The Church of the Transfiguration sits on a rise at 50 West Bloomfield Road in south Pittsford, NY, in a stretch of Monroe County suburb that was filling in with young families faster than the Diocese of Rochester could keep up with in the early 1980s. In May 1983 Bishop Joseph L. Hogan announced the creation of a new parish and named Rev. Gerald "Jerry" Appelby as its first pastor. There was no building, no budget, and no name yet chosen for the people coming together - only a verse from Matthew 17 that has been the parish's motto ever since: "Lord, how good it is for us to be here." Four decades on, that verse still sets the tone of a community built around welcome.
Born in a Barn on the Feast of the Transfiguration
The story of how that welcome began is the kind that gets retold at Pentecost dinners. On August 6, 1983, the Feast of the Transfiguration, volunteers cleaned out an empty barn at the corner of Stone Road and Clover Street, unpacked folding chairs and stacked hay bales for pews. The first Mass of the new parish was celebrated in that space, an arrangement tolerable through the summer and early fall but not for the long Rochester winter. The small congregation moved first to the Jo-Mor movie theater and then to Christ the King Church in Pittsford, before returning to the barn for Christmas Midnight Mass. The Nativity scene that year was set up alongside the farm animals that still lived in the building, and the detail has stayed in parish memory ever since. Fr. Jerry led the founding community through those first years until his retirement; he was succeeded by Fr. Michael J. Bausch, who now serves the diocese as a retired priest, and today the parish is led by Fr. Robert S. Bourcy with the assistance of Deacon Eric Bessette.
The Sanctuary with the Walls of Glass
In 1984 the parish purchased the property at 50 West Bloomfield Road and moved into the building now called the Education Center. The official dedication came in 1985. By the end of the decade the space had been outgrown, and in 1992 the current worship space was dedicated. Parishioners involved in its planning had pressed for two things: they wanted the church to feel bright, and they wanted the congregation to feel close to the priest. The architect answered with walls of glass, an altar raised only one small step, and a slanted floor and seating arrangement that places the farthest pew within forty-five feet of the presider. Two relics sit inside the altar table - ashes of St. Lawrence, kept there in reverence for Rochester Bishop Larry Casey, and a relic of St. Maria Goretti, placed there to honor the role of women in the Church and at the altar. The Parish Life Center, finished in 1999, holds a gym, a commercial kitchen and meeting rooms; it remains the parish's main gathering space for faith formation, funeral receptions, Parish Council meetings, and the after-Mass coffee and donuts tradition.
Masses, Reconciliation, and the Sunday Morning Livestream
The Transfiguration schedule is built around four regular Masses each week and one Saturday afternoon reconciliation service. Saturday evening Mass is offered at 4:00 pm; Sunday Mass at 8:45 am; Monday and Wednesday morning Masses at 6:45 am. The Sunday 8:45 liturgy is also the parish's livestreamed service, broadcast on the parish's YouTube channel so that homebound parishioners, those away on travel, and anyone who cannot otherwise be present can follow along with the gathered congregation.
Reconciliation is celebrated weekly on Saturday afternoons at 3:30 pm in the church, half an hour before Mass begins, and at other times by appointment with Fr. Rob. Visitors are a regular sight at the parish, and the church has made room for them in concrete ways. There is no dress code - in summer it is not uncommon to see shorts, sandals and a casual shirt; at other times a full Sunday best is just as welcome. Visitors are never expected to put anything in the collection basket, and the basket is always free to pass; those who consider Transfiguration their parish home are invited to register through the parish office. Parking lots easily accommodate normal weekend Mass attendance; on Christmas and Easter, parking lot attendants help direct traffic into available spaces. Gluten-free hosts are always available - those who need one are invited to stop in the Liturgy Room on the right as they enter the church before Mass begins. The church and its facilities are wheelchair- and walker-accessible, with a hearing loop installed for those wearing hearing aids, a few headsets available for those who do not, and Communion brought to anyone who cannot come forward. Eucharistic adoration is offered in the Transfiguration Chapel on the first Thursday of each month.
Music that Meets the Congregation Where It Is
Transfiguration has invested in a varied music program because the Sunday 8:45 congregation ranges from lifelong traditionalists to teenagers in jeans, and the parish likes both. Saturday evening is led by a folk group under Larry Nagle, an ensemble that includes guitars and sometimes piano and reaches well beyond a strict definition of "folk music." The Sunday 8:45 liturgy rotates between two ensembles led by Sue Wallace, the parish's Music Director: a full choir with instrumental accompaniment, and Matthew 17, the parish's Christian contemporary group. Bell Choir and Youth Choir performances mark the major holy days and feasts. No audition is required to join - the Music Ministry asks only that musicians bring enthusiasm and a heart for the liturgy - and instrumentalists are particularly welcome for solemnities and other special occasions.
Children, Youth, and Vacation Bible School
Children are explicitly welcomed at Transfiguration: their chatter and occasional crying is, in the parish's own phrasing, "joyful noise unto the Lord." For families with very young children, the church has a chapel with windows into the main sanctuary, a nursery with a changing table and rocking chair, and changing tables in the rest rooms. For slightly older children, the Children's Liturgy of the Word is offered during Sunday Masses throughout the school year, walking children ages four to seven through the readings at their level and bringing them back at the Offertory.
Faith formation for children and youth is organized jointly with St. Catherine of Siena under the leadership of Karen Luke (Director of Family Life and Sacraments) and Anne Gallagher (Director of Disciple Formation). Three format options cover the preschool through fifth grade years: twice-monthly Sunday morning classes from 9:30 to 10:30 at St. Catherine's for kindergarteners through fifth graders, using the Pflaum Gospel/Weeklies program with a monthly Journey of Faith Festival that alternates between the two parishes; a family-based option with weekly at-home activities supported by online videos and a monthly family gathering following Mass; and twice-monthly preschool classes held at the 10:45 Mass at St. Catherine's. Programs run from September through May.
First Reconciliation preparation for children in second grade and older begins in October and is celebrated in Advent. First Eucharist preparation begins in January and is celebrated in late April and early May. Both sacramental programs are designed as a faith journey for children and parents to take together, with parent meetings, family sessions and at-home activities forming the core of preparation. Confirmation preparation, in line with the rest of the Diocese of Rochester, is a two-year program that begins in eighth grade and concludes with candidates traveling together to Sacred Heart Cathedral for the celebration with the Bishop at the end of ninth grade.
Middle school youth (grades 6-8) gather one Sunday night a month with a Google Classroom assignment as preparation. Senior high youth (grades 9-12) meet weekly on Tuesday evenings. The parish's teen programs also include the SEARCH retreat weekend each winter, described by leaders as one of the year's highlights, and a delegation to the National Catholic Youth Conference whenever the national event is held. Vacation Bible School is the parish's signature summer program. Hosted at Transfiguration each year in the week after the Fourth of July, it draws campers from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade along with adult and high school volunteers, and each year's theme uses Bible stories, music, games and crafts to point the children to Jesus for a full week.
Adults in Formation and on Retreat
The adult formation program at Transfiguration runs an unusually wide menu, both because the formation staff serve two parishes and because the parish has invested in depth as well as breadth. For those just beginning to explore the Catholic faith, the parish offers the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), which begins in the fall and receives candidates into the Church at the Easter Vigil. For those further along, the Women's Bible Study uses the Walking with Purpose curriculum each year; the 22-week program meets at Tuesday lunch or Thursday evening. Men in the Spirit gathers on the third Monday of each month for a light supper, a presentation, reflection and evening prayer. JustFaith has been offered in recent years on social justice topics such as "Sacred Water: Oceans and Ecosystems," with Thursday evening sessions in the Parish Life Center.
For those who want to go deeper still, the parish has offered the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola annually for nearly twenty years. The format is rigorous - daily commitment to prayer, regular meetings with a spiritual director, group sessions for shared teaching - and retreatants often describe the experience as a turning point in their prayer lives. For shorter retreats the parish points to Notre Dame Retreat House, on Canandaigua Lake an hour south of Pittsford, where it hosts a men's weekend retreat in the fall and a directed silent retreat in late September. The Franciscan Spirituality Discussion Group meets monthly to work through the writings of Fr. Richard Rohr. A 55+ Fellowship and Fun Ministry keeps retirees connected through monthly breakfasts, lunches, potlucks, "Dinners for 8" and outings to local theater and the George Eastman House. A Young Adult Ministry has recently begun gathering people in their twenties and thirties for fellowship, food and faith sharing.
Faith Break, a weekly podcast hosted by Karen Luke and Anne Gallagher along with occasional guests, is the parish's way of meeting people where they already are - in the car, on a walk, or doing dishes. The show takes a few minutes to reflect on how God might be at work in the ordinary rhythms of parenting, friendship and ministry, and remains available on the parish's YouTube channel and on Spotify.
The Seven Sacraments
Reconciliation is the small but central rhythm of the parish week. The Saturday 3:30 pm celebration, just before Mass, is the standing opportunity, with Fr. Rob available for appointments at other times.
First Reconciliation for children in second grade and older begins in October and is celebrated in Advent. First Eucharist preparation begins in January and is celebrated in late April and early May. Both programs acknowledge that parents are the primary educators of their children in faith, and pair family sessions with at-home activities leading up to the celebration.
Confirmation preparation is a diocesan two-year program that begins in eighth grade and concludes in ninth grade. Candidates gather regularly to deepen their understanding of the Church and the Sacrament, and the celebration itself takes place at Sacred Heart Cathedral alongside the Bishop, with sponsors and parents joining for designated sessions along the way.
Baptism of infants and young children usually takes place during a weekend Mass; Deacon Eric Bessette handles baptism preparation at Transfiguration. For children older than seven who have not been baptized, the parish points families to the Order of Christian Initiation of Children (OCIC), which begins in the fall and culminates in the Easter Vigil. Couples preparing for marriage are asked to contact Fr. Rob Bourcy or Deacon Eric Bessette at least nine months before the proposed wedding, in order to take part in Engaged Encounter and Pre-Cana. Anointing of the Sick is available for anyone facing long-term illness, hospitalization or surgery and can be celebrated in the liturgy, at home or in a health care facility; a priest is always available after hours through the parish office's emergency line.
A Cluster Forged in a Pandemic
In March 2020 the two parishes of Transfiguration and St. Catherine of Siena began a relationship that has reshaped both of them. When public liturgies came to a sudden halt, neither parish was ready to livestream Mass, but Transfiguration had a YouTube account, and Fr. Mike Bausch at Transfiguration and Fr. Rob Bourcy at St. Catherine began broadcasting from Transfiguration for both communities. The arrangement that began as a stopgap continued for more than a year, and both parishes came to know both priests. In June 2021, when Fr. Mike transitioned to senior priest status, Fr. Rob was named pastor of both parishes. Most of the staff now serve both communities. Faith formation programs for children, youth and adults have merged into a single shared menu. Any activity at either church is open to parishioners of both churches. The Triduum in Holy Week is celebrated together, and the two parishes also gather for special services like Advent Evening Prayer. Each parish keeps its own personality, its own building and grounds, its own council, and its own outreach traditions; the broader pattern of parish life is shared, and parishioners are invited to belong to both.
Outreach: From the Gift Garden to El Salvador
The most literal embodiment of the parish's social ministry is the Don Cushing Memorial Gift Garden, a half-acre community garden behind the church's back parking lot. Volunteers till, plant and tend organically grown vegetables and flowers through the summer; in good years the harvest yields as much as a ton of produce, distributed to the Pittsford Food Cupboard, Blessed Sacrament, St. Joseph's House of Hospitality and other local ministries. Teen volunteers regularly earn community service hours there.
Twice monthly, teams of parishioners bring Communion to residents at Renaissance and at the Highlands of Pittsford, two senior living communities in the parish's neighborhood. The ministry is scheduled quarterly so each volunteer knows in advance when they will serve.
Twice a year the parish rallies around the local food cupboard network. On the first full weekend of every month, donations go to a rotating list of local food pantries, and a small crew of delivery drivers takes the goods from the church to the receiving organization. At Thanksgiving the parish collects turkeys and all the fixings, with well over a hundred turkeys typically gathered. The Christmas Basket Program is the parish's largest annual initiative, with more than 150 baskets of food and gifts prepared and distributed each December to local families and partner agencies such as St. Andrew's Food Cupboard, Sr. Regis Food Cupboard and Jordan Health Center. School supplies are gathered each July for children served by area agencies, and there are two seasonal clothing drives - a summer drive for gently used clothing and a winter drive for coats, hats, mittens, scarves, socks, boots and blankets - with donations distributed through Rochester Hope and the La Madonna della Strada Homeless Shelter.
The parish's Make-a-Meal Ministry pairs volunteer cooks with parishioners who are recovering from surgery, illness or the death of a loved one, providing a few nights of warm food. The Peanut Butter and Jelly Ministry makes sandwiches for a local homeless shelter, with volunteers scheduled twice a quarter to drop them off at the parish office. The Open Door Mission Collaborative picks up excess food from local stores and restaurants to share with food cupboards; two Transfiguration volunteers travel to the warehouse twice a quarter to deliver food to a scheduled ministry.
Two of the parish's longest-running commitments go further afield. The Kentucky Men's Retreat is an annual week in Boonville, Kentucky, where Transfiguration men work alongside other parishes to serve the poorest of the poor. The Global Solidarity Ministry has partnered with Food for the Poor for more than eleven years to support economic development projects in Central America, with current work focused on a multi-year relationship with the rural community of El Quebrado in the municipality of Jiquilisco, El Salvador. The relationship supports the construction of a community center for a town of about 290 families facing rising floods, droughts and food insecurity. Annual mission trips, generally held in February, immerse parishioners directly in the work.
Pastoral Care, Stewardship, and a Pastor's Blog
For all the activity that goes out into the wider community, the parish maintains a strong in-house pastoral care network. The Visitation Ministry brings Communion to homebound parishioners. The Good Samaritan Ministry pairs volunteer drivers with parishioners who find themselves temporarily without transportation to medical appointments or the grocery store. The Respite Ministry offers caregivers time away when a loved one's care becomes overwhelming. GriefShare runs in thirteen-week cycles on Wednesday afternoons in the Double Room of the Parish Life Center. Prayer Shawls are knitted and crocheted by parish volunteers and given to parishioners and others who need a tangible sign of prayerful support. The Parish Prayer Chain holds requests in strict confidence and prays for them privately.
A Parish Council made up of elected and at-large members from both parishes meets monthly, generally on a Wednesday evening at 7 pm, rotating between Transfiguration and St. Catherine; December and June meetings are kept as social gatherings for council members rather than as working meetings.
Stewardship at Transfiguration runs through weekly envelopes, online giving via the parish's Pushpay platform, and EFT for those who prefer direct bank drafts. Restricted funds support the parish's Kentucky Men's Retreat, the Global Solidarity Mission in El Salvador, the parish's local outreach fund, the Gift Garden and a Memorial Gifts fund. Financial administration is shared with the Diocese of Rochester through a regional finance team.
Fr. Rob writes a short weekly column that goes out by email and is posted to the parish's website each weekend. In it he reflects on the Sunday Gospel, marks the rhythms of the seasons, comments on parish life and the wider Church, and remembers the people in the pews by name. The columns are stored on the parish website as a rolling archive, alongside Pastoral Council minutes, the bulletin, the weekly email, and the parish calendar.
"Lord, How Good It Is for Us to Be Here"
For all the structure, the parish at its heart is a particular kind of community, marked by the same verse that hangs over its history. Children cry in the pews. Coffee and donuts are served after the 8:45 Mass through the fall, winter and spring. The Gift Garden grows food for the hungry in the parking lot behind the church. The Spirit rolls in, in person and online, in the bright sanctuary with all its windows and out into a global ministry that has sent parishioners to Kentucky and to El Salvador. The Church of the Transfiguration in Pittsford takes its name from a moment on a mountaintop when three disciples saw Jesus glorified. The parish, in its own way, has been climbing its own small mountain since 1983.