Update on Parish Mass Schedule

Thank you for everyone's input over the weekend of September 14 and 15 in helping find a new Mass time to replace our 9:00 AM and 11:30 AM Sunday morning Masses. By reducing a Mass we can help support our priests and our PCA as Fr. Kurgan and Fr. Rawson now provide priestly ministries for the parishes of St. Matthew's in East Syracuse, St. Mary's in Minoa, and St. Francis in Bridgeport.

The new preferred Mass time on Sunday mornings will be 10:30 AM. Parishioners were invited to select a preference for 10:30 AM or 11:00 AM Mass time to replace the 9:00 AM and 11:30 AM Masses. Of parishioners that voted, 378 preferred the 10:30 AM Mass time while 166 selected the 11:00 AM option. Our new Mass schedule will take effect the weekend of October 5 & 6.

Our other Mass times (4:00 PM Saturday, 7:30 AM Sunday, & 5:00 PM Sunday) will not change. Thank you for your input and help. We hope this change will benefit many Catholics in our Pastoral Care Area as we work together as a community of believers. Below you can find our new Mass schedule and the original letter that was sent to parishioners regarding the changes.

Mass Times

Dear Parishioners of Holy Cross,

As you may know, some leadership in our Pastoral Care Area (PCA) has changed over the summer. Our PCA includes Blessed Sacrament/St. Vincent DePaul Syracuse, and St. Matthew’s in East Syracuse, St. Marys’ in Minoa, and St. Francis of Assisi in Bridgeport. Fr. Yagaza, the former Parochial Vicar in those linked parishes is now Pastor of Blessed Sacrament/St. Vincent’s and Fr. O’Brien, the former pastor of those parishes is now pastor of St. Peter’s in Rome, NY. These pastoral openings have created both a need and opportunity for our PCA.

The 133-year-old history of our diocese reflects the ebbs and flows of parish life in each decade. As we joyfully welcome our new Shepherd, Bishop Douglas J. Lucia, D.D., J.C.L. we are blessed to have 84 full time active priests and 77 active deacons to provide ministry across our seven county diocese. Priests and deacons are carefully appointed to ensure parish life is promoted, and that others are invited to join in parish leadership. Currently there are 114 churches served in 76 pastoral configurations.

Recently, Deacon Nick Alvaro was appointed to serve as the deacon administrator of St. Matthew’s, St. Mary’s and St. Francis of Assisi Churches. In his role, he will be their day-to-day parish leader as he coordinates the sacramental life and other needs of the parishes.

Fr. Rawson and I are excited to be providing priestly ministry for the parishes of St. Matthew’s, St. Mary’s and St. Francis of Assisi. You may know that Fr. Rawson and I, along with the help of Fr. Vavonese and some of the retired priests of the diocese, have been covering Masses in those parishes since Fr. Yagaza and Fr. O’Brien were re-assigned. These parishes have reduced their weekend Masses from seven to four as well as reduced their weekday Mass schedule. We will not only be celebrating the weekend Masses in those parishes but also funerals, weddings, and weekday Masses.

These ministerial changes will necessitate a one Mass reduction on Sunday morning here at Holy Cross. Holy Cross 4:00 PM Vigil Mass on Saturday, as well as the Sunday 7:30 AM and 5:00 PM Masses will not change. We will reduce, however, one Mass on Sunday morning. On the weekend of September 14th & 15th, Holy Cross parishioners will have the opportunity to vote if they would prefer a 10:30 AM or 11:00 AM Sunday morning Mass. The new Sunday morning Mass time will take effect October 6, 2019.

As we continue this journey together, I am grateful for the trust that Bishop Lucia and Msgr. James Lang, Vicar for Parishes, have placed in our PCA. We have a tremendous opportunity to work and pray together and be Christ among our brothers and sisters!

Peace,

Rev. John J. Kurgan, Pastor

Rev. Matthew E. Rawson, Parochial Vicar

Updated Mass Info

Update on Parish Mass Schedule

Mass Times

Weekday Masses

Saturday Mass

Sunday Masses

HOLY CROSS