About Sacred Heart · Margaretville, New York
Sacred Heart Parish is a Roman Catholic community in Margaretville, a village in Delaware County in the northern Catskills of New York State. It belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany and worships in its modern 1955 church at the corner of Main and Academy Streets. The parish also cares for St. Anne's Mission Church in nearby Andes, and its people come from Margaretville, Roxbury, Arkville, Fleischmanns, Andes and beyond — a mix of year-round residents and part-time householders from the New York City metropolitan area, New Jersey and Connecticut.
- Established
- 1955
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Paul J. Mijas
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany
Why belong here
Sacred Heart is a small but welcoming Catskills parish that mixes full-time locals with second-home families from downstate, so visitors and newcomers tend to be recognized by name. The parish runs weekly Sunday Mass at Sacred Heart in Margaretville and at its mission church of St. Anne's in Andes, weekday Mass in the rectory chapel, a Youth Faith Formation program for children of all ages, an active Outreach committee working with Catholic Charities and Social Services, a Liturgical Committee, a Community Life Team that hosts parish breakfasts and dinners, a Music ministry, and a Finance Committee — so there are real ways to plug in, whether you live here year-round or only part of the year.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Half hour prior to Sunday Masses (Margaretville and Andes) — or by appointment
- Before the Monday 9:00 am weekday Mass at the Sacred Heart Rectory Chapel, or by appointment
Welcome to Sacred Heart Parish
The parish welcomes newcomers, part-time residents and visitors alike. Its homepage banner sums up its self-understanding in three words: Welcome. Worship. Witness. The full mission statement reads: 'The people of Sacred Heart Parish are members of The Body of Christ. We accept our baptismal call: to provide a warm and welcoming place for all to freely worship, to minister to all, especially the ill and the needy, to offer a program of faith formation for all ages of our ethnically diverse parish community and to witness the Gospel by the way we live our daily lives.' A separate 'I'm New' page invites visitors to download a parish registration form and to learn about the many ministries, committees and activities available.
- Welcome: 'We are a welcoming and inclusive community of believers in Jesus Christ. We proclaim from floor to rafter; all are welcome in this place, no exceptions!'
- Worship: 'Mindful of our utter reliance on God, and need for God's grace, we rejoice together in our celebration of the sacraments and the proclamation of the Gospel at Mass.'
- Witness: 'We are a respectful community who are witnesses to the social gospel of Christ, where injustice is challenged, where the poor, the alienated and the marginalize find a home, and where people are refreshed, reconciled and renewed.'
Parish History
Catholic life in the Margaretville area long predates the present church building. A local history of Margaretville notes that before the 1955 construction the Catholic church and rectory were located in Arkville, and that only one Catholic family could be identified in the village in earlier decades. The modern church was built at the corner of Main and Academy Streets in 1955, largely funded by Armand G. Erpf, a wealthy second-home owner (his mother, a convert to Catholicism in later life, also contributed). From that base the parish grew to serve the surrounding communities of Roxbury, Arkville, Fleischmanns, Andes and beyond. Over the decades priests of the Diocese of Albany have served here, with the parish today led by Fr. Paul J. Mijas.
- Modern church built 1955 at Main and Academy Streets, Margaretville
- Major benefactor: Armand G. Erpf (and his mother)
- Earlier Catholic church and rectory were in Arkville
- Mission church of St. Anne's, Andes, brought under Sacred Heart's care
- Fr. Paul Catena served as a former pastor (Diocese of Albany) before moving to Our Lady of the Annunciation / Our Lady Queen of Apostles
St. Anne's Mission Church, Andes
St. Anne's is the parish's mission church, located at 375 Main Street in the village of Andes, NY. It hosts the 12:00 pm Sunday Mass and is part of Sacred Heart Parish's pastoral care. The parish bulletin and staff list identify Richard Powers as the Buildings & Grounds contact for St. Anne's Church. GCatholic lists 'Mission of St. Ann, Andes' as the sole mission dependent on Sacred Heart.
- Address: 375 Main Street, Andes, NY 13731
- Sunday Mass: 12:00 pm
- Buildings & Grounds contact: Richard Powers — (845) 676-4055
Parish Staff
The parish is led by Fr. Paul J. Mijas (Pastor) and is supported by an Administrative Assistant, Trustees, a Faith Formation Director, and a Finance Committee, plus volunteer leaders for Outreach, Music, Hospitality, the Liturgical Committee, Buildings & Grounds, the Community Life Team, and the Pastoral Council. The parish bulletin identifies 'PASTOR'S SERVANT: Rev. Paul J Mijas' and lists the administrative and volunteer contacts by name and phone number.
- Pastor: Rev. Paul J. Mijas — (607) 652-7170
- Administrative Assistant: Kelly Bauer — (845) 586-2665
- Faith Formation Director: Kelly Bauer — (845) 853-3001
- Trustees: Richard Colfer — (607) 435-0524; Laura Sanford — (845) 586-6255
- Finance Committee: Joseph Grieco — (845) 676-4640; Rita Peterson — (607) 326-4019; Lisa Friscia; Todd Pascarella
- Buildings & Grounds (St. Anne's): Richard Powers — (845) 676-4055
- Hospitality: Dick & Mary Colfer — (845) 586-3049
- Community Life Team contact: Frank Canavan — (845) 586-3992
Youth Faith Formation
Sacred Heart's Youth Faith Formation program, run by Kelly Bauer (Faith Formation Director), serves children of all ages and especially those preparing for the sacraments. The parish notes that the program is supported by a core group of volunteers and that, because many of the students are known to catechists outside of class, the parish is able to 'model the very faith we strive to share in lessons.' Students at each grade level are given opportunities to use their talents and gifts in service to others in and beyond the community.
- Open to children of all ages, including sacramental preparation
- Run with a core group of volunteers
- Encourages children to be actively involved in living the Catholic faith and serving others
Get Involved — Ministries & Committees
The parish explicitly invites parishioners to volunteer through its 'Get Involved' page, which lists the active ministries, committees and activities of Sacred Heart Parish. Parish Outreach was created to establish a formal process to assist people in need who could not be helped in other ways, and the committee works in collaboration with Catholic Charities as well as Social Services. The Community Life Team plans and hosts parish events such as breakfasts, dinners and celebrations. The Liturgical Committee, Music Ministry, Finance Committee, Pastoral Council, Hospitality, and Buildings & Grounds round out the lay leadership.
- Parish Outreach — collaborates with Catholic Charities and Social Services
- Community Life Team — parish events, breakfasts, dinners, celebrations
- Liturgical Committee
- Music Ministry
- Finance Committee
- Pastoral Council
- Buildings & Grounds (including St. Anne's)
- Hospitality
- Trustees
Sacraments
The parish bulletin lays out how to arrange each sacrament at Sacred Heart. Parents are asked to register at the Parish Office at least two months before a Baptism; Baptisms are celebrated on Sundays at 2:00 pm. Couples should make arrangements for weddings at least six months in advance. The Sacrament of the Sick is arranged by calling Fr. Paul at (607) 652-7170. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered before Sunday Masses at both Sacred Heart and St. Anne's, before the Monday weekday Mass at the rectory chapel, or by appointment. Youth Faith Formation prepares children for the sacraments.
- Baptism — register 2+ months in advance; celebrated Sundays at 2:00 pm
- Matrimony — arrangements at least 6 months in advance
- Sacrament of the Sick — call Fr. Paul at (607) 652-7170
- Reconciliation — before Sunday Masses, before Monday weekday Mass, or by appointment
- Youth Faith Formation for sacramental prep
Locations & Contact
Sacred Heart Parish operates out of three connected sites in the northern Catskills: the main church on Main Street in Margaretville, the rectory/parish office a few steps away on Academy Street, and the mission church of St. Anne's on Main Street in Andes. The parish asks that routine mail use the P.O. Box, while packages and deliveries go to the Academy Street rectory address. The parish email is hosted on the Diocese of Albany's rcda.org domain.
- Sacred Heart Church — 543 Main Street, Margaretville, NY 12455
- Sacred Heart Rectory / Parish Office — 38 Academy Street, Margaretville, NY 12455
- St. Anne's Mission Church — 375 Main Street, Andes, NY 13731
- Mailing address (letters/envelopes): P.O. Box 909, Margaretville, NY 12455
- Parish phone: (845) 586-2665
- Pastor's direct line: (607) 652-7170
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: sacredheartmargaretville.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Harold Colburn
Listed in a mid-20th-century local history of Margaretville as 'the priest of the Sacred Heart Parish of this village' around the time the 1955 church was built.
- Rev. Paul Catena
Former pastor of Sacred Heart parish in Margaretville (Diocese of Albany); later appointed pastor of Our Lady of the Annunciation, Ilion, and Our Lady Queen of Apostles, Frankfort.
- Rev. Greg Weider
Listed on the parish About page as 'sacramental minister,' alongside Deacon Joseph Cechnicki as Interim Administrator.
- Rev. Paul J. Mijas
Current pastor; can be reached at (607) 652-7170.