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St. Benedict’S cHaPel
Parish activity at Odessa’s St. Benedict’s Chapel got off
to a very humble start in 1948, when religious-education classes were instituted in a cleaned-out chicken coop.
From that start, a small but determined parish community strove to establish a permanent worship facility, and the rst Mass took place in St. Benedict’s new chapel on Christmas Day 1955. The parish for Catholics in southern Schuyler County, located at 304 Speedway Road, was named in honor
of its founding pastor, Father Benedict Ehmann.
St. Benedict’s basement chapel served as its worship site for several years until an upper church was nally completed in late 1964, following many efforts by parishioners to raise construction funds. The dedication Mass took place April 4, 1965, with Lawrence B. Casey, then auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Rochester and soon to become bishop of Paterson, N.J., as celebrant.
On Jan. 7, 2006 – the Feast of the Epiphany – the church held a golden-jubilee liturgy celebrated by Bishop Matthew H. Clark, who was joined by several priests and deacons with ties to the parish. Many founding members were in attendance that day as well. The Mass was followed by a reception featuring a historical display of pictures and other memorabilia.
For much of its existence, St. Benedict’s has shared a pastor with St. Mary of the Lake Parish in Watkins Glen, located ve miles to the west. As the only two Catholic parishes in Schuyler County, they are known as the Schuyler Catholic Community cluster.
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