Category Archives: News

Rochester seminarian ordained deacon at St. Peter’s Basilica

ROME — With a big smile across his face, 30-year-old seminarian James Muscatella processed into a packed St. Peter’s Basilica Sept. 28 as he embarked on his next step toward becoming a priest.

A seminarian of the Diocese of Rochester, he was among 18 men ordained to the transitional diaconate that day. The newly ordained deacons, representing 14 U.S. dioceses and with the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, are studying for the priesthood at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City ordained the 18 men and was principal celebrant and homilist for the liturgy. Three U.S. cardinals — Cardinals Raymond L. Burke, retired patron of the Order of Malta; James Harvey, archpriest of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls; and Edwin F. O’Brien, retired grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and a former rector of the U.S. seminary in Rome — concelebrated the Mass along with four bishops and several priests. Among the priests were Fathers Aaron Kelly, Roman Caly, Joseph Martuscello and Kevin McKenna from the Rochester Diocese.

After the Gospel reading, each diaconal candidate presented himself to Archbishop Coakley, who confirmed the candidates’ worthiness, prompting applause from family, friends and fellow seminarians gathered. In his homily, Archbishop Coakley told the men that “it is not enough to be good churchmen, you must be disciples.”

“Your life and ministry must be deeply rooted in an intimate friendship with Jesus Christ,” he continued. “Be prepared for sacrifice, be prepared for opposition and indeed, at times, persecution.”

He urged the ordinands to look to such models as Blessed Stanley Rother, Blessed Michael McGivney and Servant of God Emil Kapaun, who all were diocesan priests “whose lives and witness offer a whole alternative to the conventional and planned aspirations of a faithless secular world.”

“This is an awesome time to be undertaking ordained ministry in the Catholic Church,” he added. “This is an awesome time to be ordained as transitional deacons and, God willing, in some months to be ordained as priests.”

Following the homily, the ordinands knelt before Archbishop Coakley to make their promises of obedience before prostrating themselves below the sculpture of the chair of St. Peter, sculpted by the Baroque Italian master Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

The two-hour liturgy also included such ancient diaconal ordination rites as the laying on of hands, in which Deacon Muscatella knelt before Archbishop Coakley, who laid his hands atop his head and called the Holy Spirit upon him. Investiture of stole and dalmatic was by Father John Bilenki of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

“As I was being vested by Father John, I thought about how I have been given a new role and ministry in the church, by a grace from God in the ordination,” Deacon Muscatella wrote in a message to the Catholic Courier following his ordination. “God has used the work of so many good people, cooperating with him to prepare me for this step, and surely will continue to use the work of good people to prepare me for my life as his priest.”

Deacon Muscatella will preach his first Mass at the Basilica of the Twelve Holy Apostles in Rome Sept. 29. He is scheduled to be ordained a diocesan priest at Rochester’s Sacred Heart Cathedral in the early summer of 2024.

Until then, Deacon Muscatella will continue his studies at the North American College before returning home at the end of June 2024.

“It is a wonderful walk I have taken,” Deacon Muscatella told the Catholic Courier in August. “I just couldn’t be happier.”

Rochester seminarian ordained deacon at St. Peter’s Basilica
Gina Capellazzi/Catholic Courier | 09.28.2023
Section: Local News

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City ordains Diocese of Rochester seminarian James Muscatella to the transitional diaconate during Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Sept. 28. (CNS photo by Lola Gomez)

Eighteen newly ordained deacons from Rome’s Pontifical North American College pose for a group photo after their ordination Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Sept. 28, 2023.
Diocese of Rochester seminarian ordained deacon in Rome

Rochester seminarian ordained deacon at St. Peter’s Basilica

2022 Christmas Greetings from Bishop Matano

Indeed our challenges in so many areas of life continue. People of
good will long for unity where there is division, hope where there
is despair and peace where there is discord.
How much we all need the joy of Christmas!

As we celebrate the birth of Our Savior, Jesus Christ,
I with you the peace and happiness of Christmas and
I pray that the Child born in Bethlehem will bless you
and your loved ones throughout the New Year and always!

You and all dear to you will be remembered in the
Holy Sacrifice of the Mass during the Christmas season.

With sincere gratitude for your prayers, I remain
Devotedly yours in Christ.

Salvatore R. Matano

The Most Reverend Salvatore R. Matano
Bishop of Rochester

Corning school will not reopen for upcoming school year

All Saints Academy in Corning will not reopen for the 2022-23 school year due to a sudden and severe drop in enrollment.

School families, teachers and staff were notified of the decision — which came just three weeks before classes were set to begin — in a letter dated Aug. 18. The letter was signed by Father Matthew Jones, pastor of All Saints Parish; Mary Ann Lacey, All Saints Academy principal; and James Tauzel, diocesan schools superintendent.

Low enrollment countered by combining classes, eliminating teacher positions

Tauzel told the Catholic Courier Aug. 19 that going into the summer, 82 students were registered at All Saints for 2022-23 following an enrollment of 105 at the end of the 2021-22 school year. But by Aug. 10, he said, enrollment had dropped to 67, and classrooms were to be consolidated to make the budget work.

In an All Saints Parish bulletin column for the weekend of Aug. 20-21, Father Jones noted that enrollment had dropped even further in the week after plans were announced to combine classes in lower grades and eliminate three teaching positions.

According to a diocesan statement, as of Aug 18, there were only 33 students registered for the coming academic year, with 102 needed in order to balance the operating budget.

The diocesan statement said that the profound decline in enrollment made the school — which served grades prekindergarten through 8 — financially unfeasible to operate. It stated that the majority of families who withdrew their registrations in July and August cited “economic and practical challenges that make Catholic education at All Saints difficult to maintain.”

Bishop Matano to visit All Saints Parish to thank the All Saints Academy family

The statement added that Bishop Salvatore R. Matano will visit All Saints Parish on Sept. 18, to preside and preach at the 10:30 a.m. Mass. At that time, according to the statement, “Bishop Matano and Father Jones will thank the teachers and staff from All Saints Academy, and the families and alumni of the school, for their dedication to Catholic education and in sharing the faith with young people for so many years.”

All Saints, located at 158 State St. on the campus of St. Mary Church, was the second-oldest diocesan school to still be operating in the Diocese of Rochester, having been established in 1855. It also was the last diocesan Catholic school to remain open in Steuben County following the closing of Hornell’s St. Ann School in 2012.

“The faculty and staff of All Saints Academy have been some of the longest serving and most dedicated in our diocese,” remarked Tauzel, who served as principal at the Corning school from the 2014-15 to 2016-17 school years. “The school leaves a legacy of strong Catholicity and outstanding academics evident in every graduate. I thank the families for their support and commitment to Catholic schools and the sacrifices they made to prioritize a Catholic education for their families.”

Father Aaron Kelly is Rochester Diocese’s newest priest

ROCHESTER — A vocational call that first surfaced in second grade, and never wavered, has now been answered in full by Father Aaron Kelly.Father Kelly’s 20-year pursuit of the priesthood was realized on the morning of July 2, when Bishop Salvatore R. Matano ordained him at Sacred Heart Cathedral.

“Amazing” is how Father Kelly described his feelings as he exchanged hugs and handshakes and gave blessings to a long line of well-wishers for about an hour after the ordination Mass ended. He added that the day was everything he had hoped it would be — and more.

Even as a child, Father Kelly wanted to be a priest

Father Kelly’s happiness was shared by many family members, friends, clergy and other Catholics, including his parents, Jeffrey and Kimberly.

“I feel awesome,” his father added. “I couldn’t ask for anything better.”

“I’m overjoyed,” his mother said.

Father Kelly’s parents recalled that their son showed an unusually strong interest in the priesthood as a young child, saying he was fond of “playing Mass” with his sisters, Abigail and Emma. As the years went on, however, it became clear to them that he wasn’t simply going through a childhood phase.

“It’s just something he’s always wanted,” Jeffrey Kelly said.

Seminary years took Father Kelly to NYC, Washington and Rome

Father Kelly, who turned 27 on May 21, entered seminary right after graduating from Horseheads High School in 2013. He spent two years at Cathedral Seminary House of Formation and St. John’s University in New York City and three years at Theological College at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He attended Pontifical North American College in Rome beginning in 2018, earning a baccalaureate degree in sacred theology in 2021. Father Kelly spent the past year at Pontifical Gregorian University, also in Rome, and is due to receive his licentiate in canon law from that school in 2024.

Father Kelly was due to celebrate his first Mass as a priest on Sunday, July 3, at 2 p.m. at St. Jerome Church in East Rochester. He will then celebrate all weekend Masses July 9-10 at All Saints Parish in Corning, followed by a summer assignment at Rochester’s Peace of Christ Parish and the diocesan Tribunal. He also will celebrate the 10:30 a.m. liturgy on Sept. 18 at St. Mary Our Mother Church in Horseheads before returning to Rome for his final two years of studies.

Looking forward to celebrating the sacraments and preaching

Father Kelly said he’s looking forward to celebrating the sacraments, particularly reconciliation, and having more opportunities to preach — “to truly be able to break open the word for people, to give them something that they can take with them throughout the week, throughout the day, and to really kind of provide this message of hope that we have to offer.”

Father Kelly, who was the only priest ordained for the Diocese of Rochester this year, added that he plans to continually emphasize the importance of strong, faith-filled families. By cultivating such families, he said, “vocations will naturally flow from that.”

Priesthood journey involved constantly saying yes to Jesus

Looking back on the spiritual path that led to his own priestly vocation, Father Kelly said that the Sunday readings for June 26 and July 3 — and their themes of following Jesus and spreading his word — are highly fitting for the odyssey he’s experienced.

“It’s been a constant journey of just saying yes — saying yes to the opportunities that present themselves, saying yes to the invitation to follow more closely,” he said.

That constancy has existed for two straight decades, he added: “I can’t think of a time at this point when I haven’t wanted to be a priest, or felt called to be a priest.”

Yet now that’s he actually been ordained a priest, Father Kelly said it’s still hard for him to grasp that the moment has finally arrived.

“It hasn’t caught up to me yet, this whole ‘Father’ business,” he said with a laugh after the ordination Mass. “It’s going to take some time to sink in.”

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Deacon Aaron Kelly pledges his obedience to Bishop Salvatore R. Matano and his successors during the priest ordination Mass July 2 at Rochester’s Sacred Heart Cathedral. (Courier photo by Jeff Witherow)

Bishop: Jesus in the Eucharist helps us bear our burdens

ROCHESTER — A throng of people singing hymns in English, Spanish and Latin followed Bishop Salvatore R. Matano as he carried the Blessed Sacrament aloft through the streets surrounding Corpus Christi Church June 19.

The eucharistic procession began at the church on East Main Street and continued onto Prince Street, which the Rochester Police Department had temporarily closed to traffic. At the end of Prince Street, the procession continued onto Champeney Terrace before turning into the parking lot for Corpus Christi, which is part of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Parish.

Several neighbors stood in their driveways and watched as the procession moved reverently through the streets. The neighborhood was quiet but for the chirping of birds as the bishop stopped to pray at three altars that had been set up along the route. At one intersection, Bishop Matano paused to offer a prayer for an end to violence and a return of peace and tranquility to the streets of Rochester and elsewhere.
National Eucharistic Revival gets underway in Rochester Diocese

Earlier that day, approximately 800 people had filled the church as Bishop Matano celebrated Mass for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, the feast of Corpus Christi. The bilingual Mass and subsequent eucharistic procession launched the Diocese of Rochester’s local phase of the three-year National Eucharistic Revival. Eucharistic processions also took place at several other parishes throughout the diocese June 19.

The Catholic bishops of the United States called for the revival to renew Catholics’ belief in and devotion to the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. The National Eucharistic Revival provides an opportunity for people to refocus, re-center themselves on the Eucharist and reconnect, according to Leslie Barkin, director of the diocesan Office of Evangelization and Catechesis. The first year of the renewal will feature larger-scale regional and diocesan efforts and events, while the second year will focus more on parish-level renewal, she said. The revival will conclude in July 2024 with a National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis.

The revival — and the Mass and eucharistic procession that kicked it off — present “an unparalleled opportunity” for local Catholics to renew and deepen their love for and devotion to Jesus truly present in the Eucharist, Bishop Matano said during his homily.
The Real Presence means we have Jesus to help us carry life’s burdens

“We gather here today for the solemn opening of the Eucharistic Revival because I believe all here present have a common understanding, an understanding that is not debated. We know we need Jesus,” Bishop Matano said.

A host of burdens faced the people sitting in the pews at Corpus Christi that morning, he added. Parents worried about and prayed for their children, while children prayed for their parents, especially if those parents were elderly or ill. Mothers and fathers worried how they would provide for their children as inflation causes prices to skyrocket.

“The burdens of human life are all represented in this church, but the glory of the Eucharist, the glory of Jesus, my sisters and brothers, is that none of our burdens are ever carried alone,” Bishop Matano said. “Jesus helps us to carry those crosses, and you know, some days he carries it for us completely.”

Bishop Matano said it would be impossible to celebrate the Eucharistic Revival without including in prayer those suffering from tragic losses throughout the world, including the loved ones of those killed in recent shootings in Buffalo and in Uvalde, Texas, as well as the families of those killed in Ukraine.

“It is only in the Eucharist, in Jesus, we can make sense of all that surrounds this confused, fractured and divided world. Only in Jesus can we find the hope and the strength to go on, for we come to understand the faults of humanity, these are not the faults of Jesus. The faults of humanity emanate from a failure of humanity to follow Jesus,” Bishop Matano said.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Information about upcoming events related to the Eucharistic Revival are available at eucharisticrevival.dor.org.

Bishop Salvatore R. Matano kneels at the second altar during a June 19 eucharistic procession around the neighborhood of Corpus Christi Church in Rochester. (Courier photo by Jeff Witherow)

Toward a Pro-Life Future in the Empire State (A statement by the Catholic Bishops of New York State)

Humanity’s salvation history was forever
changed when a poor, devout Jewish girl
from Galilee affirmatively said yes to life and
set in motion the birth, ministry, sacrificial death
and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus
Christ. Mary’s fiat (“Thy will be done.”) was
a gift of love to humanity, given freely in spite
of her inability to know all that would entail,
but with more faith in the Lord than fear of
the unknown. In this month of Mary, we have
an opportunity to reflect on her example, even
as Americans grapple with gathering societal
unrest over the issue of abortion

“Any woman – regardless
of age, religious belief or
affiliation, marital status or
immigration status – who
is pregnant and in need,
can come to the Catholic
Church and we will give you
the services and supports
you need to carry your baby
to term, regardless of your
ability to pay.”

Since the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision
in Roe v. Wade effectively opened the door
to abortion on demand throughout the land,
an estimated 63 million unborn babies across
the country have been killed in the womb
before they could even draw their first breath
of air. As we await a decision on Dobbs v.
Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the
recently argued Supreme Court case that could
potentially overturn Roe, we pray for a positive
outcome even as we acknowledge that abortion
in New York would continue unfettered, and
even be actively promoted as a social good by
many elected officials. Sadly, New York, which
legalized abortion three years before the Roe
decision, has long been the abortion capital of
the country, a tragic and sobering distinction.
Through the years, advocates for legal
abortion have skillfully framed the narrative as
one of “choice,” and “reproductive freedom,”
completely ignoring the biological reality of
what abortion is: the intentional killing of an
innocent child in the womb. Even as sonogram
technology and advances in neonatal medicine
clearly show us the truth that what is being
“terminated” is a human life, the pro-abortion
movement refuses to address the science. The
abortion industry has been so successful in its
messaging that the right to abortion has become
inextricably linked to the notion of women’s
rights and equality for a significant portion of
the country, which is why the prospect of a
nation without Roe has led to fear and anxiety
for many people.
Millions of our fellow Americans – even, it
must be said, many of our fellow Catholics –
have succumbed to this false notion, and we must
respond to it in charity and with sensitivity, but
with clarity. The fears and anxieties of a young
woman faced with an unplanned pregnancy
are valid. She is likely terrified. She may be
overwhelmed with a plethora of legitimate
questions: How will she provide for her other
children with another baby on the way? Will the
father abandon her? Will she be able to continue
her education? Where will she and her family
live? Who will provide childcare when she goes
back to work? For many, abortion seems the
only way out.
These feelings are real, and the challenges
of an unplanned pregnancy are difficult. This
presents a pastoral challenge for bishops, clergy,
Church leaders and, indeed, for all faithful
Catholics. Often, the Catholic Church is unjustly
accused of being more concerned with the baby
in the womb than with the mother and child
once the infant has been born. As false as this
notion is, it is incumbent upon us as shepherds
to acknowledge and address that misperception.
As far back as the 1980s, the late John
Cardinal O’Connor, a giant of the pro-life
movement, made a pledge that we reaffirm
today: Any woman – regardless of age, religious
belief or affiliation, marital status or immigration
status – who is pregnant and in need, can come
to the Catholic Church and we will give you
the services and supports you need to carry
your baby to term, regardless of your ability to
pay. Furthermore, we will not abandon you and
your baby after delivery, but, rather, we will see
to it that you have the resources that you and
your child both need and deserve. No one will
be turned away from life-affirming care. If you
have had an abortion that you regret, whether
recently or in the distant past, please come to
us as well, so that we may offer you services to
help you to heal.
We ask every Catholic parish, every Catholic
Charities program, every Catholic health facility,
every Catholic school, every Catholic college
and university, and every religious community
in our state to proactively engage with us in this
pastoral effort. Together, through the New York
“Any woman – regardless
of age, religious belief or
affiliation, marital status or
immigration status – who
is pregnant and in need,
can come to the Catholic
Church and we will give you
the services and supports
you need to carry your baby
to term, regardless of your
ability to pay.”
State Catholic Conference, we have gathered a
list of many of the available resources at www.
nyscatholic.org/HelpForMoms. You can also
find a map to all Catholic parishes, schools and
Catholic Charities agencies in the state at www.
nyscatholic.org/places.
But our state and local governments must do
their part as well. Elected officials constantly
fall over themselves in rushing to announce
new initiatives to ever expand abortion in
order to garner votes. New York has long
been one of the few states to require taxpayers
to fund abortion through Medicaid. Planned
Parenthood and other abortion providers
have access to endless state funding streams.
Perhaps the most egregious piece of abortion
expansion legislation anywhere was the 2019
Reproductive Health Act. Championed by our
previous governor, this act legalizes abortion
on demand through nine months of pregnancy,
declares abortion to be a fundamental right,
allows non-physicians to perform abortions,
and even removes criminal penalties for forced
or coerced abortions. This year, our current
governor codified a provision in the state budget
requiring all health insurance plans to cover
abortion, with virtually no exemptions for
religious employers. Most recently, significant
taxpayer funds were redirected to increase
abortions in New York State.

Meanwhile, programs to support women
who make the choice to keep their babies, to
the extent that they exist at all, are starved for
funding and are not well promoted. Yet many
political leaders typically cater more to abortion
providers and advocates than to women who
might well make a different choice, if only they
were aware of and had other options.
We understand full well that no Supreme
Court decision will reduce the availability
of abortion in New York. With that reality
as a backdrop, state government has nothing
to lose and everything to gain by working
toward reducing the rate of abortion. There is
common ground to be found, even in a state like
New York. The recent state budget provision
dramatically expanding postpartum Medicaid
eligibility is proof of this. But why not work
together to do more?
New York State
Catholic Conference
WHAT WE ARE
The Catholic Conference represents
the Bishops of New York State in
public policy matters.
HOW TO REACH US
Mail: 465 State St.,
Albany, NY 12203
Phone: 518-434-6195
Fax: 518-434-9796
Email:
Website: nyscatholic.org
FIND US ON SOCIAL
/nyscatholicconference
@NYSCathConf
@NYSCathConf
● We envision a New York where a woman in
a crisis pregnancy is never made to feel that
she has no choice but to abort.
● We envision a New York where parents,
husbands or partners, as well as society at
large, do not put undue pressure on a woman
to abort her child.
● We envision a New York where access
to quality prenatal care and healthy birth
outcomes are the same whatever your ZIP
code, the color of your skin or your country
of origin.
● We envision a New York where employers and
educational institutions fully accommodate
the needs of pregnant women and new
mothers so that they can carry their babies
to term without fear of negative financial,
professional or academic consequences.
● We envision a New York where public
policies promote adoption through tax credits
and other incentives for both birth mothers
and adoptive parents.
● We envision a New York where tax policies
aimed at reducing poverty, like an expansion
of the Child Tax Credit, enable single
mothers and poor families to provide for the
basic needs of their children.
● We envision a New York where no mothers
or children fall through the cracks of the
social safety net, and quality health care is
guaranteed for all.
● We envision a New York where quality
childcare is affordable and accessible for all.
● We envision a New York where marriage
between one man and one woman is
promoted as a societal good geared toward
the stable raising of children.
● We envision a New York where boys and
men are taught to respect women and to
accept and embrace the financial, physical,
and emotional responsibilities of fatherhood.
● We envision a New York where post-abortive
women who are suffering emotionally are
given the services they need to heal, and the
acknowledgment that their pain is real.
● We envision a New York where religious
organizations can provide needed services to
pregnant women and moms while remaining
true to the tenets of their faith.
All of these goals can come to pass, even
in a state like New York. Let us not put our
trust in mere judges, legislators, governors, or
presidents. Rather, let us put our faith in God,
for whom nothing is impossible. Politicians
can change policies and laws, but only God can
convert hearts and minds.
So, in this month of Mary, mother of Jesus
and mother of us all, let us pray through her
intercession for an end to abortion in our lifetime
and let us work toward making New York a state
where even if abortion is not illegal, it will one
day be unthinkable.
May 12, 2022
Timothy Cardinal Dolan
Archbishop of New York
Most Rev. Edward B. Scharfenberger
Bishop of Albany
Most Rev. Robert J. Brennan
Bishop of Brooklyn
Most Rev. Michael W. Fisher
Bishop of Buffalo
Most Rev. Terry R. LaValley
Bishop of Ogdensburg
Most Rev. Salvatore R. Matano
Bishop of Rochester
Most Rev. John O. Barres
Bishop of Rockville Centre
Most Rev. Douglas J. Lucia
Bishop of Syracuse

Help for Moms

2022 Easter Triduum schedules for Monroe County parishes

The following list of in-person Easter Triduum Masses and services for Diocese of Rochester parishes located in Monroe County was compiled from parish bulletins and websites. If a parish doesn’t have times listed, it is because these resources were not available or updated, and information will be added to this list as soon as it becomes available. Times are subject to change, and people are advised to check parish websites for the latest information.

(Updated March 30, 2021)

Brighton

*Our Lady of Lourdes Church –150 Varinna Drive, Rochester
Thursday, April 14, 2022
7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
8:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
10:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

*St. Anne Church – 1600 Mt. Hope Avenue, Rochester
Friday, April 15, 2022
3 p.m. Good Friday Service
7:30 p.m. Good Friday Concert by Musica Spei

Saturday, April 16, 2022
8 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
9 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

 

St. Thomas More Church – 2617 East Avenue, Rochester
Thursday, April 14, 2022
7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Friday, April 15, 2022
3 p.m. Good Friday Prayer Service

Sunday, April 17, 2022
9 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

Our Lady Queen of Peace – 601 Edgewood Avenue, Brighton
Friday, April 15, 2022
2:30 p.m. Good Friday Prayer Service

Saturday, April 16, 2022
8 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
10 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

Brockport

*Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary​ – 152 Main Street, Brockport
Thursday, April 14, 2022
7:30 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Friday, April 15, 2022
3 p.m. Good Friday Service

Saturday, April 16, 2022
7:30 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
8 a.m. Easter Sunday
10 a.m. Easter Sunday
1:30 p.m. Easter Sunday Mass (Spanish)

Charlotte/Greece

*Holy Cross Church – 4492 Lake Avenue, Rochester
Friday, April 15, 2022
3 p.m. Good Friday Liturgy

Saturday, April 16, 2022
7 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday April 17, 2022
8 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
10 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

*Our Mother of Sorrows Church – 5000 Mt. Read Blvd., Greece
Thursday, April 14, 2022
7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Friday, April 15, 2022
2:30 p.m. Good Friday Liturgy

Sunday, April 17, 2022
8:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

Chili

*St. Christopher Parish – 3350 Union Street, North Chili
(Times not available as of March 30, 2022)

*St. Pius Tenth Parish – 3010 Chili Avenue, Rochester
Thursday, April 14, 2022
7:30 a.m. Morning Prayers
7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass
9 p.m. Closing Prayers

Friday, April 15, 2022
7:30 a.m. Morning Prayers
3 p.m. Good Friday Service

Saturday, April 16, 2022
7:30 a.m. Morning Prayers
11 a.m. Blessing of Food
7 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
7:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
9:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

 

Churchville/Caledonia/Scottsville

*St. Martin De Porres Parish
*St. Mary of the Assumption – 99 Main Street, Scottsville
Friday, April 15, 2022
3 p.m. Good Friday Service

Sunday, April 17, 2022
9 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

*St. Vincent de Paul – 11 North Main Street, Churchville
Saturday, April 16, 2022
8 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

*St. Columba– 198 North Street, Caledonia
Thursday, April 14, 2022
7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
9 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

East Rochester

*St. Jerome Church – 207 Garfield Street, East Rochester
Thursday, April 14, 2022
7:30 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Friday, April 15, 2022
3 p.m. Good Friday Service
8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Stations of the Cross

Saturday, April 16, 2022
8 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
8 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
10 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

Fairport

*St. John of Rochester Parish – 8 Wickford Way, Fairport
Thursday, April 14, 2022
9 a.m. Morning Prayer
7:30 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Friday, April 15, 2022
1 p.m. Good Friday Service

Saturday, April 16, 2022
8 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
7:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
9 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

*Church of the Resurrection – 63 Mason Road, Fairport
Friday, April 15, 2022
3 p.m. Good Friday Service

Sunday, April 17, 2022
9:45 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

*Church of the Assumption – 20 East Avenue, Fairport
Thursday, April 14, 2022
7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Saturday, April 16, 2022
8 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
8 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
11:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

 

Gates

The Parish of the Holy Family – 4100 Lyell Road, Rochester
Thursday, April 14, 2022
7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Friday, April 15, 2022
3 p.m. Good Friday Service
7 p.m. Vietnamese Prayer Service

Saturday, April 16, 2022
8 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
7:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
9:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
11:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass (Vietnamese)

 

*St. Theodore Parish – 168 Spencerport Road, Gates
Thursday, April 14, 2022
8:30 a.m. Morning Prayer
7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass
10 p.m. Evening Prayer

Friday, April 15, 2022
3 p.m. Good Friday Service

Saturday, April 16, 2022
7:30 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
7 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
9 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

Greece

*St. Charles Borromeo Parish – 3003 Dewey Avenue, Rochester
Thursday, April 14, 2022
8 a.m. Morning Prayer
7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Friday, April 15, 2022
8 a.m. Morning Prayer
2:30 p.m. Good Friday Service

Saturday, April 16, 2022
8 a.m. Morning Prayer
7:30 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
8:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
10:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

*St. John the Evangelist Parish – 2400 West Ridge Road, Rochester
Thursday, April 14, 2022
7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Friday, April 15, 2022
3 p.m. Good Friday Passion Service

Saturday, April 16, 2022
7 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
8 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
10 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

*St. Lawrence Parish – 1000 N. Greece Road, Rochester
Thursday, April 14, 2022
7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Friday, April 15, 2022
2 p.m. Good Friday Service

Saturday, April 16, 2022
7 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
8 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
10 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

*St. Mark Church – 54 Kuhn Road, Greece
Thursday, April 14, 2022
6 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Friday, April 15, 2022
3 p.m. Good Friday Service

Saturday, April 16, 2022
10 a.m. Easter Basket Blessing
5 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
8:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

 

Hamlin

*St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish – 3747 Brick Schoolhouse Road, Hamlin
Thursday, April 14, 2022
7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Friday, April 15, 2022
2 p.m. Good Friday Service

Saturday, April 16, 2022
7:30 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
9:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

Henrietta

St. Marianne Cope Parish
*Guardian Angels Church – 2061 E. Henrietta Rd., Rochester
Thursday, April 14, 2022
7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Friday, April 15, 2022
3 p.m. Good Friday Service
7 p.m. Tenebrae Prayer Service

Saturday, April 16, 2022
8 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
10:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

*St. Joseph Church – 6105 Rush Lima Road, Rush
Sunday, April 17, 2022
8 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

Hilton

*St. Leo the Great Parish – 167 Lake Avenue, Hilton
Thursday, April 14, 2022
7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Friday, April 15, 2022
3 p.m. Good Friday Solemn Liturgy
7 p.m. Taize Service

Saturday, April 16, 2022
9:30 a.m. Blessing of Food Baskets
7 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
7:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
9:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
11:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

Irondequoit

Peace of Christ Parish
*St. Ambrose Church – 25 Empire Blvd., Rochester
Thursday, April 14, 2022
7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass
11 p.m. Compline

Friday, April 15, 2022
12 p.m. Stations of the Cross
3 p.m. Good Friday Liturgy

Saturday, April 16, 2022
8 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
9:45 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

*St. John Church – 553 Humboldt Street, Rochester
Thursday, April 14, 2022
9 a.m. Morning Prayer

Friday, April 15, 2022
9 a.m. Morning Prayer

Sunday, April 17, 2022
9 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

*St. James Church – Brett Road, Rochester
Saturday, April 16, 2022
9 a.m. Morning Prayer

Sunday, April 17, 2022
8 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
11:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

Saint Kateri Tekawitha Parish
*Christ the King Church – 445 Kings Highway South, Rochester
Thursday, April 14, 2022
7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Friday, April 15, 2022
3 p.m. Good Friday Service

Saturday, April 16, 2022
7 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

*St. Margaret Mary Church – 401 Rogers Parkway, Rochester
Sunday, April 17, 2022
9:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

*St. Cecilia Church – 2732 Culver Road, Rochester
Sunday, April 17, 2022
8 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

*St. Alban Church at St. Cecilia Church (Part of the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, a Catholic diocese with Angelican traditions)

Tuesday, April 12, 2022
8 p.m. Tenebrae Service

Wednesday, April 13, 2022
7 p.m. Spy Wednesday Mass

Thursday, April 14, 2022
7 p.m. Maundy Thursday Mass

Friday, April 15, 2022
12 p.m. Good Friday Liturgy

Saturday, April 16, 2022
10 a.m. Mattins
8 p.m. Easter Vigil

Sunday, April 17, 2022
11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

Mendon/Pittsford

*St. Catherine of Siena Parish – 26 Mendon-Ionia Road, Mendon
Thursday, April 14, 2022
7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Friday, April 15, 2022
3 p.m. Good Friday Service

Sunday, April 17, 2022
8:45 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
10:45 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

*Church of the Transfiguration – 50 West Bloomfield Rd, Pittsford
Friday, April 15, 2022
2:30 p.m. Good Friday Service
7 p.m. Stations of the Cross

Saturday, April 16, 2022
8 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
8:45 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
10:45 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

Penfield

*Church of the Holy Spirit – 1355 Hatch Road, Webster
Thursday, April 14, 2022
9 a.m. Morning Prayer
7:30 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Friday, April 15, 2022
9 a.m. Morning Prayer
2 p.m. Good Friday Service

Saturday, April 16, 2022
9 a.m. Morning Prayer
8 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
8:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

*St. Joseph Church – 43 Gebhardt Road, Penfield
Thursday, April 14, 2022
9 a.m. Morning Prayer
7:30 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Friday, April 15, 2022
9 a.m. Morning Prayer
3 p.m. Good Friday Service
7 p.m. Seven Last Words Service

Saturday, April 16, 2022
9 a.m. Morning Prayer
8 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
8 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
9:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
12:30 p.m. Easter Sunday Mass

Pittsford

*St. Louis Church – 64 South Main Street, Pittsford
Thursday, April 14, 2022
7 p.m.

Friday, April 15, 2022
3 p.m. Good Friday Service

Saturday, April 16, 2022
8 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
8 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
10:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
12:30 p.m. Easter Sunday Mass

Rochester

Holy Apostles Church – 7 Austin Street, Rochester
(Times not available as of March 30, 2022)

*Immaculate Conception/St. Bridget Church – 445 Frederick Douglass Street, Rochester
Thursday, April 14, 2022
6 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Friday, April 15, 2022
12 p.m. Good Friday Service

Saturday, April 16, 2022
7:01 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
10 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

*St. Monica Church/Emmanuel Church for the Deaf – 34 Monica Street at Genesee Street
Thursday, April 14, 2022
7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Friday, April 15, 2022
3 p.m. Good Friday Service
7 p.m. Stations of the Cross in American Sign Language – Emmanuel Church of the Deaf

Sunday, April 17, 2022
9 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass followed by Easter Egg Hunt
11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass (Emmanuel Church for the Deaf)

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Parish
*St. Michael Church – 869 North Clinton Avenue, Rochester
Friday, April 15, 2022
3 p.m. Good Friday Service (Bilingual)

Sunday, April 17, 2022
11:45 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass (Spanish)
2 p.m. Easter Sunday Mass (English)

*Annunication Church – 1754 Norton Street, Rochester
Thursday, April 14, 2022
8 a.m. Morning Prayer (English)

Saturday, April 16, 2022
8 a.m. Rosary of the Seven Sorrows (English)
8 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass (Bilingual)

Sunday, April 17, 2022
9:45 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass (English)

*Our Lady of Americas (Corpus Christi) – 864 E. Main Street, Rochester
Thursday, April 14, 2022
9 a.m. Morning Prayer (Spanish)
7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass (Bilingual)

Friday, April 15, 2022
11:30 a.m. Ecumenical Walk for Peace with the Stations of the Cross (Bilingual)

Saturday, April 16, 2022
9 a.m. Rosary of the Seven Sorrows (Spanish)

Sunday, April 17, 2022
9 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass (English)
11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass (Spanish)

Southeast Rochester Catholic Community
*Blessed Sacrament Church – 534 Oxford Street, Rochester
Friday, April 15, 2022
3 p.m. Good Friday Service
7 p.m. Taize

Sunday, April 17, 2022
9:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
12 p.m. Easter Sunday Mass

*St. Boniface Church – 330 Gregory Street, Rochester
Saturday, April 16, 2022
8 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
9 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

*St. Mary Church – 15 St. Mary’s Place, Rochester
Thursday, April 14, 2022
8:30 a.m. Morning Prayer
7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Friday, April 15, 2022
8:30 a.m. Morning Prayer
12:10 p.m. Good Friday Service

Saturday, April 16, 2022
8:30 a.m. Morning Prayer

Sunday, April 17, 2022
10:45 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

*Sacred Heart Cathedral – 296 Flower City Park, Rochester
(Times not available as of March 30, 2022)

*St. Stanislaus Kostka Church – 34 St. Stanislaus Street, Rochester
Thursday, April 14, 2022
7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Friday, April 15, 2022
3 p.m. Good Friday Liturgy (English)
6 p.m. Good Friday Liturgy (Polish)

Saturday, April 16, 2022
1 p.m. Basket Blessing with Bishop Salvatore R. Matano
8:15 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
6:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass (Polish)
9 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass (English)
11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass (Polish)

Spencerport

*St. John the Evangelist Church – 55 Martha Street, Spencerport
Thursday, April 14, 2022
9 a.m. Morning Prayer
7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Friday, April 15, 2022
9 a.m. Morning Prayer
3 p.m. Good Friday Service

Saturday, April 16, 2022
9 a.m. Morning Prayer
2 p.m. Blessing of Food/Easter Baskets
8 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
7:45 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
9:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
11:15 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

 

Webster

*St. Paul Church – 783 Hard Road, Webster
Thursday, April 14, 2022
7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Friday, April 15, 2022
3 p.m. Good Friday Service

Saturday, April 16, 2022
11 a.m. Blessing of Food
8 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
9 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

*St. Rita Church – 1008 Maple Drive, Webster
Thursday, April 14, 2022
7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass

Friday, April 15, 2022
3 p.m. Good Friday Service

Saturday, April 16, 2022
8 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Sunday, April 17, 2022
7:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
9:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass
11:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass

*Holy Trinity Church – 1460 Ridge Rd., Webster
(Times not available as of March 30, 2022)

Rochester parish invites all to a Good Friday walk for peace

All are welcome to join St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Parish in Rochester for a Good Friday ecumenical walk for peace.

Participants will gather in the parking lot of Corpus Christi Church/Our Lady of Americas, 864 Main St., at 11:30 a.m April 15. From there, participants will walk toward St. Michael Church on North Clinton Avenue, making 14 stops along the way in places where violent crimes have occurred. At each stop, participants will pause for reflections and prayers for peace with the Stations of the Cross. Members of the community will be dressed up to play the different characters of the Passion.

The walk is expected to reach St. Michael Church around 2:30 p.m. There will be sacred music inside the church before the Good Friday service at 3 p.m.

Participants can leave their cars at Corpus Christi. A bus, which will follow the procession for those unable to walk the whole way, will take participants back to their cars immediately following the walk, after the sacred music and again after the Good Friday service.

Those interested in joining in the walk are encouraged to sign up at http://tinyurl.com/WalkforPeaceRochester by April 4 so that the parish can plan for buses and T-shirts.

For more information, contact Father Daniel Ruiz at 585-210-3024 or email .

Victor pre-K joins Rochester Diocese’s Catholic-school family

St. Patrick Preschool, founded 25 years ago as a ministry of St. Patrick Parish in Victor, is now part of the Diocese of Rochester’s Catholic schools.

“We’re growing and excited to welcome St. Patrick’s Preschool into our Rochester Catholic School family,” James Tauzel, superintendent of Rochester Catholic schools, said in a March 16 press release. “St. Patrick’s Preschool is committed to providing a quality education to all of their students and has a longstanding history and commitment to supporting, teaching and caring for families for the last 25 years. We couldn’t be more excited to have them join us.”

The preschool currently offers a structured half-day program for 3 year olds, as well as a half-day program for 4- and 5-year-old children.

Notre Dame Retreat House in Canandaigua to close in 2023

Notre Dame Retreat House in Canandaigua will close its doors during the summer of 2023.

The Redemptorist priests of the Baltimore Province will cease to offer their long-standing retreat ministry at the facility by Aug. 1, 2023, according to the retreat house’s rector, Redemptorist Father Joseph “Frank” Jones.

The impending closure is due to a combination of several factors, but chief among those are financial challenges as well as a lack of priests available to staff the ministry, Father Jones said.

“This happened kind of quickly for us, but I know it’s been in the background for a long time. Manpower has been a simple, cold, hard fact to deal with for a number of years,” Father Jones explained. “Like all religious orders and the diocese, you can’t do things without the manpower. Just as the diocese has been forced to close various parishes, the superiors of the Redemptorists of the Baltimore Province made the decision that we needed to close the Canandaigua (ministry).”

The Redemptorists established Notre Dame Retreat House in the mid-1960s and since then have offered numerous retreats and conferences at the retreat house, which is situated on a hillside overlooking Canandaigua Lake. The Redemptorists of the Baltimore Province do own the retreat house and its grounds, but as of yet there have been no discussions about whether the property might be sold, Father Jones said.

Retreats and events scheduled to occur at Notre Dame Retreat House during 2022 will still take place, he added.

“We have no plans of changing anything or discontinuing any programs until the end of December of this year. I will be meeting with my staff this upcoming week to discuss what we can do into 2023,” Father Jones said.

Parishes, schools and diocesan agencies with events scheduled to take place at the retreat house were encouraged to check in with Notre Dame’s staff, according to a Feb. 25 memo from Bishop Salvatore R. Matano.

The Redemptorist priests and the valuable ministry they provided within the Diocese of Rochester will be greatly missed, according to Bishop Matano.

“This is sad news for our Diocese, which for so many years has enjoyed and benefited from the ministry of the Redemptorists, who have provided parish ministry, as well as much-needed times for prayer, contemplation and sacramental enrichment at retreats, days of recollection and other spiritual programs for our priests, deacons, religious, laity and our youth,” Bishop Matano stated in his memo.

Filling the void left by the Redemptorists and their ministry at Notre Dame Retreat House will be “a great task,” yet Bishop Matano appreciates the reasons for the congregation’s decision and unites with the Redemptorists in prayer and thanksgiving as they seek to carry out their mission with the resources and personnel available to them, he wrote.

“At the same time, we pray that the Lord will bless them with vocations to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer and one day they will return to our Diocese,” Bishop Matano wrote.