I met the pastor of St. Mary's, Fr. Chris, at a dinner at my home parish in Woodstock, St. John's. St. Mary's is located on a steep bluff near the Hudson River in Saugerties. The church is over 175 years old, and has been restored following a catastrophic fire in 1989. St. Mary's history is quite interesting.
Rode my Harley over to Saugerties yesterday to take a look at the old church. Saugerties is growing rapidly, as the hipsters who would like to live close to Woodstock seek cheaper rent. The business district is full of trendy shops, including a pickle shop. A couple of performing venues, too. I'll have to check them out for the Old Dawgz or my solo act. (Looks to me like these are pass the hat type venues. Oh, well!)
A graveyard completely surrounds the old church. This was once common. I took time to read the inscriptions that were legible on quite a few of the oldest headstones. Time slowly erodes even stone.
I'm a retired Old Dawg. I spend quite a bit of my time contemplating the next life. Graveyards feel like welcoming places. Won't be long until I move into one.
St. Mary's used to have a school, but it has shut down as a result of low enrollment.
I love old churches. The Northeast is full of them. I could spend the rest of my life visiting old churches. But, I probably won't.
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