About Sacred Heart · Tribes Hill, New York
Sacred Heart Church is a small Roman Catholic parish located at 111 Third Avenue in the village of Tribes Hill, Montgomery County, New York. Founded in 1879, the parish is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany and is liturgically linked with St. Cecilia Church in nearby Fonda, with the two communities sharing clergy and staff. Sacred Heart hosts a Saturday Vigil Mass and weekday Masses, while Sunday Masses are primarily celebrated at St. Cecilia. The parish's patron is the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, and its small, tight-knit faith community gathers for devotions, seasonal fundraisers such as a Christmas cookie sale and weekly pie raffle, and ongoing food-pantry outreach.
- Established
- 1879
- Patron
- The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Father Nathaniel Resila
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany
Why belong here
Sacred Heart offers the warmth of a small, historic Mohawk Valley parish where the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus is the devotional heart of community life. Worshippers can count on a Saturday Vigil Mass and weekday Masses right in Tribes Hill, easy confession before Saturday Mass, and a parish mission centered on evangelization, faith formation, and service to the poor and marginalized. The parish also shares a vibrant linked community with St. Cecilia's in Fonda, including seasonal traditions like the annual Christmas cookie sale, a weekly pie raffle, and an ongoing food-pantry ministry that serves local families in need.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 pm – 3:30 pm (before the 4:00 pm Vigil Mass)
- By appointment
Healing Mass
On the first Thursday of each month, the usual 8:00 am weekday Mass is replaced by a Healing Mass at 6:30 pm, an opportunity to pray for physical, emotional, and spiritual healing through the Anointing of the Sick and the Eucharist.
- First Thursday of the month — 6:30 pm Healing Mass at Sacred Heart
Linked Parish: St. Cecilia's, Fonda
Sacred Heart is liturgically and pastorally linked with St. Cecilia Church at 26 Broadway in Fonda (P.O. Box 837, Fonda, NY 12068, 518-853-4195, [email protected]). Together the two form one parish community sharing clergy, staff, faith formation, and outreach. Sunday Masses are celebrated at St. Cecilia's; Sacred Heart provides the Saturday Vigil Mass and daily Masses.
- St. Cecilia Church — 26 Broadway, Fonda, NY
- Sunday Masses at St. Cecilia: 9:00 am & 5:00 pm (winter: 4:00 pm)
- Joint Diocesan Appeal assessment of $5,000 per parish
Clergy & Staff
The linked parishes of Sacred Heart and St. Cecilia's are served by a small team of diocesan clergy and a permanent deacon, working together to provide Mass, the sacraments, and parish life across both communities.
- Father Nathaniel Resila — Pastor (effective July 1, 2026; previously administrator since July 1, 2025)
- Father Juanito Asprec — Parochial Vicar ([email protected])
- Deacon Joseph Cechnicki — Parish Life Coordinator ([email protected])
Parish Office & Contact
The Sacred Heart parish office is staffed on Mondays and Wednesdays. For matters on Tuesdays or Thursdays, parishioners can reach the St. Cecilia office, which is open those mornings.
- Sacred Heart Church — 111 Third Avenue, P.O. Box 264, Tribes Hill, NY 12177-0264
- Phone: (518) 829-7301
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Monday & Wednesday, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
- St. Cecilia's office: 518-853-4195 / [email protected] — Tuesday & Thursday, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Parish Mission
In the example, imitation, and guidance of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, our Divine Patron, the parish commits to fulfilling the Catholic Church's mission to evangelize — spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and leading everyone to a deeper relationship with God. The community seeks to embody Christ's love through service, teaching the Catholic faith, and devoting itself to the salvation and sanctification of its brothers and sisters — especially the poor, the marginalized, and all those in need.
Outreach & Community Life
Sacred Heart and its linked parish at St. Cecilia's sustain several ongoing outreach efforts and beloved traditions that knit the community together and serve the wider Mohawk Valley. Food-pantry baskets sit in the vestibule of each church to gather donations for local families in need, especially around the holidays.
- Food Pantry donations — baskets in the vestibule of each parish
- Annual Christmas Cookie Sale — Saturday, December 20 (cookies brought to the church hall by 1:00 pm; $10/box)
- Weekly Pie Raffle at Sacred Heart — returns seasonally before the holidays
- Sunday Raffle at St. Cecilia's — donations welcomed
- Sacred Heart Cookie Sale — parish hall fundraiser
Sacraments
Sacraments are available to parishioners and to those preparing to join the Catholic Church. Arrangements are made by appointment with the pastor or parish staff.
- Baptism — by appointment
- Marriage — by appointment with the pastor; preparation required
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment; celebrated at First Thursday Healing Mass
- Reconciliation — Saturdays 3:00–3:30 pm or by appointment
- RCIA / Adult Initiation — contact the parish office
Bulletin & News
Parish news, Mass intentions, the pastoral letter from the bishop, and announcements for both Sacred Heart and St. Cecilia's are published in a weekly bulletin and a periodic Pastoral Letter, both accessible through the parish website.
- Weekly parish bulletin (online archive)
- Pastoral Letter from Bishop Scharfenberger / Bishop O'Connell
History & Pastoral Succession
Founded in 1879, Sacred Heart has been part of the Diocese of Albany for more than 140 years. For decades it was shepherded by Conventual Franciscan friars, including the late Fr. Conrad (Jay) Somerville, OFM Conv., and Fr. Patrick (Roy) Gallagher, OFM Conv., who served both Sacred Heart and St. Cecilia's from 1988 to 1997 and again until 2014. The parishes transitioned to diocesan priestly leadership, and in 2025 Father Nathaniel Resila was appointed administrator of the linked grouping, becoming pastor in July 2026.
- 1879 — parish founded
- Mid-20th century — Fr. Conrad (Jay) Somerville, OFM Conv., serves as pastor
- 1988–2014 — Fr. Patrick (Roy) Gallagher, OFM Conv., serves St. Cecilia's and Sacred Heart
- July 1, 2025 — Father Nathaniel Resila appointed administrator
- July 1, 2026 — Father Nathaniel Resila named pastor of St. Stephen's (Hagaman), St. Mary's (Amsterdam), St. Cecilia's (Fonda), and Sacred Heart (Tribes Hill)
Visit & Getting Involved
Whether you are a lifelong Catholic, returning to the practice of the faith, or simply curious about Sacred Heart, all are welcome at Mass and at parish events. Volunteering with the food pantry, the cookie sale, the pie raffle, or parish liturgical ministries is a great way to meet fellow parishioners and share the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
- Attend Mass — Saturdays 4:00 pm, Tuesdays 8:00 am, Thursdays 8:00 am
- Join the food-pantry or outreach ministry
- Bake for the Christmas Cookie Sale
- Participate in the weekly Pie Raffle
- Contact the parish office: 518-829-7301 / [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Friar Conrad (Jay) Somerville, OFM Conv.
Conventual Franciscan; served as pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Tribes Hill; also taught at Bishop Scully High School in Amsterdam.
- Rev. Patrick (Roy) Gallagher, OFM Conv.1988–1997; returned ~2012–2014
Conventual Franciscan; pastor of St. Cecilia's Fonda 1988–1997, then returned as pastor of St. Cecilia's and Sacred Heart until 2014. Remembered by parishioners for leading music at both parishes.
- Father Nathaniel Resila2025–present
Appointed administrator of St. Mary's Amsterdam, St. Stephen's Hagaman, St. Cecilia's Fonda, and Sacred Heart Tribes Hill effective July 1, 2025; named pastor of the same grouping effective July 1, 2026.