About Saint Peter (Parish of St. Peter and St. Mary of the Assumption) · Haverstraw, New York
The Parish of St. Peter and St. Mary of the Assumption is a Roman Catholic parish in the Village of Haverstraw, Rockland County, New York. Founded in 1848 as St. Peter's — the oldest Catholic parish in Rockland County — it serves a multi-ethnic community of roughly 1,600 households in the Archdiocese of New York. The parish was joined in August 2015 by the former St. Mary of the Assumption parish (founded 1898 for Slovak immigrants), and the merged entity is now served by the Canons Regular of the Lateran, with Masses celebrated in both English and Spanish each weekend. Its landmark 1869 brick church houses a celebrated 1898 Jardine & Son organ and a 10-bell Meneely chime.
- Established
- 1848
- Patron
- Saint Peter (Apostle); also Saint Mary of the Assumption (co-patron since 2015 merger)
- Rector
- Rev. Rumando Peralta, C.R.L. (Pastor); Rev. Edward Gonzalez, C.R.L. and Rev. Rafael Olivo Jimenez, C.R.L. (Parochial Vicars)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
Why belong here
St. Peter & St. Mary's is a bilingual (English/Spanish), immigrant-rooted parish that has served Haverstraw for 175 years and welcomes both longtime Rockland County families and newcomers from Latin America. It offers daily and weekend Masses in two languages, weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Tuesdays, a thriving parish school on Ridge Street, an active Religious Education program (PREP) for grades 1–8, RCIA for adults and young adults, a youth ministry with meetings in the school gym, and a full calendar of devotional and outreach groups (Cursillistas, Sacred Heart, Prayer Group, Food Pantry, Family Support, Scouts). It is also a heritage destination in its own right, with one of the oldest Catholic congregations in the Hudson Valley gathered in a 750-seat brick church containing a rare 1898 Jardine & Son organ and a Meneely bell chime.
Mass times at Saint Peter (Parish of St. Peter and St. Mary of the Assumption)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM
- By appointment (call the rectory or email Jennifer at [email protected])
Adoration times
- Tuesdays 9:00 AM – 7:45 PM (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament)
About the Parish
St. Peter & St. Mary's Church is a Roman Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of New York located at 115 Broadway in the Village of Haverstraw, Rockland County, New York. Founded in 1848 and joined in 2015 by the former St. Mary of the Assumption parish, it is the oldest Catholic congregation in Rockland County and serves more than 1,600 households. The parish celebrates Mass in both English and Spanish and is currently entrusted to the Canons Regular of the Lateran (C.R.L.).
- Oldest Catholic parish in Rockland County (founded 1848)
- Co-patron parish: St. Mary of the Assumption (merged 2015)
- Diocese: Archdiocese of New York
- Operated by the Canons Regular of the Lateran (C.R.L.)
- Bilingual: English and Spanish
Our History
The parish traces its origins to 1843, when the first Mass in Haverstraw was celebrated in a private home. Four lots were purchased from George S. Allison in 1845 and a frame church opened in 1847; the parish was formally constituted in 1848. The present brick church on Broadway was begun in 1869, during Haverstraw's great brickmaking era, and was consecrated in 1899. In 1896 the tower received a 10-bell Meneely chime cast of Lake Superior copper and India tin; in 1898 a 2-manual, 28-rank Jardine & Son pipe organ (Opus 1248) — the first voiced by the English builder Carlton Cumberbatch Michell — was installed. That organ, still with its original mechanical action, was comprehensively restored by the Andover Organ Company in 2011 and rededicated by Archbishop (later Cardinal) Timothy M. Dolan on 5 November 2011. The parish is the mother church of several Rockland County parishes, including St. Joseph (Grassy Point), St. Michael, St. Paul (Congers), Immaculate Conception (Tomkins Cove), and St. Gregory Barbarigo (Garnerville).
- 1843: first Mass (in a private house)
- 1845: four lots purchased from George S. Allison on Ridge Street
- 1847: first Mass in new frame church
- 1848: parish formally constituted (oldest in Rockland County)
- 1869: construction begins on present brick church
- 1877: St. Peter's Cemetery purchased on Route 9W
- 1896: Meneely 10-bell chime installed (dedicated under Pope Leo XIII, Bishop Thomas M.A. Burke, Pastor John J. Walsh)
- 1898: Jardine & Son organ Opus 1248 installed (first Michell-voiced Jardine)
- 1899: brick church consecrated (750 seats)
- 2011: organ restored by Andover Organ Company and rededicated by Archbishop Dolan
- 2015 (Aug 1): St. Mary of the Assumption merged into St. Peter's
- 2023: 175th anniversary celebrated
St. Mary of the Assumption (1898–2015)
In 1898 the Slovak Catholic community of Haverstraw — many of whom had originally worshipped at St. Peter's — was given its own national parish, St. Mary of the Assumption, on Conklin Avenue on land donated by Michael Stecz. Through the first half of the 20th century it was a thriving community: in the 1940s and '50s as many as 350 to 400 attended Sunday Mass, Slovak societies marched through the village with their banners after church, and Fr. William Remy (pastor 1926–1974) preached bilingually in English and Slovak. As the immigrant community dispersed, the final official Mass at St. Mary's was held on July 31, 2015; the parish was formally merged into St. Peter's on August 1, 2015, and the closing Mass and procession were held on August 15, 2015. Statuary and a 1999 time capsule from St. Mary's were transferred to St. Peter's.
- Founded 1898 on Conklin Avenue for Slovak Catholic immigrants
- Land donated by Michael Stecz
- Longest-tenured pastor: Rev. William Remy (1926–1974)
- Closed July 31, 2015; merged into St. Peter's Aug 1, 2015
- Final liturgy and procession: August 15, 2015
Our Team
The parish is currently served by three priests of the Canons Regular of the Lateran and three deacons. Rev. Rumando Peralta, C.R.L. is Pastor; Rev. Edward Gonzalez, C.R.L. and Rev. Rafael Olivo Jimenez, C.R.L. are Parochial Vicars. Deacon Paul Stolz and Deacon Jorge Estela assist in ministry; Deacon Eugene Hamilton is listed as retired. The Director of Religious Education is Mrs. Milagros 'Millie' Cobb, and the parish office is managed by Matilde Aurelia Lopez. The parish honors the memory of long-time pastor Rev. Thomas Madden (d. February 20, 2024) and retired Deacon Eugene Hamilton (1945–2024).
- Rev. Rumando Peralta, C.R.L. — Pastor
- Rev. Edward Gonzalez, C.R.L. — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Rafael Olivo Jimenez, C.R.L. — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Paul Stolz
- Deacon Jorge Estela
- Deacon Eugene Hamilton (retired)
- Milagros 'Millie' Cobb — Director of Religious Education
- Matilde Aurelia Lopez — Office Manager
- Jennifer Reynoso — sacramental appointments ([email protected])
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The Parish Religious Education Program (PREP) at St. Peter & St. Mary's serves children in grades 1 through 8 and is directed by Milagros 'Millie' Cobb. Classes meet Monday through Wednesday evenings from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM and Saturday mornings from 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM. The program is presented as a total parish experience involving the child, parents, families, catechists, and priests, and integrates catechesis, prayer, sacramental preparation, traditional Catholic doctrine, biblical studies, liturgy, and community building. A separate Adult Formation track and an RCIA program for adults and young adults are also offered.
- PREP (Grades 1–8): Mon–Wed 6:30–8:00 PM; Sat 9:30–11:00 AM
- Director of Religious Education: Millie Cobb ([email protected]; 845-429-8824)
- Sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation
- Adult Faith Formation
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- RCIA for Young Adults
Youth Ministry & Schools
Youth ministry ('Come As You Are. Grow As We Go') meets regularly in the St. Peter School Gym, with gatherings on Friday evenings at 7:00 PM. The program includes Youth Nights, an annual Youth Retreat, and a Vocation Night, and is connected through Instagram (@spsm_ym) and Flocknote. CYO athletics, Scouts BSA & Cub Scouts, and a Sunday-evening youth group meeting at 6:00 PM in the Parish Hall (after the 5 PM Mass) are also part of parish life for young people. St. Peter's School at 21 Ridge Street has been the parish grammar school for generations and has educated children from both St. Peter's and St. Mary's families.
- Youth Ministry — Fri 7:00 PM at St. Peter School Gym
- Sunday-evening youth gathering 6:00 PM in Parish Hall
- Instagram: @spsm_ym
- CYO athletics
- Scouts BSA & Cub Scouts
- St. Peter's School, 21 Ridge Street
Music, the Organ & the Bell Chime
St. Peter's is one of the few American Catholic parish churches to retain its original Victorian-era furnishings essentially intact. The 1898 Jardine & Son pipe organ (Opus 1248) is a 2-manual, 28-rank instrument with original mechanical (tracker) action, housed in the rear balcony. After an ill-advised 2007 attempt left it partly disassembled, the Andover Organ Company removed the organ in January 2011, restored the windchests, releathered the inverted-fold reservoir, rebuilt the pedalboard and bench, recovered the manual keyboards with new ivory coverings, washed all metal pipes, and stripped three layers of later paint from the 39 façade pipes to recover and repaint their original stenciled patterns under historic-paint conservator Marylou Davis. The instrument was reinstalled in autumn 2011 and rededicated by Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan on 5 November 2011. The tower holds a 10-bell Meneely Bell Company (West Troy, NY) chime cast in 1896 of Lake Superior copper and India tin, each bell memorializing a named Haverstraw family; the bells now have electric strikers, and a Seth Thomas clock sits above them.
- Jardine & Son pipe organ, Opus 1248 (1898), 2 manuals / 28 ranks
- First organ voiced by Carlton Cumberbatch Michell (English organbuilder, joined Jardine 1897)
- Restored by Andover Organ Company in 2011 (project leader: Matthew Bellocchio; voicer: Don Glover)
- Rededicated by Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan, 5 November 2011
- 10-bell Meneely chime (1896), cast of Lake Superior copper and India tin, electric strikers
- Seth Thomas clock in the tower
Groups, Outreach & Devotions
Beyond the liturgy and formation programs, the parish sustains an unusually wide range of devotional, fellowship, and outreach groups. The Cursillistas, Sacred Heart of Jesus devotion group, and Prayer Group anchor the spiritual life; the Couples Group and Family Support ministries accompany parishioners through marriage and family life. A parish Food Pantry addresses food insecurity in the village, and the parish participates in the broader Catholic charitable network. Scouts BSA & Cub Scouts use parish facilities, and the parish maintains a robust volunteer program.
- Cursillistas
- Sacred Heart of Jesus devotion
- Prayer Group
- Couples Group
- Family Support
- Food Pantry
- Volunteer program
- Scouts BSA & Cub Scouts
Sacraments
Information about preparing for and celebrating the seven sacraments is available through the parish office. Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, Reconciliation, and the RCIA process for adults and young adults are all offered. Reconciliation is heard regularly on Saturdays from 3:45 to 4:45 PM and by appointment; appointments for baptism, marriage, and other sacramental preparation may be made by calling the rectory or emailing Jennifer at [email protected].
- Baptism — preparation through the parish office
- First Communion — via PREP
- Confirmation — via PREP and adult RCIA
- Marriage — call the rectory
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment
- Reconciliation — Saturdays 3:45–4:45 PM and by appointment
- RCIA for adults and young adults
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John J. Walshthrough 1890s
Pastor at the time the 10-bell Meneely chime was dedicated (1896) and the brick church completed and consecrated in 1899.
- Rev. William Remy1926–1974
Long-time pastor of St. Mary of the Assumption (Haverstraw), the Slovak national parish; preached bilingually in English and Slovak.
- Rev. Thomas Maddenuntil 2024
Pastor of St. Peter's who oversaw the 2015 merger with St. Mary of the Assumption; continued to serve the merged parish until his death on February 20, 2024.
- Rev. Rumando Peralta, C.R.L.2024–present
Current pastor; Canons Regular of the Lateran, the religious institute now entrusted with the parish.