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The first establishment of the Catholic faith in the Town of Dryden, New York, was in
the Village of McLean, where Saint Patrick Church was dedicated
in 1851 (at that time within the Diocese of Buffalo). Change of
circumstances eventually caused this church to become a mission
of Saint Anthony Church in Groton, New York.
In mid-July of 1947, thirty Catholics of the Villages of Freeville and Dryden met with Fr. William Hayes of Groton to discuss the possibility of having Mass
celebrated in the Town of Dryden. On July 27th, the first Mass
was offered in Dryden, on the second floor in what was formerly
the old Grange Hall. This Mass was celebrated by Father Hayes
on an altar formerly used at the Cornell Catholic Oratory.
Early in 1950, Father Thomas Cleary was
appointed Catholic chaplain of The George Junior Republic in the
Village of Freeville. The Catholics of the Dryden, McLean and
Freeville areas sought out Father Cleary to be their priest. He
found in them an energetic people who wanted to worship together
and become a church community. Father Cleary then functioned as
pastor of the Dryden Catholic Mission, as it was then known, offering
Mass in Christ Chapel at the George Junior Republic. They found
a shepherd and he found a flock. While they were worshipping in
a chapel because they had no “church,” they became
“church.” They were “gatherers,” putting
themselves into a communion. They sponsored activities; they ate
meals together; they argued and laughed and planned for the future.
The geographical territory of the mission covered almost all of
the Town of Dryden and included parts of the Towns of Groton and
Ithaca. It was at this time that Saint Patrick Church in McLean,
up to this time a mission of Saint Anthony Church in Groton, was
incorporated into this Dryden Catholic Mission.
The Dryden Catholic Mission became the
Church of the Holy Cross of Dryden, New York, in 1962. As an ecclesiastical
and civil entity, the new parish was free to begin planning permanent
structures. In September of 1962, a parish center was built on
Union Street in the Village of Dryden and dedicated for religious
education classes and parish social activities.
The growth of the parish during the 1960’s
suggested a more central location for the proposed new church
building. Property on George Road between Rte 13 and Rte 38 was
purchased. Construction of the church and rectory/office building
was completed in 1970. The Beginnings and growth of the parish
occurred during the long pastorate of Father Thomas Cleary, who
after 35 years at the helm, retired as pastor in 1985. During
the 1970’s, a number of Jesuit priests studying at Cornell
University offered assistance at Holy Cross: Fr. Edward Dowling
from 1971 to 1973, Fr. Roger Downey from 1975 to 1978; Fr. Richard
Doyle from September to December in 1978. From 1984 to 1985, Jesuits
from LeMoyne College in Syracuse offered weekly assistance
Father William M. Barrett was named pastor
in 1985 and remained in that position until 1993. It was during
the pastorate of Father Barrett that parishioners took another
major step in the history of the parish, by consolidating the
parish buildings in one location on George Road. The Parish Center
on Union Street was sold and Cleary Hall was erected, along with
classrooms and meeting rooms, all attached to the rear of the
church. Greater privacy for the rectory was achieved and suitable
workspace for the staff was developed. An adequate water supply
was located, the septic system was improved and the facilities
were made more energy efficient. Fr. Stephen Kraus assisted from
July to December 1989 during the six-month sabbatical of Fr. Barrett.
A series of priests followed after Father
Barrett was named pastor of St. Michael Church in Lyons, New York.
Fr. Joseph McCaffrey served as pastor from 1993 to 1994. Fr. Paul
Freemesser served as priest administrator from 1994 to 1995 during
which time Fr. Thomas Celso assisted from January to March 1995
and various others priests from March until June. In June 1995,
Fr. John Hayes was appointed priest administrator. It was during
his administration that in 1997, a 1906 E.M. Skinner Pipe organ
was relocated and rebuilt at Holy Cross Church.
When Fr. Hayes left the parish in 1999,
Father Bernard Carges, already pastor of Saint Anthony Parish
in Groton, NY was asked, in addition to his responsibilities at
Saint Anthony, to assume the pastorate of Holy Cross Church. While
being able to take on this burden for a while, it became apparent
that, due to declining health, it was becoming too great a burden
for Father Carges. It was then that the Parish Pastoral Council
petitioned the diocese to name a pastoral administrator for Holy
Cross Church, with Father Carges remaining the canonical pastor
but only responsible for the Sacramental Celebrations. Sister
Barbara Stinard, RSM was named pastoral administrator and served
in this position from June 2000 to 2002. As Father Carges’
health deteriotaed, Fr. Peter Abue, a Nigerian priest studying
at Cornell University, became a helpful assistant at both Saint
Anthony Church and Holy Cross Church. It was also in June 2002
that Father Carges retired from the pastorate of Saint Anthony
in Groton and ceased all responsibiliites at Holy Cross Church
in Dryden.
Towards the end of the twentieth century
and the beginning of the twenty-first century, the roof and heating
system had been replaced, new energy efficient windows had been
installed and a major exterior repainting project had been completed.
All of these changes and improvements in the buildings resulted
from parishioners’ generosity – not only through their
offertory contributions but also through their willingness to
donate many Saturday evenings to insure the success of the parish
sponsored Bingo program.
In June 2002, Father Frank E. Lioi was
assigned to the pastorates of Saint Anthony Church in Groton and
Holy Cross Church in Dryden. He was immediately immersed in the
Diocesan Strategic Planning for the New millennium which involved
the parishes of Tompkins County planning for the future in light
of priest personnel and financial and material resources.
Even in the first year of Father Lioi’s
tenure, subtle changes were made in the interior of the church
and in the daily Mass chapel. The parish’s beautiful wood-carved
crucifix along with recently acquired wood-carved statues of Mary
and John the Evangelist at the foot of the cross were placed on
the wall behind the altar. Painted statues of the Immaculate Heart
of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus, both having been carved
in Portugal in 1948, were obtained for use at Holy Cross Church.
Votive candles were added at each of these shrines. Additional
statues of St. Joseph, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Theresa of Lisieux,
and St. Frances Xavier Cabrini were placed on pedestals near the
supporting beams on either side of the nave.
In the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, also used
as the daily Mass Chapel, the tabernacle was refinished and adorned
on either side with two wood-carved angels. A wood-carved dove
under golden rays, a symbol of the Holy Spirit, was affixed to
the ceiling above the lectern, a large crucifix was installed
on the side wall, and a statue of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel was erected.
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Summary of Pastoral Leadership at Holy Cross Church
1950-1985
Pastor: Fr. Thomas Cleary
1985-1993
Pastor: Fr. William Barrett
1993-1994
Pastor: Fr. Joseph McCaffrey
1994-1995
Priest Administrator: Fr. Paul Freemesser
1995-1999
Priest Administrator: Fr. John Hayes
1999-2000
Pastor: Fr. Bernard Carges
2000-2002
Pastoral Administrator: Sr. Barbara Stinard, RSM
Sacramental Minister: Fr. Bernard Carges
2002-2004
Pastor: Fr. Frank E. Lioi (2002-2004)
2004-present
Pastor: Fr. Scott Kubinski
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