In 1998 our diocese had 92 pastors residing in parishes, with 28 parishes sharing a pastor.  for a total of 120 parishes, 11 oratories and 26 missions (smaller, incorporated parishes sharing a pastor).  After implementing a planning process initiated in 1998 and with extensive consultation and parish/pastor involvement, Bishop Barbarito approved a restructuring plan submitted by the Diocesan Planning Committee in 2003.  Now, in 2007 after working from that plan for the past three years, Bishop Cunningham oversees 68 pastors residing in parishes, with 41 parishes sharing a pastor for a total of 109 parishes, 13 missions, 22 oratories and 8 worship sites.

The following is a list of definitions of terms used in reconfigurations.  

Mission: Small, incorporated parish and sharing a pastor  

Oratory: Parish dissolved and church site no longer has regular celebration of the Eucharist. Parishioners of that parish may be buried there and a special Mass may be celebrated on that church’s name day.  

Worship Site: Parish has been merged with a neighboring parish, but Church site, as part of the new

corporation, remains open for regular celebration of the Eucharist  

Linked: Two or more parishes sharing a single pastor  

Merged: Two or more parish corporations becoming part of a new corporation with a name reflecting that new

entity.    

Following is a look at the parish changes to date. Please note that some linkages, such as Lyon Mountain and Standish have occurred before this current planning cycle. The Planning process is on-going, and changes will continue as priests retire, etc.

ADIRONDACK DEANERY  

Bloomingdale and Lake Clear linked with Saranac Lake, with Gabriels a mission of Bloomingdale and Paul

Smith an oratory of Lake Clear.  

Lake Placid linked with Keene  

St. Alphonsus, Tupper Lake linked with Holy Name, Tupper Lake    

CLINTON DEANERY  

Altona linked with Sciota, with an oratory at Jericho  

AuSable Forks merged with Black Brook, now a worship site, with a mission at Wilmington.

Rouses Point linked with Coopersville  

Dannemora linked with Redford  

John the Baptist Keeseville merged with Immaculate Conception Keeseville, now a worship site.  

Lyon Mountain with a mission at Standish  

Mooers linked with Mooers Forks  

Morrisonville linked with Treadwells Mill  

Peru with an oratory at West Peru  

Plattsburgh, St. Mary’s linked with OLV,  

St. John’s linked with John the XXIII  

St. Peter’s –stand alone, as per Plattsburgh plan  

N.B. the remaining parishes at Cadyville, Champlain, Chazy, W.Chazy, Ellenburg, Churubusco still need to be

addressed.    

ESSEX DEANERY  

Ticonderoga linked with Crown Point  

Elizabethtown linked with Westport  

Port Henry linked with Mineville  

Schroon Lake linked with Olmsteadville with oratories at North Hudson and Irishtown.  

Willsboro linked with Essex  

FRANKLIN DEANERY

Fort Covington, Bombay and Hogansburg linked  

Brushton linked with North Bangor; W. Bangor closed  

Chateauguay linked with Burke, with an oratory at Brainardsville  

Constable merged with Westville, now a worship site, with an oratory at Trout River  

St. Regis Falls linked with Hopkinton with an oratory at Santa Clara  

Three Malone parishes and Chasm Falls linked with one another, with Lake Titus and Owls Head to become oratories    

HAMILTON/HERKIMER DEANERY  

Indian Lake linked with a mission at Blue Mountain Lake  

Old Forge linked with Inlet with a seasonal oratory at Raquette Lake  

Lake Pleasant linked with Wells  

Long Lake linked with Newcomb    

JEFFERSON DEANERY  

Alexandria Bay merged with Redwood, now a worship site  

Black River linked with Deferiet  

Brownville merged with Dexter, now a worship site  

Cape Vincent merged with Chaumont and Rosiere, both now worship sites  

Carthage linked with Copenhagen; New Boston now closed  

Clayton linked with LaFargeville  

Evans Mills linked with missions of Theresa and Philadelphia with an oratory at Antwerp  

Sackets Harbor linked with the mission of Henderson  

N.B. Parishes in Watertown: Holy Family, St. Patrick’s, Sacred Heart and St. Anthony’s as well as Adams still to be addressed      

LEWIS DEANERY  

Constable linked with West Leyden with an oratory at Fish Creek  

Copenhagen linked with Carthage  

Lowville linked with Glenfield and Houseville with an oratory at Greig  

Harrisville linked with Star Lake with oratories at Natural Bridge and Lake Bonaparte  

Port Leyden linked with a mission at Lyons Falls  

N.B. Croghan still needs to be addressed    

ST. LAWRENCE  

Brasher Falls linked with North Lawrence  

Canton merged with Newman Parish, with oratories at Pyrites and DeKalb Junction  

Colton linked with South Colton and Parishville  

Gouverneur linked with Edwards with an oratory at Russell  

Morristown linked with Hammond with a mission at Rossie and an oratory at Brier Hill  

Heuvelton linked with Lisbon  

Hopkinton linked with St. Regis Falls with an oratory at Santa Clara  

Madrid linked with Waddington  

Massena (SH) linked with Louisville  

Massena (SM) merged with Massena (SJ) now a worship site  

Potsdam merged with Newman parish, now a ministry of St. Mary’s  

Star Lake linked with Harrisville with oratories at Fine and Newton Falls  

N.B.  Parishes in Ogdensburg, Norwood, Norfolk, Raymondville still to be addressed.