About Holy Family · Little Falls, New York
Holy Family Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Little Falls, New York, formed in 1992 through the merger of three historic Little Falls congregations: St. Mary's (founded 1833), Sacred Heart (1911), and St. Joseph's (1923). The parish is housed in the grand St. Mary's Church, locally called 'The Cathedral of the West,' within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany. With roughly 950 registered members across Herkimer County and beyond, Holy Family welcomes individuals and families into a community committed to prayer, lifelong faith formation, service, and the Sacraments, with Mass celebrated in both English and Latin.
- Established
- 1992
- Patron
- Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph (parish name; church building historically dedicated as St. Mary of the Assumption / St. Mary's Church)
- Rector
- Rev. Brian Slezak (Fr. Brian Slezak)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany
Why belong here
Holy Family Parish is a faith community serving all of Herkimer County from the historic 1879 Gothic church known as 'The Cathedral of the West.' Whether you come to one of three weekend Masses (English at St. Joseph's Dolgeville, English and Latin at Holy Family), bring a child to weekly Faith Formation, register for OCIA (becoming Catholic), or join the parish's weekly prayers for the sick and dying and Holy Souls in Purgatory, you will find a small, welcoming, missionary parish committed to prayer, lifelong learning, service, and pastoral support.
Mass times at Holy Family
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday: 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM (Holy Family)
- Friday: 8:00 AM to 8:50 AM (Holy Family)
- Saturday: 8:00 AM to 8:50 AM (1st Saturdays only; Holy Family)
- Saturday: 3:00 PM to 3:45 PM (Holy Family)
- Sunday: 7:30 AM to 7:45 AM (St. Joseph Church)
Adoration times
- Thursday: 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM (Holy Family) — open to all area Catholics
- First Fridays: Holy Family
- Volunteer Adorers may sign up by calling the Parish Office
Who We Are
Holy Family Parish was formed in 1992 from the merger of St. Mary's (1833), Sacred Heart (1911), and St. Joseph's (1923) — three historic congregations of Little Falls. The parish is housed at St. Mary's Church, the Gothic 'Cathedral of the West,' in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany. The parish counts about 950 registered families and welcomes individuals from throughout Herkimer County and beyond. The parish mission is to be witnesses of Jesus Christ and to continue His mission of bringing all people to God — inspiring, encouraging, strengthening, challenging, teaching, and inviting all people to follow the great commandments to love God and one another.
Our Story — The Catholic Parishes of Little Falls
Catholic life in Little Falls began with Irish laborers who came for the construction of the Erie Canal and first worshipped in the Octagon Church. Bishop John Hughes established St. Mary's Parish in 1838, with Father Joseph Burke the first resident pastor. The first St. Mary of the Assumption church (1847) was destroyed by fire in 1866, with only a Crucifix surviving and now preserved in the present sacristy. Italian, Polish, Slovenian, and Ukrainian immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries built their own parishes — Sacred Heart (Polish, 1911) and St. Joseph's (Italian, 1923) among others — so that at one time Little Falls had four separate Catholic parishes. By 1992 they merged into Holy Family Parish, which now serves as the home of Catholic life across Herkimer County.
- 1833 / 1838 – St. Mary's Parish founded (Bishop John Hughes; first pastor Fr. Joseph Burke)
- 1842 – Father John Shanahan becomes pastor (September 8, 1842)
- 1847 – First St. Mary of the Assumption church built
- 1866 – Original 1847 church destroyed by fire; Crucifix survives
- 1874–1879 – Construction of present Gothic St. Mary's Church (cornerstone 1878, first Mass Christmas Day 1879)
- 1889 – St. Mary's Academy opens (enlarged 1911)
- 1891 – Rectory built
- 1903 – Convent for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet built
- 1911 – Sacred Heart (Polish) parish founded
- 1923 – St. Joseph's (Italian) parish founded
- 1992 – Merger of St. Mary's, Sacred Heart, and St. Joseph's into Holy Family Parish
St. Mary's Church — 'The Cathedral of the West'
The Gothic-style St. Mary's Church was built between 1874 and 1879 using stone mined from local Little Falls quarries. The bell tower and steeple rise 185 feet and are topped with a gilded cross. The stained-glass windows combine pieces from the former Italian St. Joseph's and Polish Sacred Heart parishes and were originally designed by John Hardman & Company of Birmingham, England, depicting episodes from the life of Jesus Christ. Three-dimensional stone Stations of the Cross stand between the windows. A Crucifix that was the only relic saved from the 1866 fire is preserved in the priest's sacristy.
- Architectural style: Gothic Revival
- Bell tower/steeple height: 185 feet with gilded cross
- Stained-glass designed by John Hardman & Co. of Birmingham, England
- Three-dimensional stone Stations of the Cross
- Crucifix salvaged from 1861/1866 fire displayed in sacristy
Other Devotions & Services
Beyond Mass, Confession, and Adoration, the parish also hosts weekly devotions praying for the sick, the dying, and the Holy Souls in Purgatory.
- Weekly Prayers for the Sick, Dying, and Holy Souls in Purgatory — Wednesdays 5:30 PM at Holy Family
- Weekly Prayers for the Sick, Dying, and Holy Souls in Purgatory — Wednesdays 4:00 PM at St. Joseph Church (Dolgeville)
Becoming Catholic — OCIA
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) is Holy Family's formal process for welcoming unbaptized adults, baptized Christians of another denomination seeking full communion, and baptized-but-unformed Catholics who have not received Eucharist or Confirmation. The journey moves through Inquiry, Catechumenate, the Lenten Sacraments of Initiation (customarily at the Easter Vigil), and Mystagogy. A separate, age-appropriate OCIA track exists for youths 8–13.
- Inquiry — initial period of instruction and questions
- Catechumenate — extended study with a parish mentor, mainly independent study with video curriculum
- Sacraments of Initiation at Easter Vigil (Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation)
- Mystagogy — post-initiation reflection and ministry involvement
- OCIA for Children & Youth ages 8–13
- Religious Education for children under 8
- Contact: Mrs. Bridget Altner at [email protected] or Parish Office (315) 823-3410
Faith Formation (Religious Education)
Faith Formation at Holy Family Parish serves children in grades 1 through 10. Classes begin each October (the 2025 cycle began October 6). The curriculum tracks children toward the sacraments: 1st Grade is a monthly introduction to the Catholic faith after the 10:00 AM Sunday Mass; 2nd Grade prepares for First Communion and Reconciliation; Grades 3–6 follow 'The Great Adventure' Bible series; Grades 7–10 work toward Confirmation.
- 1st Grade: Intro to Catholic Faith — Sundays at 11:15 AM, once monthly
- 2nd Grade: First Communion & Reconciliation prep — Wednesdays at 3:15 PM, twice monthly
- Grades 3–6: The Great Adventure Bible Class — Tuesdays at 3:15 PM, twice monthly
- Grades 7–10: Confirmation prep — First Saturday at 10:00 AM
- Cost: $20 (1st Grade) / $40 (Grades 2–10)
- Coordinator: Mrs. Bridget Altner
- Benton Hall Academy students escorted from school library to parish office for class
Sacraments
The parish prepares and celebrates all seven sacraments. To arrange a Baptism, wedding, Anointing of the Sick, or other sacrament, parishioners contact the Parish Office; OCIA is the formal entry process for adult-initiated sacraments.
- Baptism — by arrangement with Parish Office
- Eucharist / First Communion — through 2nd Grade Faith Formation
- Confirmation — through Grades 7–10 Faith Formation; adults via OCIA
- Reconciliation — regular weekly schedule plus Lent extra times
- Anointing of the Sick — by request
- Matrimony — contact Parish Office
- Holy Orders — vocations via Diocese of Albany
Our Pastor — Fr. Brian Slezak
Holy Family Parish is served by its pastor, the Reverend Brian Slezak. In launching the parish's 'Rebuild & Renew' capital campaign in 2023, Fr. Slezak described the parish as 'special' and 'the center of family life for over 175 years,' noting the central role the church and its associated buildings have played in baptisms, First Communions, Confirmations, Anointing of the Sick, weddings, funerals, and the education of generations at St. Mary's Academy. He writes the parish welcome letter on the 'Holy Family & St. Joseph Church Welcome You' page.
- Pastor: Rev. Brian Slezak
- Contact: (315) 823-3410
- Email: [email protected]
Building & Grounds — Rebuild & Renew Capital Campaign
Fr. Slezak launched a $300,000 'Rebuild & Renew Restoration Campaign' introduced at weekend Masses on May 20–21, 2023, to fund essential capital projects on the historic church and the Parish Office Building. Donations can be made online at holyfamilylittlefalls.org or mailed to 763 E. Main St., Little Falls, NY 13365, made payable to Holy Family Capital Campaign.
- Restoration and protection of priceless stained-glass windows
- New boiler for the Parish Office Building and Rectory
- Safeguarding of the church bells
- Parking drain and surface replacement
- Restoration of rectory living quarters for priests and seminarians
- Church beautification, parishioner bathroom upgrades, outdoor beautification
Parish Identity — Historic Marker
The parish added a new historic sign commemorating the buildings of the former St. Mary's complex — the church, rectory, convent, and school — as part of the Little Falls Historical Society's 'Historic Entry' project, which redirects westbound Route 5 traffic through East Main Street to view sites of historic interest. The sign sits behind the hedges on the Main Street side of the complex.
- Sign located behind hedges on the Main Street side of the former St. Mary's complex
- Part of Little Falls Historical Society 'Historic Entry' project
Visit & Contact
Parishioners and visitors are welcomed at Mass and via the Parish Office. Email is the preferred first contact and the parish website is regularly updated with news, the calendar, and schedules. The parish operates two worship sites — Holy Family Church (763 E. Main St., Little Falls) and St. Joseph Church (31 N. Helmer Ave., Dolgeville).
- Holy Family Parish — 763 E. Main Street, Little Falls, NY 13365 — [email protected]
- St. Joseph Church — 31 N. Helmer Avenue, Dolgeville, NY 13329
- Parish Office Phone: (315) 823-3410
- Website: https://holyfamilylittlefalls.org/