About St. Mary · Ogdensburg, New York
St. Mary's Cathedral is the mother church and seat (cathedra) of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ogdensburg, serving the North Country of New York State. Located at 415 Hamilton Street in Ogdensburg, New York, the parish traces its origins to a small mission chapel built in 1827 by Father James Salmon, the first resident pastor of St. Lawrence County. The current Gothic Revival cathedral, completed in 1952, was designed to replace an earlier cathedral destroyed by fire on November 25, 1947, and was consecrated by Cardinal Francis Spellman on October 22, 1952. Since July 1, 2017 the parish has been canonically joined with historic Notre Dame Church as 'St. Mary's Cathedral Parish,' and it is led today by Rector Fr. Joseph A. Morgan, VG.
- Established
- 1827
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Joseph A. Morgan, VG (Rector)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Ogdensburg
Why belong here
St. Mary's Cathedral is the spiritual heart of the Diocese of Ogdensburg and welcomes all who worship, are seeking faith, or want to grow in the Catholic tradition. The combined parish offers daily Mass at two historic worship sites (St. Mary's Cathedral and Notre Dame Church), Wednesday adoration in the Deacon Winter Chapel, Saturday confessions, a live-streamed Sunday Mass on 92.7 FM (WQTK) and YouTube, the Rosary led by the Legion of Mary before each Mass, an active Religious Education program, a music ministry led by a Cathedral Music Director, and a parish rooted in more than 275 years of Catholic presence in the Ogdensburg 'Maple City' — going back to Abbé François Piquet's 1749 mission at Fort La Présentation.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:00 PM to 3:45 PM at St. Mary's Cathedral
- Wednesday: 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM in the Deacon Winter Chapel (during Adoration)
Adoration times
- Wednesday: 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM in the Cathedral Chapel (Deacon Winter Chapel)
About St. Mary's Cathedral Parish
St. Mary's Cathedral Parish was canonically formed on July 1, 2017 by joining historic Notre Dame Church with the Cathedral. The parish describes itself as 'a family of faith to welcome and serve you and the community of Ogdensburg,' and is consecrated to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of her Assumption. Its current Rector is Rev. Joseph A. Morgan, VG. The parish sees itself as continuing both the legacy of Notre Dame de la Victoire (incorporated 1859) and of the cathedral (founded 1827), the oldest Catholic congregation in St. Lawrence County.
- Combined parish since July 1, 2017
- Two worship sites: St. Mary's Cathedral (415 Hamilton St.) and Notre Dame Church (119 Ford Avenue)
- Dedicated to Our Lady under her Assumption
History
Catholic worship in Ogdensburg began in 1749 when the Sulpician Abbé François Piquet celebrated the first solemn Mass at his Fort La Présentation. The first St. Mary's Chapel was built in 1827 by Father James Salmon; a larger brick church was begun in 1852 and became the first cathedral when the Diocese of Ogdensburg was erected in 1872. The cathedral was destroyed by fire on November 25, 1947 and the present Gothic Revival church was consecrated by Cardinal Spellman on October 22, 1952.
- 1749 — Abbé François Piquet celebrates first solemn Mass on Notre Dame site
- 1827 — First St. Mary's Chapel built by Fr. James Salmon
- 1852 — Cornerstone of second (brick) St. Mary's blessed
- 1872 — Diocese of Ogdensburg created; St. Mary's chosen as cathedral
- 1898 — Earlier cathedral solemnly consecrated by Apostolic Delegate
- Nov 25, 1947 — Original cathedral destroyed by fire
- May 20, 1950 — Cornerstone of current cathedral laid
- Oct 22, 1952 — Cardinal Spellman consecrates the new cathedral
Architecture
The present St. Mary's Cathedral is a mid-20th-century Gothic Revival church completed in 1952. Beneath it lies a crypt that holds the remains of Bishop Edgar P. Wadhams, the diocese's founding bishop. Interior spaces include the main sanctuary and a smaller chapel, referred to in the parish's schedule as the 'Deacon Winter Chapel,' used for Wednesday Adoration.
- Style: Gothic Revival
- Completed: 1952
- Consecrated: October 22, 1952 by Cardinal Francis Spellman
- Crypt houses remains of Bishop Edgar P. Wadhams
Devotions: The Legion of Mary and the Rosary
About half an hour before each Mass, a small group of parishioners can be found praying the Rosary. This devotion is led by members of the Legion of Mary in response to the Blessed Mother's requests at Fatima, Portugal in 1917, and to encourage devotion to her Immaculate Heart through the daily recitation of the Rosary.
- Rosary prayed ~30 minutes before Mass
- Led by Legion of Mary members
- Tied to the 15 Promises of the Rosary from Our Lady of Fatima
Music Ministry
The parish maintains an active Music Ministry under a Cathedral Music Director who plays the organ and directs the choir for Sunday and diocesan liturgies. The music ministry also helps organize a diocesan choir that gathers for major cathedral events such as the Chrism Mass and Marriage Jubilee.
- Cathedral Music Director / organist
- Diocesan choir draws singers and instrumentalists from across the diocese
Religious Education
Faith formation for children and families is coordinated through the parish's Religious Education program, under a Director of Religious Education and supported by a Parish Secretary for Religious Education.
- Director of Religious Education: Sr. Bernadette Marie Collins, SSJ
- Religious Education Secretary: Julie Gebo
- Phone: (315) 393-5050
Clergy & Staff
The parish is served by a Rector, a Parochial Vicar, a Pastor Emeritus in residence, and five deacons, with a Business Manager, Parish Secretary, Religious Education staff, Music Director, and maintenance team.
- Rector: Rev. Joseph A. Morgan, VG
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Michael H. Marzan
- Pastor Emeritus (Notre Dame, in residence): Rev. F. James Shurtleff
- Deacons: Jim Crowley, Bill O'Brien, Anthony Pastizzo, Mark Lalonde, Roderic Roca
- Business Manager: Scott Boyer
- Music Director: Christine Bookman
Live Stream & Broadcast
Because the Sunday 8:00 AM Mass is broadcast live on local Catholic radio 92.7 FM (WQTK) and live-streamed on the Diocese of Ogdensburg's YouTube channel, parishioners who are traveling or homebound can remain connected to the cathedral's liturgies. Major diocesan events held at the cathedral are also broadcast.
- Sunday 8:00 AM live-stream on the Diocese of Ogdensburg YouTube channel
- Same Mass broadcast on 92.7 FM (WQTK)
- Diocesan events from the cathedral also live-streamed
Visiting Ogdensburg & Pilgrimage Background
The cathedral sits in a city whose Catholic roots stretch back to Abbé François Piquet's 1749 mission at Fort La Présentation. Visitors can also see the nearby Notre Dame Church (119 Ford Avenue), site of the original 1749 Mass, and learn about the Fort La Présentation Association's reconstruction efforts on Van Rensselaer (Lighthouse) Point, where Abbé Piquet's original hand-engraved cornerstone from 1749 is preserved at Ogdensburg City Hall.
- 1749 mission heritage on Notre Dame Church grounds
- Abbé Piquet Monument relocated to Lighthouse Point
- Fort La Présentation re-enactments held nearby most summers
Diocese of Ogdensburg
St. Mary's Cathedral is the seat of the Diocese of Ogdensburg, a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of New York. Erected February 16, 1872, the diocese covers all of Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis, Hamilton, and St. Lawrence counties and the northern portion of Herkimer County. Its current bishop is the Most Reverend Terry R. LaValley; its patroness is Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception.
- Diocese website: https://www.rcdony.org/
- Bishop: Most Rev. Terry R. LaValley
- Established: February 16, 1872
- Seven counties of North Country New York
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. James Salmon1827–
Founder of the parish; built the first St. Mary's Chapel in 1827 as first resident pastor of St. Lawrence County.
- Fr. James Mackey1852–
Blessed the cornerstone of the second (brick) St. Mary's Church in 1852.
- Rt. Rev. Edgar P. Wadhams1872–1891
First Bishop of Ogdensburg (1872); chose St. Mary's as his cathedral; enlarged and embellished it. His remains are interred in the cathedral crypt.