About St. Joseph Church · Troy, New York
St. Joseph Church, located at 416 Third Street in Troy, New York, is a historic Catholic parish known affectionately as the 'Cathedral of South Troy' and the original 'Iron Workers Church.' Founded in 1847 to serve the Irish immigrant families who labored in the iron mills and nail factories of South Troy, the parish is today staffed by the Carmelite Friars of St. Elias Province and offers Mass in four languages and liturgical rites — English (Novus Ordo), Spanish, Vietnamese, and the Ancient Carmelite Rite in Latin. The church is internationally renowned for its extraordinary collection of 42 Tiffany stained-glass windows and stands as a landmark of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany.
- Established
- 1847
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Fr. Joseph Phuong Ngo, O. Carm
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany
Why belong here
St. Joseph offers something rare in upstate New York: a historically significant Irish-American parish church with 42 Tiffany windows, an awe-inspiring organ, and a multicultural, multilingual worshipping community celebrating Mass in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and the Ancient Carmelite Rite in Latin. Guided by the Carmelite Friars of St. Elias Province, the parish blends deep contemplative prayer with a missionary welcome, serving families who travel from across the Capital Region for the Carmelite Latin Mass. Whether you are drawn by the art, the Carmelite spirituality, the OCIA process for adults, or the bilingual and Vietnamese communities, St. Joseph is a living landmark of the faith.
Mass times at St. Joseph Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
- Sundays 11:15 AM – 11:55 AM (before the Carmelite Latin Mass)
- Any time by appointment — call (518) 274-6720
Adoration times
- Friday 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Parish History — The Iron Workers Church
St. Joseph was founded in 1847 to serve Irish Catholic immigrants who had come to South Troy during the potato famine to work in Henry Burden's iron mills and the local nail factories. Bishop John McClosky (later America's first cardinal) laid the cornerstone on May 21, 1847, and men from the Nail Factory itself dug the foundation. The first Mass was celebrated by Rev. Peter Havermans in the unfinished church on November 1, 1848. Completed at a cost of $100,000, the church seats 2,000 people and was built with a marble altar, mahogany pews, baptistery, soaring bell tower, magnificent organ, and 42 Tiffany windows. A rectory was attached to the church and a parish hall — with bowling lanes, gymnasium, and auditorium — was added in 1897, completing the campus.
- Cornerstone laid May 21, 1847
- First Mass November 1, 1848
- Completed 1853
- Parish hall built 1897
- Interior frescoing 1901
The Tiffany Windows
St. Joseph is widely recognized as housing the second-largest collection of Tiffany stained-glass windows in the United States. Installed largely in 1901, the 42 windows bear Tiffany's trademark opalescence and heavily textured 'drapery glass.' Many are memorials to South Troy's working-class Irish families, including the Mitchell Memorial Window ('Jesus Blessing Little Children'), the Prendergast Memorial (Sacred Heart of Jesus), the Hayes Memorial (Sacred Heart of Mary), and others depicting the Betrothal of St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin, the Flight into Egypt, the Death of St. Joseph, the Assumption and Annunciation, and the Nativity. The church has applied for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, and a diocesan capital campaign aims to restore the wood frames and protect the windows.
- 42 Tiffany windows
- Largest themes: Life of St. Joseph, Sacred Heart, Holy Family, Mysteries of the Rosary
- 1901 installation wave
- National Register listing in progress
Carmelite Identity and St. Elias Province
St. Joseph has been staffed by the Carmelite Friars (Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel) of St. Elias Province since 1970. The parish identifies itself as 'Zeal. Contemplation. Carmel.' — zealous for God, reflective in prayer, and guided by the Carmelite charism that traces back to the hermits on Mount Carmel in 13th-century Israel. Two priests and a brother live in community in Troy. The Carmelite community describes the church as their 'Cathedral of South Troy' and celebrates both the Ordinary Form (Novus Ordo) Masses and the distinctive Ancient Carmelite Rite in Latin.
- Carmelites arrived 1970
- St. Elias Province
- Community of two priests and a brother
- Mount Carmel heritage (13th century)
Carmelite Rite in Latin
A distinctive feature of St. Joseph is its celebration of the Ancient Carmelite Rite in Latin. Fr. Joseph Phuong Ngo, O. Carm. and Fr. Joseph Sheehan, O. Carm. celebrate the Carmelite Latin Mass at the parish. The Weekday Low Mass is offered on Mondays and Fridays at 12:00 PM (the Friday Low Mass is also listed in the parish bulletin), and the Sunday High Mass is celebrated at 12:00 PM. Hand missals are available in the vestibule, and propers are distributed through the Laudate Omnes Carmelite Rite Community newsletter. One Sunday a month, after the Latin Mass, the community gathers for a reception in the Madden Center downstairs. Worshippers travel from across the Capital Region to attend.
- Sunday High Mass 12:00 PM (Latin)
- Friday Low Mass 12:00 PM (Latin)
- Hand missals in vestibule
- Laudate Omnes newsletter
- Monthly Madden Center reception
Sacraments
St. Joseph Church prepares parishioners for and celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Infant baptism is the most common entry into the faith, with the parish encouraging families to begin preparation early. Confirmation is offered as the completion of Christian initiation, sealing the confirmed with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Reconciliation is offered at the regular Saturday and Sunday times listed above and by appointment. Marriage preparation begins with contacting the parish office. Anointing of the Sick is available, with emergency calls accepted at any time. Adults seeking full initiation or completing their sacraments are welcomed through OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults, formerly RCIA).
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- Eucharist / First Communion
- Reconciliation
- Matrimony
- Anointing of the Sick (and emergency calls)
- OCIA / RCIA
OCIA — Becoming Catholic
Adults curious about the Catholic faith, those seeking full initiation, and baptized Catholics who have not yet completed their sacraments are invited to inquire about OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults), the process formerly known as RCIA. Inquiries can be made at any time by contacting the parish office.
- Adult inquiry welcomed year-round
- Preparation for Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation
St. Joseph Cemetery
St. Joseph Parish maintains St. Joseph Cemetery on Mann Avenue in Troy, where the annual Memorial Day Mass is celebrated at 9:00 AM each year (rain location: the church). It is the only Mass on that date, and parishioners and families gather to pray for their beloved dead.
- Cemetery on Mann Avenue
- Annual Memorial Day Mass at 9:00 AM
Clergy and Pastoral Staff
The parish is pastored by Fr. Joseph Phuong Ngo, O. Carm., a Vietnamese-born Carmelite whose path to Troy included formation at the Dominican Institute in Saigon, Washington Theological Union, and Creighton University, pastoral work in Trinidad and Tobago, and service as associate vocation director for the Carmelite Order of St. Elias Province. Fr. Joseph Sheehan, O. Carm. assists, particularly in celebrating the Ancient Carmelite Rite in Latin. The Carmelite community of two priests and a brother lives on-site. Past pastors have included Rev. James R. Sidoti, O. Carm. (2011–c.2021), Rev. Romaeus Cooney, and the parish's founder, Rev. Peter Havermans.
- Fr. Joseph Phuong Ngo, O. Carm. — Pastor
- Fr. Joseph Sheehan, O. Carm.
- Carmelite community of two priests and a brother
- Past pastors: Rev. Peter Havermans, Rev. Romaeus Cooney, Rev. James R. Curtin, Rev. James R. Sidoti O.Carm.
Visit, Contact, and Practical Info
St. Joseph Church is located at 416 Third Street, Troy, NY 12180, on the corner of Third and Jackson Streets in South Troy. The parish office (Priory Office) is open Monday through Friday, 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM, closed for lunch 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM and on weekends and holidays. The parish phone is (518) 274-6720 and the current email is [email protected]. The parish website hosts a livestream Mass, a Google Calendar of parish events, an online giving platform, the Parish Life App, and the Laudate Omnes newsletter subscription for Latin Mass propers.
- Address: 416 Third Street, Troy, NY 12180
- Phone: (518) 274-6720
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM (closed 12:00–1:00 PM)
- Livestream Mass available online
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Peter Havermans1847–1848+
Pastored St. Mary's; commissioned the building of St. Joseph's and celebrated the first Mass on Nov. 1, 1848.
- Rev. Romaeus Cooney
Pastor referenced in 2005 Troy Record article on the brick-switch story.
- Rev. James R. Curtin1920s
Pastor in the 1920s who asked parishioners for an extra 5 cents weekly to remodel the parish house.
- Rev. James R. Sidoti, O. Carm2011–c.2021
Born on Staten Island; joined the Carmelites at 35; assigned to St. Joseph in Troy beginning 2011; led the 2015 Mob Mass event.
- Fr. Joseph Phuong Ngo, O. Carm2020–
Born in Hanoi; formed at Dominican Institute in Saigon and Washington Theological Union; previously pastor in Trinidad and Tobago and vocation director for St. Elias Province.