Saint Pius X Church

Gazing at Saint Pius X Church, imagine the scene over a century ago. Horse-drawn carriages and farm wagons dotted the landscape. They carried families to distant churches in Albany and Watervliet. The Catholic population was growing in Loudonville. But attending Mass was a real challenge. Saint Pius X Church owes its existence to this very struggle. Wealthy Albanians had built grand homes in Loudonville. They employed young Irish immigrants as domestic staff. These young people found it extremely difficult to attend Mass. Many sought work elsewhere. A group of Loudonville residents, concerned about both the spiritual needs and the high turnover of their staff, sought a solution. State Senator William T. Byrne, a fellow Catholic resident, stepped in. He brought the issue to Bishop Thomas F. Cusack, who approved the establishment of a mission chapel on Route 9. This mission fell under the care of St. Francis de Sales Church in West Albany. The first Mass was held in the Loudon Town Hall on April 15, 1916, led by Father James E. Kelly of St. Francis de Sales. A census revealed 30 to 40 Catholic families in Loudonville. This led to the official incorporation of St. Pius V Church on June 15, 1916. The cornerstone of the mission chapel on Loudon Road was laid the next month. By October 1916, services began in the new chapel. Saint Pius X Church’s story continued to unfold. It transitioned from a mission chapel to an independent parish in 1951 under Bishop Edmund F. Gibbons. Father Gerald H. Kirwin became the first resident pastor. The Burt Farm was acquired in 1951. The cornerstone of the current church/auditorium was laid on May 29, 1954. This coincided with the canonization of St. Pius X. The parish was then renamed in his honor. The school opened that fall, adding a grade each year. The original church/auditorium is now the school gymnasium. The Sisters of St. Joseph staffed the school from its inception until the late 1990s. The new Saint Pius X Church, the first built in the diocese after Vatican II, was dedicated on September 25, 1969. The church has continued to evolve, adding a Parish Life Center in 2022. Saint Pius X Church remains a vital part of the community. It continues its mission of serving God and its neighbors.