Hungry for prayer? OLGC in Endicott offers a drive-thru for that

By Connie McKinney
Contributing writer

Traffic whizzed past Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Endicott on a recent spring evening as a small group of people stood outside the church and prayed the Rosary.

A silver SUV pulled into the church parking lot. Deacon Paul Heiland, who was leading the group, asked the driver if she wanted a prayer.

“Who doesn’t need a prayer?” she said.

The driver asked that the Lord bring her adult children back to the Church. She was one of a handful of people who attended the church’s monthly drive-through prayer in this spring. Anyone can pull into the church’s parking lot and request a prayer. People can stay in their vehicles or park and get out of their vehicles. Walkers, joggers, and anyone passing by can ask for a prayer, too.

The drive-thru prayer event is an outgrowth of the “Cyrenian Way,” Heiland said. Father Jason Hage, author of the book “The Cyrenian Way: Spiritual Poverty and the Art of Accompaniment,” came to the church two years ago to lead a mission about the Cyrenian Way. Hage also serves as pastor of Mary, Mother of Our Savior Parish in New Hartford and Utica.

In 2025, Kelly Colangelo, a national speaker and retreat leader, visited the church, Heiland said. She noticed that the church had an easy drive-in and drive-out parking lot and was located along busy Main Street in Endicott, also state Route 17C. She suggested the church start a drive-thru prayer ministry.

The drive-thru prayer ministry started in September, Heiland said.

“We will go out and pray for all the cars that are driving by,” he said. “We aren’t flagging people in. They come in if they want to come in. We pray for whatever needs they have.”

The group hands out miraculous medals to those stopping for prayer, Heiland said.

Since the ministry started last year, a variety of prayer requests have been made. Heiland said one time, the mother of a family who lost everything to a fire stopped by for prayer.

“We have prayed over people who have had cancer,” he said.

On this evening, two adult sisters walking by stopped and asked for prayers for their 99-year-old mother. Heads bowed, hands folded, and voices murmured as the group prayed for the mother.

Another deacon from Our Lady of Good Counsel, Deacon Michael Carroll, was on his way to conduct a holy hour at the church. He stopped and asked for prayers for a new family joining the church.

Usually, less than 10 people stop and ask for prayer, Heiland said.

“We don’t expect to get a hundred people coming through here,” he said. “It’s just a matter of helping people.”

His wife, Regina, also a member of the apostolate, agreed.

“It’s not in the numbers,” she said. “If there’s one soul that we can ease their burden, that’s wonderful.”

Sometimes, the group prays for people going to church events held at the same time as the drive-thru prayer. Kelly Woods, another member of the group, said she enjoyed praying for a Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) basketball team practicing in the gym.

“It was great to be with the young kids,” she said. “Just to have that time with them was really special.”

Other members of the apostolate include Kathy Hamilton, Anthony Martone, John Howell, and Frank Malla, Heiland said.

People who stopped for prayers months ago remain on the group’s prayer list, Heiland said.

“We still continue to pray for everyone that comes through,” he said. “They’re still in our hearts and minds.”