About St. Basil the Great/ Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish · Dushore, Pennsylvania
Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish is a Catholic community in Dushore, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania, within the Diocese of Scranton. Formed in 2010 through the merger of several historic mission churches, the parish is anchored by Saint Basil the Great Church — a stone landmark whose first Mass in the present building dates to 1871 — and also includes three other worship sites: Saint Francis of Assisi Church in Mildred, Saint Francis of Assisi Chapel in Eagles Mere, and the Saint John Neumann Shrine in Sugar Ridge. The parish serves the greater Dushore area with a year-round schedule of daily and weekend Masses, an active Knights of Columbus council, faith formation for grades 1–8, RCIA, and outreach through a food pantry and St. Vincent de Paul Fund. Weekend Mass attendance is roughly 306 across the four sites.
- Established
- 2010
- Patron
- Saint Basil the Great (principal worship site); Immaculate Heart of Mary (parish title); Saint John Neumann (shrine at Sugar Ridge)
- Rector
- Reverend Bert S. Kozen
- Diocese
- Diocese of Scranton
Why belong here
Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish is a small but vibrant faith community where four historic worship sites — including a 150-year-old native-stone church and a chapel blessed by Saint John Neumann himself — anchor the Catholic life of greater Dushore. Members find a full schedule of daily and weekend Masses, year-round faith formation for children in grades 1–8, RCIA and adult faith formation during Advent and Lent, and a very active Knights of Columbus council. The parish lives out its mission through a local food pantry, the St. Vincent de Paul Fund, Extraordinary Ministers bringing Communion to the homebound, and a monthly Mass celebrated at two nursing homes, alongside beloved traditions like the July 4th picnic (running since 1878) and the November bazaar.
Mass times at St. Basil the Great/ Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:15 PM – 3:45 PM at Saint Basil's Church, Dushore (or by appointment)
Welcome to Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish
Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish is a vibrant Catholic faith community in the Diocese of Scranton serving the greater Dushore area of Sullivan County, Pennsylvania. The parish brings together four historic worship sites under one pastorate, with Saint Basil the Great Church in Dushore as the main church. Daily Mass is celebrated every weekday morning, and two weekend Masses (plus a seasonal summer Mass) keep the parish's worship life accessible to residents and visitors throughout the Endless Mountains region.
- Four historic worship sites across greater Dushore
- Year-round daily and weekend Mass schedule
- Average weekend Mass attendance: ~306
History of Saint Basil's and the Parish
Catholic life in what would become the Diocese of Scranton began in the 1830s among settlers along the Loyalsock Creek. After Bishop Francis Patrick Kenrick of Philadelphia advised them in 1836 to buy land and build a chapel, the first Saint Basil's log church was dedicated on July 4, 1838. Father James McNaughton became the first resident pastor in 1852, and the present native-stone church was begun in 1868, opened with its first Mass on March 12, 1871, and dedicated on September 7, 1873. The Diocese of Scranton created the present-day Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in 2010 by merging several mission churches, and the 150th anniversary of the first Mass in the present Saint Basil's was celebrated with Bishop Joseph C. Bambera on September 17, 2022.
- 1836 — Settlers contact Bishop Kenrick of Philadelphia
- 1838 — First log chapel dedicated on July 4
- 1852 — Father James McNaughton becomes first resident pastor
- 1868 — Cornerstone of present stone church set by Bishop O'Hara
- 1871 — First Mass in present church on Third Sunday of Lent
- 1873 — Dedication Mass by Bishop O'Hara
- 1876 — Frescoes and pews completed
- 1878 — First July 4th parish picnic
- 1879 — Steeple erected and bell installed
- 1960 — Major church renovation and rectory improvements
- 2010 — Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish formed
- 2019 — EF-1 tornado damages the church (April 15)
- 2022 — 150th Anniversary Mass with Bishop Bambera
Worship Sites
The parish operates four distinct worship sites in three Sullivan County communities, two of which are open year-round and two seasonally.
- Saint Basil the Great Church — 123 Churchill Street, Dushore, PA 18614 — main church, year-round
- Saint Francis of Assisi Church — Mildred, PA 18632 — auxiliary church, year-round
- Saint Francis of Assisi Chapel — 226 Eagles Mere Avenue, Eagles Mere, PA 17731 — seasonal
- Saint John Neumann Shrine (Saints Philip and James) — Sugar Ridge, PA — seasonal
Saint John Neumann Shrine, Sugar Ridge
The Saint John Neumann Shrine in Sugar Ridge is the simple country chapel — officially the Church of Saints Philip and James — on the very site where Saint John Neumann, then Bishop of Philadelphia, blessed the original church in July 1854. According to local history, Katherine Leahy walked from her home near Sugar Ridge to Towanda to ask Bishop Neumann to visit the Irish Catholic families in the area; he made the journey on foot, celebrated the sacraments, blessed the land, and helped clear timber for the first chapel. The Diocese of Scranton designated it an official Saint John Neumann Shrine in September 1977. Three summer Masses are celebrated there each year (first Sundays of July, August and September at 2:30 PM), with the September liturgy including a Healing Mass and Knights of Columbus parish picnic. The building has no heat — which is why Masses are limited to summer — and only one electrical outlet.
- Designated Diocese of Scranton's official Saint John Neumann Shrine, September 1977
- Original church blessed by Saint John Neumann in July 1854
- Three summer Masses annually (July, August, September at 2:30 PM)
- September Healing Mass followed by Knights of Columbus parish picnic
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish runs religious education for children and youth in grades 1 through 8, and offers RCIA as well as an Adult Faith Formation program during the seasons of Advent and Lent. The parish does not currently maintain a youth or young adult ministry program beyond these offerings.
- Religious Education for grades 1–8
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Adult Faith Formation during Advent and Lent
Parish Ministries & Outreach
Outreach and parish life at IHM revolve around a small but committed set of groups and programs. The Knights of Columbus council is described in the parish profile as 'very active' and hosts events including the annual July 4th picnic and the September Healing Mass picnic at the Shrine. The parish participates in the local food pantry (run jointly by the area ministerium) and supports a St. Vincent de Paul Fund for those in need. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion bring the Eucharist to the homebound, and a Mass is celebrated monthly at two local nursing homes.
- Knights of Columbus — very active council
- St. Vincent de Paul Fund
- Local food pantry (ministerium-run)
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion — homebound visits
- Monthly Mass at two nursing homes
Parish Staff & Organization
The parish is led by Reverend Bert S. Kozen as Pastor and is supported by an all-part-time staff. Day-to-day operations are overseen by a part-time Office Manager/Maintenance, a part-time Office Assistant, a part-time Housekeeper for the church, a part-time Sacristan, and two part-time musicians. A six-member Parish Finance Council meets twice a year. A Parish Pastoral Council is currently inactive. The parish's finances are described as healthy, with two rental properties providing supplemental income alongside a modest gas-well royalty.
- Reverend Bert S. Kozen — Pastor
- Part-time Office Manager/Maintenance
- Part-time Office Assistant
- Part-time Housekeeper for the church
- Part-time Sacristan
- Two part-time Musicians
- Six-member Finance Council (meets twice yearly)
Parish Office & Practical Info
The parish office sits on Churchill Street in Dushore and is open to visitors on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM. The office is closed on Wednesdays and Fridays. Bulletin, hall-rental, and calendar information is posted on the parish website. The mailing address is P.O. Box 307, Dushore, PA 18614.
- Office hours: Mon, Tue, Thu 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM
- Closed Wednesday and Friday
- Phone: (570) 928-8865
- Email: [email protected]
- Mailing: P.O. Box 307, Dushore, PA 18614
Community Life & Annual Events
Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish maintains a busy social calendar that draws the wider Dushore community together. The parish's longest-running tradition is its annual Fourth of July picnic, dating back to 1878. Other signature events include the Annual Bazaar in mid-November, a Halloween Costume Ball, and Mardi Gras parties, with summer Masses and a Healing Mass held at the Saint John Neumann Shrine.
- Annual July 4th Picnic (since 1878)
- Annual Bazaar in mid-November
- Halloween Costume Ball
- Mardi Gras party
- Summer Masses & Healing Mass at the Saint John Neumann Shrine
Diocese of Scranton
Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish is one of the parishes of the Diocese of Scranton, which covers Lackawanna, Luzerne, Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike, Monroe, Bradford, Sullivan, Wyoming, Carbon and Lackawanna counties in northeastern Pennsylvania. The parish was reorganized under its current configuration in 2010 and is currently pastored by Reverend Bert S. Kozen under the ministry of Bishop Joseph C. Bambera.
- Diocese of Scranton
- Bishop Joseph C. Bambera (Diocese of Scranton)
- Reverend Bert S. Kozen — current pastor
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father James McNaughton1852–
First resident pastor of Saint Basil's, appointed after Mass had been celebrated periodically by visiting priests since 1838.
- Reverend Thomas J. Major
Pastor at the time of the 150th Anniversary Mass of Thanksgiving at Saint Basil's Church on September 17, 2022.
- Reverend Bert S. Kozen
Current pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish.