On July 1, 2025, the Bishop has directed that the Catholic Community of Rome, Lee Center and Holland Patent become a new Parish with a new
name.

The new name will be selected from the many suggestions that Parishioners have provided through the ballot process being conducted by the Parish Name Subcommittee.

On July 1, 2025, we will become one newly named
Parish with four (4) worship sites. The locations of
the four (4) worship sites will be finalized based
upon the recommendations of the Weekend Mass
Schedule Subcommittee. Our new Parish will have
one Pastor and a Parochial Vicar, (a priest who
assists a pastor in the care of a parish).

St. Paul’s is not closing. A final decision on where
weekend Masses will be offered and how all
facilities are utilized will be made when the
Weekend Mass Schedule, Facilities, and Finance
Subcommittees complete their tasking. They will
provide their recommendations to the Joint Parish
Council. If St. Paul’s doesn’t have weekend Mass, it
can be utilized in many ways. Both liturgical and
non-liturgical functions may be conducted here. For
example, Baptisms, Funerals, & Weddings may be
celebrated here along with Adoration and Novenas.
It may also be a location for Faith Formation
Classes, RCIA, Youth Ministry, meetings, social
functions, etc.

Transfiguration will be merged with the new Parish.
The Rectory is being leased to Oneida County and
ICAN for creation of a transitional home for
homeless women and their children. Uses for the
Church are being explored.

All the existing Parish Councils are meeting regularly
to address the Canon and Civil Law requirements to
achieve this goal. Subcommittees have also been
formed to address all the logistics, facilities,
administrative, personnel, and liturgical aspects of
the transition. Communications and Social
subcommittees have been created to ensure that all
Parishioners are informed, feel welcome and heard
throughout this process.

The Joint Parish Council Subcommittees are:
(1) Cemetery; (2) Communications; (3) Facilities;
(4) Faith Formation; (5) Finance; (6) Parish Name;
(7) Social; and (8) Weekend Mass Schedule.

The Weekend Mass Schedule Subcommittee has
been formed to determine a weekend Mass
schedule that best accommodates the faithful in
Rome, Holland Patent and Lee Center. The schedule
established must be one that can be handled by
one (1) priest in the event of an emergency. The
subcommittee will be working over the next few
months collecting and assessing data to make a
comprehensive recommendation to the Joint Parish
Council.

Town Halls have been scheduled each month
through October to offer you an opportunity to
voice your concerns and learn more about the
transition.
Your bulletin, Pastors, Deacons, and Parish Council
members will keep you up to date too!
In our upcoming columns you will learn more about
each of the Subcommittees, their mission, plans,
and accomplishments toward completing this
transition.