About St. Ann. Our Lady of the Valley Parish. · Hornell, New York
Our Lady of the Valley Parish is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Rochester that spans over 450 square miles of the Southern Tier of Western New York, nestled in the Canisteo Valley. The multi-site parish is built around St. Ann's Church in Hornell (the principal church) and St. Mary's Church in Rexville, and in 2025–2026 St. Ann's is celebrating its 175th Jubilee. The parish offers daily and weekend Masses at both churches, livestreams weekday Mass on Facebook, and runs faith formation for children, youth, and adults, RCIA, a school successor (St. Ann's Catholic Academy), a televised Mass for shut-ins on local cable, and a wide network of liturgical and pastoral ministries.
- Established
- 1849
- Patron
- St. Ann (mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Stanley (Stan) Kacprzak
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, New York
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Valley is a large, geographically far-reaching parish (over 450 square miles) that nonetheless offers a small-parish sense of belonging: weekday and weekend Masses at two churches, a livestreamed daily Mass on Facebook for the homebound, a televised Sunday Mass on Hornell cable channel 1301 for shut-ins, and Eucharistic adoration open to all. Members can grow through children's faith formation, the Quest youth group, adult formation, RCIA, Young Adult 'Faith On Tap,' a strong music ministry with multiple choirs, and a wide network of liturgical and pastoral councils. The parish is also deeply outward-looking — supporting Sister Stan Teresa Mumuni's Nazareth Home for 'spirit children' in Ghana, sponsoring local refugees, and working with the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Knights of Columbus, Ladies of the AOH and K of C, and a Bereavement / Grief Support ministry.
Mass times at St. Ann. Our Lady of the Valley Parish.
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- St. Ann's Church — Tuesday 11:30 AM–12:00 PM
- St. Ann's Church — Thursday 11:30 AM–12:00 PM
- St. Ann's Church — Saturday 3:30–4:15 PM
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Perpetual Adoration offered at the parish (see bulletin for current schedule)
- Eucharistic Adoration reopened after the COVID-19 pandemic
About Our Lady of the Valley Parish
Our Lady of the Valley Parish is a member parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, New York, nestled in the beautiful Canisteo Valley of Western New York State. The parish encompasses over 450 square miles of the Southern Tier and is a multi-site community built around St. Ann's Church in Hornell and St. Mary's Church in Rexville. Its mission statement calls the community to be 'believing Catholics empowered by the Holy Spirit to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, expressed in prayer, realized in liturgy, and serviced by action,' promoting charity, justice, peace, and deep faith especially to those most in need of God's Mercy.
- Diocese: Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester
- Region: Canisteo Valley, Southern Tier of Western New York
- Coverage: 450+ square miles of western Steuben County
- Churches: St. Ann's (Hornell) and St. Mary's (Rexville)
History & 175th Jubilee
St. Ann's roots go back to 1843, when Father Benedict Bayer organized Catholics in Hornell and celebrated the first Mass in a private home near Webb's Crossing. The parish was officially established in 1849, dedicated its first church in 1869, and moved into its present French Gothic Revival church in 1889. Father Michael Creedan founded St. Ann School in 1863, beginning 149 years of Catholic education in Hornell. In 2004, St. Ann's merged with St. Ignatius Loyola (Hornell), St. Joachim (Canisteo), and St. Mary's (Rexville) into Our Lady of the Valley Parish; today the parish centers on St. Ann's and St. Mary's. The Jubilee booklet recalls pastor Father Peter Anglaaere's 2008–2017 tenure, the founding of St. Ann's Catholic Academy in 2013 after the parish school closed, the COVID-19 disruption, and the arrival of current pastor Father Stan Kacprzak in July 2017. In 2025–2026 the parish celebrates 175 years of St. Ann's.
- 1843 — Father Benedict Bayer celebrates the first Mass near Webb's Crossing
- 1849 — Parish officially established
- 1869 — First church building dedicated
- 1863 — St. Ann School founded by Father Michael Creedan
- 1889 — Present French Gothic Revival church completed
- 1934 — Jesse Tree artwork installed by Harold W. Rambusch
- 1976 — Publication of 'St. Ann's of Hornell 127 Years A-Growing'
- 2004 — Merger into Our Lady of the Valley Parish
- 2008–2017 — Pastorate of Father Peter Anglaaere
- 2012 — Closure of St. Ann School after 149 years
- 2013 — Founding of St. Ann's Catholic Academy
- 2017 — Arrival of Father Stan Kacprzak as pastor
- 2025–2026 — 175th Jubilee Year of St. Ann's Church
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by Father Stan Kacprzak and is served by two permanent deacons, a pastoral associate, and a staff of coordinators for faith formation, youth ministry, music, business, and buildings & grounds. For pastoral emergencies outside office hours, the parish operates a dedicated 24-hour emergency line.
- Father Stan Kacprzak — Pastor
- Deacon Robert McCormick
- Deacon Mark Clark
- Deborah Brinkhus — Pastoral Associate; Adult Faith Formation & Sacraments
- Jennifer Klinges — Children's Faith Formation
- Patty Peisher — Children's Faith Formation (St. Mary's, Rexville)
- Peg Griswald — RCIA Coordinator
- David Prete — Youth Ministry
- Margaret Terry — Parish Business Manager
- Beth Ann Jacobs — Secretary
- Shawn Woollett — Buildings & Grounds Coordinator
- Pastoral Emergencies: 1-877-456-0220
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Our Lady of the Valley runs a full faith-formation program for children, youth, and adults. Children's Faith Formation is designed to nurture growing faith and assist parents as the primary educators of their children, with separate programming for the Rexville mission. RCIA / OCIA welcomes new catechumens into the Church, the Quest Youth Group and Young Adult 'Faith On Tap' gatherings serve older teens and young adults, and adult formation covers ongoing spiritual growth. Parents preparing children for First Penance and First Holy Communion are directed to dedicated sacrament preparation pages.
- Children's Faith Formation (Jennifer Klinges)
- Children's Faith Formation at St. Mary's Rexville (Patty Peisher)
- RCIA / OCIA (Peg Griswald)
- Adult Faith Formation & Sacraments (Deborah Brinkhus)
- Quest Youth Group
- Young Adult – Faith On Tap
- First Penance & First Holy Communion preparation
- Safe Environment Letter, Internet Safety, and family prayer resources
Music & Liturgical Ministries
Liturgy is supported by a robust team of liturgical ministers. The Music Ministry features multiple choirs — a Folk Choir, a Resurrection Choir, and a Children's Choir — and in 2025 organists Jim Brzozowski, Ed Karns, and Pat Wiggers succeeded long-time organists William Loree and John Bartell, who together served the parish for more than 140 years. Liturgical roles include lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, ushers, altar servers, and funeral servers.
- Music Ministry — Folk Choir, Resurrection Choir, Children's Choir
- Organists — Jim Brzozowski, Ed Karns, Pat Wiggers
- Lector Ministry
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Usher Ministry
- Altar Server Ministry
- Funeral Server Ministry
- Liturgy Committee
Sacraments
The parish prepares members for and celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments, with Reconciliation offered weekly and Holy Communion and Confirmation prepared through the Faith Formation programs. Weddings are scheduled at least six months in advance, and the Parish Office is the gateway for Baptism, Anointing of the Sick, and Holy Orders inquiries.
- Baptism — contact the Parish Office
- Reconciliation — Tue/Thu 11:30 AM–12:00 PM, Sat 3:30–4:15 PM, or by appointment
- First Penance & First Holy Communion — via Children's Faith Formation
- Confirmation — via Faith Formation
- Anointing of the Sick
- Matrimony — contact Parish Office 6 months in advance
- Holy Orders
- Perpetual Adoration
Parish Life, Pastoral Care & Outreach
Pastoral care and fellowship are organized through councils and small communities. The Parish Pastoral Council, Finance Committee, Liturgy Committee, and Cemetery Committee guide parish governance, while the Bereavement Ministry and Grief Support Group walk with families through loss. A Mom's Support Group nurtures young families. The parish also partners with the Ancient Order of Hibernians (and Ladies of AOH) and the Knights of Columbus (and Ladies of K of C), and has a history of international outreach — most notably supporting Sister Stan Teresa Mumuni's Nazareth Home for God's Children in Ghana.
- Parish Pastoral Council
- Finance Committee
- Liturgy Committee
- Cemetery Committee
- Bereavement Ministry
- Grief Support Group
- Mom's Support Group
- Ancient Order of Hibernians / Ladies of AOH
- Knights of Columbus / Ladies of K of C
- International outreach: Nazareth Home for God's Children, Ghana
St. Ann's School & Catholic Academy
Catholic education in Hornell began in 1863, when Father Michael Creedan founded St. Ann School. The school moved into a new building in 1890 and added a wing in 1962. After 149 years, declining enrollment and financial pressures led the Diocese of Rochester to close St. Ann School in June 2012. In 2013, parents and alumni founded St. Ann's Catholic Academy to continue Catholic education in Hornell from pre-kindergarten through grade 6, with a student-teacher ratio of about 13:1.
- 1863 — St. Ann School founded by Father Michael Creedan
- 1890 — New school building opens
- 1962 — New wing added
- 2012 — St. Ann School closes after 149 years
- 2013 — St. Ann's Catholic Academy founded
- Today — Pre-K through grade 6
Art & Architecture of St. Ann's Church
The present St. Ann's Church, completed in 1889 in the French Gothic Revival style, is best known for the monumental Jesse Tree that runs down its nave like a 'midrib,' designed by Harold W. Rambusch of the famous Rambusch Decorating Co. of New York City in 1934. The artwork traces the genealogy of Jesus from Jesse of Bethlehem to Christ and includes the Latin inscription 'Radix Jesse.' Originally painted in watercolors and re-rendered in oils in 1969, the tree survived the 2004 church fire undamaged. The nearby St. Ann's Federation Building (1910–1912), a Neoclassical community center designed by architect Otis Dockstader, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.
- 1889 — French Gothic Revival church completed
- 1934 — Jesse Tree by Harold W. Rambusch installed
- 1969 — Jesse Tree re-rendered in oils
- 2001 — Federation Building listed on the National Register of Historic Places
- 2004 — Church fire; Jesse Tree undamaged
Contact, Office Hours & Visiting
The Parish Office is at 27 Erie Avenue, Hornell, NY 14843, next door to St. Ann's Church at 31 Erie Avenue. Office hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM; the office is closed on Wednesdays and Fridays. St. Mary's Church is on Church Street in Rexville, NY 14877. A pastoral emergency line (1-877-456-0220) is available outside of office hours. Weekday Masses are livestreamed on the parish Facebook page, and a Sunday Mass is televised on Hornell cable Channel 1301 for those unable to attend in person.
- Parish Office: 27 Erie Avenue, Hornell, NY 14843
- St. Ann's Church: 31 Erie Avenue, Hornell, NY 14843
- St. Mary's Church: Church Street, Rexville, NY 14877
- Phone: 607-324-5811 — Fax: 607-324-0116
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon/Tue/Thu 9:30 AM–3:30 PM (closed Wed/Fri)
- Pastoral Emergency Line: 1-877-456-0220
- Livestreamed weekday Mass on Facebook; televised Sunday Mass on Channel 1301
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Benedict Bayer1843–(founding era)
Organized the first Catholics in the Hornell area and celebrated the first Mass in a private home near Webb's Crossing in 1843; parish officially established 1849.
- Father Michael Creedan1863
Founded St. Ann School in 1863, beginning Catholic education in Hornell.
- Father McNamaraby 1976
Celebrated his 25th anniversary of priesthood in 1976; shepherded the parish during the U.S. Bicentennial and the publication of 'St. Ann's of Hornell 127 Years A-Growing.'
- Father Peter AnglaaereJuly 2008–2017
Pastor from Ghana who arrived in July 2008; welcomed Father Paulinus Okpala as assistant in 2010; shepherded the parish through the 2012 closure of St. Ann School; introduced the parish to Sister Stan Teresa Mumuni and her Nazareth Home for God's Children in Ghana. Returned to Ghana in 2017.
- Father Stan KacprzakJuly 2017–present
Current pastor; known for his 'Two Cents' weekly bulletin column and his encouragement of young families; oversaw the Jubilee 175th anniversary of St. Ann's in 2025–2026.