Parish History

"If you are what you should be, you will set the whole world on fire."
—St. Catherine of Siena
 

St. Catherine of Siena Parish began in March, 1960, to serve the burgeoning population of Ithaca and the surrounding area. Monsignor Donald M. Cleary was named St. Catherine's first pastor, and Mass was celebrated in Anabel Taylor Hall and Moakley House on Cornell's campus until the Church was completed two years later. The first Mass was celebrated in the new Church on March 4, 1962. The Parish Center, which included a parish hall, offices, and the priests' residence, was completed in 1964.



More than thirty years later, in 1996, a new home for the parish priests was built at the west end of the property, allowing the residence within the Parish Center to be used for a chapel, offices, and much-needed meeting space. In 2000, the Church sanctuary was renovated, a new stone floor and pipe organ were installed, and the parking lot was expanded. 

Work began in 2007 to study the needs of the aging Church and Parish Center. This work led to three successful capital campaigns and projects: in 2009 to replace the roof and steel-wrap the Church beams; in 2010 to replace the HVAC in the Church; and finally in 2015 to replace the aging Parish Center. The new Parish Center was built in 2016–2017 and was dedicated on April 29, 2017, the Feast of St. Catherine of Siena, by Bishop Salvatore Matano. 



Seven pastors and one pastoral administrator have served St. Catherine's, each helping to build the Kingdom of God here in Ithaca in his or her own way.

Monsignor Donald M. Cleary served from 1960–1969 as the first pastor. He was instrumental in the construction of the Church and original Parish Center, working with the 260 founding families to raise the money and oversee construction while serving the pastoral needs of the community. In 1967 he began the first Parish Advisory Board, the forerunner of the Pastoral Council, which began in 1969. 

Monsignor William M. Roche (1969–1975) began celebrating Mass facing the congregation, as the liturgical changes of the Second Vatican Council were implemented. He also expanded the sanctuary and removed the altar rails. Lay men and women began serving as lectors and ministers of communion at this time.

Rev. John S. Maloney (1975–1982), remembered for his St. Patrick's Day/birthday celebrations, ensured that the original parish debt was paid off during his tenure.



Rev. Michael Hogan (1982–1987) had the additional responsibility for All Saints Parish, which was a mission of St. Catherine's until 1998. Fr. Hogan hired Sr. Edna Slyck, RSM, as the first in a long line of dedicated lay pastoral ministers who served the parish and helped sacramental and spiritual programs to grow. 

Rev. Ronald E. Gaesser (1987–2003) spearheaded St. Catherine's ongoing relationship with St. Anthony's Parish and the Portal de Belén School in Monte Plata, Dominican Republic. During his tenure the parish staff grew considerably and many ministries were established.



Rev. Michael Mahler (2003–2009) launched Shaping St. Catherine's Future, a yearlong process of strategic planning that led to mission and vision statements. He also initiated the Facilities Study group that eventually led to much-needed repairs to the Church and the replacement of the Parish Center.



Sr. Mary O'Brien (2009–2010) was appointed by Bishop Matthew Clark to serve as the Pastoral Administrator of St. Catherine's after Fr. Mike's untimely death from cancer in 2009. Sr. Mary led the parish through the very successful Building Our Future capital campaign and oversaw the repairs to the Church.



Rev. Joseph Marcoux (2010–2023) helped to attract many new families to St. Catherine's, and faith formation programs for all ages have grown substantially. Under his leadership, the Facilities Committee spent years working with architects to find the right design for a Parish Center that could fit the parish's campus and ministries. The Unite Campaign to raise funds for the new Parish Center began in March, 2015, and successfully raised the $3.2 million needed for the building. Groundbreaking for the new Parish Center was celebrated on June 11, 2016, and the building opened in February, 2017. 

Our new parochial administrator is Fr. John Orenge Omboga, who began here at St. Catherine's in 2023. We are experiencing great things under Fr. John's leadership! We look forward to a bright future with the people of St. Catherine's.



St. Catherine's has been richly blessed by dedicated pastors and pastoral administrators, lay staff members who expanded the scope of the parish's ministry, and and parishioners who have taken ownership for the parish financially and through its many ministries, serving one another, the community, and our brothers and sisters throughout the world, most specifically in the Dominican Republic. The future will lead St. Catherine's to new ministries and new ways of building the Kingdom of God.