About Sts. Anthony & Joseph · Herkimer, New York
Sts. Anthony & Joseph Church is a Roman Catholic parish located at 229 S. Main Street in Herkimer, New York, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany. The parish was formed in 1993 by the merger of two Herkimer churches that had deep roots in the area's immigrant communities: St. Anthony's (serving the Italian community, organized in 1916) and St. Joseph's (serving the Polish community, organized in 1907). Today it is one of four worship sites in the 'Family of the Holy Cross' Pastoral Network, clustered with St. Francis de Sales in Herkimer, Blessed Sacrament in Mohawk, and St. John the Baptist in Newport.
- Established
- 1993 (merged parish; predecessor parishes organized 1907 and 1916)
- Patron
- St. Anthony of Padua and St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Justin Thomas (Administrator, effective July 1, 2025)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany
Why belong here
Sts. Anthony & Joseph is a welcoming parish with deep roots in Herkimer's Italian and Polish immigrant heritage, carrying forward more than a century of Catholic life on South Main Street. As part of the Family of the Holy Cross Pastoral Network, it shares resources and a weekday Mass rotation with three neighboring parishes, giving the community a stable rhythm of Saturday Vigil Mass, weekday Mass, confession before Mass, and access to Eucharistic Adoration at sister sites. Long-time parishioners — some attending for 75 or 80 years — keep the parish's story alive, and parish leadership welcomes new members into a small, easily-approachable community in the heart of Herkimer.
Mass times at Sts. Anthony & Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM (at Sts. Anthony & Joseph Church)
- Also after Mass or by appointment
Adoration times
- Wednesday 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM at St. Francis de Sales Church, Herkimer (not during Children's Mass)
- Friday 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM at St. John the Baptist Church, Newport
Parish Identity & Heritage
Sts. Anthony & Joseph is a Roman Catholic parish in Herkimer, New York, formed in 1993 from the merger of two long-standing ethnic parishes that had served Herkimer's south side for most of the twentieth century. It belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany and today shares resources as one of four worship sites in the Family of the Holy Cross Pastoral Network. The parish is entrusted to Saints Anthony of Padua and Joseph, whose combined witness gives the merged parish both its Italian and Polish heritage.
- Diocese: Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany
- Patrons: St. Anthony of Padua (feast June 13) and St. Joseph (feast March 19)
- Address: 229 S. Main St., Herkimer, NY 13350
- Office / mailing: 228 S. Main St., Herkimer, NY 13350
History
The parish's history is really two parish stories combined. St. Joseph's Parish was organized in 1907 for the Polish community, meeting first in a small chapel on South Main Street, building a large brick church on South Washington Street in 1914, and adding a brick school and convent in 1957. St. Anthony's Parish was organized in September 1916 for the Italian community — the first Italian Roman Catholic church in Herkimer County — and built its first church on South Main Street in 1917. The two parishes merged in 1993, and worship has been held ever since at the former St. Anthony's Church on South Main Street.
- 1907 — St. Joseph's Parish organized (Polish community); first pastor Rev. Stanislaus Fniski
- 1914 — Brick church built on South Washington Street for St. Joseph's
- 1916 — St. Anthony's Parish organized (Italian community) by Bishop Thomas F. Cusack
- 1917 — First Mass at St. Anthony's on Christmas 1916 in D'Ambrosio Hall; cornerstone laid June 16, 1917; first church dedicated Sept. 1, 1917
- 1957 — Brick school and convent built for St. Joseph's; school closed 1972
- 1964 — Present Gothic-style brick-and-limestone church at St. Anthony's dedicated April 26, 1964; original 1917 church becomes parish house
- 1993 — St. Anthony's and St. Joseph's combined to form Saints Anthony and Joseph parish
- 2017 — Centennial of St. Anthony's founding celebrated with Mass by Bishop Scharfenberger
Building & Architecture
The worship space today is the 1964 St. Anthony's Church, described in parish history as 'modern Gothic' in style and built of finished brick and limestone. Materials for the new church were drawn from various parts of the United States and from Italy. The original 1917 St. Anthony's Church, located across South Main Street, was repurposed as a parish house and remains in use as the parish office/hall.
- 1964 present church: modern Gothic style, finished brick and limestone
- Materials sourced from multiple U.S. regions and Italy
- 1917 original church across the street now serves as parish house
- Former St. Joseph's site on South Washington Street is now the Herkimer Area Resource Center
Clergy & Pastoral Leadership
The parish is currently led as part of a four-parish network. Rev. Justin Thomas was named Administrator of Sts. Anthony & Joseph (along with St. John the Baptist Newport, St. Francis de Sales Herkimer, and Blessed Sacrament Mohawk) effective July 1, 2025. Deacon James W. Bower serves as Parish Life Director across the three northern Herkimer County parishes (St. Frances de Sales, Sts. Anthony & Joseph, and St. John the Baptist) — a role he has held since July 1, 2021. Before them, Rev. Thomas Babiuch served as pastor of the network from July 1, 2022 until being reassigned as chaplain at St. Peter's Hospital effective July 1, 2025.
- Rev. Justin Thomas — Administrator (effective July 1, 2025)
- Deacon James W. Bower — Parish Life Director
- Rev. Thomas (Tom) Babiuch — former network pastor; reassigned July 1, 2025
Family of the Holy Cross Pastoral Network
Sts. Anthony & Joseph is one of four parishes in the Family of the Holy Cross Pastoral Network. The other three are St. Francis de Sales in Herkimer, Blessed Sacrament in Mohawk, and St. John the Baptist in Newport. Together they share clergy, a coordinated weekday Mass rotation, confession opportunities, and Eucharistic Adoration. The network was named in a parish-wide naming contest in which 10-year-old Gryffin Salamone of Blessed Sacrament suggested 'Family of the Holy Cross,' noting that the four points of the cross represent the four parishes.
- Sts. Anthony & Joseph — 229 S. Main St., Herkimer
- St. Francis de Sales — 219 N. Bellinger St., Herkimer
- Blessed Sacrament — 71 East Main St., Mohawk
- St. John the Baptist — Newport
- Shared office phone: (315) 866-6373
- Shared email: [email protected]
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the regular sacraments and can be contacted for baptisms, weddings, anointing of the sick, and other sacramental needs through the shared parish office.
- Eucharist — Saturday Vigil 4:00 PM and Thursday 12:05 PM
- Penance — Saturday 3:00–3:45 PM, after Mass, or by appointment
- Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick — call (315) 866-6373
Visiting & Contact
Parishioners and visitors are welcomed at 229 S. Main St., Herkimer. The parish office and mailing address is 228 S. Main St., Herkimer, NY 13350. The shared network phone is (315) 866-6373 and the shared email is [email protected]. The parish's primary online presence is the Family of the Holy Cross website, with a listing also maintained on the Diocese of Albany's parish directory.
- Address: 229 S. Main St., Herkimer, NY 13350
- Mailing address: 228 S. Main St., Herkimer, NY 13350
- Phone: (315) 866-6373
- Email: [email protected]
- Web: familyoftheholycross.org
- Diocese listing: rcda.org/parishes/parish/sts-anthony-joseph-church-herkimer-ny
Notable Facts & Stories
A few details give this small parish its distinctive character: it is the direct descendant of both Herkimer's Italian Catholic community (since 1916) and its Polish Catholic community (since 1907); its current church was built in 1964 using materials from Italy and across the U.S.; it was served for 43 years by Rev. Gustave Purificato (1927–1970), one of the longest pastorates in the Diocese of Albany; and the network name 'Family of the Holy Cross' was the winning entry of a 10-year-old in a parish contest.
- First Italian Roman Catholic church in Herkimer County (1916)
- Longest-serving pastor: Rev. Gustave Purificato (43 years)
- Centennial of St. Anthony's marked in 2017 with Mass by Bishop Scharfenberger
- Network name 'Family of the Holy Cross' coined by 10-year-old Gryffin Salamone
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Nicola Parrone (Pavone)1917–1920
First rector of St. Anthony's; first Italian Catholic church in Herkimer County.
- Rev. Charles J. McCormack1920–1927
Later assigned as pastor of St. Mary's, Frankfort.
- Rev. Gustave Purificato1927–1970
Longest-serving pastor; oversaw 1946 mortgage burning and 1964 construction of the present Gothic-style church.
- Rev. Donald L. Brothers1971–1972
St. Anthony's.
- Rev. Ronald Matulewicz1973–1986
St. Anthony's.
- Rev. Joseph Benintende1987–1992
St. Anthony's.
- Sr. Patricia Woolheater1993
St. Anthony's — year of the merger.
- Rev. Stanislaus Fniski1907–1912
First pastor of St. Joseph's (Polish community).
- Rev. Stanislaus Chmielewski1912–1916
St. Joseph's.
- Rev. Joseph Gogolewski1916–1919
St. Joseph's.
- Rev. Anthony Pinirurek1919–1924
St. Joseph's.
- Rev. Joseph Blankowski1924–1937
St. Joseph's.
- Rev. Peter J. Kania1937–1945
St. Joseph's.
- Rev. Vincent A. Nowak1946–1977
St. Joseph's — served 31 years.
- Rev. Robert S. Shinos1977–2004
Pastor of St. Joseph's 1977–1993, then first pastor of merged Saints Anthony and Joseph parish 1993–2004. Also chaplain of Herkimer Police and Fire Departments; died Jan. 4, 2019.
- Rev. Anthony Ligato2004–2009
Saints Anthony and Joseph.
- Rev. Thomas Lawless2011–2013
Saints Anthony and Joseph.
- Rev. Quy Vo2014–present (as of 2017 article)
Listed by parish historian Baggetta in 2016 list.
- Rev. Thomas Connery2019
Interim parish leadership team with Deacon James Bower, announced Oct. 11, 2019.
- Deacon James W. Bower2021–present
Parish Life Director across St. Frances de Sales Herkimer, Sts. Anthony & Joseph Herkimer, and St. John the Baptist Newport since July 1, 2021.
- Rev. Thomas (Tom) Babiuch2022–2025
Pastor of the Family of the Holy Cross network from July 1, 2022; reassigned as Chaplain at St. Peter's Hospital effective July 1, 2025.
- Rev. Justin Thomas2025–present
Administrator across the four parishes, effective July 1, 2025.