More than 200 parishioners and guests joined Cardinal Timothy Dolan in celebrating the 100th anniversary Mass at the Church of St. Joan of Arc on Sunday, July 7.

“Congratulations on 100 years, thanks be to God,” said Cardinal Dolan, as he began the 11:30 a.m. Mass. “Every Mass is the best act of praise that we have, especially on Sundays. Today’s will have even more pizzazz as we thank almighty God for 100 years of His grace and mercy here in Sloatsburg at this beautiful parish,” he added.

Prior to the establishment of the Church of St. Joan of Arc, local Catholics were forced to travel to the nearby towns of Suffern or Tuxedo, or farther south into New Jersey, for Mass. Cardinal Patrick Joseph Hayes consecrated the new church on May 30, 1924.

St. Joan of Arc was likely chosen as the parish’s patron saint as she was newly canonized at the time, in 1919, according to the church’s history.

St. Joan of Arc merged with nearby Our Lady of Mount Carmel in 2015. Our Lady of Mount Carmel celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2020.

“You don’t look bad at all for 100 years,” Cardinal Dolan joked in his homily. “Thanks especially, everybody, for your love. For your love of Jesus and His Church, this parish, the archdiocese, that has kept the faith strong here in Sloatsburg for 100 years.”

Father Joseph Emmanuel, pastor of St. Joan of Arc, thanked Cardinal Dolan, his brother priests, and honored guests from the Village of Sloatsburg attending the Mass in his closing remarks. 

“I feel fabulous that so many people came from the parish, a lot of visitors even coming from Eastchester,” said Father Emmanuel in an interview with The Good Newsroom following the Mass. Father Emmanuel expressed his hope that he would spend his remaining four years before retirement in the Parish of St. Joan of Arc – Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

Along with Cardinal Dolan, Father Emmanuel and Father Dedigamuwage Dias, St. Joan of Arc’s former pastor, visiting from his native Sri Lanka, were among the concelebrants.

Also attending the Mass was Eileen Mulcahy, vice chancellor of the Archdiocese of New York, and Deacon Joseph Verboys.

Following the Mass, Cardinal Dolan joined the parishioners and guests for a celebratory luncheon in the parish hall.