About St. Francis Solanus. The parish of Mary, Mother of Mercy. · Interlaken, New York
St. Francis Solanus Church is one of three worship sites that together make up the Parish of Mary, Mother of Mercy, a Roman Catholic community in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York. The other two churches are St. James the Apostle in Trumansburg and Holy Cross in Ovid, and the three were united by Bishop Salvatore Matano in 2016 into one parish stretching roughly 40 miles between Seneca and Cayuga Lakes. St. Francis Solanus itself, located at 3660 Orchard Street in the village of Interlaken (formerly Farmer Village), was built in 1874 and dedicated by Bishop McQuaid of Rochester on January 17, 1875. It has been continuously served since 1956 by the Capuchin Franciscan Fathers (OFM Cap.), today based at St. Fidelis Friary in the same village, and currently pastored by Fr. Bernard M. Maloney, OFM Cap. The parish's mission statement is simple and Franciscan: to nourish faith in Jesus Christ through the Word, worship, witness, and fellowship.
- Established
- 1874 (church built and dedicated January 17, 1875; became an independent parish on June 27, 1956)
- Patron
- St. Francis Solanus (Franciscan missionary to South America, 1549–1610)
- Rector
- Rev. Bernard M. Maloney, OFM Cap.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Rochester
Why belong here
The Parish of Mary, Mother of Mercy offers a rare combination of historic small-town Catholic identity and Franciscan spirituality. St. Francis Solanus itself has been a place of worship since 1875 and remains the administrative center of a merged parish that today stretches between Cayuga and Seneca Lakes. Daily Mass and the rosary are offered Tuesday through Friday at 8:30 a.m., and the parish makes generous room for formation — a Family Faith Formation program for grades K–6, a Saturday Confirmation and adult-study class, and a Children's Liturgy of the Word during the 4 p.m. Saturday Mass. The community is actively engaged with local food pantries (Ovid, Interlaken, Trumansburg, and Lodi), supports Alcoholics Anonymous meetings on Tuesday evenings, and gathers for coffee and pastries in the Annex after Wednesday Mass. As the parish bulletin puts it, the mission is to nourish faith in Jesus Christ through the Word, worship, witness, and fellowship — and parishioners regularly find all four.
Mass times at St. Francis Solanus. The parish of Mary, Mother of Mercy.
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Fridays, 6:30–7:30 p.m., St. Francis Solanus, Interlaken, with Father Bernard
- By appointment with a priest
Adoration times
- Private prayer: St. Francis Solanus Church in Interlaken is open at all times
Welcome to St. Francis Solanus and the Parish of Mary, Mother of Mercy
St. Francis Solanus Church in Interlaken is one of three worship sites of the Parish of Mary, Mother of Mercy, established by Bishop Salvatore Matano on July 1, 2016. The other two are St. James the Apostle in Trumansburg and Holy Cross in Ovid. The merged parish stretches roughly 40 miles between Cayuga and Seneca Lakes in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York. The parish mission statement is to nourish faith in Jesus Christ through the Word, worship, witness, and fellowship.
- St. Francis Solanus, 3660 Orchard St., Interlaken
- St. James the Apostle, 17 Whig St., Trumansburg
- Holy Cross, 7231 Main St., Ovid
- Pastor: Fr. Bernard M. Maloney, OFM Cap.
- Parish Center (office): 3660 Orchard St., Interlaken
History of St. Francis Solanus Church
Catholic life in the Interlaken area began with Irish settlers in the late 1830s and 1840s. The first Mass in Farmer Village (later Interlaken) was offered by Father Michael Gilbride in 1849 at the home of Thomas King. A church-fund drive began in 1873; the cornerstone was laid June 4, 1874 and the completed church dedicated by Bishop McQuaid on January 17, 1875. For its first 80 years St. Francis Solanus was a mission of St. James Parish in Trumansburg, served by a succession of pastors living in Trumansburg. In 1956 Bishop Kearney separated the mission and made it an independent parish entrusted to the Capuchin Fathers at St. Fidelis Friary in Interlaken. The parish was clustered with Holy Cross in 1994 under Bishop Clark and then merged with both Holy Cross and St. James the Apostle in 2016 under Bishop Matano. The parish history was compiled by Marie Roloson in November 2011 with contributions from Gerard Messmer Jr. in February 2012, and originally appeared as a booklet Priests and Pioneers by Father Julius Sullivan, OFM Cap.
- First Mass in Farmer Village: 1849 at the Thomas King home
- Cornerstone laid: June 4, 1874
- Dedicated by Bishop McQuaid: January 17, 1875
- Independent parish erected: June 27, 1956
- Clustered with Holy Cross: 1994
- Merged into Parish of Mary, Mother of Mercy: July 1, 2016
- Source: 'The History of St. Francis Solanus Church in Interlaken, NY' on marymotherofmercy.com
The Building and Its Furnishings
The original 1874 church measured 56 by 32 feet and was designed and built by John King of Farmer Village. A vestry was added in 1877, and the church was debt-free by 1881. Major renovations came under Fr. Gereon Lindsay, OFM Cap., in 1956: the old steeple was removed and replaced with a new entrance porch, the interior walls were covered with striated sheet rock, a new ceiling was installed, and a new tabernacle, confessional, and baptismal font were provided. New steps and a handicap ramp were added to the front of the church in 1986. Notable furnishings include a Wurlitzer electric organ donated in 1949 by Mrs. Mary (Quinn) Preston of Owego and new pews and kneelers installed in 1950.
- Architect/builder: John King of Farmer Village
- Original cost (lot + building): $3,502
- Wurlitzer organ installed: 1949 (75th anniversary gift)
- New altar, tabernacle, confessional, baptismal font: 1956
- Handicap ramp and new front steps: 1986
Devotions and Other Gatherings
In addition to the Mass and confession schedule, the parish hosts a regular round of devotions, faith-formation gatherings, and community meetings. The rosary is prayed before every Tuesday-through-Friday morning Mass, parishioners gather for coffee and pastries in the Annex after Wednesday Mass, and AA meets in the church every Tuesday evening.
- Rosary: Tuesday–Friday, 8:10 a.m., St. Francis Solanus
- Coffee and Pastries: Wednesdays after 8:30 a.m. Mass, St. Francis Solanus Annex
- Children's Liturgy of the Word: 2nd Saturday of the month during the 4:00 p.m. Mass
- Divine Mercy Chaplet: First Fridays, 3:00 p.m., St. James the Apostle, Trumansburg
- Prayer for Healing and Harmony: Wednesdays 2:00 p.m. and 1st & 3rd Tuesdays 7:00 p.m., St. James the Apostle
- AA Meeting: Tuesdays, 7:30 p.m., St. Francis Solanus
Religious Education and Faith Formation
The parish runs a Family Faith Formation program for children in grades K–6, which includes preparation for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. Older students preparing for Confirmation and adults seeking Baptism, Confirmation, or First Holy Communion — or simply wanting to learn more about the faith — meet on Saturdays (except the second Saturday of the month) from 5:00 to 6:15 p.m. in the St. Francis Solanus Annex. Sister Anne Alderman, SSJ, facilitates programs at St. James the Apostle, Trumansburg (contact: 607-209-4206 or [email protected]). Children's Liturgy of the Word takes place during the 4:00 p.m. Saturday Mass on the second Saturday of each month.
- Family Faith Formation: K–6, includes First Reconciliation & First Communion prep
- Confirmation Preparation & Adult Study: Saturdays 5:00–6:15 p.m., St. Francis Solanus Annex
- Children's Liturgy of the Word: 2nd Saturday during the 4:00 p.m. Mass
- Book Study (Following Jesus by Henri Nouwen): Wednesdays, 3:15 p.m., St. James the Apostle
- The Word Among Us booklets distributed in the church foyer for daily readings and meditations
Clergy, Staff, and Parish Office
The Parish of Mary, Mother of Mercy is pastored by Fr. Bernard M. Maloney, OFM Cap., and supported by a small staff of lay ministers and a resident Capuchin. As of summer 2025, Fr. Bernard was recovering from an aortic valve replacement; weekend Masses were covered by Fr. Gerard Mulvey, OFM Cap., and the weekday 8:30 a.m. Masses at St. Francis Solanus were covered by Fr. Brendan Buckley, OFM Cap., in residence at St. Fidelis Friary.
- Pastor: Rev. Bernard M. Maloney, OFM Cap.
- In residence: Rev. Brendan Buckley, OFM Cap. (St. Fidelis Friary)
- Weekend assistance: Rev. Gerard Mulvey, OFM Cap.
- Parish Secretary: Susan Guydosh ([email protected])
- Business Manager: Eileen Heptig ([email protected])
- Cemetery Manager: Pamela Jones ([email protected], 315-283-8042)
- Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, 2:00–5:00 p.m.
Sacraments Offered by the Parish
Parishioners are encouraged to phone the Parish Center to arrange the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick, and Marriage. Confession is offered every Friday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at St. Francis Solanus, or by appointment with a priest. Mass Intentions can be requested by phone or by submitting the parish's online Mass Intentions Request form.
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- Anointing of the Sick
- Marriage
- First Reconciliation & First Holy Communion (via Family Faith Formation)
- Reconciliation / Confession: Fridays 6:30–7:30 p.m., or by appointment
- Mass Intentions: by phone or online request form
Cemetery, Outreach, and Giving
Cemetery operations across the merged parish are managed by Pamela Jones. The parish is actively involved in supporting several local food pantries — Ovid Federated Church (Mondays 10:00 a.m. and Thursdays 5:00 p.m.), the Interlaken Reformed Church pantry (Fridays 3:00–6:00 p.m.), the Trumansburg Food Pantry (select Mondays at the Methodist Church), Lodi's Community Pantry (Saturdays 12:30–2:00 p.m.), and a mobile food truck at South Seneca High School. Donations to the parish are accepted through WeShare Online Giving, and the parish also participates in the annual Catholic Ministries Appeal (2024–25 CMA parish goal: $31,000; parishioners gave $35,618).
- Cemetery Manager: Pamela Jones — 315-283-8042, [email protected]
- WeShare Online Giving — marymotherofmercy.com/giving
- Catholic Ministries Appeal annual goal (2024–25): $31,000
- Trumansburg Food Pantry: parish volunteers during July and August
- AA meeting hosted at St. Francis Solanus every Tuesday 7:30 p.m.
Visiting the Parish
St. Francis Solanus Church is open at all times for private prayer. The parish office (Parish Center) at the same address is open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. The church can be reached by phone at 607-294-0064 or by email at [email protected]. The latest bulletin and Mass schedule are always posted at marymotherofmercy.com, and the parish is active on Instagram and Facebook as @marymotherofmercyparish.
- Phone: 607-294-0064
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: marymotherofmercy.com
- Mailing: P.O. Box 403, Interlaken, NY 14847
- St. Fidelis Friary (Capuchin residence) is also in Interlaken
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. James O'Connor1870–1872
Served Ovid and Farmer Village from St. James Parish, Trumansburg
- Rev. Gilbert Nuonno1872–1877
Possibly a Franciscan; may have chosen the name St. Francis Solanus for the new Interlaken church
- Rev. Angelo Lugero1877–1881
Served Trumansburg and Farmer Village
- Rev. Michael T. Madden1881–1909
Served Trumansburg and Interlaken; long pastorate
- Rev. T. J. Harrington1909–1920
Trumansburg and Interlaken
- Rev. E. Joseph Esser1920–1935
Trumansburg and Interlaken
- Rev. G. Stuart Hogan1935–1945
Trumansburg and Interlaken
- Rev. Leonard A. Kelly1945–1954
Pioneer of catechetical facilities; built the St. Francis Solanus Catechetical Center (1953) near Interlaken Central School
- Rev. Francis A. Marks1954–1956
Trumansburg and Interlaken
- Rev. Gereon Lindsay, OFM Cap.1956–1958
First Administrator of the newly independent parish; led the 1956 renovation
- Rev. Anselm Leahy, OFM Cap.1958–1961
- Rev. Harold Higgins, OFM Cap.1961–1970
- Rev. Bennett Devine, OFM Cap.1970–1973
- Rev. Bertrand Scully, OFM Cap.1973–1979
- Rev. James McIntyre, OFM Cap.1979–1984
- Rev. Nelson Ruppert, OFM Cap.1984–1990
- Rev. John O'Hare, OFM Cap.1990–1994
- Rev. Nelson Ruppert, OFM Cap.1994–1998
Returned as pastor of the clustered Holy Cross–St. Francis unit
- Rev. Regis Armstrong, OFM Cap.1998
- Rev. Bernard M. Maloney1998–2002
- Rev. William Winters, OFM Cap.2002–2008
- Rev. Bartholomew (Bart) Minson, OFM Cap.2008–2015
- Rev. Bernard M. Maloney, OFM Cap.2015–Present
Pastor of the unified Parish of Mary, Mother of Mercy since its 2016 establishment