About St. Francis. Saint Peter's Parish. · Phelps, New York
St. Peter's Parish is a Catholic community in the Diocese of Rochester, NY, centered around three churches: St. Felix in Clifton Springs, St. Dominic in Shortsville, and St. Francis in Phelps. The parish emphasizes the Eucharist as the core of its identity and mission, rooted in serving families and neighbors through worship and outreach. St. Francis Church in Phelps, dedicated on October 4, 1931, is the focus of this profile, with a history of growth from a small congregation in the 1800s to a thriving parish. The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Anthony Amato and includes staff such as Finance Director Daniel Hofford and Parish Secretary Shelby Galutia.
- Established
- 1869
- Patron
- St. Francis of Assisi
- Rector
- Rev. Anthony Amato
- Diocese
- Diocese of Rochester
Why belong here
Join a community that celebrates the Eucharist as the Source and Summit of faith, offers sacraments and liturgy for all ages, and supports parishioners through ministries like the Knights of Columbus, Ladies Auxiliary, and Faith Formation. The parish invites all to worship, serve, and grow in faith through its ministries and outreach.
Mission and History
St. Peter’s Parish is a faithful community in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, NY. We seek to love God and neighbor, first, through a reverent celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Then receiving the graces God has given us, we serve our families, our neighbors, and our wider community. The Most Holy Eucharist is the core of our identity, the Source and Summit of our Faith, and we invite all to worship with us! Our Parish shield also speaks to who we are as a Catholic Community. First, notice the upside down cross. It is a reference to the martyrdom of St. Peter. Tradition tells us that when St. Peter was facing his execution in Rome, knowing he was going to be crucified, he considered himself unworthy to die in the same manner as Our Lord. And so, he was crucified upside down, joining his blood with the many martyrs who died in profession of the Faith. Second, the golden keys refer to the words spoken by Christ to St. Peter in Matthew 16:19: “I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” You may also see such keys in regards to the Sacrament of Confession. The reference is not only to the authority given to St. Peter, the other Apostles, and their successors to govern the Church with the authority of Christ, but also to the authority to absolve penitents from their sins. The Church’s ministers have the power, given by Christ, to “loosen” one from his sins and so be reconciled to God. Third, the blue color is a reference to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In art, she is often depicted with such a color and we are reminded of her royal queenship over heaven and earth. She is the Mother of God and our Mother as well. We turn to her, asking her to cover us in her mantle, and to lead us to her Divine Son.
History of Our Churches
St. Francis Dedication: October 4, 1931. In the early 1800's Catholic Masses were celebrated in various homes in Vienna, now Phelps. Mass was only celebrated in Phelps a few times a year because there were very few priests in the area. Around 1850, "The St. Francis Roman Catholic Society" was founded in Phelps, then a part of the Diocese of Buffalo. The Diocese of Rochester was not formed until 1868. Priests from Geneva journeyed to Phelps to celebrate Mass, which was then held on a more regular basis. In 1856, the Rev. O'Connor was assigned to the Phelps community and commenced a collection for building a church edifice. A small church was built on the southwest corner of West Main and Eagle Streets. St. Francis was officially formed as a parish in 1869. By 1870, the Congregation had grown so rapidly that the church on West Main St. was too small. The "White Church" on Church St., formerly a Presbyterian church, was purchased for a cost of $4000. This church had been built in 1824 by the Town Government. It’s clock was recognized as "Town Time" for many years. In 1919, Father Edward Simpson was appointed as pastor of St. Francis and served in that capacity until 1967, 48 years. In 1925, a special weekly collection was started to raise money for a new church. In 1930, over $40,000 had been raised for that purpose and plans were begun to build the new church in the same location. During construction of the new church, Mass was held at the Masonic Temple. The new church was built in the Romanesque style with a steel framework, brick finish and a tile roof at a total cost of $79,715.35. The church was built in the likeness of St. Monica's Church in Rochester's 19th Ward. The cornerstone was laid on June 21, containing various items of that time and included a portion of the wooden cross that surmounted the first church on West Main St. On October 4th, 1931, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, patron of the church, the dedication of the church took place. Right Rev. O'Hern, then Bishop of Rochester, presided over the service. The church underwent renovations in the 1980's and most significantly in 2006. The original Communion rails were removed and used to create a new altar, candle sticks, and a base for the processional cross. On October 4, 2006, the 75th anniversary of the church, Bishop Matthew Clark presided over a special Mass to bless the new altar and rededicate the renovated church.
Staff
Meet our Staff: Rev. Anthony Amato, KHS Pastor; Daniel Hofford, Finance Director; Shelby Galutia, Parish Secretary; Matthew Luca, Director of Music. Feel free to contact us or stop in and see us!
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Edward Simpson1919–1967
Served 48 years as pastor.