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Albany Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger celebrated the last Sunday Mass at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church on Aug. 17, the 151st anniversary of its founding. While some activities continue, without the weekly contributions of parishioners, Sacred Heart of Jesus will be fully closed in a year or two.

Two years ago, my husband and I visited Gotland, Sweden, “the land of 100 Churches." There are 92 churches on the island that were built before 1350. If the walls of these medieval churches could talk, they would tell us of many generations of experience of God and spirituality. The people of Sweden regard these churches as cultural treasures that must be preserved for future generations.

People around the globe rejoiced when Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was restored. The Catholic Extension Society recognizes that beautiful sacred spaces are essential to humanity in the article, “Sacred spaces fill an essential human need."

Sacred Heart of Jesus is a treasure. The beautiful stained glass windows, statues, and Stations of the Cross were brought from Munich, Germany. The marble pulpit and altar rail were imported from Pietrasanta, Italy. The pipe organ, which was played beautifully at the last Mass, is over 90 years old. The church also has cultural importance to the city. In announcing William Kennedy’s lecture on Sacred Heart’s 150th anniversary, the New York State Writers Institute said, “North Albany is a central character in William Kennedy’s Pulitzer-winning novel 'Ironweed' and Sacred Heart of Jesus Church is at its center.”

To those who see with the heart, the union between Sacred Heart of Jesus Church and North Albany is like no other.

Published Oct. 13, 2025

The proposal to construct a soccer stadium in the Liberty Square “parking lot district” of downtown Albany is a poor use of that valuable space. It is the latest in a series of bad ideas for the area that have been pushed by business and political leaders over the last two decades. None of the proposals come close to enhancing the livability, viability and enhancement of downtown Albany.

First was the convention center, which was sensibly moved west to connect with existing facilities, but not before the area’s historic structures were neglected to the point where demolition was necessary. Then it was a proposal to build two huge apartment towers with no other uses and totally out of scale with the rest of downtown. Then it was an aquarium, another off-the-wall proposal that did nothing to enhance the livability and improvement of downtown.

Now, it’s a soccer stadium, which would be used for games and events. Events could be better accommodated in existing venues like the Capital Center, MVP Arena, the Egg and the original Convention Center. Soccer games could be played at the 8,000-capacity stadium at the University at Albany.

This acreage is invaluable to the improvement of downtown. It should be developed, block-by-block, with mixed-use buildings housing stores and apartments as well as townhouses and small community spaces. It should be connected directly to Broadway and SUNY Plaza, which itself should be redeveloped into shops, offices and housing with the large grassy area in the front becoming part of the proposed Broadway Waterway.

Published Oct. 13, 2025

Chris Churchill’s column, “As clock ticks, Sheehan throws housing Hail Mary,” Sept. 23, rightly underscores the urgency of reforming Albany’s inclusionary zoning law before it does further damage to the city’s housing future.

The data is sobering: Since the ordinance was amended, proposed market-rate housing in Albany has plummeted. This isn’t just a dip, it’s a red flag. Projects that would have included affordable units under the previous framework have vanished, and the city is now falling behind neighboring communities that are seeing robust development. Blaming interest rates alone doesn’t hold water when Troy, Schenectady, and others are building while Albany stalls.

Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan’s push to revise the law isn’t a “Hail Mary,” it’s a necessary course correction. With historic investments on the horizon, including Gov. Kathy Hochul’s $400 million for downtown revitalization and the National Semiconductor Technology Center at Albany........

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