About St. John the Evangelist and St. Joseph · Rensselaer, New York
The Parish of St. John the Evangelist and St. Joseph is a Roman Catholic parish in Rensselaer, New York, part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany. The parish was formed in 2006 through the merger of St. John the Evangelist Church and St. Joseph's Church in the City of Rensselaer. It shares a pastoral team with its sister parish, the Church of St. Mary (also called CSM), and serves Rensselaer County worshippers with daily and weekend Masses at its Herrick Street church and at the McManus Center.
- Established
- 2006
- Patron
- St. John the Evangelist and St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. R. Adam Forno
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany
Why belong here
The Parish of St. John the Evangelist and St. Joseph is a welcoming, multigenerational Catholic community serving the City of Rensselaer with daily and Sunday Masses in English, regular Confession, First Friday Eucharistic Adoration, and seasonal devotional opportunities. Parishioners can register their children for Faith Formation, take part in Vacation Bible Camp, and stay connected through online e-giving and a Sunday bulletin. The parish is also home to a parish nurse, a parish cemetery (administered through the Albany Diocesan Cemeteries), and shares ministry with the sister Church of St. Mary — making it a one-stop Catholic home for families in southern Rensselaer County.
Mass times at St. John the Evangelist and St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday: 5:00 PM (at Church of St. Mary)
- Saturday: 3:00 PM (at St. John the Evangelist and St. Joseph)
- Saturday: 3:30 PM (per Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany parish listing)
- Saturday: 2:30 PM – 3:45 PM (per Discover Mass listing)
Adoration times
- First Friday of every month: 3:00 PM (First Friday Adoration in the church)
About the Parish
The Parish of St. John the Evangelist and St. Joseph is a Roman Catholic community in the City of Rensselaer, New York, formed in 2006 by the merger of two historic Rensselaer parishes: St. John the Evangelist Church and St. Joseph's Church. The parish belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany and is administered jointly with the Church of St. Mary (CSM), its sister parish on Columbia Turnpike. From its Parish House at 53 Herrick Street, it serves worshippers at the Herrick Street church and at Our Lady's Chapel in the McManus Center. The parish welcomes new parishioners through online registration, offers daily and Sunday Mass in English, and supports families with Faith Formation, Vacation Bible Camp, and a parish nurse ministry.
- Formed in 2006 by merger of St. John the Evangelist and St. Joseph parishes
- Part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany
- Sister parish: Church of St. Mary (CSM), 163 Columbia Turnpike, Rensselaer
- Pastoral reflections by Father Zachary Burns published online
Parish History
The two parishes that today form St. John the Evangelist and St. Joseph have roots reaching back to the 19th century in the City of Rensselaer. The Sisters of Mercy were first hired to teach the students at St. John's, planting a Catholic educational tradition that endured for 140 years. St. Joseph's parish, located in the northern part of the city, opened its own grade school in 1956; the two grammar schools were merged in 1985 and the high school had closed in 1982. The combined academy, eventually called St. Joseph/St. John's Academy, was closed in June 2018 after declining enrollment, with a farewell Mass concelebrated by then-pastor Rev. R. Adam Forno before more than 100 alumni, teachers, parishioners and Sisters of Mercy. In 2006, the Diocese of Albany formally merged St. John the Evangelist Church and St. Joseph's Church into today's combined parish.
- Sisters of Mercy began teaching at St. John's in the late 1800s
- St. Joseph's grade school opened in 1956
- High school closed in 1982; grammar schools combined in 1985
- St. Joseph/St. John's Academy closed June 2018
- St. John the Evangelist and St. Joseph parishes merged in 2006
Memories & Photo Albums
The parish website curates a series of photo albums that preserve the community's heritage and document recent work. Notable collections include a 117-photo album of the 2021 Church Painting project, an album marking the 50th Anniversary of the Laying of the Corner Stone, a 'Hill of Crosses' photo album from a parish pilgrimage, and a four-photo album of Msgr. John F. Glavin from his 1940 St. John's Academy days.
- 2021 Church Painting (117 photos)
- 50th Anniversary of the Laying of the Corner Stone
- Hill of Crosses pilgrimage
- Msgr. John F. Glavin, St. John's Academy class of 1940
Faith Formation & Youth
The parish runs a Faith Formation program for children each year and publishes online registration with a July 1 deadline for the following academic year. A Vacation Bible Camp is held each summer — for example, August 5–9, 2024, from 9 AM to 12 PM, with a registration deadline of July 15, 2024. Linda Remington coordinates Youth Faith Formation.
- Faith Formation registration with July 1 deadline
- Vacation Bible Camp (annual, summer week, 9 AM–12 PM)
- Youth Faith Formation: Linda Remington
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is led by pastor Rev. R. Adam Forno, with Father Zachary Burns contributing homilies and reflections on the website. Two elected trustees, William Mahar and Lynda DeCelle, share governance with the pastor. The office team includes Barbara Bennett and Mary Alice Russo in Administration, Judy Wainman as Parish Nurse, Linda Remington in Youth Faith Formation, Joseph Curro as Cemetery Superintendent, and Mike Mowatt supervising Buildings and Grounds. The Director of Music position was listed as vacant at last publication.
- Pastor: Rev. R. Adam Forno
- Father Zachary Burns (preaching/reflections)
- Trustees: William Mahar, Lynda DeCelle
- Administration: Barbara Bennett, Mary Alice Russo
- Parish Nurse: Judy Wainman
- Youth Faith Formation: Linda Remington
- Cemetery Superintendent: Joseph Curro
- Buildings and Grounds: Mike Mowatt
- Director of Music: Vacant (per parish directory)
Cemetery
The parish maintains a Catholic cemetery, and parishioners seeking information about plots, burials, or records are directed by the parish office to contact Albany Diocesan Cemeteries for assistance.
- Parish cemetery administered with Albany Diocesan Cemeteries
- Cemetery Superintendent: Joseph Curro
Giving & Parish Registration
The parish supports itself through the Sunday collection basket, mailed donations to P.O. Box 256, Rensselaer, NY 12144, and an online e-giving platform (secure.myvanco.com/L-Z4TR). Online registration is available for new parishioners, and a link to register a child for Faith Formation is published on the homepage each year.
- E-Giving via secure.myvanco.com (one-time and recurring)
- Mail donations to P.O. Box 256, Rensselaer, NY 12144
- Online Parish Registration form
Contact & Visit
The Parish House and mailing address are at 53 Herrick Street, Rensselaer, NY 12144-0256. The office is open 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM, Monday through Thursday, and can be reached by phone at (518) 465-0482 (fax 518-449-7088). The parish maintains a Facebook page and a YouTube channel, and the official website at sjesj.org publishes bulletins, the daily Mass readings, and parish news.
- Parish House: 53 Herrick Street, Rensselaer, NY 12144
- Phone: (518) 465-0482; Fax: (518) 449-7088
- Office hours: 8:30 AM–12:00 PM, Mon–Thu
- Facebook: facebook.com/StJohnStJoseph
- Website: sjesj.org