Honor St. Joseph’s 150th Anniversary

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.