About St. Patrick (Athens Church) · Athens, New York
St. Patrick's Church in Athens, New York is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Albany, serving the village of Athens along the Hudson River in Greene County. The church is part of the Community of Saint Patrick, a multi-site parish network that also includes St. Patrick's Church in Catskill (the network office site). Together with sister parishes such as St. Mary's Coxsackie, St. Patrick's Ravena, Our Lady of Knock (East Durham), St. Theresa of the Child Jesus (Windham), and others, the Community forms the Hudson-Hoosic Valley (HHV) West Catholic Network. The Athens worship site is located at 24 N. Washington Street and is pastored by Fr. Jay J. Atherton with the assistance of Fr. Pat Rice and three deacons. The parish describes its mission as 'to be a welcoming Catholic community, sharing God's immeasurable love.'
- Established
- 1921
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Fr. Jay J. Atherton
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany
Why belong here
St. Patrick's Athens offers the regular rhythm of a small-town Catholic parish — Sunday Mass live-streamed from the Athens worship site, Saturday Vigil Mass on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays, monthly Reconciliation, and weekday Liturgy of the Hours and Rosary. It is supported by a network of devoted deacons and lay leaders (Pastoral Council, Finance Council, Trustees, Director of Music) and is integrated into the broader Hudson-Hoosic Valley West Catholic Network, which gives parishioners access to faith formation, online giving, and a wider community of fellow Catholics in Greene County. If you live in or near the village of Athens, it's a welcoming, conveniently-scheduled parish to call home.
Mass times at St. Patrick (Athens Church)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM at St. Patrick's Athens (1st and 3rd Saturday of the month)
- By appointment — call the parish office
About the Community of Saint Patrick
St. Patrick's Church, Athens is one worship site of the Community of Saint Patrick, which is pastorally linked with St. Patrick's Church, Catskill. Both share the same pastor, parochial vicar, deacons, Pastoral Council, Finance Council, Music Ministry, and network office staff. The combined parish operates under the HHV West Catholic Network of the Diocese of Albany. The stated mission is 'to be a welcoming Catholic community, sharing God's immeasurable love.'
- Worship Sites: 24 N. Washington Street, Athens, NY 12015; and 66 William Street, Catskill, NY 12414
- Network Office: 66 William Street, Catskill, NY 12414 (Phone 518-943-3150; Fax 518-943-5257)
- Part of the Hudson-Hoosic Valley (HHV) West Catholic Network, Diocese of Albany
Mass & Liturgical Schedule at Athens
The Athens site celebrates Sunday Mass at 10:45 AM (live-streamed) and Saturday Vigil Mass at 4:00 PM on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month. The 2nd and 4th Saturday Vigil is celebrated at St. Patrick's Catskill (every 5th Saturday is celebrated at Catskill in 2026). Daily Masses rotate among the network parishes; on Mondays a Morning Prayer / Rosary is offered at 9:30 AM in Athens. Holy Day schedules are announced in the parish bulletin.
- Sunday 10:45 AM — St. Patrick's Athens (live-streamed)
- Saturday Vigil 4:00 PM — St. Patrick's Athens (1st & 3rd Saturdays)
- Saturday Vigil 4:00 PM — St. Patrick's Catskill (2nd & 4th Saturdays; every 5th Saturday in 2026)
- Monday 9:30 AM — Morning Prayer & Rosary at Athens (per third-party schedule)
- Tuesday 9:00 AM — 1st & 3rd at St. Mary's Coxsackie; 2nd & 4th at St. Patrick's Ravena
- Wednesday 8:30 AM — St. Patrick's Catskill
- Wednesday 12:00 PM — St. John the Baptist Greenville
- Friday 6:30 PM — Our Lady of Knock, East Durham
Clergy & Staff
The Community of Saint Patrick is served by a pastor, parochial vicar, three deacons, and a network office staff that supports both Athens and Catskill. Pastoral and Finance Councils, along with elected Parish Trustees from each site, provide lay leadership.
- Pastor — Fr. Jay J. Atherton
- Parochial Vicar — Fr. Pat Rice
- Deacon — Rev. Mr. Ron Dombrowski
- Deacon — Rev. Mr. Michael McDonald
- Deacon — Rev. Mr. Steve Young
- Pastoral Council Chair (Athens) — James Conner
- Pastoral Council Chair (Catskill) — Marie A. Bitter
- Parish Trustees (Athens) — Vincent B. Brennan, Jr.; Rob Muenkel
- Parish Trustees (Catskill) — Charles G. McEntee; Genevieve Collins
- Finance Council Chair (Catskill) — Lee Palmateer / Siobhain Lavery
- Network Communications Manager — Michele Brown
- Director of Music — (per parish records)
- Bookkeeper — Janine O'Leary
- Administrative Assistants — (listed on parish website)
Sacraments
Information about each sacrament is published on the parish website's Sacraments page, including preparation requirements and how to schedule.
- Baptism — arrange 6 weeks in advance; one Roman Catholic confirmed sponsor aged 16+ required; pre-baptismal anointing with the Oil of the Catechumens for both adults and infants
- Marriage — arrange at least 6 months in advance; ceremony in a Catholic Church or with written permission from the Albany Diocese Marriage Tribunal
- Anointing of the Sick — available on request through the parish office
- Reconciliation — Saturday 3:00–3:30 PM and by appointment
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) — referenced for adults preparing for initiation into the Church
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation for the Community of Saint Patrick is administered at the network level through the Hudson-Hoosic Valley West Faith Formation program. Families register and access resources through the dedicated faith-formation website.
- Faith Formation website: https://hvvwff.org
- Programs serve families across the HHV West Network parishes
Music & Liturgy
A Network Director of Music coordinates music ministry across the Athens and Catskill worship sites, supporting Sunday liturgies, holy days, and the live-streamed Sunday Mass from Athens.
Parish Life & Communication
Parishioners are encouraged to register with the parish through the Realm online platform to receive updates about schedule changes (e.g., cancellations due to funerals or weather). The parish publishes a Facebook page and a YouTube channel (used for live-streaming the Sunday Mass from Athens). Online giving is available through links on the parish website for both the Athens and Catskill sites.
- Realm — online parish registration & notifications
- Facebook — parish page linked from stpatrickathenscatskill.org
- YouTube — live-streamed Sunday Mass from Athens
- Online Giving — separate links for St. Patrick's Athens and St. Patrick's Catskill
Mass Intentions & Pastoral Care
Mass Intentions may be requested by calling the network office at 518-943-3150 or emailing the parish. The Book of Mass Intentions closes on the second-to-last day of the previous month, so requests must be submitted in advance. The Anointing of the Sick and home/hospital visits are arranged by calling the parish office.
- Mass Intentions: 518-943-3150
- Email: [email protected] / [email protected]
- Book of Intentions closes second-to-last day of the prior month