00 Sunday continues only with retired priests; when none are available, parishioners attend another Mass; 11:00 in Spanish.

Mater Christi - 4:00 Saturday moves to 5:30 PM (Confession at 4:45); 8:00 Sunday stays put; 10:30 Sunday moves to 11:00 AM.

     Confession precedes the Saturday Masses, but if a priest is coming from another church, the time for confession may be shortened.  Other opportunities for confession:

• 11:30 AM - M/W/F at St. Mary
• 12:30-1:30 on T/Th at Blessed Sacrament
• 4:00-5:30 PM - Wed at Mater Christi
• 7:30-9:00 AM - 1st Saturdays at Blessed Sacrament

P.S.     When Mass times change at a parish, statistically, people often keep their preferred Mass time rather than their parish.  I find this interesting because I have always thought of a parish as the group, who would stick together no matter what time they would meet for Mass.  Of course, studies have shown that generally people don't think like this, except in small towns or rural areas where there might only be one Mass at a parish anyway.  But apparently, usually, people might drive a little farther to keep the time they like to keep the routine to which they have become accustomed.  A good question for discussion, then, is, how you do think about your Mass time and place?  How do your neighbors think about it?  What are the priorities at play?  I have shared my thoughts for a few weeks now, and I’ll have a little more next week.

Article IV March 7- 8 From the Pastor’s Desk – New Mass Schedule Starting After Easter – Part 4 of 5

     When there is a turnover in pastoral leadership, it's not an easy or quick task to get to know the parishes, the families, the students, the clubs, the hangouts, the homeless.  Much of it only comes with time.  Pope Francis emphasized, in a quippy way, that pastors should "smell like their sheep."  So, like being a husband or father, the role of a priest in relation to the parish isn't only one of fulfilling certain duties or jobs, but of being there, getting to know his kids as they grow, and ensuring they all become adults, particularly in a spiritual sense.  It’s their role to love and sacrifice and play and pray with them and for them all, so that all may come together to resemble the true head of the family: Jesus.  By restructuring our time together on the Lord's Day, I'm hoping we can facilitate improved familiarity between all the people of our parishes in our city: whether they are children or adults or deacons or priests or consecrated religious sisters and brothers.

     It may seem that parishes are the usual place for priests to spend their lives and ministry, with the family that surrounds the neighborhood or village church.  While that is generally true, there are a number of ways that priests may serve.  They work as hospital chaplains, caring for the spiritual needs of the sick in the hospital, as well as for the physicians, nurses, and administrators, and often dealing with the questions of medical ethics that arise.

     Some serve as prison chaplains, serving the particular (and in my opinion, strange) society of prisoners and corrections officers, being agents of heroic forgiveness while operating in a system with mechanisms that operate on a high level of justice and merit.  They work for conversion and metanoia in a place where growth and change may otherwise not be fostered.

     Military chaplains have to be agents of divine peace and order in an environment of conflict, violence, and sometimes chaos.  Being called to be a peacemaker when the work of the organization is to recognize threats can be heroic.

     Meanwhile, some other priests work in academia, teaching at universities and at seminaries, spending their time in studies and in teaching.

     But what all priests hold in common is the offering of the sacraments for the sanctification of the people of God entrusted to their care.  Of all the sacraments, though, what very much defines a priest’s ministry in any of these places?  Sure, in a university there may not be much of a need for the Anointing of the Sick.  In a prison there is not often a need for marriage preparation and the celebration of a Wedding.  In hospitals, there is not much of a demand for academic-heavy homilies when patients and their families are in a more emotional space.  But in all of these places, the priest’s role is to birth new members into the world, and then to gather the family together around God’s table and to feed them with the Bread that comes down from Heaven.

     Therefore, Baptism and Eucharist are, in a way, our primary sacraments, and are the primary concern of priests in whatever milieu we find ourselves.  We prioritize our mealtimes each day, our family feeding times over and above all the other obligations we have, but we must also prioritize the sacrificial meal that we are invited to by our God, recognizing in it a foretaste of the banquet of heaven.

Article V From the Pastor’s Desk – New Mass Schedule Starting After Easter – Part 5 of 5

     I know that this change of Mass times will not be easy for some, and I’m sorry for the need to make adjustments.  However, circumstances are what they are.  I hope that my explanations over the last five weeks have shown how complex the difficulties are.  I know that I see all 10 Masses across the four churches, while most people only see one or two, at their own usual Mass times, and changing our routines can be difficult.  When being tasked with 4 churches and their schools, I also had to greatly adjust the patterns and routines of my life.  And of course there are more considerations, with Masses at the hospital, convent, and other parishes, that I have not gone into.

     As a gentle reminder, not everyone who belongs to our parishes has the luxury to travel, who instead attend their closest church, who walk or use public transportation.  Making sure the Mass schedule takes their needs into consideration was also one of the priorities I had, along with the people who helped me assemble the new schedule.

     As a final note, I’d encourage us all to remember the importance of encouraging serious consideration of the vocations God calls us to.  More and more often nowadays, serious decisions are put off.  While in the past, teenagers were visiting convents, religious orders, seminaries, and then in their 20s made these commitments, these days it’s after university or the beginning of a career that these vocations are being considered.  Marriage, too, is happening later in life, with the result that children are being born parents in their late 20s and 30s.  Add to that the fear that some have to make a commitment because it necessarily involves sacrifice, and all of this contributes to the priesthood not being something men are considering, or see as having much value by contrast to the other good choices out there.  But I guarantee it does.  It has such great value and is such a good life to live, despite it being a different set of sacrifices from those of married life.  So please encourage young men to consider the priesthood, or religious life.  Encourage young men and women to be strong in their convictions to make commitments to each other in marriage, or in the consecrated life as sisters or brothers.

     And it all starts with encouraging them to belong to the church at all, to being baptized and active members of our Church, living the challenge of the Christian life, and the call to holiness that God has for all of us.

 

Rev. Daniel Quinn

Pastor

Holy Week is next week, with Palm Sunday starting the holiest and most important week on the church’s calendar. By now, I hope you have tried to do something this Lenten season to grown closer to God. Whether that is to give up something, to change an area in your life that's needing change, to pray more or to donate “alms.” So that whatever you have been working on or doing come Easter  Sunday, you will be able to truly celebrate the most joyous day of the year! The day of Jesus' Resurrection!

If you have not started, today is another opportunity to do so! Why not re-read today’s Gospel about Jesus’ friends Mary, Martha, and Lazurus? It shows Jesus’ human side and how much Jesus loved them. So much so that he wept at the death of his friend Lazarus and mourned with his friends Mary and Martha. It also showed a precursor to his own death and resurrection and our newness of life to be experienced when we have a true metanoia, change of heart, away from evil and towards God.

Later today (Sunday) we are excited to welcome Fr. Kyle Gorenski for a wonderful presentation on Forgiveness. He will offer it twice – once at St. Joseph’s at 2 pm and the other time at 6 pm at St. John the Baptist. All are invited and welcome! For those who missed the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick last weekend, it will be offered at a special mass for peace at 5 pm today at St. John’s prior to the 6 pm presentation. (The Mass and presentation are open to all, including our Family Faith Formation families.)

Lastly, if you have the need to go to Confession, please see below to review the remaining dates, times, and locations of confessions
in Columbia County. Otherwise, please call the office to arrange an appointment with Fr. Steve during Holy Week as there are very limited opportunities after this coming Friday, March 27.
-Fr. Steve

-------------------------

La Semana Santa es la semana que viene, y el Domingo de Ramos marca el inicio de la semana más santa e importante del calendario
eclesiástico. Espero que, a estas alturas, hayáis intentado hacer algo durante esta Cuaresma para acercaros más a Dios. Ya sea renunciando a algo, cambiando algún aspecto de vuestra vida que lo necesite, rezando más o haciendo «limosna». De modo que, sea lo que sea en lo que hayan estado trabajando o haciendo, cuando llegue el Domingo de Pascua, ¡podrán celebrar verdaderamente el día más alegre del año! ¡El día de la Resurrección de Jesús!

Si aún no han comenzado, ¡hoy es otra oportunidad para hacerlo! ¿Por qué no releen el Evangelio de hoy sobre los amigos de Jesús, María, Marta y Lázaro? Muestra el lado humano de Jesús y cuánto los amaba. Tanto es así que lloró ante la muerte de su amigo Lázaro y se lamentó con sus amigas María y Marta. También mostró un anticipo de su propia muerte y resurrección y de la novedad de vida que experimentaremos cuando tengamos una verdadera metanoia, un cambio de corazón, alejándonos del mal y acercándonos a Dios.

Más tarde hoy (domingo) nos alegra dar la bienvenida al P. Kyle Gorenski para una maravillosa charla sobre el perdón. La ofrecerá
dos veces: una en San José a las 2 de la tarde y la otra a las 6 de la tarde en San Juan Bautista. ¡Todos están invitados y son bienvenidos! Para aquellos que se perdieron la oportunidad de recibir el sacramento de la Unción de los Enfermos el fin de semana pasado, se ofrecerá en una misa especial por la paz a las 5 de la tarde de hoy en San Juan, antes de la presentación de las 6 de la tarde. (La misa y la presentación están abiertas a todos, incluidas las familias de la Formación en la Fe Familiar). Por último, si necesitan confesarse, consulten la página 3 para ver las fechas, horarios y lugares restantes de confesión en el condado de Columbia. De lo contrario, llamen a la oficina para concertar una cita con el P. Steve durante la Semana Santa, ya que las oportunidades serán muy limitadas a partir del próximo viernes 27 de marzo. P. Steve

Está por terminar la Cuaresma; un domingo más y estaremos celebrando el Domingo de Ramos. Cuarenta días de preparación para la
Pascua están por concluir. Hemos acompañado a Jesús que pasó por las tentaciones en el desierto; luego subimos con Él al monte de la Transfiguración; fuimos al pozo de Jacob con la mujer samaritana y encontramos el Agua Viva; llegamos a la piscina de Siloé y fuimos
curados de nuestras cegueras. Y hoy, celebramos el domingo en el que resucitaremos junto con Lázaro. La resurrección de Lázaro es un
triunfo sobre la muerte. Pero antes de este milagro, Marta, la hermana de Lázaro, sale al encuentro de Jesús y, en su diálogo, Él le dice:
“Yo soy la resurrección y la vida. El que cree en mí, aunque muera, vivirá” (Juan 11:26). Jesús nos hace hoy la misma pregunta que le hizo a Marta: “¿Crees esto?” ¿Qué le respondes tú? ¿Has experimentado algún cambio en tu corazón durante esta Cuaresma?

Si nuestra fe es madura, viviremos como resucitados desde ahora, no solo al final de nuestra vida. Demos, pues, a Jesús una respuesta
profunda y comprometida con nosotros mismos y con quienes nos rodean. Respondamos como Marta y como Pedro: “Sí, Señor, creo”.
Señor, ayúdanos a ser parte de tu proyecto de vida, a construir un mundo mejor donde reine la paz. Queremos ser testigos de  speranza,
donde tu amor exista a través de nuestra vida y nuestro caminar hacia Ti. Jesús nos dice hoy a cada uno de nosotros: “¡Lázaro, sal fuera!” (Juan 11:43). Amén

Dear Jesus, help me to follow You with my whole heart. Querido Jesús, ayúdame a seguirte con todo mi corazón. Amén.

REMINDERS AND SPRING SCHEDULE

This Sun., Mar. 22—Fr. Kyle Gorenski will provide a Lenten presentation on forgiveness. Faith Formation families should attend either the 2 pm (St. Joseph’s) or 6 pm (St. John’s, following a 5 pm Mass; this replaces the March 9 session. All ages welcome!

April Trip with March Option—The April Family Faith Formation gathering is a worship trip, with an optional March date for Lent. Join for 10:30am Mass and life-sized Stations of the Cross at the Shrine of Divine Mercy (2 Prospect Hill Rd, Stockbridge, MA), Mar. 22 or Ap. 19. Carpool: St. James, 9:40 am; St. John, 9:15 am. Email Ann Valley for rides

Remaining March Gathering—Mar. 29; St. James, 9 am

Sacramental Preparation sessions/retreats:
1st Eucharist/1st Reconciliation lessons—next session, Mon., April 13, St. Joseph, 6-7:15 pm. All those receiving Sacraments to attend with youth (grades 4+) events, or plan your own!

1st Reconciliation retreat—Sat., Apr. 18, 10:30–2:30 pm; St. John

1st Eucharist retreat—Sat., Apr. 25, 11:30 am-3:45 pm. St. John

Monday evenings at St. Joseph’s grades 4+ from 6-7:15 pm: March 9 Monday evening rescheduled to March 22; final Monday
evening is April 13.

The April Family Faith Formation gathering is a worship trip—join for 10:30 am Mass and life-sized Stations of the Cross at the
Shrine of Divine Mercy (2 Prospect Hill Rd, Stockbridge, MA), April 19; carpool: St. James, 9:40 am; St. John, 9:15 am.

RECORDATORIOS Y CALENDARIO DE PRIMAVERA

Este Domingo, 22 de marzo: el padre Kyle Gorenski ofrecerá una presentación cuaresmal sobre el perdón. Las familias de formación en la fe deben asistir a la sesión de las 2 p. m. (en St. Joseph's) o a la de las 6 p. m. (en St. John's, después de la misa de las 5 p. m.; esta sesión sustituye a la del 9 de marzo). ¡Todas las edades son bienvenidas! 

Reunión restante de marzo—29 de marzo; St. James, 9 am

Sesiones/retiros de preparación sacramental:
Lecciones de primera comunión/primera reconciliación: próxima sesión, lunes 13 de abril, St. Joseph, 6:00-7:15 p. m. Todos aquellos que vayan a recibir los sacramentos deben asistir con los jóvenes (a partir de 4.º grado) a los eventos, ¡o planificar los suyos propios!

La reunión de formación en la fe para familias de abril consiste en una excursión de oración, con una fecha opcional en marzo para la Cuaresma. Únete a nosotros para la misa de las 10:30 h y el Vía Crucis a tamaño real en el Santuario de la Divina Misericordia (2
Prospect Hill Rd, Stockbridge, MA), el 22 de marzo o en abril 19. Compartir coche: St. James, 9:40 h; St. John, 9:15 h. Envía un correo electrónico a Ann Valley para solicitar transporte

Please contact Ann Valley at (W) (518) 758-1828, (C) (518) 227-1025 or ccnccformation@gmail.com for more information about any of our programs.