About Mary, Mother of Our Savior Parish @ Our Lady of the Rosary Campus · New Hartford, New York
Mary, Mother of Our Savior Parish is a Roman Catholic community in the Diocese of Syracuse that unites two historic congregations: Our Lady of Lourdes on Genesee Street in Utica, NY, and Our Lady of the Rosary on Burrstone Road in New Hartford, NY. The two parishes were formally merged in 2021 under Bishop Douglas J. Lucia, with a new combined name chosen to honor the Marian heritage of both predecessor parishes. Today the parish worships at three campuses (Lourdes, Rosary, and St. John the Evangelist), serves more than 900 active families through the Rosary Campus, streams Mass on YouTube, and runs one of the area's largest Faith Formation and Youth Ministry programs in close partnership with Notre Dame Jr-Sr High School.
- Established
- 2021
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary (under the title Mary, Mother of Our Savior, honoring the Marian patrons of both predecessor parishes)
- Rector
- Rev. Jason C. Hage
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse
Why belong here
Mary, Mother of Our Savior is a single parish that holds three active worship sites (Lourdes, Rosary, and St. John the Evangelist), so daily Mass, Sunday Mass in multiple times, and an extensive adoration and reconciliation schedule are easy to fit into a busy week. The parish runs one of the largest Faith Formation and Youth Ministry programs in the Utica area — with K-6 Child and Family Catechesis, a 7-12 Teen Formation program, RCIA for adults, plus young adult and college-aged ministry — and is tightly partnered with Notre Dame Jr-Sr High School, whose students attend faith formation classes on campus. A full Worship Ministry umbrella (Lectors, Acolytes, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Adoration Society, Music, Ushers, Hospitality, and a Livestream team) means newcomers can plug in quickly, and the parish livestreams every Mass on YouTube for the homebound.
Mass times at Mary, Mother of Our Savior Parish @ Our Lady of the Rosary Campus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesdays, 5:30–6:30 pm at Lourdes Campus (or by appointment)
- Saturdays, 3:00–4:00 pm at Lourdes Campus (before the 4:00 pm Vigil Mass)
Adoration times
- Wednesdays: Exposition & Solemn Vespers 5:15 pm at Lourdes Campus; Adoration 5:30–6:30 pm at Lourdes Campus; Solemn Benediction 6:30 pm at Lourdes Campus
Parish History
Mary, Mother of Our Savior Parish was formed in January 2021 when Bishop Douglas J. Lucia, of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse, accepted a recommendation to unify Our Lady of Lourdes Church (Utica) and Our Lady of the Rosary Church (New Hartford) into one parish. The unification process was led before the pandemic by Father Joseph Salerno, who convened lay leaders from both parishes and presented the plan to the bishop. Father Salerno became the pastor of the new parish, with the mission of revealing the compassionate Face of God. The parish's combined name intentionally weaves together the Marian heritage of both predecessor communities, anchoring the new parish identity in Mary as Mother of Our Savior.
- Merger finalized January 2021 under Bishop Douglas J. Lucia
- Pastor at unification: Father Joseph "Joe" Salerno
- Predecessor parishes: Our Lady of Lourdes (Utica) and Our Lady of the Rosary (New Hartford)
Our Lady of Lourdes — Lourdes Campus (Utica)
Our Lady of Lourdes was founded in April 1919 as Utica's 15th Roman Catholic parish, with Rev. James F. Collins serving as founding pastor for 40 years over a starting flock of 247 families on South Utica's Genesee Street. The parish grew steadily through a 1940 stone-clad enlargement, a 1968 move to its permanent home across Genesee Street, and the addition of a Lourdes Grotto in 1976. Notable pastors included Msgr. Daniel E. Lawler and Msgr. Joseph L. May, and the parish marked its centennial on May 5, 2019 with Bishop Robert J. Cunningham presiding at a Mass concelebrated by Father Salerno, former pastor Father Donald Karlen, Father Paul Drobin, Msgr. James Lang, and then-parochial vicar Father Tom Servatius.
- Founded April 1919 as Utica's 15th Catholic parish
- Founding pastor Rev. James F. Collins (served 40 years)
- Permanent home on the corner of Genesee St. and Barton Ave. (1968)
- Lourdes Grotto added 1976
- Centennial Mass celebrated May 5, 2019
Our Lady of the Rosary — Rosary Campus (New Hartford)
Our Lady of the Rosary Parish grew directly out of World War II. In 1942 the U.S. Army selected a 175-acre farm on Burrstone Road for a new military hospital; Rhodes General Army Hospital opened in August 1943 with 180 buildings, 1,950 beds, 15 miles of corridors and its own St. Thomas More Chapel. After the war, the site became Mohawk College for GI Bill veterans. In September 1947 Rev. Alfred J. Holdredge was appointed chaplain of Mohawk College and the infant Utica College. In 1949 he bought the army chapel from the government for $1,250, moved it across Burrstone Road, and on July 22, 1949 it was dedicated as The Church of Our Lady of the Rosary. Two wings were added in 1960, the rectory was built in 1951, and in 1955 two surplus army barracks were moved onto the grounds and joined together as a Faith Formation Center. The Rosary Campus today serves over 900 active families and hosts one of the area's largest faith formation programs in close partnership with Notre Dame Jr-Sr High School.
- 1942: U.S. Army selects Burrstone Road site; Rhodes General Hospital opens 1943
- 1947: Rev. Alfred J. Holdredge appointed chaplain of Mohawk College
- 1949: Army chapel purchased for $1,250 and dedicated as Our Lady of the Rosary on July 22
- 1951: Rectory built
- 1955: Two barracks moved to site, joined into a Faith Formation Center
- 1960: Two wings added to the church
- Today: over 900 active families
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Mary, Mother of Our Savior runs a wide-ranging Faith Formation program — one of the largest in the Utica area — covering children, teens, adults, young adults, and college students, with separate pathways for First Communion and Confirmation preparation. Child and Family Catechesis serves families with children in K–6 (First Holy Communion is usually received in 2nd grade), and the Teen Formation and Youth Ministry track serves grades 7–12 with Confirmation preparation typically in 10th grade. The parish is closely linked with Notre Dame Jr-Sr High School, where Sunday faith formation classes are held and where students share the church for Masses, retreats, fundraisers, and parking. Adult catechist volunteers (18+) are recruited for child and youth programs, and Safe Environment training is in place.
- Child and Family Catechesis (K–6, including First Communion prep) — Dick Vetere
- Teen Formation & Youth Ministry (Grades 7–12, Confirmation) — Dick Vetere and Brittany Wilcox
- RCIA for adults — parish office
- College Ministry
- Young Adult Ministry (ages 21–39)
- Adult catechist volunteer corps (18+)
- Safe Environment program
- Summer Fun Program in partnership with Notre Dame — Janis Farley
Worship Ministries
A full Worship Ministry umbrella welcomes parishioners into the celebration of the Mass and the wider liturgical life of the parish. Lay people serve as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (including bringing Communion to the sick and homebound), Acolytes/Altar Servers, Lectors, Ushers, and Hospitality ministers; a Music Ministry leads congregational singing; the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament Society tends weekly holy hour; and a Livestream Ministry broadcasts Masses and parish events online so that the homebound and absent parishioners can stay connected.
- Extraordinary Ministry of Holy Communion
- Acolyte (Altar Server)
- Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament Society
- Ushers
- Music Ministry
- Livestream Ministry (Masses on YouTube)
- Lectors
- Hospitality Ministry
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is led by Pastor Fr. Jason C. Hage and supported by a Finance Committee that he chairs, a Pastoral Minister (Deacon Olkowski), and an administrative team including a Business Manager and four Parish Trustees. Faith Formation is run jointly by Dick Vetere and Brittany Wilcox, liturgical music is led by Music Director Htee Mu, and Anthony Bates serves as Facilities Manager with Irena Lingley handling Audio/Visual. Janis Farley directs the parish Summer Fun Program in conjunction with Notre Dame.
- Pastor: Fr. Jason C. Hage
- Parish Minister: Deacon Olkowski
- Business Manager: Heather Starsiak
- Faith Formation: Dick Vetere and Brittany Wilcox
- Music Director: Htee Mu
- Facilities Manager: Anthony Bates
- Audio/Visual: Irena Lingley
- Summer Fun Program Director: Janis Farley
- Parish Trustees: Elizabeth Kearns, CPA; Karen Stanislaus, Esq.; Dan Swider; Nate Lorraine
- Office Fax: (315) 732-3770
Sacraments
The parish celebrates and prepares parishioners for the seven Catholic sacraments, with specific preparation pathways for children and teens running through the Faith Formation office. Baptisms and Anointing of the Sick are scheduled by appointment, Marriages are arranged directly with the parish, and First Holy Communion (typically 2nd grade) and Confirmation (typically 10th grade) are prepared through the Child and Family Catechesis and Teen Formation programs respectively.
- Baptism
- First Holy Communion (2nd grade)
- Confirmation (10th grade)
- Marriage (by appointment)
- Anointing of the Sick
Outreach & Bereavement Ministry
Parish outreach includes a bereavement ministry running on both the Utica and New Hartford campuses, and a planned expanded nursing home ministry at St. Luke's Home — the kind of ministries that staff and volunteers point to as a core part of the parish's mission to reveal "the compassionate Face of God."
- Bereavement Ministry (Utica and New Hartford campuses)
- Nursing Home Ministry at St. Luke's Home
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Alfred J. Holdredge1947–?
Founding chaplain of Mohawk College; bought the Army Chapel in 1949 and dedicated it as Our Lady of the Rosary on July 22, 1949.
- Rev. Peter Paige
Former pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish.
- Rev. James Riley
Former pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish.
- Rev. James Fallon
Former pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish.
- Rev. Felix Colosimo
Former pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish.
- Rev. Thomas Honold
Former pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish.
- Rev. Joseph "Joe" Salernothrough 2021 and after
Pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes for 16 years; led the lay-led merger process and continued as Pastor of the unified Mary, Mother of Our Savior Parish in 2021 under Bishop Lucia.
- Rev. Donald Karlen
Former pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes, concelebrated the 2019 centennial Mass.
- Rev. James F. Collins1919–c.1959
Founding pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes (Utica's 15th Roman Catholic parish), served 40 years.
- Msgr. Daniel E. Lawler
Former pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes.
- Msgr. Joseph L. May
Former pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes.
- Rev. Tom Servatius
Parochial vicar of Our Lady of Lourdes at the 2019 centennial.
- Rev. Paul Drobin
Concelebrated the 2019 Lourdes centennial Mass.
- Msgr. James Lang
Concelebrated the 2019 Lourdes centennial Mass.