Timeline for St. John the Evangelist, Camden;
St. Mary of Mount Carmel, Florence & St. Patrick’s, Williamstown
September 2, 1845 Rev. Robert Keleher becomes first pastor of St. Mary Mt. Carmel, Florence
August 1, 1852 Rev. John P Fitzpatrick becomes second pastor of St. Mary’s
December 1852 First Mass in newly purchased St. John the Evangelist, Camden
December 1855 Rev. John M. Ludden becomes third pastor of St. Mary’s
March 21, 1857 Present site of St. John’s is acquired
January 3, 1876 Rev. Patrick H. Beecham becomes first pastor of St. John’s (died February 4, 1905)
December 20, 1876 Land bought for Holy Cross Cemetery, Williamstown
December 17, 1879 Land bought for St. John’s Cemetery, Camden
August 6 & September 30, 1884 Two undivided interests in the present site of St. Patrick’s Church in Williamstown acquired by three parishioners, transferred to the Bishop On November 24, 1884
October 26, 1884 Cornerstone of St. Patrick’s laid
June 7, 1885 First mass in St. Patrick’s
March 6, 1886 Rev. John J. Brennan becomes second pastor of St. John’s (died December 15, 1900)
August 30, 1887 Rev. John H. McGraw becomes third pastor of St. John’s (died April 19, 1938)
April 12, 1888 Pulaski and Sandy Creek detached from Camden; Altmar added to them in 1890
March 6, 1889 St. John’s burns beyond repair after Ash Wednesday morning services
April 9, 1889 St. John’s Church Society organized under New York State law
August 16, 1889 Contract let for new church
September 3, 1889 Cornerstone laid for new St. John the evangelist church
December 25, 1889 First Mass in new church on Christmas Day
June 3, 1890 New church dedicated by Bishop Ludden
March 1, 1891 St. Patrick’s incorporated under same title under New York state law
June 1, 1891 Bishop Ludden confirms first class
June 1, 1894 Rev. Joseph S. Tiernan becomes fourth pastor (died December 11, 1939)
March 9, 1895 Church mortgage paid
August 4, 1897 Present rectory purchased; electricity installed in church and rectory
September 7, 1902 Bells Blessed and organ dedicated
October 1, 1916 Rev. William H. Purcell becomes fifth pastor (died December 19, 1966)
October 5, 1918 Rectory mortgage paid
August 3, 1923 St. John’s Cemetery enlarged
September 24, 1924 Holy Cross Cemetery enlarged
March 6, 1932 Rev. Adlai J. Baker becomes seventh pastor (died February 12, 1937)
September 16, 1936 Rev. Edward J. Kissane becomes eighth pastor (died December 1973)
April 4, 1939 Rev. Harold J. Quinn becomes ninth pastor (died May 31, 1966
January 11, 1951 Rev. Roger A. Bowen becomes tenth pastor (died May 31, 1961)
February 4, 1952 Lot adjoining church purchased for parking lot
1952-1958 Roof built over church steps; glass doors installed into vestibule
January 28, 1953 CYO rooms leased
August 27, 1958 Rev. Charles A. Stuczko becomes eleventh pastor
July 2, 1963 St. John’s original Parish Hall purchased
October 31, 1966 Manley Field property purchased
February 1970 Rev. Daniel W. Heintz becomes twelfth pastor
September 1972 St. Patrick’s becomes a Mission of St. Ann’s, Parish
January 19,1973 Rev. Joseph P. Kennedy become thirteenth pastor (died February 19, 1999)
1997 New Parish Hall is opened
February 1998 Rev. Joseph Moskal become fourteenth pastor
St. Patrick’s closed Changes in Parish Relationships Announced
July 2003 The Most Reverend James M. Moynihan, Bishop of the Diocese of Syracuse, has approved the following parish changes, Status changed from Parish to Devotional Chapel, effective July 1, 2003 St. Mary Church in Florence will now serve as a devotional chapel.
June 30, 2004 Rev. Carlo C. Stirpe appointed fifteenth pastor of St. John’s
2005-2006 Interior of Church extensively remodeled
2010 New and enlarged vestibule added to church
2011 Existing slate roof on rectory replaced with metal roofing
2014 Crosses of Mercy constructed on Manley Field
July 1, 2015 Rev. R. Paul Mathis appointed fifteenth pastor
October 2016 Sale of St. Patrick’s church property to Ranch of Hope church
August 2018 Church roof and steeple repaired with the steeple receiving new copper cladding
July 1, 2019 Rev. John F. Hogan, Jr appointed sixteenth pastor