About Sts. Cyril and Methodius · Binghamton, New York
Ss. Cyril & Methodius is a Roman Catholic parish in Binghamton, New York, founded in the early 1900s by Slovak immigrants who had settled in the Triple Cities between 1880 and 1890. The parish was incorporated on July 19, 1904, with the cornerstone laid that August and the church dedicated on May 30, 1905 by Bishop Patrick Ludden. Today the parish shares its pastoral team with the nearby Church of the Holy Trinity in a coordinated Pastoral Care Area under the Diocese of Syracuse, offering Mass on Sundays at 10:15 a.m., Saturday Vigil at 4:30 p.m., and weekday Masses on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12:05 p.m. The parish is also home to a strong outreach tradition through its Free Lunch and Groceries Program (run from the former convent building) and George's Garments, a free clothing ministry started in 2017.
- Established
- 1904
- Patron
- Saints Cyril and Methodius
- Rector
- Rev. Msgr. John P. Putano (Pastor of the local Pastoral Care Area; rector of St. Patrick's, Binghamton)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Syracuse
Why belong here
Ss. Cyril & Methodius is a heritage Slovak-American parish with roots going back to the first Slovak families who settled in Binghamton in the 1880s, and it carries that legacy forward through active liturgy, warm hospitality, and concrete outreach to those in need. Members can join the Music/Choir, Lector, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, Usher, Altar Server, Hospitality, or Young Adult ministries, and the parish runs a Free Lunch and Groceries Program from the former convent building plus George's Garments (a free clothing center begun in 2017). With weekend Masses Saturday Vigil at 4:30 p.m. and Sunday at 10:15 a.m., weekday noon Masses on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and Saturday confession from 3:45-4:15 p.m., it offers a regular and welcoming rhythm of sacramental life.
Mass times at Sts. Cyril and Methodius
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:45-4:15 p.m. (at Ss. Cyril & Methodius)
About the Parish
Ss. Cyril & Methodius is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Syracuse serving the West Side of Binghamton, New York. It shares its pastoral team and ministries with the neighboring Church of the Holy Trinity (346 Prospect Street), forming a single collaborative Catholic community of Slovak, Lithuanian and Polish heritage. Parishioners are invited to register, attend Mass, and join one of many ministries serving the church and the wider Binghamton community.
- Parish campus: 148 Clinton Street, Binghamton, NY 13905
- Office hours: Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; closed Fridays
- Phone: (607) 724-1372
- Website: ht-sscmbinghamton.org
History of Ss. Cyril & Methodius
The Slovak colonization of Binghamton began between 1880 and 1890; once over 100 Slovak Catholic families had settled in the area, they organized a parish in July 1901. By August 1902 they had raised $1,000 and purchased the lot at Clinton Street and what is now St. Cyril Avenue. The parish was incorporated July 19, 1904; the cornerstone was laid August 21, 1904; and Bishop Patrick Ludden dedicated the church on May 30, 1905, choosing Saints Cyril and Methodius as patrons.
- May 30, 1905: Church dedicated by Bishop Patrick Ludden
- May 10, 1906: Rectory completed and occupied
- 1911: Saints Cyril and Methodius School built (now on National Register of Historic Places)
- 1923: Conventual Franciscan Friars assume pastoral care
- 1929: Kilgen Pipe Organ acquired (gift of the George F. Johnson family)
- Easter Sunday 1939: Devastating fire destroys parish hall
- January 1941: New Community Center dedicated
- February 14, 1960: Last Mass at the original church
- November 27, 1961: First daily Mass in the present church
- 1979: Parish school closes
- 2004: Centennial celebration
- September 2014: Franciscan Friars depart; diocesan Pastoral Care Area clergy take over
About the Patrons: Saints Cyril and Methodius
Saints Cyril and Methodius were two Greek brothers born in the 800s who became priests and missionaries to the Slav nations of Moravia, Bohemia, and Bulgaria. In 862, when the prince of Moravia asked missionaries who could speak the language of his people, they volunteered — invented a Slav alphabet, and used it to translate the Bible and the liturgy so ordinary people could hear Christianity in words they understood. Although some in the Church questioned the use of a native language for liturgy, Pope Adrian II approved their methods, named them bishops, and affirmed their work — the reason they are the patron saints of this Slovak-heritage parish.
- Feast day: February 14
- Patrons of Slovakia and of Slavic peoples
- Inventors of the Glagolitic alphabet (precursor to Cyrillic)
Parish Staff and Pastoral Team
The parishes of Ss. Cyril & Methodius and Holy Trinity are served by a single pastoral team supported by parish staff and music ministers.
- Rev. Msgr. John P. Putano — Pastor (also Episcopal Vicar of the Southern Region of the Diocese of Syracuse); (607) 725-7705
- Rev. Evans Kulei — Parochial Vicar at St. Thomas
- Barbara Hill — Pastoral Associate; (607) 724-1372
- Marlene Boedicker — Cantor
- Emmanuel Sikora-Mori — Music Ministry
- Lisa Payne — Youth Ministry
- Gary Strong — Administrative Assistant
Liturgical Ministries
Ss. Cyril & Methodius has an active program of liturgical ministries in which parishioners of all ages can serve at Mass. These include proclaiming Scripture, distributing Holy Communion, welcoming the faithful, assisting the priest at the altar, and leading the music program.
- Music/Choir
- Lectors
- Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist
- Ushers
- Altar Servers
- Hospitality (greeters and post-Mass refreshments)
Outreach and Charity
The parish is well known for its outreach to people in need in the Binghamton area. Programs are run from the Ss. Cyril & Methodius campus and from Holy Trinity, often with parishioner volunteers.
- Free Lunch and Groceries Program — operated by Outreach from the former convent building on the Ss. Cyril & Methodius campus (brick building near the parish parking lot)
- Georges Garments — free clothing center providing clothing and shoes to anyone in need; started in 2017 from an idea of a Ss. Cyril & Methodius parishioner
- Warm Hands, Warm Hearts — Advent collection of new hats, scarves, mittens and socks for the local food pantry; started in 2018 at Holy Trinity
Faith Formation and Youth
The parish supports a Youth Ministry led by Lisa Payne, a Young Adult ministry, and a Becoming Catholic (RCIA) pathway through the collaborative pastoral team. Online formation resources are shared with parishioners through the parish website.
- Youth Ministry (Lisa Payne)
- Young Adult ministry
- Becoming Catholic (OCIA / RCIA)
Get Involved / Register
The parish invites visitors and newcomers to register as parishioners and to volunteer in any of its ministries. The website offers a registration page and a contact form for general inquiries.
- Register as a parishioner (link on welcome page)
- Volunteer in Music, Lectors, EMHC, Ushers, Altar Servers, or Hospitality
- Volunteer in outreach (Free Lunch and Groceries, Georges Garments, Warm Hands Warm Hearts)
- Contact the parish office at (607) 724-1372
Contact and Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the office by phone or in person at the Ss. Cyril & Methodius campus on Clinton Street. The shared Church of the Holy Trinity is located a short distance away on Prospect Street.
- Ss. Cyril & Methodius: 148 Clinton Street, Binghamton, NY 13905
- Church of the Holy Trinity: 346 Prospect Street, Binghamton, NY 13905
- Parish office phone: (607) 724-1372
- Msgr. Putano: (607) 725-7705
- Office hours: Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; closed Fridays
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Conventual Franciscan Friars1923 – September 2014
Under the direction of the Diocese of Syracuse, the Conventual Franciscan Friars provided spiritual care for the parish from 1923 until September 2014.
- Diocesan Pastoral Care Area clergy2014 – present
Since September 2014, Ss. Cyril & Methodius and the Church of the Holy Trinity have been served by diocesan clergy of the Pastoral Care Area (Holy Trinity, SS. Cyril & Methodius, St. James, St. Patrick's, St. Thomas), led by Msgr. John P. Putano.