About St. Francis Xavier/St. Brigid Parish · Friendsville, Pennsylvania
St. Brigid Parish is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Scranton serving the rural communities of Friendsville, Silver Lake, and Brackney in the Endless Mountains of Susquehanna County, northeastern Pennsylvania. Founded as a unified parish in 2010, it is administered from St. Francis Xavier Church in Friendsville and uses two active worship sites — St. Francis Xavier Church in Friendsville and St. Augustine Church in Silver Lake Township (Brackney mailing address). The parish carries on the legacy of multiple historic Catholic missions that once served scattered farm and small-mountain communities in the area, including formerly independent churches at St. Joseph, St. Patrick (Middleton), and St. Thomas the Apostle (Little Meadows), all of which were closed and merged into St. Brigid Parish by decree of the Diocese of Scranton. The community is led today by Fr. Thomas Augustine as Administrator Pro tem, with Deacon Paul J. Brojack assisting, and publishes Sunday Mass live from St. Francis Xavier Church.
- Established
- 2010
- Patron
- St. Brigid of Ireland (the consolidated parish); St. Francis Xavier (the principal worship site); St. Augustine of Hippo (Silver Lake worship site)
- Rector
- Rev. Thomas Augustine (Administrator Pro tem)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Scranton
Why belong here
St. Brigid Parish welcomes Catholics and visitors into a small, close-knit community of faith rooted in the Endless Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania, where two historic worship sites — St. Francis Xavier in Friendsville and St. Augustine in Silver Lake — keep alive more than 165 years of Catholic tradition. Worshippers can attend weekend Mass in either location, hear the Sunday liturgy broadcast live online, and approach the Sacrament of Reconciliation before every weekend Mass or by appointment. With a parish cemetery on site, a deacon assisting the priest, and a tradition of ministry across scattered townships, it offers a pastoral, family-style Catholic life for residents and visitors to the rural Susquehanna County countryside.
Mass times at St. Francis Xavier/St. Brigid Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday — St. Francis Xavier Church, 4:00 to 4:20 pm (also listed 3:30 to 4:15 pm on the Diocese schedule)
- Sunday — St. Francis Xavier Church, 7:30 to 7:50 am (immediately before 8:00 am Mass)
- Sunday — St. Augustine Church, 10:00 to 10:20 am (immediately before 10:30 am Mass)
- At any convenient time upon request (call the rectory)
About St. Brigid Parish
St. Brigid Parish is the Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Scranton that ministers to the rural communities of Friendsville, Silver Lake, and Brackney in Susquehanna County, in the Endless Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. It was formed in 2010 from several older mission congregations and operates two active worship sites: St. Francis Xavier Church in Friendsville and St. Augustine Church in Silver Lake. Office hours run Monday–Friday, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, and the parish can be reached at (570) 553-2288 or [email protected].
History
Catholic life in Friendsville goes back more than 165 years. The oldest documented pastor, Very Rev. John V. O'Reilly (ordained 1838), was serving St. Francis Xavier before 1860. Successive diocesan priests built the parish hall (1876, under Fr. Patrick J. Murphy), put in the church bell (under Fr. Samuel S. Mattingly, 1869-1871), and built the present rectory (under Fr. B. V. Driscoll, 1895-1907). Through the twentieth century the parish served a network of rural mission churches in Little Meadows, Middletown, and Choconut Township.
The 2010 Consolidation
In June 2010 the Diocese of Scranton created St. Brigid Parish by merging the historic St. Francis Xavier Parish with three smaller mission congregations. Final closing rituals were held at St. Patrick in Middletown (June 21, 2009), St. Thomas the Apostle in Little Meadows (June 19, 2010), and St. Joseph in Choconut Township (July 18, 2010). Fr. Casimir Stanis, the last pastor of St. Francis Xavier, became the first pastor of St. Brigid Parish.
- St. Patrick Church, Middletown — closed June 21, 2009
- St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Little Meadows — closed June 19, 2010
- St. Joseph Church, Choconut Township (village of St. Joseph) — closed July 18, 2010
- St. Brigid Parish established by decree of the Diocese of Scranton in 2010
Worship Sites
St. Brigid Parish keeps two worship sites active, reflecting the geography of its scattered rural congregation.
St. Francis Xavier Church — Friendsville
St. Francis Xavier Church sits on Route 4014 (Main Street) in Friendsville Borough. Its weekend Masses are celebrated on Saturday at 4:30 pm and Sunday at 8:00 am, and it also hosts weekday Mass on Tuesday and Friday at 12:00 noon. The site includes the parish cemetery.
- Address: 17 Cottage Street (parish office) / 726 Main Street (church), Friendsville, PA 18818
- Weekend Masses: Saturday 4:30 pm, Sunday 8:00 am
- Daily Masses: Tuesday & Friday 12:00 noon
- Sunday Mass live-streamed from this church
St. Augustine Church — Silver Lake / Brackney
St. Augustine Church is the second worship site of St. Brigid Parish, located on Church Road off either Route 167 or Route 4002 in Silver Lake Township (Brackney mailing address). Its weekend Mass is celebrated on Sunday at 10:30 am, and it also hosts weekday Mass on Wednesday and Thursday at 8:30 am.
- Address: 295 Church Road, Brackney, PA 18812
- Weekend Mass: Sunday 10:30 am
- Daily Masses: Wednesday & Thursday 8:30 am
- Reconciliation: Sunday 10:00 to 10:20 am
Clergy & Staff
St. Brigid Parish is currently administered on an interim basis by Fr. Thomas Augustine, Administrator Pro tem. He is assisted by Deacon Paul J. Brojack. The Diocese of Scranton identifies the parish staff and the parish office can be reached at (570) 553-2288, [email protected], Monday–Friday, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm.
- Rev. Thomas Augustine — Administrator Pro tem
- Deacon Paul J. Brojack
Sacraments & Devotions
In addition to the regular Mass and Confession schedule above, the parish celebrates the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick. Reconciliation is heard every Saturday and Sunday before Mass and is also available at any convenient time by calling the rectory. Confirmation is prepared through the Diocese of Scranton. Daily and Holy Day Masses follow the bulletin schedule; in the event of a funeral the daily Mass is cancelled and only the funeral Mass is celebrated.
- Eucharist (weekend, daily, Holy Day, funeral)
- Reconciliation (Saturday & Sunday pre-Mass, or by appointment)
- Confirmation (Diocesan preparation)
- Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick — call the rectory
Office, Contact & Bulletin
The parish office is located in Friendsville and is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. The St. Brigid bulletin is published online via the parish website. Inquiries about sacraments, Mass intentions, the cemetery, or visits from the sick should be directed to the rectory.
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 75, Friendsville, PA 18818
- Street address: 17 Cottage Street, Friendsville, PA 18818
- Phone: (570) 553-2288
- Fax: (570) 553-2975
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Very Rev. John V. O'Reillybefore 1860
Ordained Sept 23, 1838; died 4 Oct 1873, age 78 — earliest pastor on record for St. Francis Xavier.
- Rev. Denis Wheelerbefore 1860
- Rev. Henry Fitzsimmonsbefore 1860
- Rev. John Loughran1860-1863
Ordained 1859; died Sept 24, 1899, age 67.
- Rev. John Cox1863-1865
- Rev. A. Dudley Filan1865-1868
Ordained 1863.
- Rev. M. S. Hennessey1868-1869
- Rev. Samuel S. Mattingly1869-1871
Ordained 1867; put the bell in the church.
- Rev. Thomas Brehony1871-1875
Born 1830 in Athlone, Co. Galway, Ireland; ordained 1864/65 in Philadelphia; previously at Rock Lake; later at Susquehanna, Hawley, Eckley, and St. Aloysius, South Wilkes-Barre; died Feb 12, 1908, age 75, with Bishop Hoban at his bedside.
- Rev. Patrick J. Murphy1875-1878
Ordained 1872; built the parish hall, 1876; died Jan 28, 1930, age 80.
- Rev. Felix McGucken1878-1886
Ordained 1872; died Jan 22, 1899, age 63, while pastor at Nanticoke.
- Rev. John J. Lally1886-1890
Ordained 1873; retired by 1916; died Aug 19, 1919, age 74.
- Rev. James J. Farrell1890-1895
Died Nov 28, 1920, age 63.
- Rev. B. V. Driscoll1895-1907
Ordained 1894; died Dec 30, 1908, age 59. Built the present rectory.
- Rev. P. J. Colligan1890-1899 (at St. Thomas)
- Rev. Joseph J. O'Malley1899-1911 (at St. Thomas)
After St. Thomas, went to Plains.
- Rev. John P. Dunne1907-1919
Ordained about 1898; in 1919 appointed rector of St. Joseph's, Georgetown.
- Rev. Hugh J. Ruddy1919-1924
Ordained 1905; previously assistant rector at St. John's, Pittston.
- Rev. Thomas C. Whyte1924-1928
Ordained 1909; died Oct 1, 1928, age 46.
- Rev. William P. Sherman1928-1934
- Rev. Raymond R. Fitzpatrick1934-1940
Died June 29, 1959, age 69.
- Rev. William J. Higgins1940-1945
- Rev. Hubert J. McGranaghan1945-1946
Died Feb 24, 1956, age 53.
- Rev. Joseph F. Kelley1946-1950
Died March 22, 1959, age 61.
- Rev. Leo V. Murphy1950-1952
Died March 24, 1954.
- Rev. Thomas W. Manley1952-1958
Ordained 1936; died Nov 2, 1958.
- Rev. Donald W. Fallon1958-1962
- Rev. Edward T. Gallagher1962-1967
- Rev. Joseph F. Ryan1967-1970
- Rev. William J. Wheeler1970-1976 (SFX)
Also briefly served St. Thomas, Little Meadows 1975-1976.
- Rev. Joseph M. Horanzy1976-1977
Retired from active ministry 2007; later at St. Stanislaus Kostka, Wilkes-Barre.
- Rev. Leonard J. Meckwood1977-1978
- Rev. William R. Culnane1978-1980
Later Pastor Emeritus at St. Dominic Parish, Wilkes-Barre (2009).
- Rev. Thomas J. O'Malley1980-1985
- Rev. Edward D. Huntsman1985-1990
- Rev. William J. P. Langan1990-2000
Later pastor at St. Francis of Assisi & St. Joseph (Wanamie), Nanticoke, then Saint John the Evangelist & Saint Mary Magdalen, Honesdale.
- Very Rev. W. Jeffrey Paulish2000-2004
In 2008 Administrator of the Church of Saint Elizabeth, Bear Creek.
- Rev. Casimir 'Cas' Stanis2004-2010
Last pastor of St. Francis Xavier Parish and first pastor of the consolidated St. Brigid Parish; ordained June 30, 2001; previously pastor of St. Joseph, Hudson, and Sacred Heart, Plains.
- Rev. Thomas Augustinepresent (Administrator Pro tem)
Current Administrator Pro tem of St. Brigid Parish, Diocese of Scranton.