About Immaculate Conception · Hoosick Falls, New York
Immaculate Conception Church is a Roman Catholic parish in the village of Hoosick Falls, Rensselaer County, New York, part of the Diocese of Albany. Worship traces its roots to 1867, when the parish was established to serve the growing Catholic population of this upper Hudson Valley / Battenkill region mill town near the Vermont border. Today the parish operates as part of the Battenkill Catholic Network (also called the Battenkill Cluster) alongside St. Patrick's in Cambridge and Holy Cross in Salem. The parish is currently served by Very Rev. Joseph Busch as Pastor, with Rev. Peter Tkocz as Parochial Vicar, and offers weekend Masses on Saturday evening and Sunday morning, a Monday Mass in its Mercy Chapel, Eucharistic Adoration, a food pantry outreach, family faith formation, and ongoing fundraising to renovate its historic 1870s church building.
- Established
- 1867
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of the Immaculate Conception
- Rector
- Very Rev. Joseph Busch
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany
Why belong here
Immaculate Conception is a small, welcoming country parish that still knows its members by name, with active lay leadership on its Pastoral Council and Finance Council and a Parish Life Coordinator dedicated to walking with parishioners through every stage of life. It runs an unusually wide range of outreach for its size — a free weekly community lunch, a Lenten fish fry, the HACA food pantry, 'Hoosick Helpers' visits to the elderly and homebound, plus regular sacramental prep for First Eucharist, Confirmation (jointly with Holy Cross and St. Patrick's) and Marriage. Joining the parish connects you not just to Sunday Mass on Main Street, but to a regional Catholic community of three linked parishes along the Battenkill.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
- Communal celebration seasonally
- Other times by appointment
Adoration times
- First Monday of the month, immediately following the 9:00 AM Mass in the Mercy Chapel (approximately 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM)
History of the Parish
Immaculate Conception was founded in 1867 in the village of Hoosick Falls, on the Hoosic River near the Vermont border. In its early decades the parish was served by Augustinian fathers from an adjacent House, as documented in a historic lithograph held by the Catholic Historical Research Center. The current church building dates to the 1870s and was expanded in the 1880s to seat roughly 800 worshippers in response to the booming industrial-era population of the region.
- Founded 1867, Diocese of Albany
- Original church built in the 1870s
- 1880s addition nearly doubled the sanctuary
- Originally staffed by the Order of St. Augustine (O.S.A.)
- Rev. J. D. Waldron, O.S.A., documented as an early pastor
- 2017 flooding forced temporary closure; building has since been reopened and is undergoing staged renovation
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is led by Very Rev. Joseph Busch as Pastor, with Rev. Peter Tkocz serving as Parochial Vicar, supported by a Parish Life Coordinator, Pastoral Associate and Office Manager. Diocesan leadership is provided by Most Rev. Edward B. Scharfenberger, Bishop of Albany. Lay faithful serve on the Pastoral and Finance Councils, and two elected Trustees together with the pastors represent the parish in temporal matters.
- Pastor: Very Rev. Joseph Busch
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Peter Tkocz
- Bishop of Albany: Most Rev. Edward B. Scharfenberger
- Parish Life Coordinator: Mary K. Rosmus ([email protected], 518-409-5226)
- Pastoral Associate: Beth Ferrannini
- Office Manager: Sue Hyde
- Trustees: Christina Angell and Ellen Scott
- Finance Council: Krissy Fauler, Linda Billert, Mike Sanders
- Pastoral Council: Jerry D'Acchille, Rick Ferrannini, Karen Kaufman, Christian Bradley, Tim Hayes, Nancy Laurin, Jim Shaw, plus the two Trustees
Battenkill Catholic Network
Immaculate Conception shares pastoral ministry with two neighboring parishes in the Diocese of Albany, forming the Battenkill Catholic Network (also called the Battenkill Cluster). Together they coordinate sacramental preparation, faith formation, and a regional Lifelong Faith initiative that draws parishioners from all three communities.
- St. Patrick's Church, Cambridge, NY — 518-677-2757 — Sun. 11:30 AM, Wed. 9:00 AM
- Holy Cross, Salem, NY — 518-854-7626 — Sun. 8:15 AM, Tues. 9:00 AM
- Immaculate Conception, Hoosick Falls, NY — 518-686-5064 — Sat. 4:00 PM, Sun. 10:00 AM, Mon. 9:00 AM
- Battenkill Catholic Lifelong Faith: http://battenkillcatholic.org
Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation
Faith formation at Immaculate Conception is family-based and parish-wide. Family Faith Formation meets on the first Sunday of each month from 8:45–9:45 AM in the Rectory, using Growing Up Catholic stories tied to the liturgical year. First Reconciliation and First Eucharist preparation begins each fall, while Confirmation is prepared every other year jointly with Holy Cross and St. Patrick's through Battenkill Catholic Lifelong Faith.
- Family Faith Formation — first Sunday, 8:45–9:45 AM, Rectory
- First Reconciliation / First Eucharist — registration in the fall
- Confirmation — every other year, regional program
- Adult and Family Faith Formation materials available via the parish website
- For Confirmation details: call 518-677-8101 (ask for Deneen)
Outreach & Community Life
Despite its small size, Immaculate Conception runs an unusually rich outreach program, much of it in partnership with the wider Hoosick Area Church Association (HACA). A free community lunch, a Lenten fish fry, food-pantry collection and delivery, and pastoral visits to the elderly and homebound all reflect the parish's commitment to its neighbors.
- HACA Food Pantry — open Mon. & Fri. 10:00 AM–noon; Wed. 6:30–8:00 PM (518-686-5163, [email protected])
- Friday Free Lunch — 11:30 AM–1:00 PM in the church hall
- Lenten Friday Night Fish Fry — take-out or dine-in
- Hoosick Helpers — visits, transportation and light help for elderly and homebound parishioners
- Food Pantry collection bins at the church entrance
Sacraments at Immaculate Conception
The parish celebrates all seven sacraments, with preparation tailored to each. Baptisms, Marriages and Anointing of the Sick are arranged directly through the parish office; First Eucharist, First Reconciliation and Confirmation each have their own preparation tracks.
- Baptism — at least 2 months' advance notice
- Marriage — at least 6 months' advance notice
- Anointing of the Sick — seasonal communal celebrations; arranged before hospitalization
- First Eucharist / First Reconciliation — fall registration
- Confirmation — every other year, regional
Parish Office, Communication & Visiting
The parish office is staffed Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and the bulletin is published weekly. Parishioners and visitors are encouraged to sign up for Flocknote to receive bulletins and announcements by email, and to 'like' the parish's Facebook page for up-to-date news on events, weather cancellations and fundraisers.
- Office: 67 Main Street, Hoosick Falls, NY 12090
- Phone: 518-686-5064
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Tue, Wed, Fri — 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
- Flocknote: https://battenkillcluster.flocknote.com/ImmaculateConcep
- Facebook: Immaculate Conception Hoosick Falls
- Winter weather policy: tied to Hoosick Falls school closings/delays
Renovation of the Historic Church
Following the 2017 flood and a 2018–2019 conditions assessment by Goldstone Architecture (with engineering by Sopko Engineering), the parish is working through a multi-phase renovation of its 1870s brick church. Three structural options were studied, with parishioners and contractors such as Dave Sutton playing leading roles. Fundraising — including community concerts like 'A Night with Kevin McGuire & Friends' — supports reroofing, brick repointing, plaster and stained-glass restoration, heating upgrades and improved accessibility, with the historic rose window slated for preservation in any plan.
- 2018–2019 conditions report by Goldstone Architecture, Bennington, VT
- Engineering by Sopko Engineering
- Options range from partial demolition of the 1880s addition to full re-occupancy with deferred-maintenance repairs
- Scope: reroofing, brick repointing, plaster repair, stained-glass restoration, accessibility upgrades, heating system work
- Rose window to be preserved and reinstalled
- Fundraisers include 'A Night with Kevin McGuire & Friends' (June 22, 2024)
Getting Involved
The bulletin regularly invites parishioners to volunteer across the parish's liturgical and social ministries. Whether serving at the Friday Free Lunch, proofreading the bulletin on Wednesday mornings, counting the Sunday collection, or stepping up as a Lector or Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, there are small, regular commitments that make the parish work.
- Lectors — contact Gloria Shufon or the parish office
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion — contact the parish office
- Collection Counters — Sunday morning
- Bulletin proofreaders — Wednesday mornings, 10:00 AM
- Food pantry drivers and sorters — contact Dianne Hosterman at 518-686-5310
- Free Lunch cooks and servers — sign-up sheet in church
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. J. D. Waldron, O.S.A.
Augustinian priest who served as pastor in the 19th century, when the parish was staffed by the Order of St. Augustine (per a historic lithograph in the Catholic Historical Research Center).
- Rev. Thomas Zelker
Longtime pastor referenced by the village of Hoosick Falls and by the Berkshire Eagle's 2018 reporting on the parish's building study; spoke to declining membership (about 300 families registered vs. ~800-seat capacity).
- Very Rev. Joseph Busch
Current Pastor of the Battenkill Catholic Network parishes; listed in the parish bulletin of March 2-3, 2024.