About Historic St. Mary's Church · Albany, New York
Historic St. Mary's Church on Capitol Hill is a Roman Catholic parish in downtown Albany, New York, and the second oldest Catholic parish in New York State. Incorporated in 1796 as 'The Roman Catholic Church in the City of Albany,' it was the first church in New York State dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and served as the first cathedral parish of the Diocese of Albany from 1847. The current church — its third on the site — was designed by architect Charles C. Nichols in the Italian Romanesque Revival style and dedicated in 1870. Today the downtown parish continues daily Mass, weekly confession, adoration, an active food pantry, and outreach to the sick and homebound.
- Established
- 1796
- Patron
- Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. David Wm. Mickiewicz
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany
Why belong here
Historic St. Mary's offers downtown Albany Catholics the rare gift of daily Mass in one of America's oldest churches — a building on the National Register of Historic Places that has hosted saints and martyrs since the 17th century. The parish supports a robust food pantry, a 'Next to New' thrift shop, an active outreach to the sick and homebound (communion visits, telephone check-ins, cards), an 'Adopt a Student' scholarship program for Catholic education, and an annual 40 Days for Life prayer presence in Schenectady. With weekday confession, Thursday Holy Hour adoration, traditional liturgy and a dedicated core of parishioners, St. Mary's is a small but venerable spiritual home in the heart of New York's capital.
Mass times at Historic St. Mary's Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday 11:30–11:50 AM
- Wednesday 11:30–11:50 AM
- Friday 11:30–11:50 AM
- Tuesday & Thursday after Mass (by request)
- Saturday 3:15–3:45 PM
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Holy Hour every Thursday 6:30–7:30 PM
History of Historic St. Mary's
Catholic presence on the site dates to 1643, when St. Isaac Jogues hid in a Dutch barn there while escaping Mohawk captors at Fort Orange. Albany's Catholics were incorporated as a parish on October 6, 1796 — the second oldest in New York State — under the title of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The first brick church opened in 1797–98, the second (a Philip Hooker Federal-style church costing $12,000) in 1820, and the present Italian Romanesque Revival church was designed by Charles Nichols, begun in 1867, dedicated in 1870 by the second Bishop of Albany, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.
- 1643 — St. Isaac Jogues hides on the site
- 1796 — Parish incorporated as 'The Roman Catholic Church in the City of Albany'
- 1797–98 — First brick church built at Pine & Chapel Streets
- 1820 — Philip Hooker–designed Federal style church replaces it
- 1847 — Diocese of Albany created; St. Mary's becomes cathedral (Bishop John McCloskey installed)
- 1867 — Cornerstone of current church laid by Bishop John Conroy
- 1870 — Present church dedicated; brick-and-stone, Romanesque Revival, $100,000
- 1895 — Bell tower added with St. Gabriel weathervane; first electric church lighting in Albany
- 1977 — Listed on U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Clergy & Parish Staff
The Very Rev. David Wm. Mickiewicz serves as pastor. He is assisted by three priests — Fr. Julian A. Davies, OFM, Fr. L. Edward Deimeke and Fr. John L. Moyna — together with Deacons Walter Ayres and Aaron Tremblay. Trustees are Joanne Maloy and Mary Nash. Parish operations are coordinated by Parish Administrator Mathew Castiglione, and the buildings by Facilities Manager Christopher Hewit. John Rodier serves as Vocalist/Sacristan, while Sr. Mary Ellen Owens, RSM directs outreach, and Marion Zrelak oversees the ministry to the sick and homebound.
- Pastor: Very Rev. David Wm. Mickiewicz
- Assisting Priests: Fr. Julian A. Davies, OFM; Fr. L. Edward Deimeke; Fr. John L. Moyna
- Deacons: Walter Ayres; Aaron Tremblay
- Trustees: Joanne Maloy, Mary Nash
- Parish Administrator: Mathew Castiglione
- Facilities Manager: Christopher Hewit
- Vocalist/Sacristan: John Rodier
- Outreach (Food Pantry / Next to New Shop): Sr. Mary Ellen Owens, RSM
- Outreach to Sick/Homebound: Marion Zrelak
- Building Committee Chairman: James Elacqua
Sacraments
Infant baptisms at Historic St. Mary's are usually scheduled on Sundays of the month, following one of the regular Masses. Families should call the Rectory at (518) 463-4447 for details and scheduling. The parish also welcomes inquiries about marriages, anointing of the sick, First Communion and Confirmation through the Rectory office.
- Baptisms: Sundays after Mass; contact Rectory
- Reconciliation: see confession schedule
- Anointing of the Sick, Marriage, First Communion, Confirmation: contact Rectory
Outreach & Charity
Outreach is a centerpiece of parish life at St. Mary's, run with the help of the Sisters of Mercy and lay volunteers. The Food Pantry and the 'Next to New' thrift shop operate Tuesday and Friday mornings from 9:00 to 11:30 AM under Sr. Mary Ellen Owens, RSM. The parish also runs a Senior Program that brings Holy Communion to the homebound, checks in by phone, and sends cards to shut-ins. The annual 'Adopt a Student' program provides tuition assistance to children at Blessed Sacrament School, and the parish actively participates in the 40 Days for Life prayer campaign each fall in Schenectady.
- St. Mary's Food Pantry (Tue & Fri 9:00–11:30 AM)
- Next to New Shop (Tue & Fri 9:00–11:30 AM)
- Senior Program: communion visits, telephone check-ins, cards to parishioners
- 'Adopt a Student' tuition assistance for Blessed Sacrament School
- 40 Days for Life Schenectady prayer campaign
Architecture & the Building
The present St. Mary's is the third church on its site. Designed by Albany architect Charles C. Nichols (with later work by Frederick Brown) and begun in 1867, the brick-and-stone structure rises 175 feet and is styled in the Italian Romanesque Revival on the exterior with a Mannerist and French Gothic Revival interior. The bell tower — crowned by Fr. Clarence Walworth's statue of St. Gabriel the Archangel as the 'Angel of Judgment' — was added in 1895, the same year the church became the first in Albany to enjoy electric lighting. The building was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on July 14, 1977 (#77000933).
- Architects: Charles C. Nichols & Frederick Brown
- Style: Italian Romanesque Revival exterior; Mannerist / French Gothic Revival interior
- Materials: brick and stone; height 175 ft
- Cornerstone 1867; dedicated 1870
- Bell tower with St. Gabriel weathervane added 1895
- First Catholic church in Albany with electric lighting
- U.S. National Register of Historic Places, July 14, 1977 (#77000933)
Notable People & Parish Legacy
St. Mary's has shaped the broader Catholic Church in America well beyond downtown Albany. Its second pastor, Matthew O'Brien, received St. Elizabeth Ann Seton into the Church in 1805; St. John Neumann stopped here to celebrate Mass on his way west; alumni of the parish include Bishop John Loughlin (first Bishop of Brooklyn, ordained 1853) and Bishop Edgar Wadhams (first Bishop of Ogdensburgh, ordained 1850 in St. Mary's). In the 20th century, the ministry of Fr. James L. Lefebvre as Albany Police chaplain was so woven into the city that the street outside the church bears his name.
- St. Isaac Jogues sheltered on this site in 1643 (canonized)
- St. Elizabeth Ann Seton received into the Church here (1805)
- St. John Neumann stopped to celebrate Mass at St. Mary's
- Bishop John Loughlin (1st Bishop of Brooklyn) — parishioner
- Bishop Edgar Wadhams (1st Bishop of Ogdensburgh) ordained priest here (1850)
- Bishop John McCloskey (later Cardinal) installed as first Bishop of Albany here (1847)
Visit, Contact & Connect
Historic St. Mary's is located at 10 Lodge Street on Capitol Hill in downtown Albany, NY 12207. The parish office can be reached at (518) 463-4447. It maintains a weekly bulletin online with Mass intentions, parish news and announcements, and an active presence on Facebook under 'Historic St. Mary's Church.'
- Address: 10 Lodge Street, Albany, NY 12207
- Rectory Phone: (518) 463-4447
- Parish Office / Administrator: (518) 462-4254
- Outreach: (518) 462-4357
- Vocalist/Sacristan: (518) 466-1405
- Website: www.hist-stmarys.org
- Facebook: Historic St. Mary's Church
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Matthew O'Brienearly 19th century
Second pastor; helped establish St. Mary's within Albany society; in 1805 received St. Elizabeth Ann Seton into the Catholic Church.
- Fr. Clarence A. Walworthlate 19th century
Led the major renovation and tower addition; translated 'Holy God, We Praise Thy Name' from German; installed electric lighting — first church in Albany.
- Rev. James L. Lefebvre20th–21st century (50 years in residence)
Long-time pastor and 54-year chaplain of the Albany Police Department (Assistant Chief rank). Pastor Emeritus until his death in 2018. Lodge Street renamed 'Reverend James L. Lefebvre Way' in his memory.
- Rev. David V. Berberian2009–2010
Former pastor of St. Thomas in Delmar; resigned 2010 to become Administrative Advocate at the Diocese of Albany offices.
- Rev. John T. Provostsucceeded Berberian
Former pastor of St. Henry's in Averill Park.
- Rev. Lloyd Rebeyroapprox. 15 years as Assistant Pastor
Retired 2012; afterwards volunteered in Haiti after a hurricane.
- Very Rev. David Wm. Mickiewiczcurrent
Current pastor; presented readings such as 'Voices From the Torah.'
- Rev. Rendell R. Torresmost recent (per Wikipedia infobox)
Listed on Wikipedia as pastor.