About St. Peter · Hammond, New York
St. Peter's Church is a Roman Catholic worship site in the small village of Hammond, in St. Lawrence County, northern New York. Since January 20, 2009 it has formed part of "Our Lady of Grace Parish," a single combined Roman Catholic Community of Morristown, Hammond & Rossie in the Diocese of Ogdensburg. St. Peter's sits at 47 South Main Street in the center of town and shares one pastor — currently Rev. Christopher C. Carrara — and one pastoral staff with sister churches St. John the Evangelist in Morristown and St. Patrick's in Rossie. The community traces its roots to 1902, when it was established as a mission of St. Patrick's of Rossie, and its present church building has served the village of Hammond since 1965.
- Established
- 1902 (mission); incorporated 1905; present church building 1965; merged into Our Lady of Grace Parish 2009
- Patron
- Saint Peter (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. Christopher C. Carrara
- Diocese
- Diocese of Ogdensburg (Roman Catholic)
Why belong here
St. Peter's offers a small, close-knit Catholic community in the heart of the Thousand Islands region, with a Sunday Mass and ongoing religious education in the worship site of Hammond. Parishioners belong to a combined three-site Catholic family — Our Lady of Grace Parish — that shares one pastor (Rev. Christopher C. Carrara) and one pastoral staff across Hammond, Morristown and Rossie. The parish also offers a faith-formation program for grades 1–6 with Sunday classes, a youth ministry initiative led by the pastor, and free access to online formation programs (FORMED, Word on Fire) for the whole family.
Mass times at St. Peter
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Confessions are offered in Holy Week at St. Peter's, Hammond (Good Friday, 4:00–5:00 pm)
- Confessions also offered at St. John the Evangelist, Morristown during Holy Week (7:30–8:30 pm)
Adoration times
- Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament follows Holy Thursday Mass at St. John's, Morristown (until 10:00 pm — seasonal schedule)
Our Lady of Grace Parish — A Three-Site Catholic Community
St. Peter's in Hammond is one of three worship sites that together make up Our Lady of Grace Parish — officially "The Roman Catholic Community of Morristown, Hammond & Rossie." Because of the changing pastoral reality in the Diocese of Ogdensburg and the prospect of fewer priests, the Parish Councils began discussing a merger of St. Peter's in Hammond, St. Patrick's Mission in Rossie, and St. John the Evangelist in Morristown during the pastorate of Rev. Douglas J. Lucia (2006–2008). The merger was realized on January 20, 2009 under Father Lucia's successor, Rev. Kevin D. McEwan, joining the rich history and traditions of three separate communities into a single parish. While the three sites each have their own unique expression of church, parishioners are members of the One Body of Christ forming One Parish within the larger Church of Ogdensburg. A modern Parish Hall Center (the former Parochial School) is located in Morristown and serves the combined community.
- St. Peter's Church — Hammond (47 S. Main Street)
- St. John the Evangelist — Morristown (506 Gouverneur Street)
- St. Patrick's Church — Rossie (1219 County Route)
- Parish Hall Center — Morristown (former Parochial School)
- Merged January 20, 2009 under Rev. Kevin D. McEwan
History of St. Peter's Church, Hammond
St. Peter's began life in 1902 as a mission of St. Patrick's in Rossie, was incorporated on November 9, 1905 by Rev. C.J. Crowley, and saw its first church dedicated by Bishop Gabriels on May 27, 1906. The first class of 24 parishioners was confirmed in 1911. In 1963 Hammond was elevated to the main church and Rossie became the mission; that same year Rev. George Lemieux became the parish's first resident pastor. In 1965 the original Route 37 church was torn down and the present church on Main Street was built to a design by architect Maurice Finnegan at a cost of $46,000, made possible by a campaign involving the parish's 62 families. Bishop Thomas A. Donnellan dedicated and blessed the new building in June 1966.
- 1902 — Established as a mission of St. Patrick's, Rossie
- November 9, 1905 — Parish incorporated by Rev. C.J. Crowley
- May 27, 1906 — First church dedicated by Bishop Gabriels
- 1911 — First confirmation class (24 parishioners)
- 1963 — Hammond becomes main church; Rev. George Lemieux becomes first resident pastor
- 1965 — Original Route 37 church demolished; present church built (architect Maurice Finnegan, $46,000)
- June 1966 — Bishop Thomas A. Donnellan dedicates current church
- January 20, 2009 — St. Peter's joins merged Our Lady of Grace Parish
Mass & Sacramental Schedule
Weekly Sunday Mass at St. Peter's, Hammond is celebrated on Sunday at 9:30 am in English. The wider Our Lady of Grace Parish offers additional Sunday Masses at the sister sites: 8:00 am at St. Patrick's in Rossie and 11:00 am at St. John the Evangelist in Morristown. Confession and adoration are scheduled in conjunction with Holy Week and other major feasts; regular weekly reconciliation times are not listed on the public site, so visitors are encouraged to call the parish office.
- Sunday Mass — 9:30 am, St. Peter's, Hammond
- Sunday Mass — 8:00 am, St. Patrick's, Rossie
- Sunday Mass — 11:00 am, St. John the Evangelist, Morristown
- Confession — Good Friday 4:00–5:00 pm at St. Peter's (Holy Week)
- Confession — Good Friday 7:30–8:30 pm at St. John's, Morristown
- Holy Thursday — Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament until 10:00 pm at St. John's, Morristown
- Good Friday Passion Service — 3:00 pm at St. Peter's, Hammond
- Easter Vigil — 8:00 pm at St. John's, Morristown
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Our Lady of Grace Parish runs religious education for grades 1 through 6 on Sunday mornings across its three worship sites, with older students gathering bi-monthly at St. Peter's, Hammond. A parish-wide initiative — Family Catechesis for the Seven Sacraments — was established as a goal for completion by February 1, 2016, with Mrs. Pam Ballantine serving as point person. Strengthening Faith Formation in Family Life is led by Sr. Ellen Rose Coughlin. The parish also shares free online formation through FORMED (programs include Catholicism, Symbolon, and Bible Study, plus children's movies) and through Word on Fire video clips featuring Bishop Robert Barron.
- Religious education, grades 1–6 — Sunday classes at worship sites
- Older-student faith formation — bi-monthly at St. Peter's, Hammond
- Family catechesis for the Seven Sacraments (point person: Mrs. Pam Ballantine)
- Strengthening Faith Formation in Family Life (Sr. Ellen Rose Coughlin)
- FORMED online programs (Catholicism, Symbolon, Bible Study, children's movies)
- Word on Fire clips by Bishop Robert Barron (via parish website)
Youth Ministry
Establishing Youth Ministry in accordance with diocesan standards across 25–30 parishes — with competent, qualified adult and youth leaders — is a diocesan priority to which Our Lady of Grace Parish is committed, with Father Christopher Carrara named as point person. The parish also partners with Sr. Patty, the regional youth director, who has met with parish youth and hosted additional gatherings.
- Diocesan youth ministry initiative — Father Christopher Carrara, point person
- Regional youth director — Sr. Patty
- Pastoral goal: youth ministry in 25–30 parishes by June 30
Outreach, Vocations & Pastoral Planning
The parish's Pastoral Council is actively working through the diocesan planning priorities set by Bishop LaValley, including Evangelization & Outreach, Human Resources, Finances & Buildings, and Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation. The parish has adopted a tradition of promoting a Culture of Vocations by having different families take home for a week a crucifix from the former "Our Lady of Grace Church" in Brier Hill, beginning in Lent. Plans are also underway to remodel the Parish Hall Center in Morristown — envisioned as a gathering space for receptions, parish dinners, youth gatherings and other events — and possibly to install new flooring at St. Peter's, with capital-campaign funds under diocesan study.
- Pastoral Council — open meetings; minutes posted on website
- Diocesan priorities: Evangelization & Outreach; Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation; Vocations
- Family crucifix devotion (artifact from former Our Lady of Grace Church, Brier Hill)
- Parish Hall Center remodel plans (architectural drawings in progress)
- Potential new flooring at St. Peter's, Hammond (capital-campaign candidate)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. C.J. Crowley1902–1914
First priest; incorporated the parish Nov. 9, 1905; first church dedicated 1906.
- Rev. J.J. Bent1914–1917
- Rev. M.J. Sweeney1917–1920
- Rev. Thomas E. Owen1921–1926
- Rev. J.L. Desjardins1926–1928
- Rev. Walter Charbonneau1928–1932
- Rev. Thomas B. Hurley1932–1933
- Rev. Arthur J. Trudel1934
- Rev. Francis E. Gilbert1934–1938
Administrator.
- Rev. Cornelius A. Collins1938–1943
- Rev. Joseph Stickelmyer1944–1948
- Rev. Paul Brunet1948–1950
- Rev. Armand Brunet1950–1954
- Rev. Gilbert J. Faucher1954–1958
- Rev. Vernon Doe1958–1960
- Rev. George Lemieux1960–1964
First resident pastor (1963), the year Hammond became the main church.
- Rev. Daniel T. Keefe1964–1969
Pastored the building of the present 1965 church on Main Street.
- Rev. Paul Oehler1970–1971
- Rev. Gilbert B. Menard1972–1978
- Rev. Lawrence E. Cotter1979–1988
- Rev. Stephen H. Gratto1989–1990
- Rev. Stephen Rocker1991–1992
- Rev. Dennis J. Duprey1992–1994
Temporary Administrator.
- Rev. Terry R. LaValley1994–1996
Administrator.
- Rev. Msgr. Lawrence M. Deno1996–2000
- Rev. Steven M. Murray2000–2002
- Rev. Albert J. Hauser2002–2006
- Rev. Douglas J. Lucia2006–2008
Began merger discussions.
- Rev. Kevin D. McEwan2008–Jan. 20, 2009 (St. Peter's); 2009–2010 (Our Lady of Grace)
Realized the merger of the three parishes on Jan. 20, 2009.
- Rev. Albert J. Hauser2010–2012
Pastor of Our Lady of Grace Parish.
- Rev. James W. (Jay) Seymour2012–
Pastor of Our Lady of Grace Parish before current pastor.
- Rev. Christopher C. CarraraPresent
Current pastor of Our Lady of Grace Parish.