St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church has been serving the spiritual, sacramental, liturgical and other needs of the Catholic community in and around the Smithtown area of Suffolk County on the north shore of Long Island, located midway between New York City and the eastern tip of Long Island.
The parish first took root in the Hauppauge/Smithtown area in the mid-1830’s. From the first few foundng Catholic families, the parish began to grow rapidly. Mass was first held, very much like the earliest Christians almost 2000 years ago, in local farmhouses. To read more about the history of our parish please visit our parish history pages.
Originally a ‘mission church”, St. Patrick’s became a full parish in 1952, and moved onto our current location in 1966. The new location provided ample space for a church, rectory, school, convent, athletic fields and ample parking to accomodate the needs of the ever growing number of new suburban families moving to Smithtown.
Currently, the parish supports a vibrant community and offers many services to our parishioners and neighbors. Msgr. Elsworth Walden is our current pastor. He and the associate priests provide the parish with excellent pastor care along with all the staff at the rectory, the nerve hub of the parish. Other priests living at the rectory, serve as chaplains at St. Catherine’s Hospitial in Smithtown, and area nursing homes.
Parish Outreach, also housed in the rectory, provides for the phyiscal, emotional and spiritual needs of all who are in need. If there is a need for food and household supplies, or support after the loss of a loved one, or support and encouragement to meet the challenge overcoming addictions -- Outreach is there.
Education of our children is a primary goal at St. Patrick parish. The Sisters of St. Joseph took up residence in convent during the 1960s and transformed our then new school building into a a center for scholastic and spritual learning. The school building also housed our church (in the current gymnasium) for many decades until the stand-alone church could be completed in 2003. This sharing of space has formed a close bond between the school and the parishioners that contiunes to exist and flourish to this day. The school teaches children from pre-K to 8th grade.
Our Religious Formation Center, housed in a section of the convent building, located behind the school building, imparts our faith to all the children of the parish who do not attend St. Patrick School. They take their teaching ministry very seriously as they guide our young ones through the sacraments a firm understanding of our faith, and a deeper love of our Lord.
The school also houses a vibrant Youth Community. The Youth office can be found at the old church entrance, the doors under the large main gable of the school building. The Youth Community serves the needs of all our children. Programs exist for every age group ranging from babies to high schoolers. Over 3000 children are served by this ministry which strives to have them grow in their knowledge and experience the love of Christ.
Pleaes take some time and explore our wonderful and growing parish as we join together in worshiping and praising our Lord, Jesus Christ.
