About St. Mary · Honeoye, New York
St. Mary Catholic Church in Honeoye, New York is one half of the Sts. Mary and Matthew Faith Community, clustered since 2006/2007 with St. Matthew Church in Livonia and sharing one pastor, Fr. William F. Laird. The present-day church on West Main Street was erected in 1958 and seats about 400. Set near Honeoye Lake in rural Ontario County, it draws both year-round parishioners and summer residents, and offers Sunday Mass, weekday Masses, livestreamed liturgies, faith formation for all ages, and active outreach through its Social Ministry.
- Established
- 1868
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (church is titled St. Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. William F. Laird
- Diocese
- Diocese of Rochester
Why belong here
St. Mary offers the warmth of a small rural parish with the resources of a two-church cluster. Sunday Mass at 8:30 am and weekday Masses on Tuesdays and Thursdays are livestreamed from the church, and parishioners of all ages can grow in faith through the K-5 Faith Formation program, Children's Liturgy of the Word, the KFC middle school youth group, Crossroads high school youth ministry, OCIA (Becoming Catholic), Bible Study, Women's Retreats, and the 'Sharing Stories with Jesus' preschool program. A parish Social Ministry coordinates service to the poor and marginalized, and prayer groups — including the monthly Rosary Group at St. Mary's and the First Saturday Rosary at St. Matthew — knit the community together in faith.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 - 4:00 pm at St. Matthew Church, Livonia
- By appointment with Fr. William Laird ([email protected] or 585-229-5007)
Adoration times
- Mondays 11:00 am - 1:00 pm at St. Matthew Church, Livonia (no Adoration on holidays; check bulletin for changes)
Our Parishes: St. Mary & St. Matthew Faith Community
St. Mary in Honeoye is one half of the Sts. Mary and Matthew Faith Community. The parish-information page describes the cluster: 'The current structure of St. Mary Church in Honeoye (SMH) was built in 1958, and at that time was a mission church of St. Michael's in Livonia Center. In 2006 SMH was clustered with St. Matthew Church in Livonia (SML).' The two parishes have been under one pastor since June 2010 and together serve about 755 households (214 at St. Mary, 541 at St. Matthew). Their mission statement emphasizes that they are 'diverse Christian communities dedicated to sharing our faith ... while serving as welcoming and caring parishes.'
History of St. Mary
According to the Catholic Courier's profile of the West Deanery, St. Mary was founded in 1868 in what was then known as Honeoye Falls and was made up mainly of Irish families during its early years. Masses were celebrated over a store and in a schoolhouse before the first church opened in 1876. The present-day church at 8961 Main Street was erected in 1958.
- 1868 — Parish founded in Honeoye Falls (now Honeoye)
- 1876 — First church building opened
- 1958 — Present church built at 8961 W. Main Street
- 2006 — Clustered with St. Matthew, Livonia
- June 2010 — Single pastor assigned to both parishes
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. William F. Laird and Deacon John Hoffman. Jeanette Housecamp directs Faith Formation and Youth Ministry. Steve Donohue is the Music Director for St. Mary's, with Paul Maginn overseeing the St. Matthew Choir and the St. Matthew Folk Group. Sharon Brown serves as Liturgy Coordinator, Bonnie Thies coordinates Social Ministry, and the administrative team includes Judy Donsky, Joan Madigan, Kathy Morsch, and Melissa Szczesniak (Assistant Regional Finance Director).
- Rev. William F. Laird — Pastor
- Deacon John Hoffman
- Jeanette Housecamp — Faith Formation / Youth Ministry
- Steve Donohue — Music Director, St. Mary's
- Paul Maginn — Music contact, St. Matthew Choir & Folk Group
- Sharon Brown — Liturgy Coordinator
- Bonnie Thies — Social Ministry
- Mary Lou Wenthe — Rosary Group (St. Mary's)
- Dave & Mary Jo Dussault — First Saturday Rosary
- Melissa Szczesniak — Assistant Regional Finance Director
- Judy Donsky, Joan Madigan, Kathy Morsch — Administrative Assistants
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation at the parish is described as a 'life-long process.' Programs are offered for children, youth, and adults. Children's Liturgy of the Word meets during the 8:30 am Mass at St. Mary's and the 10:30 am Mass at St. Matthew; K-5 Faith Formation classes use the Pflaum Gospel Weeklies curriculum, an approved USCCB text, and meet on Sunday mornings between the two Masses.
- Children's Liturgy of the Word (K-6)
- Sharing Stories with Jesus (Preschool / Pre-K)
- K-5 Faith Formation (Pflaum Gospel Weeklies)
- KFC — Kids For Christ Middle School Youth Group (grades 6-8)
- Crossroads — High School Youth Ministry (grades 9-12)
- Adult Faith Formation
- Becoming Catholic / OCIA
- Bible Study
- Women's Retreat at Notre Dame Retreat House (Canandaigua Lake)
Sacramental Preparation
The parish offers a coordinated sacramental preparation track for children and adults, framed as 'an opportunity to deepen one's awareness of the activity of God's presence' in everyday life.
- First Reconciliation — begins in 2nd grade
- First Eucharist — begins in 2nd grade
- Confirmation — Year 1 in 8th grade, Year 2 in 9th grade
- OCIA — Becoming Catholic (adults seeking Baptism, First Communion, or Confirmation)
Worship & Liturgical Ministries
The parish website's Worship & Liturgical page describes its music and liturgical ministries. St. Mary's Choir rehearses on Thursdays from 7:00 to 8:00 pm (September through June) and sings at the 8:30 am Mass year-round. St. Matthew's Folk Group leads contemporary praise music one Saturday and one Sunday each month. The Resurrection Choir provides music for funerals. During Holy Week the two choirs combine for the Triduum liturgies.
- St. Mary's Choir (Sunday 7:45 am warmup)
- St. Matthew Choir (Sunday 10:30 am)
- St. Matthew Folk Group (contemporary praise)
- Resurrection Choir (funerals)
- Cantor Ministry
- Mass Live Stream Assistants
- Greeters
- Eucharistic Ministers & Ushers
- Eucharistic Ministry to the Homebound
Prayer Ministries
The parish maintains a Prayer List for parishioners' immediate family members and offers two regular rosary groups. A Rosary Group meets at St. Mary's on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 11:30 am, followed by a group lunch at a rotating location. A First Saturday Rosary is prayed at St. Matthew at 11:00 am each month (cancelled when a funeral is scheduled).
- Prayer List (via parish offices)
- Rosary Group — 2nd Tuesday, 11:30 am at St. Mary's
- First Saturday Rosary — 11:00 am at St. Matthew
Social Ministry & Outreach
Sts. Mary and Matthew describe themselves as 'committed to serving the poor, marginalized, lonely and forgotten.' The Social Ministry team meets on the 2nd Sunday of every month at 11:30 am at St. Matthew Church, and all parishioners are welcome to join. The ministry organizes various activities throughout the year in support of the local community.
- Social Ministry committee — 2nd Sunday, 11:30 am at St. Matthew
- Contact: Bonnie Thies
Visit Us — Address, Office Hours & Contact
St. Mary's Catholic Church is located at 8961 W. Main Street, PO Box 725, Honeoye, NY 14471. Telephone: (585) 229-5007. Fax: (585) 229-2820. Email: [email protected]. The St. Mary's office is open Monday through Thursday, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. The neighboring St. Matthew office (6591 Richmond Mills Road, Livonia, NY 14487, 585-346-3815) is open Monday through Wednesday, 8:00 am to 1:00 pm.