About St. Mary · Holley, New York
St. Mary Church is a Roman Catholic parish in the village of Holley, Orleans County, New York, and a founding member of ONE Catholic (Orleans Niagara East Catholic Community), a Family of Parishes in the Diocese of Buffalo that also includes Holy Family in Albion, Holy Trinity in Medina, St. Mary in Medina, and St. Mark in Kendall. The parish traces its roots to 1865, when roughly fifty immigrant Catholic families first gathered for Mass in the village, and the present Medina Sandstone church on South Main Street was dedicated on Christmas Eve 1905. Today about 550 active families from Holley, Brockport, Bergen, Clarendon, and Kendall worship at St. Mary's, where a full weekly schedule of Masses, Confessions, and all-day Eucharistic Adoration is offered. The parish also hosts the St. Gianna Molla Pregnancy Outreach Center, a satellite of the Diocese of Buffalo's pro-life ministry.
- Established
- 1865
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Mark J. Noonan
- Diocese
- Diocese of Buffalo (Family #11, ONE Catholic)
Why belong here
St. Mary's is a welcoming, multigenerational parish of about 550 active families drawn from Holley, Brockport, Bergen, Clarendon, and Kendall, offering daily Mass, Saturday Vigil and Sunday Mass, all-day Monday Eucharistic Adoration, and weekday Confession. Worship is enriched by a beautiful 1905 Medina Sandstone church recognized by the Sandstone Hall of Fame, an active music program, and a vibrant Faith Formation program for children in grades K-10 with sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. The parish is also a hub of Catholic life across Orleans and Eastern Niagara Counties through ONE Catholic, and hosts the St. Gianna Molla Pregnancy Outreach Center — a place where parishioners can put faith into action for mothers, fathers, and young families in need.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 5:00–6:00 PM, St. Mary's, Holley
- Wednesday 3:00–3:50 PM, St. Mary's, Holley
- Saturday 3:00–3:50 PM, St. Mary's, Holley
Adoration times
- Monday 8:30 AM–8:00 PM, St. Mary's, Holley (all-day Adoration; sign up for a Weekly Holy Hour via the Central Office at 585-589-4243)
About ONE Catholic and Family #11
St. Mary's, Holley is a founding member of ONE Catholic (Orleans Niagara East Catholic Community), one of the 'Family of Parishes' configurations in the Diocese of Buffalo. Family #11 brings together St. Mary, Holley; Holy Family, Albion; Holy Trinity, Medina; St. Mary, Medina; and St. Mark, Kendall, served by a pastor and parochial vicar. The shared website at onecatholic.org coordinates Mass, Confession, and Adoration schedules across the family, as well as Adult Faith Formation, Youth Faith Formation, and sacramental preparation, allowing parishes to share resources while keeping local identity. Fr. Mark J. Noonan was appointed pastor of Family #11 by Bishop Michael Fisher effective March 8, 2023, for a six-year term, with Fr. Joseph W. Tokasz serving as Parochial Vicar.
- Pastor: Rev. Mark J. Noonan (585-589-4243 x7)
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Joseph W. Tokasz (585-589-4243 x9)
- Director of Discipleship and Mission: Emily Kwiatkowski ([email protected], 585-589-4243 x2)
- Secretary (Holy Family & St. Mary's, Holley): Pat Swindon (585-589-4243 x4)
- Director of Maintenance (Holy Family & St. Mary's, Holley): Jason Dash (585-589-4243)
- Director of Music, St. Mary Holley & St. Mark Kendall; Organist, Holy Family Albion: Katie Robinson
- Organist, Holy Trinity / St. Mary's Medina: Tim Williams (585-589-4243 x5)
- Director of Music, Holy Trinity & Our Lady of the Lake: Aaron Grabowski
- Central Business Office: 585-589-4243
Faith Formation & Religious Education
ONE Catholic offers comprehensive Faith Formation programming for children and families at St. Mary's, Holley. Children in grades K-8 use the Faith and Life curriculum from Ignatius Press, meeting twice a month for grade-level classroom sessions plus one monthly family session. Students in Grades 9-10 focus on Confirmation preparation, and separate Middle School and High School Youth Groups meet several times per year for faith and social events. The parish also uses text-message reminders (text @smsmkfaith to 81010) for class and family session reminders, weather cancellations, and upcoming events.
- Grades K-8: Faith and Life curriculum by Ignatius Press
- Grades 9-10: Confirmation preparation
- Monthly family sessions
- Middle School and High School Youth Groups
- Sacramental Preparation: First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation
- Text reminders: text @smsmkfaith to 81010
- Director of Discipleship and Mission: Emily Kwiatkowski, [email protected], 585-589-4243
Adult Faith Formation & Bible Studies
Adults at St. Mary's, Holley can take part in ongoing Bible and book studies offered through ONE Catholic, including C.S. Lewis's 'Mere Christianity' and Ascension Press's 'No Greater Love: A Biblical Walk Through Christ's Passion.' The parish also hosts an annual Lenten Retreat, Tenebrae, and Stations of the Cross, including a new Children's Stations of the Cross during Lent. Studies and retreats are coordinated by Emily Kwiatkowski, Director of Discipleship and Mission.
- 'Mere Christianity' — Fridays at 9:00 AM at St. Mary's, Holley
- 'No Greater Love: A Biblical Walk Through Christ's Passion' — Saturdays at 9:00 AM at St. Mary's, Holley (begins the week of March 9)
- ONE Catholic Lenten Retreat — three nights with talks, prayer, and fellowship
- Stations of the Cross during Lent (including Children's Stations)
- Tenebrae during Lent
Becoming Catholic (RCIA)
Adults and older children interested in becoming Catholic — or who have been baptized Catholic but have not received the other sacraments of initiation — are welcomed into the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) through ONE Catholic. Inquiries are directed to Emily Kwiatkowski, Director of Discipleship and Mission, at [email protected] or 585-589-4243.
- Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)
- Contact: Emily Kwiatkowski, [email protected], 585-589-4243
Sacraments
St. Mary's celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments, including Baptism, First Reconciliation and First Communion (for children), Confirmation (Grades 9-10), Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and the Eucharist. Confession / Reconciliation is offered three times a week, and Eucharistic Adoration is held all day on Mondays in the church. Couples and families preparing for Baptism, Marriage, or sacramental milestones should contact the parish through the Central Office (585-589-4243).
- Baptism — preparation required; contact the parish
- First Reconciliation and First Communion — Sacramental Prep program
- Confirmation — Grades 9-10 preparation
- Marriage — contact the parish
- Anointing of the Sick — contact the parish
- Confession / Reconciliation — Tuesday 5:00–6:00 PM; Wednesday 3:00–3:50 PM; Saturday 3:00–3:50 PM
- Eucharistic Adoration — Monday 8:30 AM–8:00 PM
Outreach & Charity — St. Gianna Molla Pregnancy Outreach Center
St. Mary's, Holley is home to a satellite of the St. Gianna Molla Pregnancy Outreach Center, the pastoral outreach of the Office of Pro-Life Ministry of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo. The center follows the example of St. Gianna Molla in respecting, protecting, and cherishing all human life as a precious gift from God, and provides material, emotional, and spiritual support to mothers, fathers, and young families in need during and after pregnancy. The Holley center opened as the eighth in the diocese, with a dedication Mass at 4:00 PM at St. Mary's Church followed by the blessing of the center in the St. Mary's Parish Ministry Center. A satellite office is also planned for Holy Trinity Parish in Medina.
- Location: St. Mary's Parish Ministry Center, 13 S. Main Street, Holley, NY 14470
- Phone: 585-201-8348
- Email: [email protected]
- Material support: clothing (through size 4T), blankets, bibs, bottles, diapers, wipes, basic infant care necessities; car seats and pack-n-plays as needed
- Referrals must be completed by an Agency/Organization/Hospital/Parish via the OLV Charities online referral form
- 8th St. Gianna Pregnancy Outreach Center in the Diocese of Buffalo
- Directors: Bob and Kathy Schumacher
Music & Liturgy
Liturgical music at St. Mary's, Holley is led by Katie Robinson, who serves as Director of Music for St. Mary, Holley and St. Mark, Kendall, and as Organist for Holy Family, Albion. Aaron Grabowski directs music for Holy Trinity and Our Lady of the Lake, and Tim Williams serves as Organist for Holy Trinity and St. Mary's, Medina. The parish's rich liturgical tradition is matched by its remarkable physical setting — the dome of amber glass, vaulted ceilings, stained glass, and Gothic Stations of the Cross continue to inspire worshippers more than a century after the church's 1905 dedication.
- Director of Music (St. Mary Holley & St. Mark Kendall): Katie Robinson
- Organist (Holy Family, Albion): Katie Robinson
- Organist (Holy Trinity / St. Mary's, Medina): Tim Williams
- Director of Music (Holy Trinity & Our Lady of the Lake): Aaron Grabowski
Parish History & Architecture
St. Mary's was established in 1865 when roughly 50 immigrant Catholic families first gathered for Mass in Holley. After early Masses in a stone schoolhouse on Main and Albion Streets and in the home of Fenton Whalen, a frame church was built on Canal Street (now East Avenue) under Rev. John Castaldi, who also purchased Holy Cross Cemetery. The present Medina Sandstone church on South Main Street — designed under the direction of Rev. James McCarthy and dedicated on Christmas Eve 1905 by Bishop Charles Colton — is one of the architectural treasures of Orleans County, and was inducted into the Sandstone Hall of Fame on October 22, 2015. The 150th anniversary of the parish was celebrated from August 15, 2015 through August 14, 2016, beginning on the Feast of the Assumption, the date of the parish's very first Mass.
- Founded 1865 (first Mass celebrated August 15, 1865 — Feast of the Assumption)
- Holy Cross Cemetery purchased under Rev. John Castaldi
- Frame church built on Canal Street (now East Avenue)
- Current church dedicated December 24, 1905 by Bishop Charles Colton
- Inducted into the Sandstone Hall of Fame, October 22, 2015
- 150th anniversary celebrated August 15, 2015 – August 14, 2016
- K-8 parish school operated until 1991
Visit, Contact, and Getting Involved
Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed at St. Mary's on South Main Street in the village of Holley. The parish office is reached through the ONE Catholic Central Business Office at 585-589-4243, while the parish's own listed telephone is 585-638-6718. The parish communicates weekly through its bulletin (posted at onecatholic.org/bulletins) and offers online giving through its website. Whether one is seeking a weekend Mass, weekday Adoration, sacramental preparation for a child, an RCIA journey, a Holy Hour on Mondays, or a chance to volunteer at the St. Gianna Pregnancy Outreach Center, there are many ways to become part of this 150-year-old Catholic community serving Holley, Brockport, Bergen, Clarendon, and Kendall.
- Address: 11 S. Main Street, Holley, NY 14470-1189
- Parish phone: 585-638-6718
- Central Office: 585-589-4243
- Website: www.onecatholic.org
- Bulletins: www.onecatholic.org/bulletins
- Online giving: www.onecatholic.org
- Volunteer opportunities include St. Gianna Pregnancy Outreach Center ([email protected], 585-201-8348)
- Active family count: ~550 families from Holley, Brockport, Bergen, Clarendon, and Kendall
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John Castaldipre-1902
Directed construction of the original frame church on Canal Street and acquisition of Holy Cross Cemetery.
- Rev. David Lasher
Early pastor; helped stabilize parish finances.
- Rev. James Lasher
Early pastor; helped stabilize parish finances.
- Rev. Patrick Maloy
Early pastor; helped stabilize parish finances.
- Rev. James Leddy
Early pastor; helped stabilize parish finances.
- Rev. Michael Noonan
Selected the South Main Street site for the present church.
- Rev. James McCarthy1902–onward
Native of Albion; studied at St. Bonaventure and in Italy; ordained 1885 in the Diocese of Buffalo. Oversaw construction and Dec. 24, 1905 dedication of the present Medina Sandstone church.
- Rev. John Arogyasamiprior to March 2023
Served as administrator of St. Mary, Holley and St. Mark, Kendall before being reassigned by Bishop Fisher.
- Rev. Mark J. Noonan2010–April 15, 2018; reappointed March 8, 2023–present
Arrived 2010 under Bishop Kmiec; first came to Orleans County as a seminarian in 2006; served as pastor of St. Mary's and St. Mark's; later became pastor of ONE Catholic Family #11.