WATERTOWN, NY – Three Roman Catholic parishes in Watertown, NY, merged by the Diocese of Ogdensburg a year ago, will adopt a new Mass schedule beginning July 3 and 4, 2021. The announcement was made to parishioners of The Church of the Holy Family, St. Patrick Church and St. Anthony Church two weeks ago.
“The new schedule was originally proposed in 2016,” said Reverend John M. Demo, Pastor of the three churches, “when a planning committee submitted an operational plan for the eventual merger to the diocesan Living Stones Committee.” The Living Stones Planning Committee was charged by Bishop Terry R. LaValley to develop “an overall plan for the diocese that meets the pastoral needs of the community.”
The three parishes were merged on July 8, 2020.
The Mass schedule was revisited when the number of priests serving the parishes was reduced from three to two. Father Demo and newly ordained Father Matthew Conger now serve the parish.
Two priests who served in Watertown for almost a year following the merger, Father Deepak Baru, HGN and Father Herman Pongantung, MSC have been transferred. Father Baru is now serving parishioners in the Catholic Community of St. Peter and St. Mary and St. Hedwig based in Lowville. Father Pongantung was reassigned by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart to Pennsylvania.
Father Demo said the Pastoral Council recognized the current Mass schedule would be impossible for two priests to satisfy. “We reduced the number of Masses on a weekend from eight to seven and reconfigured the times. This schedule seeks to meet the spiritual needs of the people from our three Churches.”
A complete list of the new schedule can be found below.
“Each church will find the weekend schedule adjusted a little. Anticipated Masses will still be offered at Holy Family and St. Patrick’s on Saturday evenings. We also made changes to the weekday schedule of Masses. The daily Mass at Holy Family will change from Monday through Friday to Monday and Friday only. St. Patrick’s will offer daily Mass Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Those services will be at noon beginning July 1, 2021. St. Anthony’s will continue to offer morning Mass at 7:00 am Monday through Friday,” the pastor said.
The Pastoral Council will review the schedule again in October 2021 and make any adjustments it deems necessary.
New Mass schedule for The Church of the Holy Family, St. Anthony Church and St. Patrick Church, Watertown New York effective July 1, 2021.
ST. ANTHONY’S CHURCH
Monday thru Friday 7:00am
Sunday 8:00am & 10:00am
ST. PATRICK’S CHURCH
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 12 NOON
Saturday 4:00pm Sunday 9:00am
HOLY FAMILY CHURCH
Monday, Friday 12 NOON
Saturday 5:15pm Sunday 11:00am, 5:15pm