About St. Clements Church · Saratoga Springs, New York
St. Clement's Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Saratoga Springs, New York, serving about 2,900 registered families on the East Side of the city and in the neighboring Town of Wilton. Founded in 1917 and dedicated to the Redemptorist patron St. Clement Mary Hofbauer, the parish was staffed by the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists) for its first 101 years. Today it sits in the Diocese of Albany and is pastored by Father James E. Ebert, with day-to-day administration led by parish administrator Randy Rivers. The parish runs St. Clement's Regional Catholic School (Pre-K through Grade 5) and maintains a mission chapel, St. Therese in Gansevoort.
- Established
- 1917
- Patron
- St. Clement Mary Hofbauer (Clemens Mary Hofbauer)
- Rector
- Rev. James E. Ebert
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany
Why belong here
St. Clement's is a 2,900-family Roman Catholic community anchored in the Eucharist that strives to be 'serving, vibrant, welcoming and inclusive.' Daily 8 a.m. Mass, four Sunday Masses (including the contemporary LifeSong Mass at 5 p.m.), and a mission chapel at St. Therese in Gansevoort give parishioners many ways to worship. A robust life is built around St. Clement's Regional Catholic School (Pre-K through Grade 5 with a STREAM lab), Faith Formation, RCIA, Youth Ministry, Knights of Columbus, Ladies of Charity, a Food Pantry, Prayer Shawl Ministry, and daily devotions including the Rosary and Perpetual Help Novena.
Mass times at St. Clements Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 4:30 PM – 5:45 PM (or by appointment)
- Saturday: 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Adoration times
- Wednesday: 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM (following confessions)
Parish Profile & Mission
St. Clement's describes itself as 'a Roman Catholic Community anchored in the Eucharist, striving to be serving, vibrant, welcoming and inclusive.' It serves roughly 2,900 registered families on the East Side of Saratoga Springs and in the Town of Wilton. Day-to-day administration is carried out by a Parish Leadership Team (administrator, deacon, trustees, and three parishioners) so the pastor can focus on the spiritual and sacramental needs of the community.
- Mission: 'A Roman Catholic Community anchored in the Eucharist, striving to be serving, vibrant, welcoming and inclusive.'
- Parish Leadership Team: administrator, deacon, two trustees, three parishioners
- Parish Council of 15 members; Finance Committee of 11
- Support staff of 11 under full-time administrator Randy Rivers
History
The parish was carved out of St. Peter's parish in 1916 and formally opened October 14, 1917, dedicated by Bishop Edmund Gibbons to Clement Mary Hofbauer on November 25, 1918. Redemptorists had been in Saratoga Springs since 1886, gathering at the former Glen Mitchell house on North Broadway, which had served as a college for training young Redemptorists. St. John Neumann Residence for retired and ailing Redemptorists operated on parish grounds from 1916 to 2009. The parish created the mission of St. Therese in Gansevoort in 1965, built the present Lake Avenue church in 1967, and marked its centennial in 2017–2018. Redemptorist clergy staffed the parish continuously for its first 101 years (1917–2018).
- Founded: 1917; formally dedicated: November 25, 1918
- Patron: St. Clement Mary Hofbauer (Clemens Mary Hofbauer)
- Mission chapel: St. Therese, Gansevoort (first Mass September 18, 1966)
- New Lake Avenue church opened in 1967 (50th anniversary)
- Centennial celebrated 2017–2018
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Father James E. Ebert as pastor, with parish administrator Randy Rivers and Deacon Lawrence Willette serving as Parish/Diocesan Coordinator. A school principal, two trustees, a 15-member Parish Council, and an 11-member Finance Committee round out the leadership.
- Rev. James E. Ebert — Pastor
- Randy Rivers — Parish Administrator ([email protected])
- Deacon Lawrence Willette — Parish/Diocesan Coordinator
- Jane Kromm — School Principal (St. Clement's Regional Catholic School)
St. Clement's Regional Catholic School
St. Clement's Regional Catholic School is a co-educational Catholic institution serving Preschool through Grade 5. Its STREAM Program builds on Project Lead the Way's Launch curriculum by adding religion and the arts to STEM, with every Pre-K through Grade 5 student participating in the STREAM lab. The school shares a history with St. Peter's: in 1987 the two grade schools merged, with grades seven and eight moving to the Saratoga Central Catholic High School campus. A state-of-the-art STEM lab was dedicated in 2015.
- Grades served: Pre-K through 5
- Average enrollment: ~257 students
- Staffing: 27 full-time and 12 part-time employees
- Parish subsidy: ~$130,000 annually
Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation
Faith Formation is offered for children in K–6 and for Confirmation preparation in grades 7+, with separate facilitators, retreat teams, and registration. Sacramental Preparation and Family Liturgy programs support families through the rites. Adult Formation includes RCIA, Bible Study, and retreats; in 2019 the parish welcomed 3 new Catholics through RCIA and prepared 59 Confirmation candidates.
- Faith Formation K–6
- Confirmation preparation (grades 7+)
- RCIA
- Sacramental Preparation and Family Liturgy
- Special Needs accommodations and Catchiest Aides
Liturgy & Music
Weekday Mass is celebrated Monday through Friday at 8 a.m., with the Rosary prayed daily after Mass. Five weekend Masses are offered, including a Saturday Vigil at 4 p.m. and three Sunday Masses at 8, 10, and 11:30 a.m., plus a contemporary 'LifeSong' Mass at 5 p.m. on Sundays. Music Ministry is supported by a wide group of liturgical volunteers.
- Lectors
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Altar Servers
- Sacristans
- Ushers
- Music Ministry (including LifeSong 5 p.m. Sunday Mass)
Devotions & Fellowship
The parish keeps a rich devotional life around daily and weekly Mass. Coffee and fellowship follow the 8 a.m. daily Mass and the 10 a.m. Sunday Mass, and there is a monthly Interfaith Breakfast. Other gatherings include Bocce Ball, Prayer Shawl Ministry, and a Prayer Line.
- Rosary daily after Mass
- Perpetual Help Novena on Wednesdays after Mass
- Divine Mercy Devotions
- Lectio Divina
- Stations of the Cross during Lent
- Humanae Vitae discussion group
- Interfaith Breakfast (monthly)
- Prayer Shawl Ministry
- Prayer Line
Outreach & Charity
St. Clement's runs a Food Pantry, supports the Soup Kitchen, helps families and mothers in need, and participates in the SNACpack Program. The parish also maintains Respect Life, Hospital Ministry, and Bereavement Ministry. Parish-affiliated groups include the Knights of Columbus and the Ladies of Charity.
- Food Pantry
- Soup Kitchen support
- Help for Families and Mothers in Need
- SNACpack Program
- Respect Life
- Hospital Ministry
- Bereavement Ministry
- Knights of Columbus
- Ladies of Charity
St. Therese Chapel, Gansevoort (Mission)
St. Clement's created the mission church of St. Therese in Gansevoort out of the local Grange hall in 1965 to serve Catholics in the more rural parts of the county. The first Mass was celebrated there on September 18, 1966. According to the parish profile, a 10 a.m. Sunday Mass is offered at St. Therese Chapel in addition to the main church schedule.
- Founded: 1965 (from the local Grange hall)
- First Mass: September 18, 1966
- Sunday Mass: 10:00 AM (per parish profile)
Getting Involved
New parishioners are invited to print and complete the Parishioner Record Update Form from the parish website and return it to the parish office at 231 Lake Avenue, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, or scan and email it to [email protected]. The parish encourages everyone to get involved in parish community life and to support the church financially through envelopes, online giving (sign up at www.stclementschurch.com), or bank direct payments.
- Parishioner Record Update Form (mail or email)
- Parish Office: 231 Lake Avenue, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
- Office phone: 518-584-6122
- Online Giving sign-up via the parish website
- Optional subscription to The Evangelist diocesan newspaper
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Paul Borowski, CSsR
Former pastor; attended the 2017–2018 centennial Mass
- Rev. Robert Harrison, CSsR
Parochial vicar at the centennial liturgy
- Rev. Arthur Tuttle, CSsR
Parochial vicar at the centennial liturgy
- Rev. Francis Sullivan, CSsR
Concelebrant at the centennial Mass
- Rev. Joseph Tizio, CSsR
Concelebrant at the centennial Mass
- Rev. George Blasick, CSsR
Pastor around the 2017–2018 centennial
- Rev. James E. Ebert
Current pastor (Diocese of Albany directory)