About St. Joseph (Catholic Communities of Eastern Broome) · Sanitaria Springs, New York
St. Joseph's Church in Sanitaria Springs is a small Roman Catholic parish serving the rural eastern edge of Broome County, New York, just outside of Binghamton. Self-described on its own website as 'the small church with a BIG heart,' it draws parishioners from Port Crane, Chenango Bridge, Port Dickinson, and Harpursville. Since 2009 it has been part of the Catholic Communities of Eastern Broome, a four-parish cluster (with St. Mary's Kirkwood, Our Lady of Lourdes Windsor, and St. Joseph's Deposit) led by a Parish Life Director with sacramental ministry provided by retired priests. The parish belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse.
- Established
- 1914
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse
Why belong here
St. Joseph's, Sanitaria Springs offers an intimate, family-sized Catholic community just outside Binghamton, with one Sunday Mass followed by a welcoming coffee hour in the hall. As part of the Catholic Communities of Eastern Broome cluster, parishioners share Faith Formation classes, RCIA/OCIA, Bible Study, a Choir & Music ministry, Totus Tuus summer youth programs, and joint sacramental preparation across the four parishes. It is a place where visitors, returning Catholics, and those curious about the Church are explicitly welcomed, and where the small congregation is repeatedly described as having a 'BIG heart.'
Mass times at St. Joseph (Catholic Communities of Eastern Broome)
Weekly Mass schedule
About St. Joseph's, Sanitaria Springs
St. Joseph's is a small Catholic parish tucked along NY Route 7-B in the hamlet of Sanitaria Springs (Port Crane mailing), serving the rural eastern fringe of Broome County. The parish website introduces it as 'the small church with a BIG heart,' and lists the communities it serves: Port Crane, Chenango Bridge, Port Dickinson, and Harpursville. Whether one is just passing through, seeking a parish home, returning to the practice of the faith, or investigating the Catholic Church for the first time, the parish extends a written welcome and invites visitors to join the Sunday Mass and the coffee hour that follows.
History of the Parish
St. Joseph's was established in 1914, and a century later the Syracuse diocese combined it with three neighboring parishes — St. Mary's Kirkwood (1888), St. Joseph's Deposit (1851), and Our Lady of Lourdes Windsor (1947) — to form the Catholic Communities of Eastern Broome in 2009. The cluster was Bishop Moynihan's response to the area's priest shortage, and it has operated continuously ever since as a lay-led pastoral team supported by retired priests.
- Founded 1914
- Cluster formed 2009 with St. Mary's Kirkwood, Our Lady of Lourdes Windsor, and St. Joseph's Deposit
- Original 2007 diocesan directive from Bishop Moynihan to find shared-priest plan
- Barbara Kane has served as Parish Life Director since at least 2013
Catholic Communities of Eastern Broome (Parish Cluster)
Since 2009 the four parishes of eastern Broome County have shared staff, clergy, faith formation, and administration while keeping their own identities and Sunday worship. Each parish in the cluster keeps its own Mass schedule, its own coffee hour, and its own events, but Faith Formation, RCIA, retreats, and major devotions are coordinated centrally. The cluster is led by Parish Life Director Barbara Kane with sacramental ministry from retired priests, under the oversight of Msgr. John Putano as regional vicar.
- St. Joseph's Church, Sanitaria Springs — Sunday 8:30 AM
- Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Windsor — Sunday 9:00 AM
- St. Mary's Church, Kirkwood — Saturday 4:00 PM Vigil and Sunday 10:30 AM
- St. Joseph's Church, Deposit — Sunday 11:00 AM
- Joint parish office: 975 Route 11, Kirkwood, NY 13795 — 607-775-0086
Clergy, Staff & Sacramental Ministry
The cluster does not have a resident priest assigned to it. Day-to-day pastoral leadership rests with Parish Life Director Barbara Kane, supported by a Business Administrator, Administrative Support, and a Catechetical Coordinator. Sacramental needs — Sunday Masses, funerals, anointings — are filled by retired priests, principally Father Edward Zandy and Father Robert Dwyer, with Father Dan Quinn of the Diocese of Albany also assisting. Msgr. John Putano serves as the regional vicar for the diocese assigned to work with Kane on administration.
- Barbara Kane — Parish Life Director ([email protected], [email protected])
- Nancy Senger — Business Administrator ([email protected])
- Alicia Abbadessa — Administrative Support ([email protected])
- Angela Coyle — Catechetical Coordinator
- Fr. Edward Zandy — Retired priest
- Fr. Robert Dwyer — Retired priest
- Fr. Dan Quinn — Diocese of Albany, assisting priest
- Fr. Peter Amaya-Akpala, OP — Associate Pastor
- Msgr. John Putano — Regional Vicar
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Children's Faith Formation takes place in each parish's own church, but the final preparation sessions for sacraments are held jointly across the cluster. The parish website carries a 'Faith Formation News/Schedule' section with registration information, and parents are invited to contact the parish office about the 2026-2027 year. The cluster also participates in Totus Tuus, the diocesan summer Catholic youth program, with a day program for grades 1–6 (9 AM–3 PM) and an evening program for grades 7–12 (7–9 PM).
- Faith Formation Registration Form published on the website
- Totus Tuus Summer Catholic Youth Program — July 20-24, 2026
- Day Program grades 1–6, 9 AM–3 PM
- Evening Program grades 7–12, 7–9 PM
Becoming Catholic — RCIA / OCIA
Adults interested in becoming Catholic, or baptized Christians seeking full communion with the Roman Catholic Church, are served through the cluster's RCIA / OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process. Inquiries are handled through the joint parish office.
- RCIA / OCIA (Becoming Catholic) listed under Programs & Ministries
- Contact: joint parish office 607-775-0086
Bible Study & Adult Faith
Bible Study is listed among the cluster's Programs & Ministries. Together with RCIA/OCIA and the Faith Formation program, it forms the core of ongoing adult and family faith formation for the Catholic Communities of Eastern Broome.
- Bible Study — see cluster website for current schedule
Choir & Music Ministry
The cluster's Choir & Music Ministry supports the sung liturgy at the four parishes. Musicians and singers interested in serving are encouraged to contact the parish office.
- Choir & Music Ministry listed under Programs & Ministries
Sacraments — Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick
Baptisms, weddings, and anointings for St. Joseph's parishioners are arranged through the joint parish office under the direction of Barbara Kane, with priests supplied from the cluster's roster. Couples and families are asked to contact the office well in advance to schedule sacramental preparation.
- Baptism — arranged through the parish office
- Marriage — arranged through the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — arranged through the parish office; Pastoral Care to the Sick is part of the PLD's ministry
Fellowship & Coffee Hour
After the Sunday 8:30 AM Mass at St. Joseph's, the community gathers for a Coffee Hour in the hall. All are invited. Similar coffee hours follow Mass at each of the other three cluster parishes, and they are a major part of the cluster's family-style fellowship life.
- St. Joseph's Sanitaria Springs Sunday Coffee Hour — after 8:30 AM Mass, in the hall
- St. Joseph's Deposit Sunday Coffee Hour — after Mass in the church hall
- Our Lady of Lourdes Sunday Coffee Hour — after Mass
Caregiver Respite & Outreach
Among the cluster's listed ministries is a Caregiver Respite program, reflecting the parish's awareness of the practical needs of families caring for elderly or sick relatives. Pastoral care of the sick is also part of the Parish Life Director's responsibility.
- Caregiver Respite ministry
- Pastoral Care to the Sick coordinated by the Parish Life Director
Diocese & Catholic Identity
St. Joseph's is a parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse, which covers central New York. The cluster operates within the diocese's Pastoral Care Area system and is overseen regionally by Msgr. John Putano. The diocese supports the cluster's sacramental ministry through its priestly personnel and runs Totus Tuus, which the cluster hosts locally.
- Diocese of Syracuse
- Pastoral Care Area overseen by Msgr. John Putano (Regional Vicar)
- Totus Tuus — diocesan summer youth program hosted locally