About St. John the Evangelist / St. Mary Mount Carmel Oratory · Camden, New York
St. John the Evangelist Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Camden, New York, part of the Diocese of Syracuse. The parish's roots go back to 1852, when the first Mass was celebrated in a newly purchased church building. St. John the Evangelist is closely linked to the former St. Mary of Mount Carmel parish in Florence and St. Patrick's in Williamstown; today, St. Mary Mount Carmel continues as an Oratory under St. John's pastoral care, while St. Patrick's was sold in 2016. The current pastor is Rev. John F. Hogan, Jr., the parish's sixteenth pastor, appointed July 1, 2019. The parish celebrates a Saturday Vigil Mass, Sunday Mass (livestreamed on Facebook), and weekday Mass on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings, with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament on Wednesday mornings and the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Saturdays.
- Established
- 1852
- Patron
- St. John the Evangelist
- Rector
- Rev. John F. Hogan, Jr.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Syracuse
Why belong here
St. John the Evangelist offers a tight-knit rural parish family in northern Oneida County, with daily and Sunday Mass, regular confession, Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesday mornings, and an active faith-formation program for children. Long-standing lay groups — including the Knights of Columbus (Council contact: Tim Wolff) and the Altar Rosary Society (contact: Sharon Norton) — give parishioners real ways to serve one another and the wider community. The parish also keeps the historic St. Mary Mount Carmel Oratory in Florence under its pastoral care, making it a place where generations of Catholic tradition continue across several small communities.
Mass times at St. John the Evangelist / St. Mary Mount Carmel Oratory
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
- By private appointment — call Father Hogan at (315) 820-4424
Adoration times
- Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament: Wednesday morning at 8:30 a.m. (before 9:00 a.m. Mass)
Parish History
St. John the Evangelist traces its origins to December 1852, when the first Mass was celebrated in a newly purchased church. The present site was acquired in 1857. The original church burned beyond repair on Ash Wednesday morning, March 6, 1889, but the parish moved with extraordinary speed: a church society was organized in April 1889, the cornerstone of the new church was laid September 3, 1889, and the first Mass in the new building was offered on Christmas Day, 1889. Bishop Ludden dedicated the new church on June 3, 1890, and confirmed the first class there on June 1, 1891. The mortgage was paid off by March 9, 1895.
- December 1852 — First Mass in newly purchased church
- March 21, 1857 — Present site acquired
- January 3, 1876 — Rev. Patrick H. Beecham becomes first pastor
- December 17, 1879 — Land bought for St. John's Cemetery, Camden
- March 6, 1889 — Original church burns beyond repair after Ash Wednesday services
- April 9, 1889 — St. John's Church Society organized under NY State law
- August 16, 1889 — Contract let for new church
- September 3, 1889 — Cornerstone of new church laid
- December 25, 1889 — First Mass in new church (Christmas Day)
- June 3, 1890 — New church dedicated by Bishop Ludden
- March 9, 1895 — Church mortgage paid off
- August 4, 1897 — Present rectory purchased; electricity installed
- September 7, 1902 — Bells blessed and organ dedicated
- 1997 — New Parish Hall opened
- 2005–2006 — Interior of church extensively remodeled
- 2010 — New and enlarged vestibule added
- August 2018 — Church roof and steeple repaired; steeple received new copper cladding
St. Mary of Mount Carmel & St. Patrick's
St. John the Evangelist historically served as the mother parish for two other congregations in the surrounding rural area: St. Mary of Mount Carmel in Florence and St. Patrick's in Williamstown. Today, St. Mary Mount Carmel continues as a devotional Oratory under St. John's pastoral care, while St. Patrick's has been closed and sold.
- September 2, 1845 — Rev. Robert Keleher becomes first pastor of St. Mary Mt. Carmel, Florence
- October 26, 1884 — Cornerstone of St. Patrick's, Williamstown, laid
- June 7, 1885 — First Mass in St. Patrick's
- December 1855 — Rev. John M. Ludden becomes third pastor of St. Mary's
- July 2003 — Bishop James M. Moynihan reclassifies St. Mary, Florence, from a parish to a devotional chapel, effective July 1, 2003
- September 1972 — St. Patrick's becomes a Mission of St. Ann's Parish
- October 2016 — St. Patrick's property sold to Ranch of Hope Church
Parish Staff
St. John the Evangelist is led by its sixteenth pastor, Rev. John F. Hogan, Jr., appointed July 1, 2019. A small staff and lay leaders share responsibility for the parish office, faith formation, music, buildings, and parish societies. The pastor can be reached at the rectory phone, and the parish office keeps weekday hours Monday through Thursday.
- Rev. John F. Hogan, Jr. — Pastor ([email protected]; Rectory: (315) 820-4424)
- Glynis Smith — Business Administrator ([email protected])
- Chuck Kacmarski — Maintenance
- Mary Tilton — Faith Formation ([email protected])
- Judy Misch and Beverly Levreault — Music
- Michael & Matt Clark — St. Mary's contacts ((315) 245-0319)
- Tim Wolff — Knights of Columbus ((315) 420-8983)
- Sharon Norton — Altar Rosary Society ((315) 245-2742)
- Parish Office Hours: Mon–Wed 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.; Thurs 9:00–11:00 a.m.; Fri closed
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation at St. John the Evangelist is coordinated by Mary Tilton (email: [email protected]). The parish invites families with children in the Faith Formation program to register online each year. Sacramental preparation, including First Communion and Confirmation, is offered through the program as part of the parish's family-based religious education.
- Faith Formation Coordinator: Mary Tilton
- Contact: [email protected]
- Online registration available via the parish website
- Safe Environment training required through the Diocese of Syracuse (register at syracusediocese.org/safe-environment)
Sacraments
Information on scheduling the Sacraments is published in the parish bulletin and on the parish website. Couples are asked to register for Weddings at least six months in advance. Anointing of the Sick is available by calling the parish office. All Sacramental Records for the former St. Mary Mount Carmel (Florence) are handled through St. John the Evangelist.
- Baptism — register online
- Wedding — register online at least six months in advance
- Anointing of the Sick — call the parish office
- Sacrament of Reconciliation — Saturdays 3:15–3:45 p.m. and by appointment
- Sacramental Records for St. Mary Mount Carmel Oratory — contact St. John the Evangelist
Parish Ministries & Organizations
Lay faithful keep the parish's life running through a handful of longstanding groups. The Knights of Columbus council supports the parish and broader community through service and fundraising; the Altar Rosary Society gathers women of the parish for prayer and good works; Music Ministry enlists cantors and accompanists for weekend and weekday liturgies.
- Knights of Columbus — contact Tim Wolff, (315) 420-8983
- Altar Rosary Society — contact Sharon Norton, (315) 245-2742
- Music Ministry — Judy Misch and Beverly Levreault
- St. Mary's Music — Michael & Matt Clark, (315) 245-0319
- Faith Formation — Mary Tilton
- Maintenance — Chuck Kacmarski
Parish Communications & Bulletins
The parish publishes a weekly bulletin (printed and online via John Patrick Publishing) that includes the Mass schedule, weekly readings, parish financial reports (collections, Catholic School Assessment, repair/maintenance totals), raffle winners, second collections, and diocesan notices such as Safe Environment training dates. Recent bulletin postings mention monthly parish raffles (e.g., March 2026 winner Peg Niper; April 2025 winner Kathy Mantaro) and diocesan Second Collections for Home Missions and Rice Bowls.
- Weekly bulletin published online via John Patrick Publishing
- Includes collection totals and Catholic School Assessment updates
- Lists diocesan Safe Environment training classes (e.g., Christ Our Light, Pulaski; Divine Mercy, Central Square; St. Peter, Rome)
- Livestream link: facebook.com/StJohntheEvangelistCamdenNY
Visit, Directions & Accessibility
The church is located two blocks east of Main Street on Church Street in Camden, NY, while the Parish Office operates from 35 Third Street. An accessible elevator is available by the parking lot. In the event of a funeral, the daily Mass is canceled; please consult the bulletin or call ahead.
- Church: 22 Church St., Camden, NY 13316
- Parish Office: 35 Third Street, Camden, NY 13316
- Phone: (315) 245-1603 (Office); (315) 820-4424 (Rectory)
- Accessible elevator by the parking lot
- Daily Mass canceled in the event of a funeral
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Patrick H. BeechamJanuary 3, 1876 – (died February 4, 1905)
First pastor of St. John's
- Rev. John J. BrennanMarch 6, 1886 – (died December 15, 1900)
Second pastor
- Rev. John H. McGrawAugust 30, 1887 – (died April 19, 1938)
Third pastor
- Rev. Joseph S. TiernanJune 1, 1894 – (died December 11, 1939)
Fourth pastor
- Rev. William H. PurcellOctober 1, 1916 – (died December 19, 1966)
Fifth pastor
- Rev. Adlai J. BakerMarch 6, 1932 – (died February 12, 1937)
Seventh pastor
- Rev. Edward J. KissaneSeptember 16, 1936 – (died December 1973)
Eighth pastor
- Rev. Harold J. QuinnApril 4, 1939 – (died May 31, 1966)
Ninth pastor
- Rev. Roger A. BowenJanuary 11, 1951 – (died May 31, 1961)
Tenth pastor
- Rev. Charles A. StuczkoAugust 27, 1958
Eleventh pastor
- Rev. Daniel W. HeintzFebruary 1970
Twelfth pastor
- Rev. Joseph P. KennedyJanuary 19, 1973 – (died February 19, 1999)
Thirteenth pastor
- Rev. Joseph MoskalFebruary 1998
Fourteenth pastor
- Rev. Carlo C. StirpeJune 30, 2004
Fifteenth pastor (of St. John's)
- Rev. R. Paul MathisJuly 1, 2015
Fifteenth pastor (per parish timeline)
- Rev. John F. Hogan, Jr.July 1, 2019 – present
Sixteenth pastor; current pastor