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The First Mass – As told from history of St.
Clement’s Parish
Finally, the great day
arrived,
October 14, 1917.
The annals almost shout an exclamatory, underlined marginal
headline in artistic, flourishing penmanship - "Opening of the
New St. Clement's Church." The reader readily imagines stirring
scenes of jostling crowds and perhaps a blaring band on the
grandstand with ecclesiastical and civic dignitaries about to
deliver flowery, oratorical speeches. What follows is almost
anticlimactic:
"Today a new page in
the history of the Redemptorist’s at Saratoga
was begun. At seven o'clock this morning, Very Reverend Father
Provincial, after a simple Blessing, said the first Holy Mass in
the new Church on
Lake Avenue.
At the seven o'clock mass there were about eighty-nine people
present and at the 10:30 o'clock Mass about 350 people.
Considering the circumstances, and the short notice to the
parishioners merely through the local paper, the attendance was
by no means discouraging. Very Reverend Father Rector offered
the 9:30 o'clock mass and delivered a short sermon. Although
matters are not yet complete for an inception of a full
parochial system, still it was deemed advisable to begin under
present circumstances, the details to be supplied little by
little. Those who saw the "new Church" for the first time today
were favorably impressed."
The first of a long
litany of baptisms was recorded on the following Sunday when the
infant, Margaret Catherine Cherry was baptized. From November 26
to December 1, 1917, another "first" for the new parish was a
six-day bazaar held in the school quarters under the direction
of the Reverend Albert Zudeck, C.SS.R. It was noted that in
spite of serious handicaps resulting from World War I, this
first social was a "most gratifying success. The daily accounts
of the bazaar in The Saratogian abounded with compliments. High
hopes were expressed for the benefits that would accrue to
Saratoga
"socially, politically and economically in a new era in the
city." In these days of ecumenism, it is significant to relate
that Saratoga
seems to have been ahead of the times by half a century. As the
annalist indicated: "There was a whole-hearted cooperation on
the part of parishioners, the members of St. Peter's Church and
friends from near and far, both Catholic and non-Catholic. It
has brought the new parish to the knowledge of all Saratoga
and aroused the interest of the parishioners in their new St.
Clement's Church."
A very practical item was included with the
information that the net profit from the bazaar was $1,935. In
the monetary exchange of those days, that sum could buy a great
deal of coal. In passing, we here offer a grateful salute to all
those parishioners and friends, who through five decades have
consistently manifested their generosity in behalf of the
parish. The tradition of cooperation has always been an
encouraging characteristic of our people, an attribute of which
they may be justifiably proud.
Soon after the bazaar
the parish celebrated its first Holy Day of Obligation on
December 8th, the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady. Leading up
to that beautiful feast of the Patroness of the United States of America
was a Novena to the Blessed Mother. Nine renowned missionaries
were invited to conduct the Novena, and on the Feast Day itself,
three Masses were celebrated, at 6 o'clock, 7 o'clock and 8
o'clock in the morning.
During this
period Father Joseph McGurk, C.SS.R, frequently offered Mass at Mount McGregor,
which was a nearby tuberculosis sanatorium. This traditional
spiritual care continued through the years until June 10, 1945,
when it was decided to close Mount McGregor. Again, as did the
classical phoenix, it rose from its ashes as a rest camp for
Veteran’s of World War II. Again doomed, it was designated as
the annex to the Rome (N.Y.)
State
School for the Retarded.
And so the record of missionary service by the Redemptorist’s is
still carried on to this day.
Through the years the Redemptorist’s'
continuous service to the patients at what was Mount McGregor
has been a source of satisfaction, especially since the notation
of December 7, 1920 read: "Reverend Father Bloechi was called to
Albany to confer with the Bishop about Mount McGregor. Until now
we have been tolerated on the Mount only once a month and on
Holy Days of Obligation. The Bishop has taken great interest in
the affair and the result is that the authorities . . . will
hereafter allow the Catholic patients their rights - and Holy
Mass will be offered every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation."
Years of Growth
From the
tiny acorn, the sturdy oak of St. Clement's grew. A third Mass
was added on Sunday for God's little ones, the children.
Serenely, surely, steadily the first parish priests, Father
McGurk and Father Edwin Shearer began their work of building the
Church. Meteorologists and older citizens may take issue with
the notation in the Church annals that on December 30, 1917, the
thermometer on the veranda registered 36 degrees below zero at 7
a.m. The next day,
the last day of the first parish year, the temperature rose to
33 degrees below.
Shall we ever be through with "firsts?" At
the risk of sounding like a social column we record on January
26, 1918, the first marriage with a Nuptial Mass took place at 7
o'clock in the new St. Clement's Church. The ceremony united
Arthur Pray and Josephine Hagen. A simple marriage ceremony was
entered earlier - in November 1917 between William Tydings and
Mary Helen Woods.
Those whose special
devotion is to
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
will be interested to know that on January 26, 1918, Pope
Benedict XV formally confirmed the veneration of Our Lady's
miraculous image here in
Saratoga
with many indulgences. The document came through the renowned
Cardinal Gasparri, then Secretary of State. As in every healthy
parish, social activities began to grow. Despite frigid weather
of ten degrees below zero that January, some 275 persons were
present at a card party which was given on behalf of the parish.
After the snows finally thawed on May 12th
the new parish held a procession in honor of the Queen of May.
As always "a little child shall lead them" and the parishioners
renewed their youth - and their faith - as the youngsters walked
innocently, tossing their floral petals before the image of the
Blessed Virgin.
Can the
next entry in our parish annals be true? A garden party on the
roof of the school, August 19th. As usual, the wonderful workers
of St. Clement's produced the almost impossible . . . net
receipts of $265.83. Let our modern bankers evaluate that amount
in the current rate of exchange, while the early parishioners
hold their heads high with pride.
Under the date of August 31, 1918, there
appears the first mention of a school that was naturally
expected to be a part of the parish. The School Sisters of Notre
Dame, who have been associated with the Redemptorist’s over the
decades in the field of education, are also spoken of for the
first time. The understatement of the year is the brief notice
that "Not too many children are expected this year. . . Father
Rector is working very hard to fit out the rooms over the
powerhouse on Lake Avenue so that the Sisters who will soon come
may have a suitable home . . . three Sisters are expected - two
choir and one lay."
On September 7th Sister
Euthymia, Sister Martyria and Sister Verona arrived. "They were
accompanied by Sister Ambrose from New York.
The sisters will take their meals at the college for a few days
and hear Mass in our chapel, until their oil stove is in working
condition and they have a supply of food. Their rooms in the
powerhouse are well furnished. Father Rector spared no pains to
give them a real home. What was intended for a laundry has been
converted into three rooms by means of partitions - a kitchen, a
dining room and a study hall. Besides these rooms, there are two
living rooms, one spare room and an oratory."
In this parish we have
many reasons to hail the School Sisters of Notre Dame on this
Jubilee occasion. This start of a school for St. Clement's seems
to have been quite difficult, if not down right unpromising.
Nonetheless, on "September 9th, school opens. Twenty-five
children put in an appearance, but some will not be accepted
because they belong to St. Peter's Parish. September 10th,
nineteen children in school. The parish consists of 230 families
. . . over 800 souls. At most we get 300 persons to come
regularly. Yet even these do not send their children to our
school as is quite evident." These must have been discouraging
times. Yet let the plain, historical facts stand. The parish and
the school had begun.
The parish annals yield
a priceless gem of information under date of March 30, 1919:
"Father Cornelius Warren, C.Ss.R, opened a Mission
in our new Church today. The Mission is to last one week, and
the Reverend Louis Smith, C.Ss.R, will assist Father Warren."
The significance here is that Father Warren is still living an
active ministry at the advanced age of 94. Father Louis Smith,
who died in Saratoga,
spent many years with Father Warren in the higher echelons of
the Provincial administrative staff. Following the entry about
the Mission,
is this additional mention of April 1st: "The Mission
at St. Clement's is doing very well. The services in the evening
are attended by 350 persons and of these 75 per cent are coming
to the morning Mass and instruction." Impressive statistics -
for that day or this!
A masterful
bit of business dealing is recorded shortly thereafter: "May 22,
1919, the contract for the new college, chapel, and infirmary
has been given to Niewenhous Brothers of New York City. The
buildings are to be completed May 20, 1920." Newspaper notices
reported the cost to be $300,000. Then the important day
arrived. The report says simply "On May 19th the Procurator of
the Province, Reverend Charles Becker, C.SS.R., arrived this
afternoon to inspect the new building prior to its being handed
over to Very Reverend Provincial by the contractor, Niewenhous
Brothers Construction is completed, and with a day to spare!
Meanwhile, did anything eventful happen in the parish? Indeed,
on May 28th, the Right Reverend Edmund F. Gibbons, Bishop of
Albany, paid his first visit to the Parish to confirm
sixty-seven parishioners at St. Clement's."
Quite a few of our
older parishioners can still remember the so-called "Spanish
Influenza" of 1918, one of the worst epidemics of modern times.
How did it affect the young St. Clement's Parish? The first
ominous notes were sounded about October 1st. "There is danger
of a general epidemic. The 'Spanish Influenza' is doing deadly
work in Boston
and is spreading rapidly from State to State. In
Saratoga,
there are a few cases, and the authorities are thinking of
closing all public places. October 7th, schools and churches
have been closed in many States. In town all the schools have
been closed but the churches are allowed to remain open with no
public services. This is done by order of the Board of Health."
As a consolation, came the happy news of
Armistice Day, November 11, 1918, heralding the end of World War
I and our parishioners rejoiced with the rest of America. Our
chronicler adds another entry: "November 25th.: There will be no
bazaar at St. Clement's this year because of the hard times
created by the war and because of the influenza."
A brighter note is
struck on March 6th when The Saratogian featured an article
about a remarkable set of Stations of the Cross being erected in
the Church - works of art from St. Joachim's Church in Rome,
Italy.
They were transferred by the Very Reverend Joseph Schwartz,
C.SS.R, and procurator of the Redemptorist Fathers in
Rome.
Then on August 19th and
20th, the social life of the parish began to bubble; a Grove
Festival among the pine trees. Net receipts were about $1,000.
St. Clement's was beginning to flex its financial muscles. On
June 29, 1920, we seem to have been in a comfortable way of
life; a strawberry festival in the school building with
parishioners invited to visit the new community house, chapel
and infirmary from 6 until 10 p.m. On August 21st the new
building on Lake Avenue
was formally taken over by the Redemptorist’s. Naturally, a
significant milestone was the opening of the new school on
September 15th with an enrollment of 71 children, taught by two
School Sisters of Notre Dame.
Of note also was the unveiling of the Calvary
Group donated by Thomas F Meagher in memory of his wife. This
took place on November 11 with the order of services including
the Way of the Cross, was in the Church and the unveiling of the
statue, and an address by the Reverend Louis Bloechi, C.SS.R.
Afterwards, approximately 400 persons were invited into me
community chapel for Solemn Benediction. The children's choir,
under the direction of Sister M. Martyria, sang.
Appropriately enough, on November 25th,
Thanksgiving Day, the centenary of the death of Saint Clement
Mary Hofbauer C.Ss.R., was celebrated with Bishop Gibbons
consecrating our new chapel to St. Clement.
On December 28th Father John Conway, C.Ss.R,
arrived from Boston to preach a tritium in honor of the
centenary commemoration of St. Clement's death. It is recorded
that the parishioners attended with great earnestness and that
Father Conway's sermons were very practical and inspiring. Those
who knew the old Missionary could hardly believe otherwise.
Some of the older
parishioners may recall that in October 1921, the
Arch-confraternity of the Holy Family was inaugurated in this
parish. The Arch-confraternity was first organized in
Liege,
Belgium,
in 1844 Three years later Pope Pius IX who enriched it with many
indulgences approved it. Originally, some parishes boasted of
six separate divisions - for married men, married women, single
men, single women and separate divisions of the Junior Holy
Family for boys and for girls. Eventually, the men's branch of
the Arch-confraternity was absorbed by the Holy Name Society,
which continues to the present time. In St. Clement's, as in
many Redemptorist parishes, this unified society has given way
to further specialization.
Now that the parish had safely survived its
days of infancy, an informative entry appears under date of
January 30, 1922. Reverend Father Gillooly has just finished the
census of the parish. There is an increase of about 200 since
the census, which was taken tip at the time St. Peter's Parish
was divided. We have now in our district 376 men, 417 women and
214 children - total of 1007 souls. Only about half of this
number attend St. Clement's regularly.''
On August 13, 1922,
after some discussion and eventual Episcopal approbation, Mass
was first offered in a newly constructed dance pavilion at
Saratoga
Lake.
To the pleasant surprise of all, about 165 Catholics appeared.
Later, 293 persons were present for services at the summer
colony. Again, St. Clement's had made the difficult beginnings.
Finally, on September
7, 1922, the Sisters are "to occupy a new home, which is being
rented for them from a Mr. Humphrey - a well-furnished cottage
on Lake Avenue.
Since the opening of the school the Sisters have occupied the
second floor of the Power House building." The School Sisters of
Notre Dame moved closer to their work when the house just west
of the Church was purchased as a convent on December 7, 1923.
They moved into their new home the following March. Before that
they were situated between Nelson and East Avenue
on Lake Avenue.
The next significant notice in the development of the parish
seems to be the building of the new convent for the Sisters,
begun on April 23, 1931. Eventually, an addition was put on as
the growth of the parish dictated. The addition was blessed on
March 23, 1952. City Historian, Evelyn Barrett Britten, who
published her Chronicles of Saratoga in 1959. Ms. Britten points
out that St. Clement's School has always been a grade school and
adds: "Those graduating from St. Clement's School have gone to
St. Peter's Academy or the Saratoga Springs
High School
for their high school courses." Ms. Britten notes that
overcrowded conditions eventually called for construction of the
new addition to St. Clement's School in 1952 and describes it in
these words:
"Completely fireproof and constructed of brick,
marble and steel the new school follows the architectural
artistry of the present group of St. Clement's buildings. . . A
gymnasium and auditorium, kitchen and cafeteria equipment, all
of the latest and most modern design; additional classrooms, a
library and large assembly room as well as boys' and girls' rest
rooms and accommodations for sports events, including showers
and locker rooms, are a much appreciated part of the new
building in constant use.
Another development under date of May 27,
1923 reads: "At 3:30 this afternoon the unveiling and blessing
of Our Lady of Lourdes grotto took place. Some 800 people
attended the ceremonies. The Grotto of Lourdes promises to
become one of the attractions of the city. The Shrine,
artistically set in a semicircle of larches, spruces and
mountain ashes with shrubbery of many species on the side,
produces an unusual impression on the passerby. On Sundays,
particularly, many pause to admire the shine."
The Shrine has since
been moved - transplanted stone by stone - but it still is a
center of attraction. Youngsters to this day frequently ride
their bicycles at top speed, only to put on the brakes at the
Shrine, swallow a mouthful of water from the fountain and then
kneel - sometimes surprisingly long - to whisper a prayer to Our
Lady before they are off again and pedaling. “God
grant that they may continue to stop to say a prayer at the
Grotto and slake their thirst from Our Lady's spring at
Saratoga.”
Then, there
appears in the annals the laconic statement that the wrecking of
old St. Clement's was begun at Glen Mitchell on December 21st..,
the end of another year. Here the beginning of a new era, a
constant tradition which continues until this day is the St.
Clement's; Bazaars, Fairs, Parties - call them what you will.
But more important is the benevolent purpose behind them to keep
the parish growing. If only it were possible to list the names
of all those who through fifty fruitful years have contributed
so generously of their time, talents and other resources to the
social development of the parish. Their names would overflow
this book. May it be some recognition to them that their names
are written in heaven. God keeps the record. He knows each and
every name and He will reward them.
Was there a youth program in those days?
Well, back in 1939 a newspaper clipping informed one and all
that at Ballston Spa St. Clement's Junior Drum Corps won first
prize with 93.4 points, garnering $40 in cash. They also were
awarded an additional $10 as the best playing drum corps in
line. And they looked in the Field Day parade, too.
As long as twenty years
ago there were clothing drives for the needy and destitute. In
the spring of 1947 it was announced that St. Clement's ranked
first among the 132 parishes of the Diocese of Albany in the
collection of clothing for
Europe.
Gathered were some 8,000 articles, weighing three-and-a-half
tons - another typical example of the generous charity of our
parishioners.
Gansevoort resides that
part in the City of
Saratoga,
St. Clement's Parish also includes the towns of Kings Station,
Wilton,
McGregor, Gurnspring and Gansevoort. Beginning in 1947. The
ecclesiastical authorities and the laity of the Town of
Gansevoort began looking for a suitable site for a Church for
the Catholics of that part of the parish who had difficulty in
reaching Saratoga for Sunday Mass. Something was finally
accomplished until August 15. 1965, when the Very Reverend John
A. Krimm, C.SS.R.. Pastor of St. Clement’s approved the use of
the local Grange Hall.
The idea of local
service proved so attractive that Catholics of the regional got
together and built the Chapel of St. Therese of Lisicux
dedicated by the Most Reverend Edward J. Maginn, apostolic
administrator of the Diocese of Albany, on September 18, 1966.
The one-story frame structure, whose interior is of walnut, and
is decorated in blue and gold, is located on Gansevoort’s main
street, next to the
Masonic Temple.
It was built on an acre of land donated by a Catholic family
from materials, which were either donated or provided at cost by
local concerns. The men of the parish dug the foundation, helped
pour the cement, built the walls and raised the roof. A number
of substantial cash contributions helped and a Protestant friend
constructed a walnut altar, which faces the people. The
parishioners are at present building a multi-purpose structure
which will serve as a catechetical center and parish hall and
will have facilities for the priest to stay overnight in bad
weather.
Of St.
Theresa’s, Father John O'Toole, C.SS.R, assistant pastor of St.
Clement's Church says: “The story of St. Theresa’s Chapel in
Gansevoort reminds us that there is still room in the Catholic
Church for small communities of Catholics. It proves Catholics
can build their own chapel where they can escape the anonymity
of vast organization and where the priest can give the last
blessing at the end of Mass, looking out upon the wind running
through the grass."
In connection with youth activities, St. Clement's was chosen as
the site for the eleventh annual Marian Day of the Diocese of
Albany under the auspices of the Catholic Youth Organization.
The date was May 18, 1950, and, although the weatherman was not
very cooperative, the dauntless young people from Albany, Troy,
Hudson Falls, Schenectady and other communities congregated here
at St. Clement's to offer homage to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Our Societies
Parochial societies are, of course, the
backbone of the parish. The CYO has about one hundred members at
St. Clement's and offers them a varied program of spiritual,
social and athletic activities. In addition to the
Arch-confraternity of the Holy Family and the Holy Name Society,
there is a small but sturdy specialized corps of the Legion of
Mary.
A corollary to these fine organizations is
the popular Novena devotion in honor of Our Lady of Perpetual
Help, conducted every Monday evening. As faithful to serving
this as they are Mass and other spiritual exercises are St.
Clement's one hundred altar boys. They are ever ready to serve
at their appointed times.
For our
Catholic children in public elementary schools, release time
religious instruction classes are conducted at St. Clement's
School every Tuesday afternoon. The School Sisters of Notre Dame
impart spiritual knowledge and Christian formation to the
children in this program. Confraternities of Christian Doctrine
classes are also held one night each week for over 200 young
adults in the public high school system, under the direction of
one of the parish priests. Catholic information courses are also
offered periodically and are open to all adults who are
interested.
Inspired, perhaps, by the Sisters many young
women in our parish have heard God's call and answered
affirmatively, finding their vocation in the religious life.
They are:
Sister Mary Paul,
S.S.N.D. (deceased) (Frances Sweeney)
Sister Mary Cyrille, S.S.N.D. (Marion Powell)
Sister Mary Clarella,
S.S.N.D. (Marie Hennessey)
Sister Mary Areta, S.S.N.D. (Helen Hennessey)
Sister Mary Clementine,
S.S.N.D. (Anna Reynolds)
Sister Marie Carmel,
S.S.N.D. (Carmel
Galligan)
Sister Mary Jeanine,
S.S.N.D. (Marilyn Foy)
Sister Mary Tertia, S.S.N.D. (Mary Alice
Shannon)
Sister Mary Loreen,
S.S.N.D. (Laureen Spaulding)
Sister Marie Angela, C.S.J. (Angela Fina)
Sister Rose Cecelia,
C.S.J. (Marion Varley)
Sister Mary Blanche, CS.J. (Elizabeth Varley)
Sister Lawrence Louise,
C.S.J. (Elizabeth Constanzo)
Sister Ruth Anne, C.S.J. (Ruth Rowland)
Sister Clement Marie, C.S.J. (Monica
Reynolds)
Responding to the call to the priesthood have
been young men from St. Clement's:
The Very Reverend Eymard Galligan S.S.E.,
At present Superior General of the Society of
St. Edmund. Offered his first Mass here on April 13, 1947,
Reverend Neil Doherty, S.J.,
The Society of Jesus was the choice, and
similarly celebrated his first Mass on June 24, 1962, at St.
Clement's, Reverend Richard Noonan, S.J.
Finally, there are three Remporistorists:
Reverend Daniel Hickey
Reverend Thomas Hickey
Frater David Hickey,
brothers by blood and in the Spirit of St. Alphonsus.
Since our beginnings,
many priests and brothers have been assigned to St. Clement's.
They have come and gone, "seen their day and were glad." We
think, too, of our "honor roll," the Veterans who have laid down
their lives for their country. We think also of the missing
faces, the faithful who came to
Mass.
Then, one by one, they were gone. May they rest in peace! A
kindly word is "benefactor," - one who does good. There have
been so many over the years, from 1917 to 1967. We are indeed
indebted to them, each and every one.
Now we look to the present and to the new
Church, which is the glory of our parish. The brick and
limestone edifice of contemporary design is a monument not only
to the farsightedness of the pastor under who construction was
started, Father Krimm, but also to the faithfulness of the
parishioners, who collaborated so closely with him.
In fact, from the start
it was priest and people working together which brought the new
St. Clement's Church into being. One afternoon James Benton,
former mayor of
Saratoga Springs,
stopped in at the old Church in the basement of the school to
make a visit. He happened to encounter Father Krimm, then pastor
who told him of his plans to dress up the basement to make it
more Church-like.
"That's a waste of money, Father," said Jim.
"You ought to think about building a new Church with the
fiftieth anniversary coming up in two years." And so the project
was born and after fifty years the people of St. Clement's came
up from the basement to worship in a beautiful new structure
Our New Church
Commanding
the main entrance to the church is a campanile or bell tower of
structural steel and limestone and a seven-foot outdoor statue
of St. Clement Hofbauer executed in white marble. Another
outstanding feature is the rose window over the front entrance,
which bears the seal of the Congregation of the Most Holy
Redeemer in the center with the inscription “With Him there is
plentiful redemption”.
This
Redemptorist motif is repeated in antique tarnished aluminum
letters in the open, oval-shaped baldachin over the altar. The
focal point on entrance of the church is the altar of repose,
centered in the sanctuary. Directly behind it is a 35-foot
curved mosaic reredos, depicting Christ on the cross with a
chalice and host super-imposed in the design. Subtly done in
different it provides an impressive backdrop for the altar of
repose, which has a gold mosaic pedestal and marble Mensa or
table top. And for the Altar of sacrifice in front of it. The
Altar of sacrifice also has a marble Mensa and marble pedestals
through which runs double etched glass, portraying the Last
Super at which the Holy Eucharist was instituted.
The mosaics
are repeated in the “Stations of the Cross” and in the shrines
to the Holy Family and to Our Lady of Perpetual Help on either
side of the sanctuary. These mosaics, together with the stained
glass windows throughout the Church, and the cylinder shaped
lights either stripes of stained and chuck glass, color to lend
dignity. The pews are constructed of Oak.
To bring the
Mass out among the people as the priest faces them to celebrate
the Mass.
There are three naves surrounding the sanctuary. At the rear of
the side naves are shrines, one to
St. Joseph
with stain glass windows symbolizing the important events of his
life. These include the Nativity, the flight into
Egypt, and the death of
St. Joseph. Also included are symbols of
the carpenter’s trade.
The other is
to Blessed John N. Neumann, C.Ss.R. fourth Bishop of
Philadelphia whose cause for canonization is being promoted. The
six windows of the shrine illustrate his life from the offering
of his first mass to his death in the Master’s service. The fact
that he was the first to join the Redemptorist in
America. He served as a
Redemptorist Missionary and promoted the veneration of the
Immaculate Conception are recalled. Wall mounted votive light
brackets are a unique feature of both shrines.
Redemptorist
saints pictured in the twelve large stained-glass windows
include St. Clement Hofbauer, patron of the Church, and St.
Gerard Majella, humble Redemptorist lay brother who had the
power of reading souls. The other windows are dedicated to St.
Luke, St. Anne, St. Patrick, St. Alphonsus, the Resurrection of
Christ, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Teresa of
Avila, St. John the Baptist, St. Peter and St. Paul. There is a
statue of St. Gerard, honored as the patron saint of mothers, in
the baptistery. The baptistery has a beautiful marble font and
bronze gate with three symbols appropriate to the sacrament of
life - chi-rho, ancient symbol of Christ; dove and candle.
The etched
glass in the Altar of Sacrifice is repeated again in the narthex
screen - separating the vestibule from the main part of the
church - where six panels floated in wood illustrate the titles
of Our Lady - Queen of the Holy Rosary, Mother of Divine Grace,
Queen of Virgins, Queen of Peace, Virgin Most Venerable and
Queen of Apostles. The titles are lettered in Latin.
Glass and
marble are used in the communion rail and the pulpit and
lector's stand are of the same marble. The pulpit or ambo has a
bronze insert of a chi-rho and a horizontal piece that slips out
to form a shelf to display the Bible, containing the word of
God. This repetition of mosaics, stained-glass and etched glass
and marble throughout in the interior and appointments of the
Church contributes substantially to attaining its feeling of
unity much the same way as do dominant themes in a musical
composition.
All of these qualities greatly enhance the
new St. Clement's Church and are appreciated by the parishioners
as they are seated by Frank Salley, head usher, and his
assistants, and are led in congregational singing by the choir,
under the direction of the Reverend Peter F. Starin, C.SS.R.
with Mrs. Sue Mullen at the organ. The edifice has a seating
capacity of 816, including the choir loft. This is an increase
of 230 over the old Church and allows for growth of the parish.
In addition, the new structure contains four
confessionals, ushers' room, a spacious sacristy with ample
storage facilities and two meeting rooms and a boiler room.
As we near the
completion of the new Church, St. Clement's has a new pastor. On
April 26th, 1967, the triennial appointments of Redemptorist
Superiors were announced. Father Krimm had completed two terms
of office as superior and pastor of St. Clement's. He was
assigned to the parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in
Iichester,
Md.
In his place we welcomed to Saratoga
as new pastor the Very Reverend Albert J. Riesner, C.SS.R., who
for the past twelve years had been assistant provincial
procurator.
With the number of
families in our parish now 800 strong, we gaze ahead with
confidence, envisioning the centennial jubilee and even beyond.
That depends on our leaders - both clerical and lay - of
tomorrow. As we close our account of fifty fruitful years at St.
Clement's Church in Saratoga Springs
we notice that few names have been mentioned. All have worked
"for the greater glory of God" that is all that matters. We
rejoice and are thankful for the first half of a century. The
future is in the hands of God.
Pastors and Rectors of St. Clement's
1917-1918
Very Rev. William Kenna, C.SS.R.
1918-1923
Very Rev. Richard Donohue, C.SS.R.
1923-1924
Very Rev. Charles Hoff, C.SS.R.
1924-1926
Very Rev. Stephen Vern, C.SS.R.
1926-1930
Very Rev. Daniel Collins, C.SS.R.
1930-1936
Very Rev. Augustine Smith, C.SS.R.
1936-1939
Very Rev. John O'Leary, C.SS.R.
1939-1945
Very Rev. Walter Campbell, C.SS.R.
1945-1950
Very Rev. James Gunn, C.SS.R.
1950-1956
Very Rev. Martin Gounley, C.SS.R.
1956-1961
Very Rev. James Clone, C.SS.R.
1961-1967
Very Rev. John Krimm, C.SS.R.
1967 -1973
Very Rev. Albert I. Riesner,
C.SS.R.
1973-1976
Very Rev.
Ronald Connors, C.SS.R
1976-1979
Very Rev. Henry Kane, C.SS.R
1979-1985
Very Rev. Paul Bryan, C.SS.R
1985-1996
Very Rev. Kevin Milton, C.SS.R
1996-2002
Very Rev. James O’Blaney, C.SS.R
2002-2008
Very Rev. Joseph C. Tizio, C.SS.R
Superiors of St. Clement's Convent
1918-1924
Sister M. Euthymia, S.S.N.D.
1924-1930
Sister M. Sanctina, S.S.N.D.
1930-1931
Sister M. Elenor, S.S.N.D.
1931-1934
Sister M. Vianney, S.S.N.D.
1934-1936
Sister M. Gerald, S.S.N.D.
1936-1942
Sister M. Francis, S.S.N.D.
1942-1948
Sister M. Patricia, S.S.N.D.
1948-1954
Sister M. Cletus, S.S.N.D.
1954-1960
Sister M. Patricia, S.S.N.D.
1960-1966
Sister M.
Constance, S.S.N.D.
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