Heart Speaks to Heart on Roxboro Road
St. Margaret's Church sits along a leafy stretch of Roxboro Road in Mattydale, a hamlet just north of the city of Syracuse in Onondaga County. The Roman Catholic parish has welcomed worshippers from the 13211 zip code and surrounding neighborhoods for almost a hundred years. Its motto, "Heart Speaks to Heart," captures the parish's simple aim of connecting each person who walks through the doors with God and with one another.
The parish community centers its life on the Eucharist. Mass is celebrated every day of the week, with a Saturday vigil and a Sunday morning service drawing the largest gatherings. Weekday Masses are held Monday through Friday mornings, and a Saturday afternoon hour of Confession is offered every week of the year.
Mass and Confession
Saturday vigil Mass is at 5:15 pm, and Sunday Mass is at 9:15 am. Weekday Masses are celebrated Monday through Friday at 8:15 am. Confessions are heard on Saturdays from 4:00 to 5:00 pm in the church. During Lent, an additional hour of Confession is offered on Wednesdays from 5:30 to 6:30 pm, paired with Eucharistic Adoration. On days when North Syracuse public and parochial schools close for weather in the morning, daily Mass is also cancelled.
Faith Formation and the Sacraments
A full sacramental life runs through the parish year. Faith Formation classes meet for students in grades 1 through 8 on Monday evenings from 6:30 to 7:30 pm and are designed to help families nurture Christ-centered lives in their children. First Sacrament classes are offered as a separate registration and meet in addition to the regular Faith Formation classes.
Parents preparing for the Baptism of an infant attend a Pre-Baptism class before the celebration; Baptisms are scheduled on Sundays at noon. First Communion preparation combines classroom instruction with a liturgical, experiential approach meant to deepen the children's understanding of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. First Reconciliation preparation includes small-group sessions where children explore Christian values and identity. Confirmation is a two-year program open to high-school-age youth in grade 9 and above who are registered parishioners and have either completed junior-high Faith Formation or attended parochial school.
Couples preparing for Marriage are asked to call the parish office at least six months before the wedding. Adults who have not been baptized enter the Church through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, a process of study, prayer, and rites at Mass. The parish's stated vision is to be a worshipping community with a vibrant prayer life, celebrating the Sacraments and meaningful liturgies and being a community of service sensitive to the needs of others, evangelizing and spreading the "Good News" to all people.
Serving the 13211: Human Development
The parish's Human Development office is one of the most visible works of the parish in the wider Mattydale community. The program is supported by the diocesan HOPE Appeal and exists to cultivate Catholic leadership, advance social justice, and empower parish communities.
The food pantry is open Monday through Thursday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Clients must reside in the 13211 zip code and may use the pantry once per month, receiving food for three meals over three days for each family member. Counseling is also available to help clients enroll in SNAP and WIC programs.
Liturgical Ministries
Many of the parish's ministries gather around the altar. Altar Servers, drawn from students in grade 3 through high school, assist the priest at Mass and at other liturgical celebrations. Lectors proclaim the Word of God at Mass, while Extraordinary Ministers of Communion assist the priest and deacon in distributing holy Communion. The Welcoming Ministry greets the assembly as worshippers arrive, helps seat those who need it, and receives the financial gifts of the community. The Liturgical Committee meets six times a year to plan the parish's liturgies and to decorate the church for special celebrations.
The Music Ministry is a multi-generational group of singers, instrumentalists, and cantors who lead the parish's sung prayer under the direction of the music director.
Parish Life Beyond Sunday
A network of small communities and outreach groups gives the parish its daily shape. The Altar Rosary Society invites all women of the parish to continue its mission of caring for the sanctuary and promoting devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary; the society meets on the third week of the month from September through May.
The Youth Group welcomes students in grades 6 through 12 for service to the community and spiritual growth in a relaxed setting. A Men's Group gathers for fellowship, prayer, and spiritual study under the leadership of the pastoral associate. The Bereavement Ministry walks with families through the planning of the funeral liturgy after the loss of a loved one, and the Visitors Ministry keeps the parish connected to homebound parishioners through visits, holy Communion, cards, and phone calls.
Other groups fill out the life of the parish. The Health Ministry offers blood pressure checks and health information after Mass. The Hospitality Committee organizes events that welcome members of the broader community and promote fellowship. The Parish Council, made up of nominated members of the parish, serves as an advisory and consultative body to the pastor. A Planning and Fundraising Committee coordinates the events and appeals that sustain the parish's mission.
Pastoral Leadership
The parish is served by Bishop Douglas Lucia as pastor, with Rev. Paschal Anionye serving as parochial vicar. Deacon David Losito serves as pastoral associate. Sheila Stone directs Youth Ministry and serves as Interim Faith Formation leader. Michael Stephan directs the music program. Donna Skrocki leads the Human Development office.
The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm and can be reached at (315) 455-5534. The church stands at 200 Roxboro Road in Mattydale, a Roman Catholic community whose people have been gathering under the name of St. Margaret for nearly a century and whose life still centers, as the parish mission statement puts it, on growing in the love and service of God and one another.