Honor Church's 70th Anniversary

Senate Resolution No. 2138 BY: Senator GRIFFO COMMEMORATING the 70th Anniversary of Our Lady of the Rosary of New Hartford, New York, to be celebrated on June 23, 2019 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 takes pleasure in commemorating the 70th Anniversary of Our Lady of the Rosary of New Hartford, to be celebrated at Roselawn Banquet Facility, on Sunday, June 23, 2019; and WHEREAS, Our Lady of the Rosary can trace its roots directly to World War II; in 1942, with the war raging, the United States Army selected a 175-acre farm on Burrstone Road as a site for a new hospital to treat wounded soldiers; Rhodes General Army Hospital opened in August

1943, with 180 buildings, 1,950 beds, a railroad, fire department, and an interdenominational chapel named St. Thomas Moore Chapel; and WHEREAS, When the war ended, the hospital closed and the buildings were used as a college for veterans; in September of 1947, The Reverend Alfred J. Holdredge was appointed Chaplain of Mohawk College with pastoral privileges to assist the servicemen and women and their families in Rhodes Village; and WHEREAS, The Army Chapel was purchased in the Spring of 1949, and was moved from Burrstone Road to its present site; on July 22, 1949, the Chapel was named The Church of Our Lady of the Rosary; and WHEREAS, In 1960, two wings were added to accommodate the growing congregation; in 1951, the rectory was built and, in 1955, two army barracks from Rhodes Hospital were moved to parish grounds and joined to form a Faith Formation Center; and WHEREAS, Today, Our Lady of the Rosary boasts over 900 active families and one of the largest Faith Formation and Youth Programs in the area; the parish is closely linked to Notre Dame Jr./Sr. High School where Faith Formation classes are held on Sundays and the school uses the church for Masses, retreats, fundraisers and parking; and WHEREAS, Our Lady of the Rosary Church 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, In addition to Father Holdredge, the Church had several other Pastors, including: Reverend Peter Paige, Reverend James Riley, Reverend James Fallon, Reverend Felix Colosimo, and Reverend Thomas Honold; currently Father Joe Salerno serves as Priest/Administrator for Our Lady of the Rosary Parish; 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 70th Anniversary of Our Lady of the Rosary of New Hartford, to be observed on June 23, 2019, fully confident that this commemoration reflects the belief in those values which enhance the dignity and purpose of life; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to Father Joe Salerno, Priest/Administrator, Our Lady of the Rosary.