About Church of the Nativity Parish @ St. Patrick · Otisco, New York
The Church of the Nativity at St. Patrick's is a historic mission Catholic church nestled in the hills of Otisco, New York, in southern Onondaga County. Originally founded by Irish farming families in the mid-19th century, St. Patrick's has served as a mission church from the beginning and is today one of four parishes within the multi-site Church of the Nativity cluster, alongside St. Leo's in Tully, Immaculate Conception in Pompey, and St. Joseph's in LaFayette. The current stone-and-frame church was begun in 1888 and has its cornerstone laid in 1889. Today a single Sunday Mass is celebrated at 11:30 AM, with parishioners sharing faith-formation programs, outreach, and devotional life with the rest of the cluster under the pastoral care of the Diocese of Syracuse.
- Established
- 1889
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Rev. Dennis Walker
- Diocese
- Diocese of Syracuse
Why belong here
St. Patrick's is a small, mission-style parish where nearly everyone knows one another, set in the rolling hills of Otisco with a Sunday Mass followed by a coffee hour in the renovated basement. The parish shares clergy, faith formation, RCIA, and outreach ministries with the other three parishes of the Church of the Nativity cluster, so parishioners benefit from a wider community while keeping the intimacy of a country mission church. It is a welcoming place for families seeking sacramental preparation, adults wanting to learn more about the Catholic faith through RCIA or adult formation, and anyone wanting to participate in a tight-knit parish that still hosts a beloved annual Harvest Dinner in its parish hall.
Mass times at Church of the Nativity Parish @ St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday 6:00–7:00 PM at St. Joseph's, LaFayette
- Saturday 3:30–4:15 PM at St. Leo's, Tully
- Friday (Lent) 11:00–11:25 AM at St. Leo's, Tully
Adoration times
- Monday 6:00–7:00 PM at St. Joseph's, LaFayette (Confession available)
- Thursday 9:00–10:00 AM at St. Leo's, Tully (follows Daily Mass)
About the Church of the Nativity at St. Patrick's
St. Patrick's is a historic mission Catholic church on Route 80 in Otisco, New York, part of the multi-site Church of the Nativity cluster in the Diocese of Syracuse. The parish has only one Mass each week — Sunday at 11:30 AM — and shares clergy, religious education, and outreach with its sister parishes in Pompey, Tully, and LaFayette.
- Mass Time: Sunday 11:30 AM
- Street address: 1865 NY-80, Otisco, NY 13159
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 574, Tully, NY 13159
- Parish phone: (315) 696-5140
- Email: [email protected]
History of St. Patrick's
The first recorded Mass in Otisco was celebrated in 1853 in the home of the Flannigan family, at a time when Irish settlers were farming the surrounding hills. The first St. Patrick's Church was completed on June 1, 1871, a short distance north of the present church; it eventually burned down according to local tradition. The current church was begun in early 1888 by the Reverend J. V. Simmons and its cornerstone was laid on April 25, 1889. From the beginning it was a service-only mission church, never an independent parish.
- 1853 — First Mass celebrated in the Flannigan family home
- 1871 — First St. Patrick's Church completed (June 1); cemetery remains near this original site
- 1888 — Construction of the present church begun by Rev. J. V. Simmons
- 1889 — Cornerstone laid April 25
- Father Lou Aiello era — church basement totally renovated (walls, floors, electrical; bathroom, kitchen sink, refrigerator, fireplace added)
- Parish hall across the street acquired and renovated under volunteer Dick Hughes
The Church of the Nativity Cluster
St. Patrick's belongs to a four-parish cluster known as the Church of the Nativity, which shares one pastor and combines sacramental, formation, and outreach ministries across southern Onondaga County. Daily Mass, Reconciliation, Eucharistic Adoration, and most formation programs are offered at the cluster's other churches, while St. Patrick's provides a single Sunday morning Mass and a beloved coffee hour afterward.
- St. Leo's, Tully — site of the Saturday Vigil (4:30 PM), daily Mass (Mon–Thu 8:30 AM, Fri 12 PM in Lent), and Saturday Reconciliation
- Immaculate Conception, Pompey — Sunday Mass at 8:00 AM; site of cluster-wide RCIA
- St. Joseph's, LaFayette — Sunday Mass at 9:30 AM; site of Monday Reconciliation and Adoration
- St. Patrick's, Otisco — Sunday Mass at 11:30 AM
Clergy & Parish Staff
The cluster is led by Rev. Dennis Walker, who serves as Administrator/Pastor of all four parishes of the Church of the Nativity. Father Dennis was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Syracuse on June 5, 2021, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, and was assigned to the southern Onondaga cluster on November 15, 2023. He has also been appointed Director of the Office of Vocation Promotion for the Diocese of Syracuse and Chaplain for the Boy Scouts of America within the diocese.
- Rev. Dennis Walker — Administrator / Pastor (St. Leo's & St. Patrick's direct line: (315) 696-5092)
- Parish Office contacts: Ann Christmas (Immaculate Conception), Linda Swan (St. Leo's), Peg Sutton (St. Joseph's)
- Religious Education contact for St. Leo's & St. Patrick's: Rev. Dennis Walker (315) 696-5092
- Liturgy: Linda Swan (St. Leo's), Ann Derr (Immaculate Conception)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Patrick's offers a Youth Faith Formation program that runs September through May and walks children from kindergarten through high school through understanding, reflection, discussion, and growth in their Catholic faith, including preparation for the sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist, and Confirmation. Adults are served through Adult Faith Formation classes and events, scheduled periodically and publicized in the bulletin.
- Youth Faith Formation — 30-hour program from September through May
- Sacramental preparation for Reconciliation, First Eucharist, and Confirmation
- Confirmation preparation for high-school students
- Adult Faith Formation — periodic classes and events; contact Louise Lutz ([email protected]) with suggestions
- VIRTUS certification required for anyone teaching or volunteering with children
RCIA — Becoming Catholic
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) at the Church of the Nativity is intended to instruct in the Catholic Faith those seeking full communion with the Church through Baptism, Confirmation, and/or Holy Communion. The cluster's RCIA program is conducted at Immaculate Conception Church in Pompey and is open to anyone not yet baptized, baptized in another tradition, baptized Catholic but not yet fully initiated, or fully initiated Catholics wanting deeper catechetical knowledge.
- RCIA inquiries: Rev. Dennis Walker, (315) 696-5140 or [email protected]
- Location: Immaculate Conception Church, Pompey
Outreach & Charity
The cluster operates outreach ministries including a food pantry for the local area, with St. Leo's and St. Patrick's sharing a dedicated outreach contact. These efforts respond to material need in southern Onondaga County and are part of the parish's wider mission of making disciples and serving the community.
- St. Leo's / St. Patrick's Outreach: (315) 696-5092
- Fabius-Pompey Outreach: (315) 677-3590
- LaFayette Outreach: (315) 677-5221
Parish Hall & Community Life
Across the street from the church stands the parish hall, which was acquired and substantially renovated by parishioner Dick Hughes and many other volunteers. Today it serves both the parish — hosting Faith Formation classes and the annual Harvest Dinner — and the wider Otisco community. The renovated church basement below the sanctuary hosts religious-education classes and the well-attended Sunday morning coffee hour that follows the 11:30 AM Mass.
- Parish hall used for Harvest Dinner and Faith Formation classes
- Basement hosts Sunday coffee hour and religious-education classes
- Inquiries about using the parish hall can be directed to the parish office
Parish Cemetery
The St. Patrick's cemetery is located near the site of the original 1871 church, approximately a quarter-mile north of the present church on Route 80. It remains an active part of the parish's ministry and a tangible link to its earliest Catholic settlers.
- Cemetery located near the original 1871 church site
- Inquiries: contact the parish office at (315) 696-5140
Sacraments
Parishioners are asked to call the parish office for the sacraments of Baptism and Marriage, and also to arrange hospital visits and the Anointing of the Sick. Preparation for First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, and Confirmation is provided through the Youth Faith Formation program; the high-school Confirmation program is designed to strengthen young Catholics to spread and defend the faith as true witnesses of Christ.
- Baptism — by arrangement with the parish office
- Marriage — by arrangement with the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick / hospital visits — by arrangement with the parish office
- First Reconciliation & First Eucharist — through Youth Faith Formation
- Confirmation — high-school sacramental preparation
Location & Contact
St. Patrick's sits on NY Route 80 in the rural Town of Otisco in southern Onondaga County, an area the parish describes as 'one of the most beautiful parts of CNY.' The mailing address uses Tully, NY 13159, reflecting its position within the larger Church of the Nativity cluster based in Tully.
- Street address: 1865 NY Route 80, Otisco, NY 13159
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 574, Tully, NY 13159
- Phone: (315) 696-5140
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://stpatricksotisco.org
- Cluster website: https://www.nativityny.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. J. V. Simmons1888–
Built the present St. Patrick's Church beginning in early 1888; cornerstone laid April 25, 1889.
- Father Lou Aiello
As then-pastor, led the total renovation of the church basement (walls, floors, electrical), creating space for religious-education classes and the Sunday coffee hour.