St. Francis de Sales at 1 Maria Drive, Loudonville, NY 12211 US - St. Francis de Sales History

Our Exchange Street Church

St. Francis de Sales Parish was founded as a mission church in 1882 to serve the needs of Irish Immigrants. In the West Albany Schoolhouse #19, the first pastor, the Rev. James Peyton, celebrated the first Mass. The following spring, a church building, hall and rectory were built. Bishop Francis McNeirny dedicated these buildings on June 8, 1884. The new church was a handsome white frame building large enough to hold the farmers from all over the Capital District, and the many visiting cattlemen who had business in the then-thriving West Albany Stock Yards. The parish hall was a separate building and was used for religious instruction and a social center. September 16, 1908, tragedy struck as a devastating fire razed the church and parish hall. A “bucket brigade” of parishioners helped the fire department save the village from destruction. The rectory was the only building not destroyed. Following the fire, the parishioners celebrated Masses temporarily in the Presbyterian Mission Church on Watervliet Avenue. Parishioners devoted many long hours to raising funds to rebuild their church. Finally they celebrated the official opening October 18, 1909. The church structure, on 15 Exchange Street was completed in nine months, but the interior was not completed for many more months. As the Industrial Revolution progressed and immigration to the United States swelled, the next group of Catholics seeking their future in America was from Italy. Those who swarmed into West Albany began to occupy and develop the farmlands and raise livestock for their families and the Tobin Packing Company. They centered their families around the church and the West Albany Italian Benevolent Society that have remained to this day good neighbors on Exchange Street. In 1955, the shrine of Our Lady of Grace was built in front of the church. By 1964, there were over 800 families in the parish under the kindly Irish pastor Monsignor John F. McDonald and his successor Father John Dignan. Failing health necessitated the hospitalization of Father Dignan, and on June 11, 1966, Bishop Edward J. Maginn assigned Father Donald L. Starks Administrator of St. Francis de Sales Parish. Because of an increase in parish families, the thrust for further development of the parish came from the parishioners themselves, who unceasingly and enthusiastically pressed for a new church and a Catholic Religious Education Center. After much prayer and deliberation, approval and encouragement came from Bishop Edward J. Maginn to seek suitable and adequate property to provide for the planned facilities. Ground was broken on Mother’s Day, May 9, 1971 and the new edifice was dedicated October 7, 1972, the feast of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary. August 1, 1985, Father David E. Noone became the parish’s eighth pastor. The parish had now grown to over 1400 families, with both churches serving the liturgical needs of parishioners. In 1997, the Maria Drive Church marked its Silver Anniversary. At a special anniversary Eucharist held October 5, at which Bishop Howard J. Hubbard presided, Father Noone announced the Pastoral Council plan to initiate a parish Share ‘N’ Care program. During this year, the parish census was updated and an anniversary directory with pictures, names and addresses of parishioners was published. Various social activities were held throughout the year, and the culmination was a dinner and silent auction held at the Marriott Restaurant. April 1999 began the preparations to refurbish our Exchange Street Church. Through the generosity of parishioners, memorials and a generous donation from the Korean Community the church was repainted, much needed carpeting was installed and pews and kneelers were recovered. Thanks to the generosity of Sister Pauline O. Carm., Administrator, and Sister Joan, O.Carm. Pastoral Coordinator at the Teresian House who donated all the liturgical furniture and altar clothes for our sanctuary. These gifts, truly blessings to the parishioners, now enhance our worship space. In the summer of 1999 a Millennium beautification of the property of Maria Drive was undertaken. Two gardens, the Peace Garden, and the St. Anne Garden were planted. On the front of the church the name of the parish was added to the building. The Peace Garden, located just outside the lower entrance door to our Maria Drive Church, is dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi. His statue, imported from Italy, is the focal point of the garden. St. Anne’s Garden Shrine is located on the southeast side of the parking lot. The St. Anne statue, also imported from Italy, is a shrine to honor all mothers, since St. Anne is the mother of the Blessed Mother. To enhance the Religious Education instruction TV and VCR’s were installed in all the classrooms, in the summer of 1999. In the fall of 2000, the parish undertook a Capital Campaign with a goal of reaching $900,000 to improve facilities at both churches. Air conditioning, and an elevator for Maria Drive Church. At Exchange Street the parking lot was repaved, brickwork on the church and garage was undertaken. Repairs were made to the stained glass windows. In 2004, to offset rising costs, a new revenue stream consisting of monthly fundraising events/socials was put into place. The first annual St. Francis de Sales Gala was held in 2005 as the major church fund-raiser and E‑giving was introduced the same year. When the Maria Drive church was built, the original plans called for the installation of stained glass windows. The windows were installed in 2004 and dedicated in 2005. The theme of the windows was taken from St. Francis de Sales' belief in the constant ever present love of God. Each of the ten windows displays a symbol representing a particular stage in life. A band of color, suggesting a rainbow, represents God's presence, which flows continuously throughout all stages of life. In the end, however, God establishes a new covenant, one of total grace and love, whose sign is not a rainbow but a cross. In each window, a cross is also visible. The history of the parish continues to be written. However, whatever church a parishioner attends, their faith and zeal are ever rising to the challenge of the present and the future.

(Back)