St. Francis de Sales at 1 Maria Drive, Loudonville, NY 12211 US - The Korean Catholic Community

In the Fall of 1961, two SUNY Albany students living at Central Towers Apartments in Albany got together to share a home-cooked Korean dinner. Each student had invited a friend to join them: Kang Koo Young, Anthony, a doctoral student in economics at SUNY, and Louise Principe, an American, and member of a lay community of Franciscans. Koo Young, a devout and zealous Catholic, shared with Sister Louise the problems that Korean Catholics were facing in trying to maintain their faith with no opportunity for Mass, sacraments and religious formation in Korean. Louise offered to do whatever she could to help. Following Koo Young’s suggestion, a plan was devised. Every Sunday, Koo Young, his wife, Young Sik Teresa, and their children, Sokbin and Ahram would attend Mass at Our Lady of Angels Church using bilingual missalettes. After Mass, they would meet at Sr. Louise’s apartment and discuss the Scripture readings for that Sunday. This was possible solely because of Anthony’s excellent command of English. Because of the zeal of Anthony, of other Korean students at area colleges and universities, and of local Korean immigrants, the community rapidly grew. Eventually, Sister. Louise obtained the services of a Maryknoll priest to minister to the community. Fr. Joseph Veneroso, M.M., from Amsterdam, N.Y., who had just returned from 12 years of missionary work in Korea, agreed to provide Mass and sacraments one Sunday a month. On the first Sunday that Fr. Veneroso came for Mass, those present formally inaugurated the Albany Korean Catholic Community. Following traditional Korean Catholic practices, lay leaders conducted a prayer service on Sundays when Fr. Veneroso did not come and took responsibility for all the members’ religious education. Sister Louise Principe continued to work closely with the community, largely through scripture study and an RCIA program. The strong faith and spirit of evangelism of the Korean Catholics led to many conversations, and every year Koreans were baptized and received the Sacrament of Confirmation at the Easter Vigil at our Cathedral. The community flourished, and after several years moved to Siena College where they were welcomed by the Franciscan Friars. Bishop Hubbard was most supportive of the community and did whatever he could to help them. In 1993, when Siena College was no longer adequate for the needs of the community, Fr. David Noone invited them to make their home in the old St. Francis de Sales Church on Exchange Street. In 1993, responsibility for the Holy Family Community was assumed by the Diocese of Albany and became the Korean Apostolate. Priests from the Albany Diocese and Korean priests from the Archdiocese of New York ministered to the community. Eventually, Bishop Hubbard arranged for priests directly from Korea to serve the community’s spiritual needs and this arrangement continues to the present time. In 2007, when, for a variety of reasons, the Pastoral Council, Buildings and Grounds and Finance Committees of St. Francis de Sales Church realized that it would soon become impossible for the parish to continue to repair, maintain and use their Exchange Street Church building, the Korean Catholic Community was offered an opportunity to assume responsibility for full use of the building in exchange for their commitment to maintain, repair and care for it. The Korean Catholic Community agreed and on November 26, 2007 the Catholic Community of St. Francis de Sales will hold a Service of Remembrance and Celebration at the Exchange Street church after which the community will move all services formerly held at its Exchange Street Church to its Maria Drive Church. Visit the Korean Catholic Community website for more information.

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