About St. Cecilia's · Adams, New York
St. Cecilia's Church is a Roman Catholic parish in the village of Adams, Jefferson County, New York, part of the Diocese of Ogdensburg's Jefferson Deanery. The parish at 17 Grove Street is yoked with Queen of Heaven Church in nearby Henderson (8900 NYS Route 3), and together the two worship sites form one parish family serving the north country communities of Adams and Henderson. St. Cecilia's offers Saturday evening and Sunday morning Mass, a Saturday confession schedule, a Christian Formation program for grades K–10, RCIA/OCIA inquiry, lay ministry, a parish cemetery on Nohle Road, and a free fresh-food distribution ministry run jointly with the Rohde Center and the Central Food Bank of Northern New York.
- Patron
- St. Cecilia
- Rector
- Reverend Robert L. Decker
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Ogdensburg
Why belong here
St. Cecilia's is a small, family-style parish that pairs a regular weekend Mass schedule with an unusually full sacramental and outreach life. Parishioners can walk into a Saturday 4 p.m. reconciliation, bring children through K–10 Christian Formation and the sacraments, take Communion to the homebound, volunteer with the last-Friday-of-the-month free fresh food distribution that supports the Rohde Center, or help stock the bulletin-board vocation ministry. The parish also partners with Queen of Heaven in Henderson to make Spanish Mass available monthly at St. Anthony's in Watertown, and offers free access to the FORMED online Catholic media library.
Mass times at St. Cecilia's
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM at St. Cecilia's, Adams
- Sunday 8:00 AM at Queen of Heaven, Henderson
- By appointment with the pastor
- Penance services and additional opportunities offered during Advent and Lent
Welcome and Parish Identity
The parish website opens with the line 'Our parish family welcomes you to St. Cecilia's and Queen of Heaven Catholic Churches!' The community is one parish family spanning two worship sites: St. Cecilia's Church at 17 Grove Street in Adams (NY) and Queen of Heaven Church at 8900 NYS Route 3 in Henderson, NY. The bulletin-style 'Eastern Lake Ontario Catholics' publication is the parish's printed news of record. Office Manager Phyllis Conley, Christian Formation Catechesis Laura Mallan, and Custodian Catalina Van Camp round out the staff alongside the priests and deacon.
Clergy and Staff
The parish is served by a pastor and parochial vicar, supported by a deacon and a small lay staff. The current parish website lists Reverend Robert L. Decker as pastor, Reverend Scott Belina as parochial vicar, and Deacon Larry Ambeau. (The diocesan directory page for Adams lists a different pastor and additional deacon names; the parish's own website is treated as the most current source.) Phyllis Conley is the Office Manager, Laura Mallan is the Christian Formation Catechesis (Director of Religious Education), and Catalina Van Camp is the parish custodian.
- Reverend Robert L. Decker – Pastor
- Reverend Scott Belina – Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Larry (Lawrence) Ambeau
- Phyllis Conley – Office Manager
- Laura Mallan – Christian Formation Catechesis
- Catalina Van Camp – Custodian
Sacraments
The parish provides preparation and celebration for the seven sacraments. Parents are asked to contact the pastor as soon as possible after the birth of a child to begin baptismal preparation with a parish team. First Reconciliation is generally received in second grade during Saturday morning classes in the fall, with First Eucharist following in the Christian Formation program; Confirmation is a two-year preparation culminating in a spring celebration. The Anointing of the Sick is available to the elderly, ill, injured, or those facing surgery, and Communion can be brought to the homebound, hospitalized, or those in nursing facilities.
- Baptism – arrange with the pastor shortly after birth
- Reconciliation (Confession) – Saturday 4 PM, Sunday 8 AM (Queen of Heaven), by appointment, and at Advent/Lenten services
- First Reconciliation & First Communion – 2nd-grade preparation through Sunday Christian Formation
- Confirmation – 2-year preparation, usually in the spring
- Eucharist for the homebound/hospital – contact the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick – contact the pastor; encouraged before surgery
- Matrimony – 6 months' notice required, plus Pre-Cana and the Focus program
- Holy Orders / Religious Life – speak to the pastor or the Diocese of Ogdensburg vocations office
Christian Formation and OCIA (RCIA)
The Christian Formation program serves students in grades K through 10, with classes held from September through May, generally following the local school schedule (when there is no school, there are no Christian Formation classes). The parish also runs an OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, also referenced as RCIA) process for adults seeking to become Catholic, including an Inquiry Session held in the fall at St. Cecilia's in Adams. Adults in the OCIA process typically receive Baptism (if not already baptized), Confirmation, and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil. To register, families contact Laura Mallan, the Christian Formation Catechesis, at the parish office.
- Christian Formation for grades K–10, September–May
- OCIA/RCIA Inquiry Session each fall at St. Cecilia's, Adams
- First Reconciliation & First Communion preparation (2nd grade)
- Confirmation preparation (two-year, ending in spring)
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners serve at Mass as greeters, lectors, altar servers, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, and members of the music ministry. The parish encourages youth who have made their First Communion to serve as altar servers, with training provided by the deacon. Lectors proclaim the first and second readings (and may also announce the intentions and read the Psalm); ministry schedules are prepared quarterly by volunteers Lorraine Caramanna (St. Cecilia's) and Eunice Wescott (Queen of Heaven). The parish's Vocations Ministry keeps a bulletin board with photos of young people from the Diocese of Ogdensburg discerning priesthood or religious life.
- Greeters
- Lectors (training by the Deacon)
- Altar Servers (training by the Deacon)
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Music Ministry / cantors
- Ministry Schedule volunteers (Lorraine Caramanna, Eunice Wescott)
Lay Ministry, Family Ministry, and Vocations
The parish actively promotes the diocesan Commissioned Lay Ministry program, a two-year course of study that prepares lay men and women to serve at liturgies, visit the homebound, catechize, and sit on parish council. Family Ministry is led by commissioned lay minister Nina Hershey, who can be reached at (315) 938-7363. The Vocations Ministry focuses on prayer, education, action, and affirmation to foster a culture that supports each person's call to holiness—whether married, single, consecrated, religious, deacon, or priest. Those discerning a vocation are encouraged to contact Father Decker at the parish office.
- Commissioned Lay Ministry (2-year diocesan program)
- Family Ministry – Nina Hershey, (315) 938-7363
- Vocations Ministry – contact Father Decker at 315-232-2392
- Parish Council
Outreach: Free Fresh Food Distribution and Rohde Center Partnership
Every last Friday of the month, St. Cecilia's Church hosts a free fresh-food distribution using produce received from the Central Food Bank of Northern New York. Distribution numbers begin at 1:00 PM; the program is open to the public and food is distributed in a fair and non-discriminatory way. Volunteers from local churches have come together to form the ministry, and both St. Cecilia's and Queen of Heaven make quarterly monetary donations to the Rohde Center to support the wider Six Town community. Questions about the food pantry can be directed to 315-232-2621, and donations can be left at either church for the center; the parish notes that every $1.00 donated enables the Rohde Center to purchase more than $10.50 worth of food.
- Free Fresh Food Distribution – last Friday of the month, numbers at 1:00 PM
- Partner: Central Food Bank of Northern New York
- Beneficiary: Rohde Center food pantry (2 East Church Street, Adams)
- Quarterly monetary donations from St. Cecilia's and Queen of Heaven
- Rohde Center pantry hours: 9:30 AM–12:45 PM and 3:00 PM–6:45 PM
Cemetery
St. Cecilia's Cemetery is located on Nohle Road in the town of Henderson. The parish describes it as 'a focus for the Christian community for prayerful remembrance of the dead' and a place that 'will speak of life beyond life, life after death.' Inquiries about the cemetery can be directed to the parish office by email or by phone at 315-232-2392.
- Location: Nohle Road, town of Henderson
- Contact: parish office, 315-232-2392
Spanish-Language Ministry
Father Robert Decker celebrates Mass in Spanish every third Sunday of the month at 1:00 PM at St. Anthony's Church, 850 Arsenal Street, Watertown. Everyone is invited to attend, and more information is available by calling Father Decker at 315-232-2392. This ministry extends the parish's reach into the wider Spanish-speaking Catholic community of the north country, beyond Adams and Henderson.
- Spanish Mass – 3rd Sunday of each month, 1:00 PM
- Location: St. Anthony's Church, 850 Arsenal Street, Watertown, NY
- Celebrant: Father Robert Decker
Online Resources and Communications
The parish uses its website, a Facebook page under the name 'St. Cecilia/Queen of Heaven Roman Catholic Churches,' and the printed 'Eastern Lake Ontario Catholics' bulletin (PDFs available on the website) to keep parishioners informed of upcoming events, deadlines, and parish news. The parish has also announced free access to FORMED, an online service providing thousands of Catholic studies, movies, audio dramas, talks, and e-books for parishioners. The website links to Catholic blogs and other favorite Catholic resources the parish finds helpful.
- Parish website: stceciliaandqoh.org
- Facebook: St. Cecilia/Queen of Heaven Roman Catholic Churches
- Bulletin: 'Eastern Lake Ontario Catholics' (PDF)
- FORMED online Catholic media library (free parish access)