About Our Parish

Humble Beginnings

St. Patrick Parish, Jordan, NY, was officially incorporated on May 11, 1896. The Certificate of Incorporation was written and signed by of Parick A. Ludden, Bishop of Syracuse and witnessed by the two parish trustees, William O'Donnell and Michael Madden. Reverend Bartholomew A. Stack was named pastor.

The first Mass in Jordan was celebrated in the Summer of 1849, in the Edward McLane home on S. Hamilton Street, by Father Hackett. Ten families were present: McLane, O'Brien, Deneen, Fitzgerald, Hunt, Mahoney, Butler, Heverin, and Hoilhan.Some of these names are still familiar to us! Various other itinerant priests traveled great distances, under sometimes difficult circumstances, to offer Mass as often as possible. The present Diocese of Syracuse was then part of the Diocese of Albany under Bishop (later Cardinal) John McCloskey. In December of 1852, a new parish in Camillus was designated, which included all the territory of present day Camillus, Marcellus, Skaneateles, Otisco, Jordan, Split Rock, and Tully. Thus the great distances to be traveled!. Reverend William McCallion was appointed pastor. During this time, the original St. Patrick Church was built on S. Hamilton St., the site of our cemetry. The Bishops of Albany officiated at the blessing of churches and at the Sacrament of Confirmation. The first Confirmation class had more than 900 candidates, many of whom, because of distance and roads, had to leave the day before, in lumber wagons, to get to the church.