About Immaculate Conception · Glenville, New York
Church of the Immaculate Conception is a Roman Catholic parish in Glenville (Schenectady County), New York, belonging to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany. Founded in 1957 by Bishop William A. Scully during the post-war growth of GE-era Schenectady County, the parish now serves roughly 2,000 families at its 400 Saratoga Road campus. It is currently led by Father Jerome R. (Jerry) Gingras and is part of the Tri-Parish Catholic Communities of Our Lady of Grace (Ballston Lake), Immaculate Conception (Glenville), and St. Joseph's (Scotia), sharing faith-formation, youth ministry, music, and administrative staff.
- Established
- 1957
- Patron
- Immaculate Conception (the Blessed Virgin Mary, conceived without sin)
- Rector
- Rev. Jerome R. (Jerry) Gingras
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany
Why belong here
Immaculate Conception offers a full sacramental life — daily and weekend Mass, Tuesday Eucharistic Adoration running until 6:00 p.m., Saturday confession, and a robust schedule for baptisms, First Eucharist, Confirmation, marriage, and Anointing of the Sick. The parish grounds a faithful Catholic identity through strong faith formation for children and youth (K–12), an active RCIA process for adults, and ministries in liturgy (altar servers, Eucharistic ministers, lectors, ushers, greeters), hospitality, health, and outreach. Joining means becoming part of the Tri-Parish Catholic Communities linking Immaculate Conception with Our Lady of Grace and St. Joseph's, so parishioners also share retreats, sacramental preparation, and pastoral staff across the three campuses.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 5:00 pm in the Confessional (south side of the Church)
- By appointment (call the Parish Office at 518-399-9168)
Adoration times
- Tuesday 9:30 am – 6:00 pm (follows the 9:00 am Daily Mass, with Benediction and Reposition by 6:00 pm)
History of Immaculate Conception Parish
Immaculate Conception was founded in 1957 by Bishop William A. Scully to serve Catholics moving into Schenectady County during the General Electric-era boom. The new parish was formed principally from St. Joseph's in Scotia and a portion of Our Lady of Grace in Ballston Lake, with seven and a half acres purchased from the Heckler Homestead. The first church, dedicated on December 1, 1957, seated 340 and was served by founding pastor Rev. W. R. Chamberlain; about 400 families enrolled the first year. The parish has since grown through three pastorates and a major 1970s building campaign into a community of more than 2,000 families.
- 1957 — Parish established; first church dedicated December 1, 1957 by Bishop William A. Scully
- Rev. W. R. Chamberlain — first pastor (1957–1968)
- Rev. R. Mansfield Starks — second pastor (from September 1968); led major building campaign
- 1972 — New cruciform church (840 seats), catechetical school, and rectory-administration building dedicated by Bishop Edwin Broderick
- Original church repurposed as Father Chamberlain Hall; library named for Joseph F. Murtha
- 1990 — Rev. J. Thomas Connery appointed pastor; served 17 years until retirement
- 2007 — Rev. Jerome R. (Jerry) Gingras returns as pastor
- December 8, 2018 — Bishop Howard J. Hubbard celebrates Mass marking the 60th anniversary
Pastor and Parish Staff
Immaculate Conception is led by Father Jerome R. (Jerry) Gingras, a diocesan priest ordained in 1994 who first served at Immaculate Conception as an associate from 1994 to 1997. After pastoring St. Mary in Clinton Heights, East Greenbush, he returned to Immaculate Conception as pastor in 2007. The parish is also served by Pastor Emeritus Rev. J. Thomas Connery and Deacon Michael Melanson, alongside a full lay staff coordinating faith formation, youth ministry, music, pastoral care, administration, and facilities.
- Rev. Jerome R. (Jerry) Gingras — Pastor
- Rev. J. Thomas Connery — Pastor Emeritus
- Deacon Michael Melanson — Deacon
- Rachel Winters — Pastoral Care Coordinator (Anointing of the Sick, homebound visits)
- Kyle English — Pastoral Associate for Administration
- Maria Yorkshire — Pastoral Associate for Faith Formation (Grades K–5)
- Paula Battista-Genter — Pastoral Associate for Youth and Adult Ministries (Grades 6–11)
- Derek Stannard — Music Minister
- Kathy Friscic — Bulletin Editor
- Fran Rossi Szpylczyn — Office Manager
- Tim Zakriski — Facilities Director; Leonard Kwiatkowski / Christoph Belrose — Maintenance
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven sacraments, with dedicated coordinators for baptism, First Eucharist, Confirmation, marriage, and Anointing of the Sick. Children are typically prepared for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist in the 2nd grade through the Faith Formation Program, while Confirmation is generally celebrated in the spring of 11th grade. Parents are asked to contact the Parish Office several months in advance for marriage and baptism preparation.
- Infant Baptism — communal Sunday celebrations with monthly preparation and bi-weekly family sessions
- First Eucharist & First Reconciliation — preparation in 2nd grade; questions to Maria Yorkshire
- Confirmation — Spring of 11th grade; date set by the Bishop; includes retreat, rehearsal, sponsor–candidate interaction
- Marriage — registered parishioners; contact the Parish Office at least six months before the desired date
- Anointing of the Sick — communal celebration seasonally and by appointment; available in serious illness or hospitalization (contact Rachel Winters)
- Reconciliation — Saturday 5:00 pm and by appointment
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Immaculate Conception shares faith formation and youth ministry staff with Our Lady of Grace and St. Joseph's through the Tri-Parish Evangelization and Catechesis Office. Programs meet at 400 Saratoga Road and support parents as the primary teachers of the Catholic faith, integrating Scripture, community, and tradition. Tuition assistance is available, and the parish welcomes children of all abilities through the inclusive "Stars and Angels" track.
- Grades K–5 — Faith Formation with Maria Yorkshire ([email protected])
- Grades 6–12 — Youth Ministry with Paula Battista-Genter ([email protected])
- "Stars and Angels" — adaptive program for ages 6–15 with intellectual or developmental disabilities
- First Reconciliation and First Eucharist preparation in 2nd grade
- Confirmation preparation in 11th grade (includes retreat, rehearsal, sponsor involvement)
- 2025–2026 program fee: $70 one child / $130 two / $180 three or more
RCIA — Becoming Catholic
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (also called OCIA) is offered jointly across the Tri-Parish Catholic Communities for inquirers, catechumens, and candidates. The process walks participants through four stages — Pre-Catechumenate, Catechumenate, Purification and Enlightenment, and Mystagogy — culminating in the Easter Vigil sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.
- RCIA Ministry Leads — Carol and Paul Heckman
- Open to the unbaptized, Christians of other denominations seeking full communion, and baptized Catholics completing their initiation
- Four stages: Pre-Catechumenate, Catechumenate, Purification & Enlightenment, Mystagogy
- Contact: Parish Office 518-399-9168 or [email protected]
Parish Ministries & Service
Immaculate Conception lists numerous opportunities for lay ministry spanning liturgy, hospitality, faith formation, and outreach. Liturgical ministers (altar servers, Eucharistic ministers, greeters, lectors, ushers) can view and manage their schedules online, and the parish actively welcomes new volunteers into Health Ministry, the Welcoming Committee, Hospitality, the Graces ministry, and Young Adult Ministry. Parish groups needing meeting space reserve rooms through Fran Szpylczyn in the Parish Office.
- Liturgical — Altar Servers, Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Greeters, Ushers
- Welcome & Community — Welcoming Committee, Hospitality, Greeter
- Faith Sharing & Formation — Faith Formation Catechist, Graces, Young Adult Ministry
- Care & Outreach — Health Ministry, Pastoral Care visits to the homebound and hospitalized
Music & Liturgy
Liturgical music is coordinated by Music Minister Derek Stannard, supported by parish choir and musician volunteers who serve at weekend and weekday Masses. With the move into the Tri-Parish model, music leadership is shared across Immaculate Conception, Our Lady of Grace, and St. Joseph's.
- Music Minister — Derek Stannard
- Weekend choirs serve the Saturday 6:00 pm Vigil and Sunday 9:00 am Mass
- Livestream audio/video of Masses provided via Facebook Live
Tri-Parish Catholic Communities
Immaculate Conception is now served by one unified website and shared staff with neighboring parishes Our Lady of Grace (Ballston Lake) and St. Joseph's (Scotia) under the name Tri-Parish Catholic Communities. The parish encourages all Tri-Parish families to formally register with one of the three parishes to support sacramental preparation and parish life. The legacy parish site ic-glenville.com / icglenville.com now redirects visitors to the new olgicsj.org site.
- Immaculate Conception — 400 Saratoga Road, Glenville, NY 12302 (518-399-9168)
- Our Lady of Grace — Ballston Lake
- St. Joseph's — Scotia
- Unified website: https://www.olgicsj.org/
- Shared faith formation, youth ministry, music, and administrative staff
Visiting & Contact Information
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, email, or in person during posted office hours. The church sits along Saratoga Road (NY Route 50) just south of Schenectady, with on-campus parking. The most current bulletin and Holy Day information are posted on the parish website and Facebook page.
- Parish Office — (518) 399-9168
- Office hours — Monday–Friday 9:00 am–12:00 pm and 1:00–4:00 pm (closes at noon Fridays Memorial Day–Labor Day)
- Faith Formation & Youth Ministries Office — (518) 399-9210 (Mon–Thu 9:00 am–4:00 pm)
- Email — [email protected]
- Address — 400 Saratoga Road, Glenville, NY 12302
- Inclement-weather note: Daily Mass (in-person and livestreamed) is cancelled when the Burnt Hills–Ballston Lake CSD is closed or delayed
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. W. R. Chamberlain1957 – 1968
First pastor; previously Diocesan Director of Catholic Charities. Original church dedicated December 1, 1957. Original building now honors his memory as Father Chamberlain Hall.
- Rev. R. Mansfield StarksSeptember 1968 – 1990
Second pastor; oversaw the major 1969 building campaign that produced the cruciform church (dedicated 1972), the catechetical school, and the rectory-administration building; also served as Director of Cemeteries for the Diocese of Albany.
- Rev. Denis J. Brennan1966 –
Associate pastor and Priest Director of the parish's Confraternity of Christian Doctrine.
- Rev. J. Thomas Connery1990 – 2007 (retirement)
Served 17 years; parish grew to more than 2,000 families under his tenure.
- Rev. Jerome R. (Jerry) Gingras2007 – present
Returned to Immaculate Conception as pastor after earlier service as associate (1994–1997) and a pastorate at St. Mary, Clinton Heights (East Greenbush).