Below is a list of the overall Parish history and a few church sites that have been closed over time.  For parish history of a specific church site, please visit that specific page.  A list of the specific church sites can be  found at the top of the overall site.

Please note that each history section contains a lot of information and will expand when clicked upon.

1835–1838 St. James Missionary priests from Northern Pennsylvania & Southern New York ministered to the people
1839 St. Patrick 1st records of a Catholic congregation in Owego
1842 St. Patrick Charles Pumpelly donates land for church to Rt. Rev John Hughes, Bp of New York
1844 St. Patrick St Patrick received its 1st resident pastor, Rev John Sheridan
1848 St. Patrick Rev Sheridan purchased the land on which the present church is built for $545.50
1853 St. James Church on Erie Street dedicated on July 23 with Mass by Rev James McManus
1859 St. Patrick Rev Byrne built 1st parochial school house at rear of church building
1860 St. James St James Cemetery established
1863 St. Patrick Church enlarged & new steeple & bell added
1870 St. Francis Rev Francis Clark began celebrating Mass at the Kehoe home at 23 Church Street in Candor
1870s St. John Catholic families move into the Township of Newark Valley
1871 St. James Church on Clark Street dedicated on September 1 under the direction of Rev James Rogers
1881 St. James Separated from the Owego Mission in January
1881 St. John Newly built church dedicated to St John the Evangelist on January 8
1881 St. John The parish started as a mission church of St Patrick in Owego
1890 St. Patrick Current church built and dedicated on December 7
1891 St. James August 5 Certificate of Incorporation for St James Parish
1891 St. Patrick December 21 Certificate of Incorporation for St Patrick Parish
1892 St Pius X Rev James Dunn, St Mary’s, Horseheads, celebrated Mass monthly in various homes in the Van Etten, Spencer, Erin area
1892–1904 St Pius X Attendance swelled for a while in temporary quarters in a store
1896 St. James By papal brief (December 12) Tioga County became part of the Rochester Diocese
1897 St. James 1st canonical visit by Bp McQuaid (1st Bishop of Rochester)
1904 St Pius X Attendance was so poor that the priest stopped making the trip
1904–1948 St Pius X Catholics in the area had to find other places to attend Mass, such as Ithaca, Waverly, Elmira
1907 St. Francis Permanent altar built in the house then owned by the Kehoe’s daughter (Mrs Bert Mooney)
1909 St. John August 18 Certificate of Incorporation for St John Parish
1909 St. Patrick Pastor George Burns formed many spiritual organizations, including Holy Name and Sodality for Girls
1912 St. James Church destroyed by fire on March 17
1913 St. James New church replaced burned one and was dedicated on November 23 by Msgr James Griffin
1914 St. John Bp Thomas Hickey gave St John more independent status
1914 St. John Fr John Hogan placed in charge of congregation
1917–1925 St. Francis Many Polish Catholics purchased farms in and around Candor
1929 St. Francis The Kehoe home remained the “Mass house” for nearly 60 years
1929 St. Francis Rev Stephen Musielak began celebrating Mass at the home of Mr & Mrs Marcyan Nagel
1929 St. John Fr Callistus Szpara, Polish Franciscan, appointed assistant at St Patrick to minister to St John
1930 St. Francis A dispute arose as to whether the church should be built in Owego or Candor
1930 St. Francis Rev Callistus Szpara (Franciscan priest) started construction of new church in Catatonk
1930 St. Patrick New rectory built during Rev Arthur Smith’s pastorate
1931 St. Francis Bp John Francis O’Hern blessed the new chapel on All Saints’ Day
1931 St. Francis Bp gave the church the official name and patronage of St Francis of Assisi
1931 St. Francis Bp O’Hern appointed a Polish-born diocesan priest, Fr Ignatius Klejna as pastor
1931 St. Francis Fr Klejna lived in Newark Valley and served at St John the Evangelist & St Francis of Assisi
1931 St. John Fr Ignatius Klejna, Polish diocesan priest appointed
1931 St. Patrick Old rectory torn down and shrine to Our Blessed Lady erected in its place
1934 St. Francis Fr Klejna died and there was no diocesan Polish priest old enough to be named pastor
1934 St. James Rev Edward Lyons built rectory addition with kitchen, 2-car garage, study, bedroom & bath
1934 St. John Fr Klejna died, no Polish-speaking priests, so St John’s reverts back to mission of St Patrick
1934–1938 St. Francis Both St John’s and St Francis came under the pastor of St Patrick Church in Owego
1934–1938 St. Francis ArchBp Edward Mooney did send Polish priests as assistants to the pastor
1934–45 St. John Bp appoints Polish-speaking assistants to St Patrick
1938 St. Francis Bp James E Kearney appointed young priest finishing studies at the University of Cracow
1938 St. Francis Bp Kearney appointed Rev Alexander Stec to oversee St Francis & St John
1941 St. John Church extended 25 feet to form present sanctuary, parish hall constructed
1945 St. Francis April 24 Certificate of Incorporation for St Francis of Assisi
1945 St. Francis Rev Alexander Stec was officially named pastor
1945–54 St. John Fr Alexander Stec appointed pastor, new rectory built
1948–1953 St Pius X Rev James Marvin, St James Church, Waverly, came to catechize Catholic children
1948–1953 St Pius X Children went to public school, religious instructions given at the residence of Willard & Katherine Anderson
1949 St. James Social Hall added in the basement by Rev Robert J Fox
1950 St. Patrick Rev Michael Hynes presided over formal dedication of new St Patrick’s Parochial School
1953 St Pius X Temporary chapel furnished at Sandusky’s Restaurant in Van Etten, Mission of St James
1953 St Pius X 1st Van Etten Village Mass offered February 22 by Rev G. S. Hogan, Pastor St James, Waverly
1954 St. James St James School opened with eight grades and staffed by the Sisters of St Joseph
1954 St. Margaret Mary 1st Mass on November 21, at Grange Hall as mission church of St Patrick, Owego
1954 St Pius X Auxiliary Bp Casey on May 22, dedicated church, consisting of a cellar, enclosed entrance
1954 St Pius X Rev Michael Reder, OFM Cap. Of St Fidelis Friary Interlaken, appointed as administrator
1955 St. Margaret Mary October 3 Certificate of Incorporation for St Margaret Mary Parish
1956 St. Margaret Mary New Street church was dedicated.
1957 St. James Fr Thomas Watts, a parishioner of St James, is ordained
1959 St. James Two rooms were added to the existing school
1959 St. Margaret Mary Fr Valentine Jankowiak appointed as first pastor of SMM Church
1959–73 St. John Fr Matthew Siudara appointed pastor; 2nd Vatican Council calls for changes to sanctuary
1965 St. Patrick 1st Parish Council organized
1965 St Pius X October 7 Certificate of Incorporation for St Pius X Parish
1966 St Pius X Rt Rev Msgr Donald Cleary, Pastor of St Catherine of Siena Church in Ithaca delegated by Bp Kearney, to represent him in a solemn blessing of the new church on October 9
1967 St. Margaret Mary Current church on Pennsylvania Avenue dedicated
1967 St. Patrick New six-classroom addition to school dedicated by Bp of Rochester, Fulton J. Sheen
1968 St. Margaret Mary Parish Council formed
1968 St. Patrick 1st broadcasting of Mass over the radio started & continued for 30 years by Jim Raftis
1969 St Pius X Rev Anscar Sullivan appointed
1969 St Pius X Rev Bernard Kuchman appointed as pastor
1973–77 St. John Fr Robert Donovan appointed pastor; rectory remodeled, office space & classrooms added
1974 St. Margaret Mary Fr Elmer Schmidt appointed as second pastor
1975 St. Margaret Mary Church hall completed
1975 St Pius X Rev Robert Downs appointed as pastor
1977–82 St. John Fr Eugene Weis appointed pastor
1981 St. John November 7 Bp Matthew H. Clark celebrated Centennial liturgy with dinner afterward
1981 St. Margaret Mary Statute of the Risen Christ in front lawn dedicated
1982-86 St. John Fr Ralph Fraats appointed pastor
1983 St. James Fr Thomas Watts appointed pastor
1983 St. Margaret Mary Fr David Simon appointed as third pastor
1984 St. Margaret Mary 1st annual Mission for evangelization and renewal
1984 St. Margaret Mary 1st Pastoral Associate and 1st Pastoral Musician hired
1984 St Pius X Rev Gerry Hafner appointed as pastor
1985 St. Margaret Mary Stephen Ministry formed to reach out to others in time of need
1986-93 St. John Fr Joseph McCaffrey appointed pastor; rectory sided, new roof installed
1987 St. Patrick Pastor hired 1st Pastoral Associate to minister in parish – Sr Ann Louise Henteges
1987 St Pius X Rev Thomas Watts appointed as pastor
1988 St. James St James School closed due to lower enrollments and lack of funds
1990 St. Patrick Church renovated for the seventh time to reflect current theology of the time
1991 St. Margaret Mary Sanctuary renovated
1993 St. Francis Rev William Moorby appointed pastor
1993 St. Patrick Rededication of church on August 7
1993–1995 St. Francis New front entrance to church completed, interior painted, new carpeting and altar refinished
1993–2003 St. John Fr William A Moorby appointed pastor; new statue installed in remodeled sanctuary
1996 St. Francis Bp Matthew H Clark rededicated church
1996 St. John Church rededicated by Bp Matthew H. Clark
1998 St. Margaret Mary Tioga Regional Pastoral Council formed to unite six parishes in Tioga County
1998 St. Patrick Rev William A Moorby appointed 1st Pastor of St Francis, St John, & St Patrick cluster
1999 St. Margaret Mary Fr Robert Ring appointed as fourth Pastor
2001 St. James Dcn Ray Defendorf appointed Pastoral Administrator
2001 St. Margaret Mary Fr David Bonin appointed as fifth Pastor
2001 St Pius X Dcn Ray Defendorf served as administrator
2002 St. Margaret Mary Sr Marie Suzanne Hoffman, SSJ appointed Pastoral Administrator
2003 St. Francis Blessed Trinity Parish formed
2003 St. James Blessed Trinity Parish formed and Rev William A Moorby appointed Pastor
2003 St. John Blessed Trinity Parish formed
2003 St. Margaret Mary Blessed Trinity Parish formed and Rev William A Moorby appointed Pastor
2003 St. Patrick Rev William A Moorby appointed Pastor of new Blessed Trinity Parish and St Patrick Parish
2003 St Pius X Blessed Trinity Parish formed and Rev William A Moorby appointed Pastor
2010 St. Francis Site closed
2010 St Pius X Site closed

As part of the Diocese of Rochester’s Pastoral Planning for the New Millennium, the six Tioga Region parishes came together in 1997-98. They were one of thirty-five planning groups to plan for the future of the region’s Catholic Churches in the light of a declining number of priests and the demographic and economic changes taking place. The six parishes bonding under a “Strength of Six” (SOS) spirit were St. Francis of Assisi (Catatonk), St. James the Apostle (Waverly), St. John the Evangelist (Newark Valley), St. Margaret Mary (Apalachin), St. Patrick (Owego), and St. Pius X (Van Etten).

The pastoral planning process was comprised of two parts:

  • Each parish individually completed a self-assessment of its progress and future hopes and concerns related to carrying out the Church’s mission, focusing on the goals of the Rochester Diocesan Synod and individual parish goals.
  • Representatives from the six parishes formed a planning team to develop joint recommendations for their common future. Dick Orth, a parishioner from St. John the Evangelist Church, chaired the planning team.

This SOS team created a five-year strategic plan in 1997 – a long-term approach to pastoral staffing, financing and ministering to the parishioners in the Tioga Region.

As part of this strategic plan, St. Patrick, St. John the Evangelist and St. Francis of Assisi parishes formed a cluster, which was later named Tioga Catholic Community (TCC). These three parishes shared a Pastor, Parochial Vicar, Permanent Deacon, Pastoral Associate, Director of Religious Education and a Secretary. Each of the parishes in the Tioga Catholic Community had its own Pastoral Council. In addition, each had two representatives on the Tioga Regional Pastoral Council (TRPC) which was established to prepare the SOS parishes for ongoing changes and to provide necessary planning. The TRPC also acted as the common communication link among the SOS parishes.

The second five-year plan, submitted to Bishop Matthew Clark in February 2001, paved the way for the Strength of Six parishes to merge into a single parish on July 1, 2003. This plan included seven steps that were implemented over a two-year period. A Transition Team composed of the pastoral leaders of the SOS – St. Patrick, St. Francis of Assisi, St. John the Evangelist, St. James the Apostle, St. Pius X and St. Margaret Mary — representatives of each of the parishes, the Director of the Regional Center, a webmaster, and the Diocesan Planning Liaison, Karen Rinefierd, was formed to shepherd the implementation of the plan. Dick Orth, a parishioner from St. John the Evangelist Church, chaired the Transition Team.

The transition steps included:

  1. Creation of a new Mass schedule allowing for ten Eucharistic liturgies each weekend
  2. Creation of “Together,” a regional bulletin
  3. Creation of a Regional Pastoral Council
  4. Rotation of priests throughout the region
  5. Creation of a unified faith formation plan
  6. Formation of a Regional Finance Council
  7. Hiring of a business manager

During the month of May 2003, the Pastoral and Finance Councils of St. Francis of Assisi, St. James the Apostle, St. John the Evangelist, St. Margaret Mary and St. Pius X approved a Certificate and Plan of Merger that merged the five churches into a new civil and canonical corporation. Parishioners of these five churches chose Blessed Trinity Parish as its name, while retaining the names of the individual churches. On July 1, 2003, Blessed Trinity Parish was formed and it clustered with St. Patrick Parish. On September 14, 2003, Bishop Matthew H. Clark celebrated Mass at Hickories Park in Owego to mark this new beginning. Over one thousand parishioners gathered for the liturgy and the picnic that followed.

In 2009, the number of priests assigned to Blessed Trinity Parish was reduced from three to two. With this reduction in the number of priests serving our parishes, it became necessary to close two of our six churches: St. Pius X in Van Etten and St. Francis of Assisi in Catatonk. A new Mass schedule was created.

Chronology of Blessed Trinity Parish and St. Patrick Parish 1997 – Present

1997 – Six churches began the Pastoral Planning Process for a New Millennium under the direction of the Diocese of Rochester; Pastoral Planning Leadership Team formed

1998 – Tioga Regional Pastoral Council formed to unite six parishes in Tioga County

1997-98 – Rev. Frank Fusare, Rev. Tomas Kalocinski, Rev. Brendan Doherty, C.P.P.S. & Rev. Kayayo Basil Nwazojie serve as Parochial Vicars for TCC parishes

1998 – Rev. William Moorby appointed Pastor of St. Patrick Parish, Owego, St. John the Evangelist, Newark Valley and St. Francis of Assisi, Catatonk. This cluster of three parishes was referred to as the TCC

2001 –Rev. Patrick Van Durme began his priesthood as Parochial Vicar for TCC and as Sacramental Minister for St. James and St. Pius X

2001- Implementation begun for the transition steps towards becoming one parish; new regional Mass schedule reduces Masses from 13 to 10 as priests rotate celebrating Mass at all six churches; new pastoral staffing plan begun for BT and SP Parishes

2001: First website of the six Catholic Churches in the Tioga region was launched by webmaster Mark Goodwin

2003 – Rev. William A. Moorby appointed Pastor of newly formed Blessed Trinity Parish and St. Patrick Parish

2003: Blessed Trinity and St Patrick Parishes website was launched by webmaster Mark Goodwin.

2003 – Rev. Symon Peter Ntalyia from Kenya appointed Parochial Vicar for BT and SP Parishes

2003 – New staffing plan initiated for BT and SP Parishes; Central Office established in the McAuley Center (former St. Patrick Convent which closed in 1999); rectory at St. Margaret Mary becomes priests’ residence

2004 – Rev. William Coffas began his priesthood as Parochial Vicar of BT and SP Parishes

2005 – Rev. Boniface Ewah from Nigeria appointed Parochial Vicar for BT and SP Parishes

2006 – The flood in June damaged many homes and properties

2007 – Rev. John DeSocio appointed Parochial Vicar of BT and SP Parishes

2007 – Rev. John Afoakwah from Obuasi, Ghana appointed Parochial Vicar of BT and SP Parishes

2008 – St. Patrick School celebrated its 150th year

2009 – Deacon Mike Donovan appointed Pastoral Associate for BT and SP parishes

2009 – Rev. John Afoakwah had an automobile accident on Route 17 and suffered a broken leg

2011 – September 7 flood devastated area; St Patrick School basement flooded; cleanup and recovery begun; Third Edition of the Roman Missal was implemented

2011 – Rev. John Afoakwah completed his assignment as Parochial Vicar & returns to his home diocese in Ghana

2012 – Rev. Brian Carpenter appointed Parochial Vicar of BT and SP Parishes

2012 – Pastoral Council of BT and SP Parishes administered their first Pastoral Life Survey to all parishioners as preparation for long range and short range planning of the parishes. Analysis of the data by the Pastoral Council lead to the development of short- and long-term goals the following year.

2014 – Father Thomas Valenti appointed Parochial Administrator of BT and ST Parishes. Father William Moorby reassigned to Good Shepherd Catholic Community in Aurora, NY.

2015 – Father Peter Van Lieshout appointed Parochial Vicar of BT and ST Parishes.

2015 – Deacon Rick DeMars appointed to serve at BT and ST Parishes.

2015 – Annette Larrabee appointed as Director of Faith Formation and Youth Ministry, replacing Cathy Wunder

2015 – New parish website launched by Website Team (Bob McLaren, Joe Morrison, Dan Orth, Dick Orth)

St. Francis of Assisi in Catatonk is one of three parishes in Tioga County whose origins are linked to the “mother church” of St. Patrick’s, Owego.  The other two parishes that were formed from the original boundaries of St. Patrick Church are St. John the Evangelist in Newark Valley, and St. Margaret Mary in Apalachin.  In 1870 Father Francis Clark began celebrating Mass in Candor, NY for Catholics who had settled in the area.  Masses were held in Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Kehoe’s home at 23 Church St. in Candor.  The Kehoe home remained the “Mass house” for Catholics in the area for nearly 60 years.  In 1907, the pastor of St. Patrick’s had a permanent altar built in the house which at that time was owned by Mrs. Bert Mooney, the daughter of the Kehoe’s.  This early Candor mission could count three vocations to the priesthood: Fathers John News, John Mooney, and James Mooney.

Between 1917 and 1925 many families moved to Tioga County to farm the land in the area.  Among the new settlers of the region were many Polish Catholics who purchased farms in the environs of Candor. In 1929, Bishop John Francis O’Hern, invited a Polish Conventual Franciscan priest, Father Stephen Musielak, to organize the Polish Catholics along Route 96, with the intention of building a mission church to serve them.  Father Musielak began offering Mass for the Polish families in Catatonk, at 80 Nagel Hill Rd., the home of Mr. and Mrs. Marcyan Nagel.

One major snag that Father Musielak faced in forming a community of faith and building a church was the division that existed among the local Polish families.  Some of the families wanted to affiliate the projected parish with the Polish National Catholic Church.  The P.N.C.C. had formally declared its independence from Rome in 1900 mainly over the issue of celebrating the Mass in Polish rather than in Latin.  When the majority of the local Polish people rejected the idea  of becoming a Polish National Catholic parish, its advocates started a Polish National Catholic  parish of their own.   Without strong support, however, this small congregation soon abandoned its efforts.

The 40 plus Polish families who remained united with the Roman Catholic Church were still divided as to where there new chapel should be located.  Those who lived near Owego wanted it to be located in that village.  The families who lived nearer Candor wanted it located in Candor.  Eventually a compromise was reached.  Catatonk was chosen as the site for the church since it was approximately half way between Owego and Candor.

Due to illness, Father Musielak had to leave a few months after his arrival, but he was replaced by another Franciscan, Father Callistus Szpara.  It was under Father Szpara, in 1930, that the construction of the church building began.  A trio of men from the parish were responsible for the construction; Victor Kaczanorski, Mike Nagel and John Winnick.  The end product was a modest frame church measuring 30 by 50 feet, with a parish hall in the basement.  The total cost of construction, $800!   Bishop O’Hern blessed the new chapel on All Saints Day, November 1, 1931 and gave it the official name and patronage of St. Francis of Assisi.

Father Szpara was transferred to another appointment before the church was finished.  His successor was Father Remy Fac, O.F.M. Conv.  In 1931, Father Fac was recalled by his Franciscan superiors.  Bishop O’Hern then appointed a Polish-born diocesan priest, Father Ignatius Klejna, as pastor.  Father Klejna, like Father Fac and Father Szpara before him, lived in Newark Valley and served at St. John the Evangelist Church in Newark Valley as well as St. Francis of Assisi in Catatonk.

In 1934 , only three years after his arrival in Tioga County, Father Klejna died.  With the death of Father Klejna the two parishes were without a pastor, and no diocesan Polish speaking priest was old enough to be named pastor.  The Newark Valley and Catatonk parishes were once again under the pastor of St. Patrick Church, Owego.  However, Archbishop Edward Mooney did assign in succession two Polish priests as assistants to St. Patrick’s, with the understanding that they would be in charge of  St. John’s and St. Francis’.  Father Peter Jankowski served from 1934-1936 and Father Chester Kotkiewicz served from 1936-1938.

In 1938, Bishop James E. Kearney appointed a young priest who had recently finished graduate studies at the University of Cracow, Poland, to be in charge of both the Newark Valley and Catatonk churches.  He was  Father Alexander  Stec, a native of Rochester.  Father Stec through his pastoral zeal brought a new zest to the people of St. Francis. He did so well that in April, 1945 the bishop officially named him pastor of St. John and St. Francis parishes.  That same year on April 16th, St. Francis of Assisi was officially incorporated as a parish.  Father Stec served the parishes until 1959.  His pastorate was a great blessing to the two parishes.   Through the example of his faith, hard work, and frequently scheduled social events, the people of St. Francis were knitted together into a community of faith.

After the solid beginning under Father Stec’s leadership, the parish continued to grow under the pastors who succeeded him.  Those pastors were: Father Matthew Siudara, 1959-1973; Father George Gauthier, Administrator of St. Francis, 1970-1973; Father Robert Donavan, 1973-1977; Father Eugene Weis, 1977-1982; Father Ralph Fraats, 1982-1986; Father Joseph McCaffrey, 1986-1993.   In July of 1993 Father William A. Moorby was appointed Pastor and remains so until the present.  In the Spring on 1994 a new front entrance way was added onto the church completing the planning that had begun under Father McCaffrey.  In 1995 the interior of the church was painted, new carpeting installed, and the mass altar was refurbished with the volunteer help of Kevin Luddy, Jim Gullick and Joe Fullerton.  On May 19, 1996 The Most Rev. Matthew H. Clark rededicated the church in a special Sunday Liturgy.  It was a busy weekend for the Bishop as he also presided at Confirmation Liturgies at St. Francis and St. John the Evangelist in Newark Valley, as well as Rededication services at both churches.   In 1997 St. Francis began the Pastoral Planning Process for the New Millenium, with the other parishes of our region, that led to new working agreements among the parishes and the Clustering of St. Patrick, St. John, and St. Francis parishes.

During the full history of St. Patrick, St. John the Evangelist, and St. Francis of Assisi parishes the faith has been passed on from one generation to the next.  The Sacraments of the church have nourished the faith of thousands through the years.  Currently the parishes consist of the descendants of some of the original families of the parish as well as many more who have moved into the area over the years.  As we move into the new Millineium, our parish communities have been drawn closer together as we now form a Cluster of parishes served by a common staff.  Also, our sense of church is broadened as we form new working arrangements with the other parishes of our region, St. Margaret Mary, Apalachin, St. James Waverly, and St. Pius X, Van Etten.  No matter how much things change, however, our ultimate goal remains the same, to continue to grow in faith and to be formed by the Holy Spirit into the living Body of Christ.

 

  • 1892 – Rev. James Dunn, St. Mary’s, Horseheads, celebrated Mass 1x month in various homes
  • 1892 – These homes were in the Van Etten, Spencer, Erin area
  • 1892-1904 – Attendance swelled for a while in temporary quarter in a store
  • 1904 – Attendance was so poor that the priest stopped making the trip
  • 1904-1948 – Catholics in the area had to find other places to attend Mass, like Ithaca, Waverly or Elmira
  • 1948-1953 – Rev. James Marvin, St. James Church, Waverly, came to catechize Catholic children
  • 1948-1953 – These children went to public school. Religious instructions were given at the residence
  • 1948-1953 – of Willard & Katherine Anderson.
  • 1953 – Temporary chapel furnished at Sandusky’s Restaurant in Van Etten – Mission of St. James
  • 1953 – 1st Van Etten Village Mass offered February 22, 1953 by Rev. G. S. Hogan, Pastor of St. James Parish, Waverly, NY
  • 1954 – Appointed Rev. Michael Reder, OFM Cap. Of St. Fidelis Friary, Interlaken, NY as administrator
  • 1954 – First Mass celebrated in St. Pius X was Midnight Mass, December 25, 1954 by Rev. Michael Reder in the completed basement of the church
  • 1955 – On May 22, 1955 Auxiliary Bishop Casey dedicated St. Pius X Church, which only consisted merely of a cellar and an enclosed entrance
  • 1961 – Rev. Victor Valentovic, OFM Cap. assumed duties.
  • 1965 – October 7, 1965 Certificate of Incorporation for St. Pius X Parish
  • 1965 – The 1st Mass of the fully finished church was offered on Christmas Eve, with about 175 persons present
  • 1966 – Rt. Rev. Msgr. Donald Cleary, Pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Church in Ithaca was delegated
  • 1966 – by Bishop Kearney, to represent him in a solemn blessing of the new church on October 9
  • 1969 – Rev. Anscar Sullivan appointed
  • 1969-1975 – Rev. Bernard Kuchman served as pastor
  • 1975-1984 – Rev. Robert Downs served as pastor
  • 1984-1987 – Rev. Gerry Hafner served as pastor
  • 1987-2001 – Rev. Thomas Watts served as pastor
  • 2001-2003 – Deacon Ray Defendorf served as Administrator
  • 2003 Blessed Trinity Parish formed and Rev. William A. Moorby appointed Pastor