About Our Lady of Sorrows · Vestal, New York
Our Lady of Sorrows is a Roman Catholic parish in Vestal, New York, in the Diocese of Syracuse. Founded in 1941 as a mission split from St. Ambrose Church in Endicott, it has grown from a 'simple country parish' into a thriving 1,500-family community known for its strong outreach to the poor, vibrant youth programs, and pastoral care for the deaf and hard-of-hearing through American Sign Language interpretation at its Sunday Mass. The parish currently shares its pastor, Rev. Richard P. Prior Jr., with neighboring Our Lady of Good Counsel in Endicott and operates a food pantry, a twice-monthly free community supper called Mary's Meal, and a worship space designed for over 600.
- Established
- 1941
- Patron
- Our Lady of Sorrows (the Blessed Virgin Mary in her Seven Sorrows)
- Rector
- Rev. Richard P. Prior Jr.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Syracuse
Why belong here
Our Lady of Sorrows is a vibrant, 1,500-family community with a notably young demographic and a strong culture of stewardship of time, talent, and treasure. Parishioners actively feed the hungry twice a month through Mary's Meal in the parish cafe, stock a food pantry through the Human Development Committee, knit prayer shawls for the sick and homebound, and reach out to the deaf and hard-of-hearing with ASL interpretation at the 8:30 AM Sunday Mass and at the Edge middle-school youth program. With a brand-new worship space built in 2013, weekday Mass and Wednesday Eucharistic Adoration, multiple Bible studies, OCIA, faith formation K–9, Totus Tuus, Mommy & Me, the Knights of Columbus, and an annual Christmas cantata, there is room for every age and vocation to belong and serve.
Mass times at Our Lady of Sorrows
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM (or by appointment)
Adoration times
- Wednesday 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM (Holy Hour following the 8:00 AM Mass, with recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet)
About Our Lady of Sorrows Parish
Our Lady of Sorrows is a 1,500-family Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Syracuse, located at 801 Main Street in Vestal, New York. The parish was founded in 1941 when it split off from St. Ambrose Church in Endicott, and it has grown from a simple country parish into one of the more vibrant faith communities in the Southern Tier. Its patroness is the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of Sorrows, whose feast is celebrated September 15.
- Founded 1941 from St. Ambrose, Endicott
- Diocese of Syracuse
- Patron: Our Lady of Sorrows (Sept. 15)
- Current church opened December 2013
History of the Parish
Begun in 1941 as a daughter mission of St. Ambrose in Endicott, Our Lady of Sorrows has been housed in three successive church buildings over its 75+ years, each reflecting the community's growth. The most recent move came in December 2013, when the parish opened a brand-new worship complex at 801 Main Street, built on the grounds of its former school. The previous church at 157 Clark Street was sold in 2014. At the parish's 75th anniversary in December 2016, Bishop Cunningham celebrated a Jubilee Mass at 11:00 AM; Father Zachary Miller — himself a 'son of the parish' recently ordained — concelebrated, and the weekend featured a free Southern Tier-wide concert by David Kauffman, a lectio divina workshop, and the parish's annual Christmas cantata with about 60 parishioner musicians.
- 1941 — founded from St. Ambrose, Endicott
- Third church building opened December 2013 at 801 Main Street
- Former 157 Clark Street church sold in 2014
- 75th anniversary celebrated December 2016 with Bishop Cunningham
Live Streaming and Online Resources
Mass is live-streamed on the parish's YouTube channel for those unable to attend in person, and recent services are also posted for on-demand viewing. The parish also provides a free parish-wide subscription to FORMED.org (Catholic movies, audio, and study programs) — parishioners register at formed.org/signup and select Our Lady of Sorrows. The parish bulletin and a calendar of upcoming events are posted on the website, and a WeConnect Parish App allows parishioners to register, receive notifications, and sign up for ministries from their phone.
- Live-streamed Mass on YouTube
- FORMED.org free parish subscription
- WeConnect Parish App (download and select Our Lady of Sorrows)
- Weekly parish bulletin and online calendar
Clergy and Staff
Our Lady of Sorrows shares its pastor, Rev. Richard P. Prior Jr., with neighboring Our Lady of Good Counsel in Endicott (and the other Endicott parishes in the cluster). A new parochial vicar, Rev. Cornelius P. Deep, was assigned by Bishop Lucia effective July 1, 2026. Two active deacons — Dc. Paul Heiland and Dc. Michael Carroll — minister at OLS, along with retired Deacon Thomas M. Harley. Lay staff include Margie Fetsko (Parish Secretary), Kathy Hamilton (Director of Faith Formation and Jr. High Youth Minister for OLGC & OLS), Tori Reynolds (Sr. High Youth Minister), Drew Deskur (Music Ministry), Diane Rigotti (OCIA Coordinator), Melanie Gleason (Food Pantry Coordinator), Rich Devine (Facilities Manager), and Aidan Weston (Web Master). The after-hours sacramental emergency line for Fr. Prior is 607-523-9967.
- Pastor: Rev. Richard P. Prior Jr. (also OLGC, Endicott)
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Cornelius P. Deep (effective 7/1/2026)
- Deacons: Dc. Paul Heiland, Dc. Michael Carroll, Dc. Thomas M. Harley (retired)
- Faith Formation: Kathy Hamilton
- Youth Ministry: Tori Reynolds (Sr. High)
- Music Ministry: Drew Deskur
- OCIA: Diane Rigotti
- Food Pantry: Melanie Gleason
- Parish Secretary: Margie Fetsko
Parish Ministries and Groups
The parish's ministries fall into several broad families: prayer, parish life and outreach, faith formation and youth, adult faith formation and Scripture study, and liturgical service. Fr. Prior's welcome letter on the Ministries page invites parishioners to share their time and talent by contacting the parish office.
- Eucharistic Adoration, Prayer Network, Men of Saint Joseph (Fri 6:30 AM)
- Human Development / Food Pantry, Bereavement Luncheons, New Parishioner Welcome, Sick & Homebound, Prayer Shawl, Mary's Meal
- Office Volunteers, Wedding Day Assistants, Altar Care, Knights of Columbus & Ladies Auxiliary
- Faith Formation K–9, Youth Group, Youth Fundraising, Hospitality Sunday
- OCIA / RCIA Team
- Scripture Study (Zoom), Focused Scripture Study, Thursday Morning Ladies Group
Mary's Meal — Free Community Supper
Mary's Meal is a free community supper hosted by the parish in the OLS Cafe on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month from 5:30 to 6:30 PM. All are welcome, and the parish actively recruits cooks, servers, and clean-up volunteers. To attend or volunteer, contact Melanie Gleason at 607-379-0042 or [email protected].
- Held 2nd & 4th Tuesdays, 5:30–6:30 PM
- OLS Cafe, 801 Main Street
- Contact: Melanie Gleason, 607-379-0042
Faith Formation, OCIA, and Youth
OLS offers Faith Formation classes for children in Kindergarten through 9th grade, with volunteers serving as teachers, aides, substitutes, and hospitality coordinators. The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA — formerly RCIA) welcomes inquirers into the Catholic faith through a season of formation that culminates in the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil. The parish also hosts Totus Tuus, an annual summer catechetical program, and The Edge — a middle-school youth ministry run jointly with Our Lady of Good Counsel — which provides ASL interpretation on the 1st and 3rd Fridays each month.
- Faith Formation K–9
- OCIA (RCIA) for adults
- Totus Tuus summer program
- The Edge — middle-school youth ministry (ASL at OLGC 1st & 3rd Fridays)
- Sr. High Youth Group with fundraising and faith activities
Outreach and Pastoral Care
Beyond Mary's Meal, Our Lady of Sorrows runs a parish food pantry coordinated by Melanie Gleason and supported by the Human Development Committee, with special giving drives at Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Bereavement Luncheon Committee organizes meals for grieving families in the parish cafe after funeral Masses. The Sick and Homebound Ministry brings visitation and the Eucharist to those in nursing facilities, hospitals, and private homes. The Prayer Shawl Ministry knits, crochets, weaves, and quilts shawls that are blessed at weekend liturgies and delivered to the ill and homebound.
- Parish Food Pantry (Melanie Gleason)
- Bereavement Luncheon Committee
- Sick and Homebound Ministry
- Prayer Shawl Ministry
Sacraments
The sacraments of the Eucharist, Confession, and Anointing of the Sick are offered weekly on the schedule above. Baptisms, Marriages, OCIA, and other sacramental preparations are arranged through the parish office at (607) 748-8287. The after-hours emergency line for anointing or other sacramental emergencies is 607-523-9967.
- Eucharist — see Mass schedule
- Confession — Sat 4:00–4:45 PM or by appointment
- Anointing of the Sick — through parish office / after-hours emergency line
- Baptism, Marriage, OCIA — contact parish office
Accessibility for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing
Our Lady of Sorrows is one of the few parishes in the Diocese of Syracuse to provide consistent American Sign Language interpretation at Mass and youth ministry events. ASL is offered at the 8:30 AM Sunday Mass and at The Edge middle-school youth ministry program (held at Our Lady of Good Counsel on the 1st and 3rd Fridays each month).
- ASL interpretation at 8:30 AM Sunday Mass
- ASL interpretation at The Edge youth ministry 1st & 3rd Fridays at OLGC
Music, Liturgy, and Special Events
The parish Music Ministry, led by Drew Deskur, supports the weekend and weekday Mass schedule and produces the parish's annual Christmas cantata — a long-standing tradition that involves roughly 60 parishioners in choir and orchestra. The parish also hosts monthly Adoration, Praise & Worship nights; Stations of the Cross during Lent; and an annual Mommy & Me playgroup running 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 9:30–11:00 AM, September through June.
- Music Ministry — Drew Deskur
- Annual Christmas cantata (~60 parishioners)
- Monthly Adoration, Praise & Worship night
- Stations of the Cross in Lent
- Mommy & Me playgroup (2nd & 4th Tuesdays, 9:30–11:00 AM)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Richard P. Prior Jr.Current pastor
Also pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Endicott and the consolidated Endicott parishes (St. Ambrose, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Joseph). After-hours emergency line: 607-523-9967.
- Rev. John KurganPastor as of 2016 (75th anniversary)
Interviewed by Syracuse Catholic Television's 'Around the Diocese' for the parish's 75th anniversary in December 2016.