St. Margaret, Queen of Scotland, Albany

Hungarian Settlement, originally called Árpádhon, is located just south of Albany. It was founded in 1896 by three Hungarians, Adam Mocsary, Julius Bruskay, and Tivador Zboray who came to work in the Brackenridge Lumber Mill. The Immigration House, a multi-purpose building, was built by Brackenridge as a place of worship for both Catholics and Presbyterians, as well as a place for wakes and other social gatherings.

Hungarians (Magyars) living in the northern industrial cities and mining towns came south to buy the land to secure a better life. They worked in the mill during the day and on their new farms at night. Strawberries became the cash crop that sustained the growing community. It is called the “largest, rural Hungarian Settlement in the U.S. today.”

Although early records are scant, it is believed that St. Margaret was established in 1910. On land donated by the Juhasz family, the church was built with rough lumber from the nearby Brackenridge Lumber Company. The church was constructed entirely by Hungarians who donated all of their spare time as funds for materials became available. The blessing took place on September 8, 1912. No priest was in residence yet, and parishioners recall that Father Anthony traveled by horse and buggy from Rosaryville to say Mass.

In the early days, the church provided not only for the spiritual needs of the parish, but also assisted in the recreational needs. Sunday afternoons were often spent at the church, with the men playing pool in the church hall, the Ladies Rosary Society praying and visiting as the children were learning catechism or playing games. A parochial school was established in 1914, and remained open until 1918. During the parish’s formative years, it was administered by the Benedictine Fathers. After the Benedictines left in 1912, the Dominicans worked for several years firmly establishing the parish. Following the Dominicans were the Oblates of Mary Immaculate who came to St. Margaret in 1920 and served for 64 years. In 1984, the Oblates Fathers left St. Margaret and from that time onward, St. Margaret Parish has been administered by diocesan priests.

In 1927, St. Margaret accepted the duties and responsibilities of ministering to four mission churches: Immaculate Conception in Denham Springs, Sacred Heart in Livingston, St. Mary in Bear Island and St. Thomas in Springfield. St. Thomas remains as its only mission church. Also in 1927, approval was given to a group of local women to establish a religious order, the Congregation of the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Eucharist.

St. Margaret Parish is a close-knit community with deep Hungarian traditions.  In 2015, under the leadership of Father Jamin David, the parish embrarked on a long-term master planning initiative.  After acquiring an additional 5 acres of real estate to the east of the former property, the entire parochial grounds, including the historic church, were redeveloped at a cost of $3 million, and the Church was rededicated by Bishop Michael Duca on November 17, 2019.