About Corpus Christi. Cabrini Parish. · Rochester, New York
Corpus Christi Church, located at 864 East Main Street in Rochester, NY, is one of three remaining worship sites of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Parish (Cabrini Parish), a Roman Catholic community that was constituted in 2011 to serve northeast Rochester under the patronage of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini. Originally established in 1888 as the 14th parish in Rochester, Corpus Christi grew rapidly in the early 20th century and today operates bilingually in English and Spanish, hosting Our Lady of the Americas Masses for the Latino community. It is pastored by Rev. Father Daniel Ruiz-Sierra, the parish's first Latino pastor, alongside parochial vicar Rev. Father Robert (Bob) Werth and four deacons, within the Diocese of Rochester.
- Established
- 1888
- Patron
- Corpus Christi (Body of Christ); also known within the merged parish as Our Lady of the Americas for its Hispanic ministry
- Rector
- Rev. Father Daniel Ruiz-Sierra (also referred to on the parish site as 'Father Daniel Ruiz' or simply 'Father Daniel')
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester
Why belong here
Corpus Christi — now part of Cabrini Parish — is a bilingual (English and Spanish) Catholic community in northeast Rochester with deep roots going back to 1888 and a fierce commitment to charity that goes back to the founding Ladies' Aid Society of 1903. The parish runs free Pre-K through 7th-grade faith formation, youth ministry and Confirmation for grades 8–12, adult formation, the 'Light and Salt' young-adult group, OCIA for those becoming Catholic, sanctuary-candle and Mass-intention prayer ministries, and the annual Spanish Holy Hour each Friday evening at the Main Street church. It is also the home of the merged parish's Hispanic ministry, Our Lady of the Americas — an especially welcoming place for new Spanish-speaking parishioners in the city.
Mass times at Corpus Christi. Cabrini Parish.
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 2:30–3:30 pm at Annunciation (1760 Norton St) — weekly scheduled slot
- By appointment: English — contact Father Bob Werth at (585) 633-0098, [email protected]
- By appointment: Spanish — contact Father Daniel Ruiz via text or WhatsApp / voicemail at (585) 210-3024, [email protected]
Adoration times
- Holy Hour in Spanish — Friday 7:00 pm at Corpus Christi (864 E. Main St)
- Lenten and parish-wide Adoration — see cabriniroc.org/lent for current opportunities
Parish Overview
Cabrini Parish was constituted in 2011 to serve the Catholic community of northeast Rochester under the patronage of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first American citizen to be canonized a saint. The merged parish gathered the faithful of twelve former parishes — St. Philip Neri, Holy Redeemer, St. Francis Xavier, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, St. Andrew, Light of Christ, Our Lady of the Americas, Our Lady of Sorrows, Corpus Christi, St. Michael, and Annunciation — but only Annunciation (1760 Norton Street), Corpus Christi (864 East Main Street), and St. Michael (869 N. Clinton Avenue) remain in active Catholic use as worship sites. The parish is bilingual (English and Spanish) and belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, which serves twelve New York State counties.
The Patron — St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850–1917), an Italian-born religious sister, was canonized in 1946 by Pope Pius XII. At the suggestion of Pope Leo XIII, she brought her Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart to the United States in 1889 and eventually became a U.S. citizen herself. The parish citation highlights her leadership and financial skill, her work in healthcare and schools, and her insistence that her fellow Italian immigrants 'had to be good American citizens.' Her congregation — now international — founded schools, hospitals, and charitable institutions, and the parish continues her legacy of faith, education, and service to immigrants.
Corpus Christi Church — History
Founded in 1888 as Rochester's 14th parish, Corpus Christi initially served the city's east end out of the older 'Irish' parishes of St. Mary's and St. Bridget's. The first pastor, Fr. James J. Leary, oversaw construction of the J. Foster Warner–designed church-school (dedicated by Bishop McQuaid in 1888; school opened in 1889). His successor, Msgr. Dennis J. Curran (also Vicar-General), built the present-day church on the corner property — designed by Gordon and Madden and dedicated by Bishop McQuaid on June 14, 1903 — and the present rectory. The third pastor, Fr. John F. O'Hern, became Rochester's third bishop in 1929. Subsequent pastorates (Hart, Maney, Dailey, Callan, McMullin, Panepinto, Gitau/Housel, Palma, McGrath/Werth, McGrath) carried the parish through the post-war migrations of the 1950s–70s and the urban decline of the late 20th century; in 2011 Corpus Christi was merged into Cabrini Parish.
Other Former Parishes Now Part of Cabrini Parish
The merged Cabrini Parish absorbed several other former churches in the northeast Rochester area, documented on the parish's 'The Parish' page:
- Our Lady of Sorrows (10 Dake St.) — Italian mission church organized 1924; dedicated 1929; closed October 1938; building became the Genesee Settlement House (led by Fr. Joseph Vogt, 1939) and was eventually demolished.
- St. Philip Neri (1782 Clifford Ave.) — established 1929 as a mission, 1959 as a parish; present church built 1969; closed August 2003. The tabernacle now at Sacred Heart Cathedral was recovered from St. Philip Neri, where Fr. George J. Weinmann and School Sister of Notre Dame Lilian Marie McLaughlin died rescuing the Most Blessed Sacrament.
Architecture & Buildings
The Corpus Christi church building at 864 East Main Street was designed by the Rochester firm Gordon and Madden and dedicated by Bishop McQuaid on June 14, 1903; the rectory beside it dates from the same campaign. The original J. Foster Warner combination church-school (church upstairs, school downstairs) survives as the central portion of the present-day parish school after later wings were added.
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
All parish faith formation programs are free and open to all. The Pre-K through 7th Grade program meets on listed Saturdays from 10:00 am to 11:30 am at 869 N. Clinton Ave (next to St. Michael's), with snack provided; includes preparation for First Confession and First Communion. The Grades 8–12 program covers youth ministry, Confirmation preparation, and high-school formation. Registration forms and current year calendars are linked from the parish FAQ page. Adult Faith Formation gathers for bilingual and Spanish sessions throughout the year, including family retreats, Eucharistic Revival evenings, parish-feast celebrations, and a special Parents' session.
OCIA — Becoming Catholic
The parish runs OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) for those interested in becoming Catholic and for baptized Christians seeking full communion. Interested adults can contact Father Daniel Ruiz ((585) 210-3024 / [email protected]).
Adult Formation, Young Adults & Couples
Adult Faith Formation events include Lenten retreats, Eucharistic Revival evenings (Wednesdays at Corpus Christi), bilingual patronal-feast Masses (Annunciation in April, Corpus Christi / Our Lady of the Americas in June, Our Lady of Mount Carmel / Our Lady of Perpetual Help in July, St. Philip Neri in August, and a Hispanic Heritage procession on September 15). The 'Light and Salt' young-adult group meets for service and social activities (e.g., July 26 at Rochester Hope, 859 N. Clinton Ave, followed by a social). A Couples Ministry supports engaged and married couples, in connection with the parish's marriage preparation.
Prayer, Devotions & Sanctuary Candle
The parish's 'Service of Prayer' page treats prayer as the spiritual work of mercy that unites the Body of Christ. Three great means of joining one's intentions to the Eucharist are offered: Mass Intentions (suggested $10 donation), the week-long Sanctuary Candle before the Blessed Sacrament ($12, listed weekly in the bulletin), and the weekly Altar Bread and Wine Offering. A parish Prayer Line (English and Spanish) and a Prayer for the Sick and Shut-Ins list (published weekly in the bulletin) keep the community united in intercession.
- Mass Intentions — offered for living or deceased; suggested $10 donation
- Sanctuary Candle — one week of candle burning for an intention; $12 donation
- Altar Bread and Wine Offering — weekly offering
- English Prayer Line — (585) 288-6107, Frances C. Grillo
- Spanish Prayer Line — (585) 325-4041
- Prayer for the Sick and Shut-Ins — contact Elvy Delgado, [email protected]
Sacraments & Pastoral Care
The parish celebrates all seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. Baptisms are free (no classes in January or February); First Confession and First Communion are prepared through the Pre-K–7 faith formation program; Confirmation is prepared through the Grades 8–12 youth ministry program. Couples should contact the parish office (Fr. Bob for English weddings, Fr. Daniel for Spanish weddings) at least six months before the wedding. The Anointing of the Sick is available upon request for any parishioner. Pastoral care (English/bilingual) is handled by Father Bob Werth; Spanish pastoral care is handled by Father Daniel Ruiz, reachable by phone, text, or WhatsApp.
Staff & How to Reach Us
Cabrini Parish is staffed by Pastor Father Daniel Ruiz-Sierra (a Colombian-born priest, reachable in Spanish by phone/text/WhatsApp at (585) 210-3024), Parochial Vicar Father Bob Werth (English pastoral care, (585) 633-0098), four deacons (Bienvenido DeJesús, Jorge Malavé, Agenol Rodríguez, and Carlos Vargas), and lay staff including Dawn Burdick (Pastoral Associate / Faith Formation Coordinator, 585-622-4594), Gloria Taveras (Assistant for Faith Formations and Communications), and Elvy Delgado (Prayer for the Sick and Shut-Ins). Diocesan Victim Assistance is coordinated by Deborah Housel (585-328-3228 ext. 1555 / 1-800-388-7177 ext. 1555 / [email protected]); the parish follows the Diocese of Rochester's Safe Environment policies.
Locations
Cabrini Parish has three active worship sites in northeast Rochester plus a central parish office:
- Corpus Christi Church (Our Lady of the Americas) — 864 East Main Street, Rochester, NY 14605
- Annunciation Church — 1760 Norton Street, Rochester, NY 14609
- St. Michael Church — 869 N. Clinton Avenue, Rochester, NY 14605
- Parish Office — 80 Prince Street, Rochester, NY 14605
- Parish Phone — (585) 325-4041
Why This Parish
For more than 135 years, Corpus Christi has been a place of worship, charity, and cultural diversity on Rochester's east side — from the founding Ladies' Aid Society (1903) to the Catholic Charity Guild (1912) that seeded today's Catholic Charities, and now to a bilingual ministry (English and Spanish) that welcomes new waves of immigrants. Worship is offered at three historic churches; faith formation is free at every level; the parish runs the Hispanic ministry 'Our Lady of the Americas'; and the current pastor is a Spanish-speaking priest personally chosen by the bishop to stabilize and renew the community.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. James J. Leary1888–1901
Founding pastor; acquired Main Street site and built the original church-school (architect J. Foster Warner), dedicated by Bishop McQuaid in 1888.
- Msgr. Dennis J. Curran1901–1922
Second pastor and Vicar-General of the Diocese of Rochester; built the present Corpus Christi church (architects Gordon and Madden), dedicated June 14, 1903; also built the present rectory.
- Fr. John F. O'Hern1922–1929
Third pastor; later named third Bishop of Rochester in 1929; also served as vicar-general while at Corpus Christi.
- Msgr. William M. Hart1929–1955
Also Vicar-General; 'a man of high intelligence and great wit' who supported several Rochester bishops.
- Msgr. John E. Maney1955–1976
Chancellor of the Diocese; administered Corpus Christi during Msgr. Hart's long illness (1956–1962), then served as pastor.
- Fr. Joseph W. Dailey1976–1977
Temporary administrator.
- James B. Callan1977–1998
Administrator; led the parish through urban decline and demographic change after white flight.
- Charlotte Bruney and Kathleen CannonSep. 6, 1998 – Oct. 17, 1998
Co-administrators (lay).
- Fr. Daniel McMullin1998–2001
Administrator.
- Vincent Panepinto2001–2010
Pastorate ended upon suspension.
- Fr. Paul Gitau and Deborah A. Housel2010–2011
Co-administrators (clergy and lay).
- Deacon David Palma2011–July 2012
Administrator during the transition into Cabrini Parish.
- Fr. William F. McGrath and Fr. Robert WerthJuly 2012 – June 25, 2019
Co-pastorate across the merged parishes.
- Fr. William F. McGrath2019 – June 29, 2021
Continued alone as pastor after the co-pastorate ended.
- Fr. Daniel Ruiz-SierraJune 29, 2021 – Present
First Latino pastor; Colombian-born priest brought to New York in 2010 by then-Bishop Matthew Clark.