Reverend Frank J. Gilchrist

Gilchrist, The Reverend Frank J. Gilchrist, Latham. The Reverend Frank J. Gilchrist, 87, a priest of the Albany Roman Catholic Diocese, died Tuesday, October 2, 2007 at Our Lady of Hope Residence in Latham. Born in Troy, N.Y. on April 9, 1920, Father Gilchrist was a son of the late Frank J. and Anna Fayden Gilchrist. He was raised in Watervliet where he attended St. Brigid's Grammar School. Father Gilchrist was a 1937 graduate of Catholic Central High School in Troy and furthered his education at Siena College in Loudonville, N.Y., where he was a member of the first graduating class and St. Bernard's Seminary in Rochester, N.Y. He was ordained into the priesthood on March 17, 1945 in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany. Following his ordination, Father Gilchrist served the parishes of Our Lady of Angels in Whitehall and St. Mary's in Amsterdam. In January of 1947, Father Gilchrist enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served his country as a chaplain for many years. Subsequently, he served as chancellor to Terence Cardinal Cooke, bishop of the Military Ordinariate of the United States of America. In May of 1973, Father Gilchrist retired from the Air Force, with the rank of colonel and returned to his home diocese to serve as pastor of St. Mary's Church in Hudson, N.Y. and lastly as pastor of St. Madeleine Sophie Church in Guilderland, N.Y. He was a member of the Watervliet Council of the Knights of Columbus. Father Gilchrist was the dear brother of Joseph M. Gilchrist and his wife Rosemary of Watervliet, Sr. Francis Anne Gilchrist, CSJ of Chestertown, N.Y. and the late Michael E. Gilchrist, whose wife Eleanor of Watervliet survives, John E. Gilchrist, whose wife Kay of Johnsonville survives, and Eugene A. Gilchrist. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, great-grandnieces and great-grandnephews. Funeral services for Father Gilchrist will begin on Thursday in the Chapel of Our Lady of Hope Residence in Latham where a community Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Family and friends are invited and may call at the chapel, before the Mass, from 9 a.m. until 10 a.m. Services will continue on Thursday afternoon at 4 with the reception of Father Gilchrist's body into St. Brigid's Church in Watervliet. Religious, family and friends are invited and may call at St. Brigid's Church on Thursday from 4:30 until 7 p.m. A vesper service will conclude the evening at 7 p.m. On Friday at 11 a.m., the Mass of Christian Burial will be con celebrated with the Most Reverend Howard J. Hubbard, DD, Bishop of Albany as principal celebrant. Interment will follow in St. Agnes Cemetery, Menands. The family strongly suggests that flowers not be sent and that expressions of sympathy be made in the form of a donation, in memory of the Reverend Frank J. Gilchrist, to Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany, 40 North Main Avenue, Albany, NY 12203. Guest registry online at www.cummingsfuneralhome.com