About St. Patrick (Catholic Community of St. Stephen-St. Patrick) · Whitney Point, New York
St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Whitney Point, New York is part of the Catholic Community of St. Stephen-St. Patrick, a tri-site Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Syracuse serving the rural southern-tier communities of Whitney Point, Marathon, and Cincinnatus. The parish was formed in July 2009 when St. Patrick's of Whitney Point and St. Stephen's of Marathon merged, with Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Cincinnatus joining as a Mission Church. St. Patrick's serves as the parish's main church and houses the central parish office. The community offers daily and weekend Masses, Faith Formation classes, a food pantry ministry, and active parish organizations, all under the leadership of its current administrator, Rev. James P. Serowik.
- Established
- 1869
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Rev. James P. Serowik
- Diocese
- Diocese of Syracuse
Why belong here
St. Patrick's welcomes families and individuals into a close-knit rural Catholic community where three historic upstate churches worship together. Visitors will find a full schedule of weekday and weekend Masses, a Children's Liturgy of the Word program for ages three and up, parish Faith Formation classes, and parish-supported outreach such as the Whitney Point Ecumenical Food Pantry and a youth-activities bottle/can recycling fundraiser. The parish keeps members connected through a bulletin, a prayer chain, and a published list of parishioners' loved ones serving in the military.
Mass times at St. Patrick (Catholic Community of St. Stephen-St. Patrick)
Weekly Mass schedule
About the Catholic Community of St. Stephen-St. Patrick
The Catholic Community of St. Stephen-St. Patrick is a tri-site Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Syracuse that serves the rural southern tier of New York. It was created in July 2009 by merging St. Patrick's of Whitney Point with St. Stephen's of Marathon, with Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Cincinnatus attached as a Mission Church. St. Patrick's serves as the main church and the location of the central parish office on Keibel Road.
- Main church: St. Patrick's, 59 Keibel Rd, Whitney Point
- Sister church: St. Stephen's, 12 Academy St, Marathon
- Mission church: Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Cincinnatus
- Formed: July 2009
- Diocese: Syracuse
History of St. Patrick's
St. Patrick's has served Whitney Point since the late 1860s (GCatholic lists 1869–1870). It grew alongside the small farming communities of Broome County before joining with neighboring St. Stephen's parish in 2009 to form the present-day Catholic Community of St. Stephen-St. Patrick.
- Founded circa 1869–1870
- Long-standing independent parish within the Diocese of Syracuse
- Merged in July 2009 with St. Stephen's of Marathon
Mass and Service Schedule
The parish publishes a regular weekly schedule across its three worship sites. The schedule below is the combined community schedule with St. Patrick's, Whitney Point, hosting the largest share of weekday and Sunday Masses.
- Saturday Vigil: 5:00 PM at St. Stephen's
- Sunday: 8:30 AM at St. Patrick's; 11:00 AM at Our Lady of Perpetual Help
- Monday: 6:00 PM at St. Patrick's
- Tuesday: 10:00 AM at St. Patrick's
- First Thursday: 11:00 AM Weekday Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help
- Friday: 10:00 AM Mass & Bible Study at St. Patrick's
Parish Staff and Leadership
The parish is administered by Rev. James P. Serowik, who also continues as Pastor of St. Vincent de Paul and Blessed Sacrament in Vestal. A Parish Council and a slate of lay staff and ministry leaders support the life of the community.
- Administrator: Rev. James P. Serowik
- Chairperson: Shelley Warnow (earlier roster lists John Mihalko)
- Vice-Chair: Dan Burke
- Trustees: Kathy Cusick, Ron Orzel
- Secretary: Sue Stevens (earlier roster: Peg Orzel)
- Parish Business Manager: Mary Weid / Mary Wied
- Director of Faith Formation: Sherry Dee (WP: Cecelia Carstens, 323-5114)
- Ministry Coordinator: Peg Orzel
- Church Organist / Music Director: Jennifer Austin / Jennifer Cafferty
- Youth Minister: Rachel Mihalko
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith Formation classes for children meet regularly in the Whitney Point church hall, with sessions such as 'Family Lent Day' that include parents. The program supports sacramental preparation including the Rite of Enrollment and Presentation of the Word.
- Director of Faith Formation: Sherry Dee (WP coordinator Cecelia Carstens)
- Classes typically Sundays 9:20–11:00 AM in the WP Church Hall
- Family-focused sessions during Lent
- Sacramental preparation (Rite of Enrollment, Presentation of the Word)
Children's Liturgy of the Word
An age-appropriate Liturgy of the Word is offered for children ages 3 and up at the 8:30 AM Sunday Mass at St. Patrick's. No pre-registration is required; children are invited forward before the Liturgy of the Word and led to the downstairs hall by a volunteer leader, where they pray, hear simplified readings, and reflect on the same scriptures the assembly hears. They are encouraged to share the message with their families afterward.
- Ages 3 and up
- Held during the 8:30 AM Sunday Mass
- No pre-registration needed
Outreach and Community Life
St. Patrick's maintains an active parish bulletin (deadline Tuesday at noon) and several ongoing outreach efforts, including food drives, a prayer chain for the sick, and a published list of military loved ones prayed for weekly.
- Whitney Point Ecumenical Food Pantry collection (monthly themed item drives)
- Prayer Chain led by Dottie Angel (656-9230); back-up contact Pat Canfield (849-6978)
- Military prayer list published weekly in the bulletin
- Empty Bottles & Cans recycling fundraiser for parish youth activities
Sacraments
The parish prepares members for the sacraments of initiation and offers ongoing pastoral care. Anyone wishing to learn more is encouraged to call the parish office.
- Baptism – contact the parish office
- Marriage – contact the parish office
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) – call the rectory to set up an appointment
- Anointing of the Sick – names may be written on the prayer sheet at Mass and are remembered in the Intercessions
- First Communion and Confirmation preparation through Faith Formation
Worship Sites
The community worships in three historic churches spread across Cortland and Broome counties in upstate New York.
- St. Patrick's – 59 Keibel Rd, Whitney Point, NY 13862 (main church & parish office)
- St. Stephen's – 12 Academy St, Marathon, NY 13803
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help – Cincinnatus, NY (Mission Church)
Visiting and Joining the Parish
Newcomers and visitors are warmly welcomed. Registration envelopes at the entrances of each church contain a welcome letter, contact list, stewardship survey, and registration form. Completed forms can be returned to the office, placed in the offertory basket, or handed directly to the priest.
- Registration envelopes at both churches
- Office hours: Monday–Thursday, 9:00 AM–12:00 PM
- Parish Hall (Whitney Point): (607) 692-3357
- Parish Hall (Marathon): (607) 849-3630
- Fax: (607) 692-7171
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. James P. Serowik
Appointed Administrator of St. Patrick's, St. Stephen's and Our Lady of Perpetual Help by Bishop Douglas J. Lucia, while remaining Pastor of St. Vincent de Paul and Blessed Sacrament in Vestal.