About St. Mary [Route20 Catholic Parishes] · Hamilton, New York
St. Mary's Church is a Roman Catholic parish located at 16 Wylie Street in the village of Hamilton, New York, in Madison County. It is part of the Diocese of Syracuse and serves as the principal church of the Route 20 Catholic Parishes grouping, which canonically links St. Mary's in Hamilton, St. Bernard's in Waterville, St. Joseph's in Oriskany Falls, and the Mission of St. Joan of Arc in Morrisville. Together these four churches share one pastor, one weekly bulletin, and one parish website. St. Mary's celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2021, and the parish also maintains a sacramental connection with the Colgate University Newman Community, offering a Sunday evening Mass in Colgate Memorial Chapel during the academic year.
- Established
- 1871
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. John P. Donovan
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse
Why belong here
St. Mary's offers a welcoming, family-oriented parish community in the heart of Madison County, with daily and Sunday Mass celebrated in a beautifully restored historic church. As part of the Route 20 Catholic Parishes (and now Holy Spirit Parish), members enjoy a wider network of ministries and sacramental life than any one small parish could sustain alone, including year-round Sunday Mass in Colgate Memorial Chapel that connects the parish to the Colgate University Newman Community. Parishioners are known for their remarkable generosity: 62% of St. Mary's families contributed to a recent capital campaign that surpassed its $500,000 goal. The parish also offers a regular Holy Hour with Eucharistic Adoration, Evening Prayer, Confessions, and Solemn Benediction.
Mass times at St. Mary [Route20 Catholic Parishes]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 5:30 PM–6:30 PM on the 3rd Tuesday of each month (PCA Holy Hour with Confessions at St. Mary's)
- By appointment (call the Parish Office)
Adoration times
- 5:30 PM on the 3rd Tuesday of each month — PCA Holy Hour at St. Mary's with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Evening Prayer, Confessions, and Solemn Benediction
Welcome to Route 20 Catholic Parishes
Route 20 Catholic Parishes is a unified Roman Catholic community in central New York that brings together four historically independent parishes along U.S. Route 20: St. Mary's in Hamilton, St. Bernard's in Waterville, St. Joseph's in Oriskany Falls, and the Mission of St. Joan of Arc in Morrisville. The four churches share a single pastor, one weekly bulletin, and one combined parish website at route20catholic.org. In June 2020, Bishop Douglas J. Lucia of the Diocese of Syracuse decreed the formal canonical merger of the four parishes into Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Parish, effective July 1, 2020, with St. Mary's designated as the principal church.
- St. Mary's Church, 16 Wylie Street, Hamilton
- St. Bernard's Church, 190 Stafford Avenue, Waterville
- St. Joseph's Church, 229 Main Street, Oriskany Falls
- St. Joan of Arc Mission, 6 Brookside Drive, Morrisville
- Combined parish office at St. Bernard's in Waterville
- Weekly bulletin and shared website at route20catholic.org
Parish History
St. Mary's Parish in Hamilton celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2021, an occasion the parish marked with a sweeping restoration of its historic church. The project, led by then-pastor Father Jason Hage, tackled a failing slate roof more than 30 years past its useful life and three deteriorating towers. The campaign ultimately raised $500,000 — well above its $400,000 goal — funding the towers, new flooring and pews, interior painting, and the church basement. Bishop J. Douglas Lucia celebrated the Rite of Rededication on September 26 with Father Hage as concelebrant.
- St. Mary's Parish founded in 1871
- 150th anniversary celebrated in 2021 with restoration and rededication
- Restoration included towers, slate roof, flooring, pews, interior paint, and basement
- $500,000 raised by 62% of parish families
- Bishop Lucia celebrated Rite of Rededication on September 26, 2021
Holy Spirit Parish Merger (2020)
On June 16, 2020, Bishop Douglas J. Lucia issued a decree formally merging the four Route 20 parishes into a single canonical parish named Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Parish, effective July 1, 2020. St. Mary's in Hamilton was designated the principal church, with parish offices located at St. Bernard's in Waterville. The merger was the culmination of five years of pastoral collaboration that began in 2020 when the four churches first came under a single pastor.
- Decree issued by Bishop Lucia on June 16, 2020
- Effective date: July 1, 2020
- New canonical parish: Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Parish
- St. Mary's named the principal church
- Parish offices located at St. Bernard's, Waterville
- Pastoral planning included town halls and parish-wide input on the new name
Faith Formation & RCIA
Faith Formation for the Route 20 Catholic Parishes is coordinated through the combined parish office at St. Bernard's in Waterville. Programs include preparation for the sacraments of First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation, as well as RCIA for adults seeking to enter the Catholic Church. The parish also supports ongoing faith formation, family catechesis, and youth ministry across the four linked parishes.
- Faith Formation Coordinator (based at St. Bernard's)
- First Reconciliation preparation
- First Communion preparation
- Confirmation preparation
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Safe Environment Coordination
- Children's and family catechesis
Clergy & Pastoral Staff
The four Route 20 parishes share a single pastor, currently Rev. John P. Donovan, who was appointed by Bishop Lucia in 2020 after previously serving as pastor of St. James Church in Johnson City and as administrator of Holy Trinity and moderator of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Binghamton. Father Donovan led the process that resulted in the formal canonical merger of the four parishes into Holy Spirit Parish. Before him, Rev. Jason C. Hage served as administrator beginning in 2017 and led the parish's 150th-anniversary restoration before being named Director of the Diocesan Office of Vocation Promotion in 2019.
- Rev. John P. Donovan — current Pastor
- Rev. Jason C. Hage — Pastor/Administrator, 2017–2019
- Parish Business Manager (shared staff)
- Faith Formation Coordinator (based at St. Bernard's)
- Safe Environment Coordinator
- Social Media Administrator
- Cemetery Superintendent (at St. Bernard's)
Visiting & Contact Information
St. Mary's is located in the village of Hamilton, NY, the home of Colgate University in Madison County, central New York. Visitors traveling from US Route 20 should take Route 12B south between Bouckville and Madison; the road becomes Utica Street, and the church sits on the left at the corner of Wylie Street and US Route 20B. The parish office can be reached by phone or email, and the latest news is shared weekly through the Route 20 Catholic bulletin and the parish's Facebook page.
- Address: 16 Wylie Street, Hamilton, NY 13346
- Phone: (315) 824-2164
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://route20catholic.org/
- Facebook: facebook.com/Route20Catholic
- Combined parish office at St. Bernard's, 190 Stafford Ave., Waterville (315-841-4481)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Jason C. Hage2017–2019
Appointed administrator of St. Mary's and St. Joan of Arc Mission by Bishop Lucia in 2017, with sacramental responsibilities at the Colgate University Newman Community. Led the 150th anniversary restoration and rededication in September 2021. Later appointed Director of the Diocesan Office of Vocation Promotion on October 1, 2019; subsequently pastor of Mary, Mother of Our Savior Parish.
- Rev. John P. Donovan2020–present
Appointed pastor of the four Route 20 parishes in 2020. Previously served as pastor of St. James Church in Johnson City, administrator of Holy Trinity in Binghamton, and moderator of Ss. Cyril and Methodius Church in Binghamton. Led the 2020 canonical merger of the four parishes into Holy Spirit Parish, with St. Mary's as the principal church.