About St. Margaret of Cortona · Rotterdam Junction, New York
St. Margaret of Cortona is a Catholic mission church at 1228 Main Street in the small hamlet of Rotterdam Junction, New York, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany. It is staffed and administered as part of the Parish Network of Our Lady Queen of Peace in Schenectady (OLQP), having been formally linked to OLQP as a mission church in 2014. The parish community gathers for a single Sunday Mass each week at 10:00 AM, served by Very Rev. James Belogi (Parochial Administrator), Rev. Anthony Onu (Parochial Vicar), and Deacon Joseph Brennan, with music ministry by Debbie Schaeffer and Pamela Zilka. Its mission statement centers on deepening relationship with Jesus and sharing God's unconditional love with every person encountered.
- Established
- 1904
- Patron
- St. Margaret of Cortona (1247–1297), Italian Franciscan penitent, patron of single mothers, the homeless, reformed prostitutes, and the falsely accused
- Rector
- Very Rev. James Belogi, E.V. (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany
Why belong here
St. Margaret of Cortona is a welcoming, century-old mission church serving the Catholic families of Rotterdam Junction and the surrounding Town of Rotterdam. Parishioners enjoy the intimacy of a small chapel with a single Sunday Mass at 10:00 AM, supported by a dedicated music ministry (Debbie Schaeffer and Pamela Zilka), a Rosary Altar Society, a Prayer Shawl Ministry, and a network-wide Faith Formation program for children (K–8) and youth preparing for Confirmation. As part of the four-church Parish Network with Our Lady Queen of Peace, St. Madeleine Sophie, and St. Gabriel the Archangel, the parish offers ready access to weekday Masses, Saturday Vigil, Eucharistic Adoration, the sacrament of Reconciliation, and the sacraments — all while retaining its own neighborhood identity on Main Street in Rotterdam Junction.
Mass times at St. Margaret of Cortona
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 3:00–3:45 PM at Our Lady Queen of Peace, 210 Princetown Rd, Schenectady
- Saturdays 3:00–3:45 PM at St. Madeleine Sophie
- Sundays 11:30 AM at St. Gabriel the Archangel
- During Eucharistic Adoration (2nd Monday, 6–8 PM at St. Madeleine Sophie)
Adoration times
- Second Monday of each month, 6:00–8:00 PM at St. Madeleine Sophie Church (network-wide)
About St. Margaret of Cortona Mission Church
St. Margaret of Cortona is a Catholic mission church located at 1228 Main Street (Route 5-S) in Rotterdam Junction, a small hamlet in the Town of Rotterdam, Schenectady County, New York. The parish is staffed by the clergy of Our Lady Queen of Peace (OLQP) in Schenectady and forms part of a four-church Parish Network. The church's mission statement reads: 'The mission of our parish family is to deepen our relationship with the Lord Jesus and together as His disciples, share God's unconditional love with every person we meet.' Musicians Debbie Schaeffer and Pamela Zilka lead worship at the Sunday liturgy.
- Address: 1228 Main St. (Route 5-S), Rotterdam Junction, NY 12150
- Parish office: Our Lady Queen of Peace, 210 Princetown Rd, Schenectady, NY 12306
- Phone: (518) 346-4926
- Email: [email protected]
- Pastor: Very Rev. James Belogi, E.V., Parochial Administrator
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Anthony Chibueze Onu
- Deacon: Deacon Joseph Brennan
Parish History
The Catholic community of Rotterdam Junction traces its roots to 1903–1904, making St. Margaret of Cortona one of the older parish churches in the greater Schenectady area. Sacramental registers preserved by the American-Canadian Genealogical Society record baptisms beginning in 1903, marriages from 1904, and burials from 1926. GCatholic likewise lists the parish as dating from 1904. In 2014, after the 2010 merger that created Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish from Immaculate Conception (founded 1901) and Our Lady of the Assumption (founded 1933), St. Margaret of Cortona was formally attached to OLQP as a mission church — preserving its identity and its Sunday Mass while sharing clergy and administration with the larger network.
- 1903 — earliest baptismal records
- 1904 — parish founded (per GCatholic)
- 2010 — Immaculate Conception (1901) + Our Lady of the Assumption (1933) merge to form Our Lady Queen of Peace
- 2014 — St. Margaret of Cortona becomes a mission church of OLQP
- Today — part of the Parish Network of OLQP / St. Margaret of Cortona / St. Madeleine Sophie / St. Gabriel the Archangel
Patron Saint: St. Margaret of Cortona
The parish takes its name from St. Margaret of Cortona (1247–1297), an Italian Franciscan penitent whose feast day is celebrated on February 22. Born to a poor farming family in Laviano, Tuscany, Margaret lived for nine years with a young nobleman, Arsenio, bearing him a son out of wedlock. Deeply converted after Arsenio's murder, she entered the Third Order of St. Francis, supported herself by caring for the sick, founded a hospital and a congregation of 'Poverelle' ('Poor Ones') tertiary sisters, and established the Confraternity of Our Lady of Mercy. She was noted for a profound devotion to the Eucharist and the Passion of Christ, and for preaching repentance in the face of opposition. Canonized by Pope Benedict XIII in 1728, she is the patron of single mothers, the homeless, reformed prostitutes, and the falsely accused.
- Feast day: February 22
- Patron of: single mothers, the homeless, reformed prostitutes, and the falsely accused
- Religious affiliation: Third Order of St. Francis
- Founded: hospital in Cortona and the Poverelle congregation
- Canonized: 16 May 1728 by Pope Benedict XIII
Faith Formation and Youth Ministry
Faith Formation for the Parish Network is coordinated from Our Lady Queen of Peace. Children in grades K–8 are served by Katie Grogan (518-346-4926 ext. 121; [email protected]). High-school students and Confirmation preparation are coordinated by Donna Simone (518-346-4926 ext. 134; [email protected]). A Youth Ministry is also offered in conjunction with the Faith Formation program. Altar Servers assist the priest and deacon at the Celebration of the Eucharist on Sundays and Holy Days; the ministry is open to adults and youth who have received First Communion, with training provided.
- Faith Formation (K–8): Katie Grogan, 518-346-4926 x121
- High School / Confirmation: Donna Simone, 518-346-4926 x134
- Altar Servers — training provided; open to adults and youth post-First Communion
- Youth Ministry
- OLQP Altar Rosary Society supports the Faith Formation program (bibles, bears for First Communion and Confirmation)
Parish Ministries and Community Life
The parish invites involvement through a range of ministries rooted in prayer, service, and community. The Rosary Altar Society supports the Church, priests, and deacons by maintaining Mass supplies (purificators, flowers, pyx, altar cloths) and running fundraisers (spring drawing, chicken BBQ, fall fun fair, bake sale, card parties) that also support Faith Formation. The Prayer Shawl Ministry creates and blesses shawls for the sick and grieving. A Bereavement Ministry accompanies families through funeral Masses, and additional ministries include the Music Ministry, Ushers, and an annual Parish Festa featuring traditional food, live music, and family activities.
- Rosary Altar Society (contact Donna Denny via [email protected])
- Prayer Shawl Ministry
- Music Ministry — Debbie Schaeffer and Pamela Zilka
- Altar Servers
- Bereavement Ministry
- Ushers
- Parish Festa — annual weekend of food, live music, and family activities
Parish Network (Linked Parishes)
St. Margaret of Cortona is one of four linked parishes in the Schenectady-area Catholic community. The network shares clergy, Faith Formation staff, and a combined Mass/reconciliation schedule. Worship sites include Our Lady Queen of Peace (210 Princetown Rd, Schenectady, NY 12306), St. Madeleine Sophie, and St. Gabriel the Archangel, with St. Margaret of Cortona serving as the Rotterdam Junction mission site. The network publishes bulletins, news, and events through olqprotterdam.org and smssgabparish.org.
- Our Lady Queen of Peace — 210 Princetown Rd, Schenectady, NY 12306 — (518) 346-4926
- St. Madeleine Sophie — Schenectady, NY
- St. Gabriel the Archangel — Scotia/Glenville, NY — (518) 355-6600
- St. Margaret of Cortona (Mission) — 1228 Main St., Rotterdam Junction, NY 12150
Clergy and Staff
Pastoral leadership for the Parish Network is provided by clergy serving across all four worship sites. The Very Rev. James Belogi, E.V., serves as Parochial Administrator; Rev. Anthony Chibueze Onu, ordained to the priesthood in May of his arrival year and originally from southeastern Nigeria (Igbo), serves as Parochial Vicar after studies at Mundelein Seminary in Illinois. Deacon Joseph Brennan assists in liturgy and parish life. Faith Formation is staffed by Katie Grogan (K–8) and Donna Simone (High School/Confirmation).
- Very Rev. James Belogi, E.V. — Parochial Administrator
- Rev. Anthony Chibueze Onu — Parochial Vicar (ordained May 2025; originally from Nigeria, Diocese of Albany since 2018, M.A. from Mundelein Seminary)
- Deacon Joseph Brennan
- Katie Grogan — Faith Formation (K–8), ext. 121
- Donna Simone — High School / Confirmation, ext. 134
- Parish Office — 518-346-4926 ext. 122