Senate Resolution No. 3699

BY: Senator BONACIC

COMMEMORATING the 150th Anniversary of the Church
of St. Joseph of Middletown, New York

WHEREAS, Religious institutions, and the many spiritual, social and
educational benefits they confer, play a vital role in the development
of the moral fabric of a responsible citizenry; and

WHEREAS, It is the tradition of this State and this Nation to pay
tribute to those institutions and individuals who have contributed to
the ethical and spiritual values of their communities; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commemorate the
150th Anniversary of the Church of St. Joseph of Middletown, New York;
this momentous occasion was celebrated with a Special Mass officiated by
Cardinal Dolan on Saturday, December 2, 2017; and

WHEREAS, The history of the Church of St. Joseph began more than 150
years ago with a small group of Catholics who resided in the area of the
Village of Middletown; they were few in number, but strong in their
faith; and

WHEREAS, In 1848, a Mass was held at Tandy Lodge, located on Academy
Avenue and East Main Street, with seven people in attendance; for the
next nine years Masses were held at Burke's Assembly rooms on Union and
Franklin Streets every four to six weeks; and

WHEREAS, The Saint Joseph Society was organized in 1859, with plans
to build their own church; from the inception of this Society to the
conclusion of the Civil War, the Catholic population of the Middletown
area continued to grow; and

WHEREAS, In January of 1865, the Saint Joseph Society sent a request
to John Cardinal McCloskey, Archbishop of New York, asking permission to
establish a parish in Middletown; the Cardinal granted this request and
the following month 13 acres of land was purchased on Cottage Street;
and

WHEREAS, St. Joseph's parish was officially established on October
2, 1867, with a church dedication and cemetery blessing by Archbishop
McCloskey; the first pastor was Father Andrew O'Reilly who led the
church for nine years; and

WHEREAS, Today, under the luminous direction of Father Dennis A.
Nikolic, the Church of St. Joseph has approximately 1,500 active
registered families, with 250 parishioners in regular attendance; and

WHEREAS, A truly diverse congregation, the parish has offered Sunday
Mass in Spanish for 30 years, and a Spanish Wednesday evening Mass was
added more recently for the growing Hispanic community; and

WHEREAS, The Church of St. Joseph stands on the threshold of
tomorrow, prepared to meet the challenges of the coming decades while
retaining that spiritual resolve which characterizes its past; and


WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to take note of
enduring religious institutions and to bring such institutions to the
attention of the people of this Empire State; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Church of St. Joseph of
Middletown, New York; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Father Dennis A. Nikolic, Church of St. Joseph,
Middletown, New York.