About St. Patrick. St. Francis and St. Clare Community. · Seneca Falls, New York
St. Francis and St. Clare Roman Catholic Community is a multi-site Catholic parish in Seneca County, New York, formed by the merger of St. Mary's Parish in Waterloo and St. Patrick's Parish in Seneca Falls. The parish continues to worship at both historic church buildings — St. Mary's on Center Street in Waterloo and St. Patrick's on West Bayard Street in Seneca Falls — while operating from a single Parish Office and Ministry Center. It is served by Father James (Jim) Fennessy as pastor, with Deacon David Cataline, and belongs to the Diocese of Rochester.
- Established
- 2007 (merged parish; legacy St. Patrick's parish dates to 1835)
- Patron
- St. Patrick, St. Francis, and St. Clare (parish); St. Patrick at the Seneca Falls church, St. Mary at the Waterloo church
- Rector
- Rev. James (Jim) Fennessy
- Diocese
- Diocese of Rochester
Why belong here
St. Francis and St. Clare is a warm, two-church Catholic community rooted in nearly two centuries of faith along the Seneca River. Worshippers can choose between four weekend Masses split between the historic St. Patrick's Church in Seneca Falls and St. Mary's in Waterloo, with daily Mass offered at both sites. The parish runs an active Faith Formation program for children and adults — including RCIA, Children's Liturgy of the Word, the Little Flowers/Blue Knights Club, Vacation Bible School, and a new Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Atrium — and livestreams its Masses on Facebook so that homebound parishioners stay connected. With a real parish office staffed Monday through Thursday, an organist at each church, and a Social Ministry outreach, it's a small but lively parish where new members are personally welcomed.
Mass times at St. Patrick. St. Francis and St. Clare Community.
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- St. Mary's (Waterloo) — Saturdays, 3:30–4:30 p.m.
- St. Patrick's (Seneca Falls) — First Fridays, 9:00–10:00 a.m.
- By appointment
Parish History
Catholic worship in this part of the Finger Lakes began in 1835, when Father Francis O'Donoghue celebrated the first recorded Mass in Seneca Falls in a private home on Center Street. From those humble beginnings, an Irish-immigrant parish grew up around the present St. Patrick's Church on West Bayard Street. A second community in nearby Waterloo grew around what is now St. Mary's Church. Faced with a shrinking pool of priests in the Diocese of Rochester, the two parishes were merged into one — St. Francis and St. Clare Roman Catholic Community — operating as a single parish with two historic worship sites and a shared Ministry Center. The parish website dates the merger to 2007; the Diocese of Rochester pastoral-services directory dates it to 2013.
- 1835 — First Mass in Seneca Falls by Father Francis O'Donoghue (in the Henry Graham home, Center St.)
- 1836 — St. Jerome's Church dedicated on Swaby Street, Waterloo
- 1848 — Larger 40-by-60 ft. church built next to present St. Patrick's site, Seneca Falls
- 1864, July 12 — Original church rededicated as St. Patrick's, honoring Irish famine-era immigrants
- 1929, July 28 — Construction of the present St. Patrick's Church begins (cost est. $150,000)
- 1929, Oct. 26 — Cornerstone laid (three days before the stock-market crash)
- 1931, Feb. 15 — St. Patrick's Church dedicated
- 1956 — Parish rectory built
- 1995 — Parish convent sold
- 2007/2013 — Merger of St. Mary's (Waterloo) and St. Patrick's (Seneca Falls) into St. Francis & St. Clare
- 2019 — St. Patrick's School sold
Our Two Worship Sites
The parish operates as a single community from two churches. Weekend Masses are split between them so every Catholic in the area can find a convenient time and place.
- St. Patrick's Church — 97 W. Bayard St., Seneca Falls, NY 13148
- St. Mary's Church — 35 Center St., Waterloo, NY 13165
- Parish Ministry Center (parish offices, religious education, activity space) — housed in the former St. Mary's School
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is served by a small, dedicated staff and a team of volunteer leaders.
- Pastor — Father Jim Fennessy ([email protected])
- Deacon — David Cataline
- Finance Director — Dan Hofford
- Administrative Assistant — Trish Rosata ([email protected])
- Catechetical Leader — Pamela Kane
- Pastoral Council — Vincenta Porretta
- Finance Council — Gerald Macaluso
- Social Ministry — Linda McCully
- RCIA Coordinator — Jennifer Cornwell
- Organist, St. Patrick's — Jennifer Cornwell
- Organist, St. Mary's 5 p.m. — Kate Small
- Organist, St. Mary's 9:30 a.m. — Bob Dinan
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish offers formation opportunities for every age — from preschoolers through adults — rooted in Catholic tradition and Scripture. Adult offerings include Advent and Lenten programs, Strong Catholic Families/Strong Catholic Youth, ChristLife, and Faith Sharing groups. Children and teens are served through Sunday programs, Vacation Bible School, and a new Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Atrium for ages 3–6 launching in 2025.
- Faith Formation Office — (315) 651-4351
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) — begins in September, ends with Mystagogia after the Easter Vigil
- Children's Liturgy of the Word — Sundays at the 11 a.m. Mass, St. Patrick's
- Little Flowers / Blue Knights Club — ages 5 and up, study of saints and the Catechism
- Vacation Bible School — third week of July, Ministry Center; partnered with Our Lady of Peace, Geneva
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd — new Atrium program (ages 3–6); coordinator Pam Kane
- Men's & Women's Retreats — fall weekends at Notre Dame Retreat House, Canandaigua Lake
Music & Liturgy
Each worship site has its own dedicated organist supporting the sung liturgy of the Mass. The parish celebrates Mass Intentions and offers Sanctuary Lamp and Bread & Wine memorials ($10 donation each) for loved ones at either church.
- Organist, St. Patrick's — Jennifer Cornwell
- Organist, St. Mary's (5 p.m.) — Kate Small
- Organist, St. Mary's (9:30 a.m.) — Bob Dinan
- Baptism & Liturgy coordination — Father Jim Fennessy
Sacraments & Devotions
Contact the Parish Office or Father Fennessy for any of the seven sacraments or sacramentals. Memorial donations, Mass intentions, and sanctuary-lamp offerings are all available at both churches.
- Baptism — contact Father Jim Fennessy
- Marriage — contact the Parish Office
- RCIA — see Faith Formation section
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment
- Mass Intentions / Memorials — $10 per Mass remembrance
- Sanctuary Lamp / Bread & Wine — $10 per intention; also available at Doran Funeral Homes in Seneca Falls and Waterloo
Outreach & Parish Life
Social Ministry is led by Linda McCully, and parishioners are encouraged to use their time and talent through the Pastoral Council, Finance Council, Hands of Christ Award, and the various liturgical and formation ministries. New members are personally welcomed when they register.
- Social Ministry — Linda McCully
- Pastoral Council — Vincenta Porretta
- Finance Council — Gerald Macaluso
- Hands of Christ Award — recognition
- Parish Festival — promoted through the parish's Facebook page
Contact & Visiting
Parish Office hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.; closed Friday. Visitors are welcome to register by picking up a card at the office or by calling to have one mailed.
- Parish Office — 35 Center St., Waterloo, NY 13165
- Phone — (315) 539-2944 or (315) 651-4349; Fax (315) 539-8841
- Faith Formation — (315) 651-4351
- Office hours — Mon–Thu 8 a.m.–1 p.m.; closed Friday