About St. Patrick · Watertown, New York
St. Patrick's Church in Watertown, New York is one of three worship sites of Blessed Sacrament Parish, the merged Roman Catholic parish that since 2016 has united St. Anthony's, St. Patrick's, and Holy Family churches under a single pastorate in the Diocese of Ogdensburg. Located at 123 S. Massey Street, St. Patrick's is the historic Irish-heritage church of Watertown, founded in the 1850s to serve the wave of Irish Catholic immigrants who had outgrown the original St. Mary's parish. Today it continues to host weekday noon Masses, the 4:00 pm Saturday anticipated Mass, the 9:00 am Sunday Mass, and Thursday afternoon adoration, while sharing clergy (Rev. John M. Demo as pastor) with the parish's other two churches.
- Established
- 1856
- Patron
- St. Patrick (patron of Ireland)
- Rector
- Reverend John M. Demo
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Ogdensburg
Why belong here
Blessed Sacrament Parish offers Catholics in Watertown the rare richness of three historic churches served by one clergy team. St. Patrick's, the Irish-heritage Massey Street church, continues its tradition of a noon weekday Mass, the Saturday 4:00 pm anticipated Mass, the 9:00 am Sunday Mass, and a weekly Thursday afternoon holy hour of Eucharistic adoration — fitting for a parish whose shared name honors the Blessed Sacrament. Daily and weekly confession times are published for each worship site, and parishioners can choose among three distinct church communities while sharing faith formation, RCIA, outreach, and sacramental preparation across the merged parish.
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 11:45 am – 11:55 am (St. Patrick's)
- Wednesday 11:45 am – 11:55 am (St. Patrick's)
- Thursday 11:45 am – 11:55 am (St. Patrick's)
- Saturday 3:00 pm – 3:30 pm (St. Patrick's)
- By appointment: 315-782-1190
Adoration times
- Thursday 12:30 pm – 7:00 pm (St. Patrick's)
About St. Patrick's
St. Patrick's Church, located at 123 S. Massey Street in Watertown, New York, is the historic Irish-heritage Catholic church of the city and one of three worship sites of Blessed Sacrament Parish in the Diocese of Ogdensburg. Founded in 1855–1856 to serve the wave of Irish Catholic immigrants who had outgrown the original St. Mary's parish on Factory Street, it has remained in continuous use on Massey Street ever since. Today it shares clergy and pastoral resources with St. Anthony's and Holy Family churches under the unified Blessed Sacrament Parish banner.
History
St. Patrick's origins lie in the Irish Catholic immigration into Watertown in the 1840s and 1850s. The first Catholic society in Watertown had formed in 1831, and in 1838 a former Baptist meeting house on Factory Street was purchased and renamed St. Mary's, with the first Mass celebrated there on October 29, 1838. As the Irish community outgrew that space, they built a larger brick church on Massey Street, naming it St. Patrick's in honor of Ireland's patron. The church was dedicated in 1856 and its current steeple was added in 1885.
- Founded 1855–1856 on Massey Street
- Steeple added 1885
Parish School
St. Patrick's opened its first parish school on Massey Street in 1885. A larger school was later built at the corner of Massey and Arsenal Streets. In 1979 the parish purchased the former public Massey Street School and six acres from the Watertown School District for $60,000, and an $828,000 addition was completed to bring all grades under one roof. The school was moved to South Massey Street in 1981 and renamed Immaculate Heart Intermediate School in 2004.
- First school opened 1885 on Massey Street
- School moved to South Massey Street in 1981
- Renamed Immaculate Heart Intermediate School in 2004
Formation of Blessed Sacrament Parish (2016–2021)
In 2016, the Diocese of Ogdensburg announced the merger of St. Anthony's, St. Patrick's, and Holy Family parishes in Watertown into a single parish, citing the region's ongoing priest shortage. In 2021 parishioners selected 'The Blessed Sacrament Parish' from four name options. Father John Demo, the pastor, explained that belief in the Holy Eucharist is what the three churches most share. All three historic church buildings remain in active use as worship sites under the unified parish.
- Merger announced 2016
- Name 'Blessed Sacrament Parish' chosen 2021
- Pastor: Rev. John M. Demo
Clergy & Staff
Blessed Sacrament Parish, including St. Patrick's Church, is served by a pastor, parochial vicar, and five deacons who minister across all three worship sites. Pastor Father John M. Demo oversees the merged parish; Father Jude Nnadibuagha was assigned as parochial vicar effective July 2, 2025 (replacing Father Matthew S. Conger, who moved to St. André Bessette Parish in Malone).
- Rev. John M. Demo — Pastor
- Rev. Jude Nnadibuagha — Parochial Vicar (from July 2, 2025)
- Deacon Michael J. Allan
- Deacon Guy Javarone
- Deacon Kevin T. Mastellon
- Deacon Edward R. Miller
- Deacon Donald J. Wilder
Diocese of Ogdensburg
St. Patrick's is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ogdensburg, which covers Northern New York and was created in 1872 out of the Diocese of Albany. The current diocesan bishop is the Most Reverend Terry R. LaValley. The parish's official diocesan contact email is [email protected].
- Diocese: Ogdensburg
- Diocesan website: rcdony.org
- Mailing address: 123 S. Massey Street, Watertown, NY 13601
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach Blessed Sacrament Parish (which serves St. Patrick's Church) by phone at 315-782-1190 or by email at [email protected]. The parish website at catholicwatertown.org publishes the combined Mass schedule, confession and adoration times, pastor's announcements, homilies, and the parish bulletin. The mailing address is 123 S. Massey Street, Watertown, NY 13601.
- Phone: 315-782-1190
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: catholicwatertown.org
- Address: 123 S. Massey Street, Watertown, NY 13601