St. Cecilia

About the Parish

St. Cecilia's Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Fonda, New York, founded in 1882 and part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany. It is served today by a collaborative team of Conventual Franciscan and diocesan priests together with a deacon who serves as Parish Life Coordinator. The parish is twinned with Sacred Heart Church in Tribes Hill, sharing Mass schedules, offices, and clergy across the two worship sites.

• Founded: 1882
• Diocese: Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany
• Mailing: P.O. Box 837, Fonda, NY 12068
• Phone: (518) 853-4195
• Email: [email protected]

History of St. Cecilia's Parish

St. Cecilia's Roman Catholic parish was organized in 1882 in the Village of Fonda, a community in the Mohawk Valley whose roots reach back to the seventeenth-century Mohawk settlement of Caughnawaga. The parish first gathered in an earlier church building, which the congregation eventually outgrew; members then built the present church nearer the center of the village on Broadway. The original structure was vacated and stood for many years as a decaying landmark before being taken down in the years following 2004. Today the parish continues as a stable, mission-minded Catholic community in central Fonda.

• 1882 — Parish founded
• Original church building later demolished
• Current church built near the center of Fonda on Broadway

Parish Mission Statement

The parish mission statement, published in the weekly bulletin, reads: 'In the example & intercession of our Patron Saint: St. Cecilia — a Virgin & a Martyr — we will strive to fulfill the Catholic Church's mission, that is, to evangelize; which means to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all, ultimately seeking to lead everyone to a deeper relationship with God. In this mission, we will embody Christ's love through service, teaching the Catholic faith, and foster the salvation and sanctification of our brothers & sisters, which we will devotedly & zealously manifest in the ongoing efforts to serve the poor, the marginalized, and all those in need in our community.'

Clergy and Parish Staff

Pastoral care at St. Cecilia's is shared among three clerics who also minister at Sacred Heart Church in Tribes Hill. Father Nathaniel Resila serves as Parish Administrator and oversees the collaborative parish. Father Juanito Asprec serves as Parochial Vicar, and Deacon Joseph Cechnicki serves as Parish Life Coordinator.

• Father Nathaniel Resila — Parish Administrator ([email protected])
• Father Juanito Asprec — Parochial Vicar ([email protected])
• Deacon Joseph Cechnicki — Parish Life Coordinator ([email protected])

Worship Schedule

Holy Mass is celebrated at St. Cecilia Church on Sundays at 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM. The Saturday vigil Mass and any other regular Saturday liturgy is celebrated at Sacred Heart Church in Tribes Hill. Holy Day schedules are announced in the parish bulletin. Parishioners are encouraged to confirm winter or seasonal schedule changes via the bulletin.

• Sunday Mass (St. Cecilia): 9:00 AM
• Sunday Mass (St. Cecilia): 5:00 PM
• Saturday Vigil (Sacred Heart, Tribes Hill): 4:00 PM
• Holy Days: See bulletin

Sacraments

The parish celebrates the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass each Sunday and on Holy Days, and offers the Sacrament of Reconciliation by appointment only. Families seeking baptism, marriage, first Communion, confirmation, anointing of the sick, or sacramental preparation should contact the parish office to schedule.

• Reconciliation: by appointment (518-623-3021)
• Holy Mass: Sundays and Holy Days
• Sacramental preparation available through the parish

Sacred Heart Church — Partner Worship Site

St. Cecilia's is partnered with Sacred Heart Church at 111 Third Avenue, P.O. Box 264, Tribes Hill, NY 12177. The Sacred Heart community shares clergy and bulletin with St. Cecilia's and offers the Saturday Vigil Mass at 4:00 PM. Its office hours are Monday and Wednesday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and it can be reached at (518) 829-7301 or [email protected].

• Address: 111 Third Avenue, Tribes Hill, NY 12177
• Phone: (518) 829-7301
• Email: [email protected]
• Office Hours: Monday & Wednesday, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
• Patron: The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

Parish Office and Contact

The St. Cecilia's parish office is located at the church and is staffed on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Parishioners and visitors may contact the office by phone, email, or in person; sacramental needs and Reconciliation appointments are arranged through the office.

• St. Cecilia Office Hours: Tuesday & Thursday, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
• Phone: (518) 853-4195
• Email: [email protected]

Visiting and Getting Here

St. Cecilia's is centrally located on Broadway in the Village of Fonda, Montgomery County, New York. The parish website provides a 'How To Get Here' link with directions. Fonda lies along the Mohawk River and the NYS Thruway corridor, and visitors from surrounding communities in the Mohawk Valley will find the church easily accessible.

• Located on Broadway in the Village of Fonda
• Directions available via parish website
• Twin worship site at Sacred Heart, Tribes Hill