About St. Mary's · Galway, New York
St. Mary's Church in Galway, New York, is a mission site of St. Mary's Church in Ballston Spa, within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany. Located at 2113 East Street in the small town of Galway (Saratoga County), the mission offers Sunday Mass at 9:30 a.m. year-round, with a Saturday vigil Mass added at 6:00 p.m. from the July 1st weekend through Labor Day. The mission is served by the pastor and staff of St. Mary's of Ballston Spa — the fourth oldest parish in the Diocese of Albany — and shares its sacramental, educational, and youth-ministry programs. Because St. Mary's of Galway is administered from Ballston Spa, parishioners are directed to stmarysballstonspa.org for the most complete information about clergy, ministries, and parish life.
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (Church of St. Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Francis R. (Fr. Francis) Vivacqua
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany
Why belong here
St. Mary's of Galway offers a traditional Sunday Mass at 9:30 a.m. in a small-town Catholic setting, while its parishioners enjoy full access to the larger parish community of St. Mary's in Ballston Spa — including a Catholic school (St. Mary's School, Ballston Spa), a Religious Education program, an active Youth and Family Ministry, an OCIA (formerly RCIA) process, a Holy Hour for young families, and devotional life including First Friday Masses, First Saturday Rosary, and the Our Lady Queen of Peace Prayer Group. For Catholics in Galway seeking weekly Mass and connection to a wider parish family with schools, formation, and outreach, the mission is a faithful and welcoming home.
Mass times at St. Mary's
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Confession is regularly offered at St. Mary's, Ballston Spa: Saturday 3:00–3:45 pm and Tuesday 6:00–6:30 pm. The Galway mission uses the same parish office; confessors should call 518-885-7411 to confirm sacramental availability in Galway.
Adoration times
- Holy Hour — Second Wednesday of the month at 6:30 pm (parish-wide, Ballston Spa)
- Holy Hour — Second Saturday of the month at 10:00 am (Young Families)
About St. Mary's of Galway
St. Mary's Church in Galway is a mission of St. Mary's Church, Ballston Spa, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany. The mission serves the Catholic faithful of the Galway area of southern Saratoga County with a single Sunday Mass at 9:30 a.m. and a summer Saturday vigil at 6:00 p.m. (July 1 through Labor Day). All pastoral, sacramental, and administrative matters are coordinated through the St. Mary's Ballston Spa parish office, and the diocesan directory directs visitors there for full information.
Parish Devotions
Devotional life at St. Mary's centers on the Eucharist, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and parish prayer. The parish offers a monthly First Friday Mass at 9:30 a.m., a monthly First Saturday Rosary at 3:00 p.m., and the Our Lady Queen of Peace Prayer Group, which meets every other Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. A rosary is prayed after Mass on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
- First Friday Mass — 9:30 a.m. (Ballston Spa)
- First Saturday Rosary — 3:00 p.m. (Ballston Spa)
- Our Lady Queen of Peace Prayer Group — every other Tuesday, 6:00 p.m.
- Rosary after Mass — Monday, Wednesday, Thursday
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious Education for parish children and youth is coordinated through the St. Mary's Ballston Spa faith formation office. The parish also runs an OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, formerly RCIA) process for adults preparing to enter the Church. The Director of Religious Education, Mrs. Vicki Schuette, and the OCIA Coordinator, Sister Nancy Schmidt, are listed in parish materials. The Religious Education phone line is 518-884-8479.
- Religious Education (K–5 and beyond)
- OCIA / RCIA for adults
- Director of Religious Ed: Mrs. Vicki Schuette
- OCIA Coordinator: Sister Nancy Schmidt
St. Mary's School (Ballston Spa)
Children of the Galway mission have access to St. Mary's School in Ballston Spa, a Pre-K through Grade 5 Catholic school that serves as the parish school for both St. Mary's communities. The school is led by a principal and faculty team and offers faith-integrated academics. The school office can be reached at 518-885-7300.
- Pre-K through 5th grade Catholic school
- Principal: Mrs. Lynn Fitzgerald (as listed in parish welcome materials)
- School phone: 518-885-7300
- Students from the Galway mission are eligible to attend
Youth, Family & OCIA Ministry
St. Mary's combined Youth, Family and OCIA Ministry, under Mrs. Rebecca Cronin, focuses on forming young disciples through worship, catechesis, community, and service. The ministry welcomes all young people of the parish family, regardless of age, with the conviction that 'sainthood has no age limit.' Activities emphasize Faith, Service, and meaningful community experiences for young people and their families.
- Director: Mrs. Rebecca Cronin
- Faith, service, and community focus
- Family-friendly programming
- OCIA (formerly RCIA) for teens and adults
Sacraments
The mission offers the sacraments in cooperation with St. Mary's, Ballston Spa. Baptisms at the Galway mission are arranged by contacting Joe Novak at 518-882-5412 at least four weeks in advance. Marriages are scheduled by calling the parish office at 518-885-7411 before booking any reception venue; weddings are celebrated on Fridays or Saturdays only (no Sunday weddings). Anointing of the Sick is available for pastoral emergencies by calling the parish office at any time.
- Baptism — Joe Novak, 518-882-5412 (4 weeks advance notice)
- Marriage — Parish Office 518-885-7411, Fri or Sat only
- First Eucharist & Confirmation — through Religious Education
- Anointing of the Sick — pastoral emergency line
Clergy & Staff
St. Mary's of Galway is served by the clergy of St. Mary's, Ballston Spa. The pastor is Rev. Francis R. Vivacqua. Rev. Thomas J. Kelly is listed on older parish welcome materials as the former pastor. Deacon Ronald Hogan assists in parish ministry. Parish staff include a Youth, Family & OCIA Minister (Rebecca Cronin), Director of Religious Education (Vicki Schuette), and OCIA Coordinator (Sister Nancy Schmidt). The parish school is led by Principal Lynn Fitzgerald.
- Pastor: Fr. Francis R. Vivacqua
- Pastor Emeritus (per parish welcome): Fr. Thomas J. Kelly
- Deacon: Deacon Ronald Hogan
- Youth, Family & OCIA Minister: Mrs. Rebecca Cronin
- Dir. of Religious Ed.: Mrs. Vicki Schuette
- OCIA Coordinator: Sister Nancy Schmidt
- Principal: Mrs. Lynn Fitzgerald
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Thomas J. Kelly
Pastor of St. Mary's Ballston Spa / Galway mission as listed in parish welcome bulletin.
- Rev. Francis R. VivacquaPresent
Current pastor of St. Mary's Ballston Spa, which administers the Galway mission.