History

The history of Catholicism in Upstate New York revolves around the history of Mary's Church in Albany. Even before its official incorporation on October 6, 1796 as "The Roman Catholic Church in the City of Albany," the site of this present church was blessed by the presence of St. Isaac Jogues, who as a prisoner of the Mohawk Indians, crept away from his captors from the Dutch barn which stood near this present church. In 1805, Dr. O'Brien, pastor of St. Mary's, having been transferred to St. Peter's in New York City, received St. Elizabeth Seton into the Catholic Church. St. John Neumann, on route to his assignment in Western New York, would stop to celebrate Mass at St. Mary's.

The parish, one of the few first parishes dedicated to our Blessed Mother in the original colonies, was placed under the title of the Assumption. St. Mary's is the second oldest parish in New York State, preceded only by St. Peter's on Barclay Street in Manhattan which was founded in 1786.

With the opening of St. Mary's parish, the congregation and parish were under the jurisdiction of Bishop John Carroll, then Bishop of Baltimore and part of the Baltimore Diocese. The first elected parish board of St. Mary's was comprised of Thomas Barry, Louis LeCouteulx, Daniel McEvers, Terence O'Donnell, Jeremiah Driskil, Michael Begley, James Robicheaux. William Donovan and Philip Farrell.