About St. James · Cazenovia, New York
St. James is a Catholic parish in the village of Cazenovia, New York, founded in 1847 and now part of the Diocese of Syracuse. The parish worships at 6 Green Street and serves the surrounding Madison County communities through weekend and weekday Masses, religious education for grades 1–12, the Mustard Seed outreach pantry, and a sister-parish relationship in Haiti. Its current church building is a modern, multi-purpose design by longtime parishioner Jack Teitsch, dedicated after the original 1849 church on the corner of Hurd and Green Streets was razed. The parish describes its mission as being 'Together in Christ, serving the Gospel by means of the Word, Sacraments, and Charity.'
- Established
- 1847
- Patron
- St. James
- Rector
- Reverend Kevin Corcoran
- Diocese
- Diocese of Syracuse
Why belong here
St. James is a tight-knit Upstate New York parish that pairs traditional Catholic worship with hands-on service. Parishioners of all ages participate through a comprehensive Faith Formation program (grades 1–12) with sacramental preparation, weekday and weekend Masses, and ongoing faith discussion for juniors and seniors after Confirmation. The parish runs The Mustard Seed food pantry and clothing store, supports a sister parish in Haiti with annual mission trips, and offers lay ministries including Eucharistic Ministry, Loaves and Fishes meals, music, and ushering/greeter service — making it easy for newcomers to find a way to belong.
Mass times at St. James
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month, 2:00–2:45 PM
- By appointment
Our History
St. James was founded in 1847 and built its first church in 1849 on the corner of Hurd and Green Streets. Growth in the Catholic community of Cazenovia pushed that original building to standing-room-only capacity, and it was eventually razed. Under Father A. Robert Casey, pastor through much of the 1960s, '70s, and '80s, the parish constructed a new, modern, multi-purpose church designed by longtime parishioner Jack Teitsch. A grand stained glass window from the original church was preserved in the new building as a reminder of the generations who came before. The Mustard Seed outreach was founded in 1981, and in recent years the parish has also built a sister-parish relationship with a community in Haiti, sending annual delegations to help improve living conditions there.
- Parish founded 1847; first church built 1849 at Hurd and Green Streets
- Father A. Robert Casey led construction of the present church (1960s–'80s)
- Current church designed by parishioner Jack Teitsch
- Stained glass window preserved from the original 1849 church
- The Mustard Seed founded 1981
- Sister-parish relationship in Haiti with annual mission trips
Mass & Sacraments
St. James celebrates Mass on Saturday evenings, Sunday mornings, and on Thursdays, with the Sacrament of Reconciliation offered twice a month and by appointment. The parish also coordinates bringing the Eucharist to those unable to attend Mass through its Ministry to the Homebound.
- Saturday Vigil Mass at 5:30 PM (live streamed)
- Sunday Mass at 9:00 AM
- Thursday daily Mass at 6:45 AM and 11:00 AM
- Reconciliation: 2nd and 4th Saturdays, 2:00–2:45 PM, or by appointment
- Homebound visits coordinated by Deacon John Addante
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. James Faith Formation is a comprehensive program covering grades 1 through 12, including sacramental preparation for Reconciliation (Confession), First Holy Communion, and Confirmation. The curriculum emphasizes parent participation to strengthen faith within the family, and students learn and live the Word each week through lessons, service projects, and outreach to the poor and needy. Each month, designated classes take on the responsibilities of lectors, ushers, gift bearers, and host coffee after their grade-level weekend Mass.
- Grades 1–6: Tuesdays after school; bus from Burton Street Elementary to St. James; class until 3:45 PM, with supervised after-program until 5:00 PM
- Grades 7–12: Wednesday mornings 7:15–7:45 AM at church, then dismissed to walk over to school
- First Reconciliation preparation: 2nd year of religious education, Tuesday afternoons 3:30–4:00 PM; Sacrament celebrated the Saturday before Thanksgiving
- First Eucharist preparation: January, Tuesday afternoons 3:30–4:00 PM; celebrated the first weekend in May at the 9:00 AM Mass
- Juniors and seniors meet weekly after Confirmation to discuss morality and current Catholic topics
- Sacramental preparation instructor: Linda Hansen; Elementary coordinator: Joan Stoker ([email protected])
Parish Life Ministries
St. James offers lay ministries for worship, hospitality, and pastoral care. The Liturgy Committee works with the Pastor and Pastoral Council on planning, coordinating, and reviewing liturgical celebrations. Volunteers serve as Eucharistic Ministers, ushers and greeters, and in the music ministry, while the Loaves and Fishes Ministry provides nourishing meals to parishioners experiencing difficulty.
- Eucharistic Ministry — coordinator: Peggy Clipston ([email protected], 315-655-9327)
- Loaves and Fishes Ministry — meals for parishioners in need
- Usher and Greeter Ministry
- Liturgy Committee
- Music Ministry — director: Fran Donahue
Outreach — The Mustard Seed
The Mustard Seed is St. James' local outreach program supporting Madison and Northern Chenango Counties. Operated in collaboration with Community Action Partnership of Madison County, it offers a clothing and small-household-goods store, an emergency food pantry, and programs such as the Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets and the Christmas Giving Tree. Outreach Coordinator Ron (Veronica) Huftalen meets individually with clients to assess, evaluate, and meet their needs.
- Mustard Seed Store on Route 80, Georgetown, NY — clothing, shoes, small household goods, books, and emergency food pantry
- Works with Community Action Partnership of Madison County for monetary assistance
- Thanksgiving and Christmas basket programs and annual Christmas Giving Tree
- Coordinator: Ron Huftalen — 315-837-7000 / 315-655-3441 x103 / [email protected]
- Store hours include Wednesdays 9:00 AM–12:00 PM and 5:00–8:00 PM
Haiti Sister Parish
St. James extends its community beyond Madison County through a sister-parish relationship in Haiti. Each year a delegation of parishioners travels there to help improve living conditions, sharing in a mission of charity that mirrors the parish's domestic outreach through The Mustard Seed.
- Sister-parish relationship in Haiti
- Annual parishioner delegation trip to assist with living conditions
Church Staff
The parish staff supports worship, formation, administration, music, maintenance, and outreach. Pastor Reverend Kevin Corcoran leads the parish, assisted by two deacons and a team of administrative, faith formation, music, maintenance, and outreach staff.
- Reverend Kevin Corcoran — Pastor
- Carla Kinney — Administrative Assistant to the Pastor
- Brian Eberst — Administrative Assistant
- Missy Race — Administrative Parish & Cemetery Secretary
- Joan Stoker — Elementary School Faith Formation; After-program supervision
- Fran Donahue — Music Director
- Anna Blouin — Maintenance
- Dennis Moran — Cemetery (Seasonal)
- Ron Huftalen — Outreach Coordinator
- Deacon John Addante — Coordinator of Ministry to Homebound
- Deacon Nathan Gunn — [email protected]
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. James at the parish office on Green Street, by phone, or through the inquiry form on the website for general questions, genealogy requests, and cemetery information. The office is open weekdays, and a children's nursery is available year-round for use during Masses (though unstaffed — a parent or sibling 16+ must remain with the child).
- Address: 6 Green Street, Cazenovia, NY 13035
- Phone: (315) 655-3441
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–4:30 PM
- Inquiry form available on the website for general questions, genealogy requests, and cemetery information
- Children's nursery available year-round (unstaffed)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father A. Robert Casey1960s–1980s
Led the parish through the construction of the present modern, multi-purpose church.