St. Mary.Our Lady of the Valley Parish.

About Our Lady of the Valley Parish

Our Lady of the Valley Parish is a member parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, New York. The community is nestled in the beautiful Canisteo Valley of Western New York State and encompasses over 450 square miles of the Southern Tier. The parish includes the churches of St. Ann (Hornell) and St. Mary's (Rexville), with Masses celebrated at both sites. The Parish Mission Statement reads: 'Our Lady of the Valley Parish is a community of believing Catholics empowered by the Holy Spirit to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, expressed in prayer, realized in liturgy, and serviced by action. We are made in the image of God to promote charity, justice, peace, and deep faith to all, especially those most in need of God's Mercy.'

Heritage & History

St. Mary's congregation was originally formed in 1844 in the Town of Greenwood to serve early Catholic settlers — predominantly Irish-American families with some German-speaking members — and its first church opened in 1846. As the local population shifted, the parish relocated to Rexville in the Town of West Union, and a new St. Mary's Church was dedicated on September 8, 1875. That church burned in February 1877 and was rebuilt within seven months; that second church was also lost to fire in 1981. The present St. Mary's Church on Church Street in Rexville was built in 1984. The antique bell from the previous church is preserved inside the building, since the rebuilt church has no bell tower and uses an electronic bell system. The partner site, St. Ann's in Hornell, was founded in 1849 and its present church at 31 Erie Avenue has been in continuous use since 1869.

• 1844 — St. Mary's congregation formed in Greenwood
• 1846 — First St. Mary's church opens in Greenwood
• 1869 — Parish relocates to Rexville (Town of West Union)
• September 8, 1875 — New St. Mary's Church dedicated in Rexville
• February 1877 — Church burns; rebuilt within seven months
• November 10, 1891 — St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church Society of Rexville incorporated
• 1968–1975 — Father Otto Vogt serves as pastor
• 1981 — St. Mary's Church destroyed by fire
• 1984 — Current St. Mary's Church on Church Street opens
• 2001 — St. Ann's establishes a perpetual-adoration chapel
• 2004 — Hornell and Rexville communities begin operating as a single parish cluster

Mass & Worship Schedule

Weekend Masses are offered at both St. Ann's Church in Hornell and St. Mary's Church in Rexville, while weekday Masses are celebrated at St. Ann's only. The Televised Mass for Shut-ins reaches homebound parishioners in the Hornell area on Sunday via local cable channel 1301. Weekday 12:10 PM Masses at St. Ann's are livestreamed on the parish's Facebook page.

• Saturday Vigil — 4:30 PM, St. Ann's, Hornell
• Sunday — 6:45 AM, St. Ann's, Hornell
• Sunday — 8:45 AM, St. Mary's, Rexville
• Sunday — 10:45 AM, St. Ann's, Hornell (with Children's Liturgy of the Word)
• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday — 12:10 PM, St. Ann's, Hornell (streamed on Facebook)
• Wednesday — No Mass
• Televised Mass for Shut-ins — Sunday 1:00 PM, channel 1301 (Hornell), sponsored by Bishop-Johnson & DeSanto Funeral Home and Peish TV

Parish Staff & Clergy

The parish is led by Pastor Father Stan Kacprzak and is served by two deacons and a full lay staff for faith formation, youth ministry, sacraments, and parish operations. Contact is through the parish office at 607-324-5811.

• Rev. Stan Kacprzak — Pastor
• Deacon Robert McCormick
• Deacon Mark Clark
• Deborah Brinkhus — Pastoral Associate / Adult Faith Formation and Sacraments
• Jennifer Klinges — Children's Faith Formation
• Patty Peisher — Children's Faith Formation (St. Mary's, Rexville)
• David Prete — Youth Ministry
• Peg Griswald — RCIA Coordinator
• Margaret Terry — Parish Business Manager
• Beth Ann Jacobs — Secretary
• Shawn Woollett — Buildings & Grounds Coordinator

Sacraments

Our Lady of the Valley Parish celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments and provides preparation programs for those preparing to receive them. Families are encouraged to contact the Parish Office early for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, and Matrimony.

• Baptism — contact Parish Office
• Reconciliation (Confession) — see scheduled times
• Holy Communion (First Communion) — preparation through Children's Faith Formation
• Confirmation
• Anointing of the Sick
• Matrimony — contact Parish Office 6 months in advance
• Holy Orders

Faith Formation & Education

Faith formation is offered to every age and stage of life, with separate coordinators for children, youth, and adults. The Children's Faith Formation program operates at both St. Ann's and St. Mary's (Rexville), and the RCIA process welcomes adults seeking to enter the Catholic Church.

• Children's Faith Formation — Jennifer Klinges (St. Ann's)
• Children's Faith Formation (St. Mary's Rexville) — Patty Peisher
• Adult Faith Formation — Deborah Brinkhus
• Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) — Peg Griswald, Coordinator
• Quest Youth Group — David Prete
• Young Adult — Faith On Tap
• Safe Environment resources, prayers, and opt-out forms posted on parish website

Parish Ministries & Groups

The parish has a wide range of liturgical, pastoral, and social ministries that give parishioners many ways to serve, lead, and connect. Liturgical ministries support Sunday and weekday Masses, while pastoral councils and committees help guide parish life and outreach.

• Parish Pastoral Council — Kerry O'Brien, Chairperson
• Finance Committee — Peter Wall, Chairperson
• Liturgy Committee
• Cemetery Committee
• Building and Grounds Committee
• Usher Ministry
• Altar Server Ministry
• Funeral Server Ministry
• Music Ministry
• Lector Ministry
• Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion Ministry
• Bereavement Ministry
• Grief Support Group
• Mom's Support Group
• Children's Liturgy of the Word

Contact, Office & Emergencies

Parish offices are at 27 Erie Avenue in Hornell and are open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM, closed Wednesday and Friday. A 24/7 Parish Emergency Number is available for after-hours pastoral needs.

• Parish Office Phone: 607-324-5811
• Rectory Phone: 607-385-3026
• Fax: 607-324-0116
• Email: [email protected]
• Office Hours: Mon., Tues., Thurs. 9:30 AM–3:30 PM; closed Wed. & Fri.
• Parish Emergency Number (24/7): 1-877-456-0220

Parish Photo Archives & Heritage

The parish maintains a 'Photo Albums' archive on its website preserving images and memories of the heritage communities that make up Our Lady of the Valley.

• Our Parish Heritage — St. Joachim's, Canisteo (closed)
• Images of our Parish Heritage — St. Ann's, Hornell
• Images of our Parish Heritage — St. Mary's, Rexville
• Our Parish Heritage — St. Ignatius, Hornell (closed)