About Alumni Chapel, Niagara University · Lewiston, New York
Alumni Chapel, formally known as Sacred Heart Chapel, is the principal Catholic worship space of Niagara University, situated on the second floor of historic Alumni Hall in Lewiston, New York. It is served by the university's Office of Mission and Ministry and staffed by Vincentian priests (Congregation of the Mission, C.M.), the religious order founded by St. Vincent de Paul that has sponsored Niagara since 1856. The chapel hosts daily and Sunday Mass during the academic year, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, retreats, and a wide range of faith-formation and service programs rooted in the Catholic and Vincentian tradition. While it is primarily a campus ministry chapel, Alumni Chapel warmly welcomes students, faculty, staff, alumni, and visitors of all faith backgrounds to its liturgies and to private prayer.
- Established
- 1888 (Alumni Hall completed; chapel located on second floor — though the formal dedication as Sacred Heart Chapel dates to the most recent major renovations in 1987)
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus (formal dedication of the chapel during the post-1987 renovation); the chapel's apse houses a second chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Joseph Hubbert, C.M. (University Chaplain); Rev. Gregory J. Semeniuk, C.M. (Vice President for Mission and Ministry)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Buffalo
Why belong here
Alumni Chapel is the spiritual heart of Niagara University: an open, welcoming Catholic worship space staffed by Vincentian priests who celebrate daily and Sunday Mass, hear confessions weekly, and accompany students and the wider Niagara community through retreats, service immersions, and faith formation. As a chapel rooted in the Vincentian tradition of St. Vincent de Paul, it invites everyone — students, faculty, staff, alumni, and visiting family — to participate in the Eucharist and the sacramental life of the Church, or simply to step inside for quiet prayer in a space at the center of campus life.
Mass times at Alumni Chapel, Niagara University
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesdays 4:30 p.m. in Alumni Chapel during the spring and fall semesters
- By appointment — call 716-286-8400
About Alumni Chapel
Alumni Chapel, formally Sacred Heart Chapel, is the principal Catholic worship space of Niagara University, located on the second floor of Alumni Hall in Lewiston, New York. It is part of Niagara's Vincentian heritage and is served by priests of the Congregation of the Mission (C.M.). The Office of Mission and Ministry opens the chapel to all students, faculty, staff, alumni, and visitors for liturgies and for private prayer throughout the day. The chapel is rooted in the Catholic and Vincentian tradition, welcoming people of all faith backgrounds.
- Located on the second floor of Alumni Hall, 5795 Lewiston Road, Lewiston, NY 14109
- Formally known as Sacred Heart Chapel
- Served by Vincentian priests (C.M.)
- Open to all for prayer and worship
History of Alumni Hall and the Chapel
Construction of Alumni Hall began in 1874 and was completed in 1888; it is the second-oldest building on campus. The structure was gutted by fires in 1898 and 1913 — both times, the university's alumni financed restoration, which is the source of its name. The post-1913 reconstruction was delayed by World War I and completed in 1919. Major interior renovations followed in 1976 and again in 1977–1978 (reopening in April 1978), and a further renovation in 1987 led to the chapel's formal dedication as Sacred Heart Chapel, alongside a second chapel in the apse dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
- 1874 — construction begins
- 1888 — Alumni Hall completed
- 1898 — first major fire
- 1913 — second major fire; alumni again fund the restoration
- 1919 — post-WWI reconstruction completed
- 1976 — first modern interior renovation
- 1977–1978 — second renovation (reopened April 1978)
- 1987 — interior renovation; chapel formally dedicated as Sacred Heart Chapel; apse chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Mass and Sacramental Schedule
Alumni Chapel is the setting for the regular liturgical schedule at Niagara University. Mass is offered on weekdays and Sundays during the academic year, with a single Sunday morning Mass during summer and semester breaks. The Office of Campus Ministry also schedules the Sacrament of Reconciliation and accepts Mass intentions.
- Sunday Mass (academic year) — 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
- Sunday Mass (summer) — 10:00 a.m.
- Weekday Mass (academic year) — Monday through Friday, 12:15 p.m.
- Reconciliation — Wednesdays 4:30 p.m. during the spring and fall semesters, or by appointment
- No Mass on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day (due to priest availability)
- Mass Intentions accepted; usual offering $15 (no one is turned away)
- To schedule sacraments: 716-286-8400
Liturgical and Prayer Life
The Office of Mission and Ministry centers the spiritual life of the university around the celebration of the Eucharist, the sacrament of Reconciliation, retreats, and opportunities for personal prayer. Alumni Chapel is described as open to all students for private prayer throughout the day, evening, and on weekends — and 24-hour access can be arranged upon request.
- Weekly bulletin outlining programs and Mass schedules available in the chapel and Gallagher Center
- Retreats throughout each semester (overnight, evening, weekend)
- Spiritual direction and pastoral counseling available
- Daily Mass intentions accepted
Campus Ministry Staff
The Office of Mission and Ministry at Niagara University is staffed by Vincentian priests, professional lay ministers, and administrative support, serving the spiritual and religious needs of the university community from offices on the lower level of the Gallagher Center.
- Rev. Gregory J. Semeniuk, C.M. — Vice President for Mission and Ministry
- Rev. Joseph Hubbert, C.M. — University Chaplain
- Rev. Gregory P. Cozzubbo, C.M. — Campus Minister
- Michael Rogers — Director of Campus Ministry
- Mikayla Fulton — Campus Minister
Office Hours
Campus Ministry office hours vary between the academic year and summer sessions, while the chapel itself remains available for private prayer throughout the day.
- Academic Year — Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- Summer — Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.; Friday, 8:30 a.m. – noon
- Chapel access for private prayer — including 24-hour access upon request
Programs, Retreats, and Service
Guided by the pillars of community, prayer, and Vincentian service, Campus Ministry offers a wide array of formation programs, retreats, and service opportunities, including signature initiatives such as the Vincentian Immersion Program (VIP), B.A.S.I.C. service-immersion trips, and Hunger Awareness Week.
- Vincentian Immersion Program (VIP) — introduction to service for incoming freshmen
- B.A.S.I.C. (Brothers and Sisters in Christ) — service immersion trips during semester breaks
- Retreats — overnight, evening, and weekend options throughout each semester
- Hunger Awareness Week — campus-wide focus on poverty and response
- Spiritual direction and pastoral counseling
- Service engagements — local and global
Vincentian Heritage
Niagara University was founded in 1856 by the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians) and first chartered in 1861 as a seminary. The university's Catholic and Vincentian identity continues to shape Alumni Chapel and its ministry: it draws inspiration from St. Vincent de Paul's example of organizing contemporaries to respond compassionately to people's basic needs, and it welcomes students of all faiths while encouraging Catholic students to deepen their Catholic identity and participate actively in the life of the Church.
- Founded 1856 by the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians)
- Chartered as a seminary in 1861; rechartered as a university in 1883
- St. Vincent de Paul is the patron of charitable deeds — the inspiration for Niagara's service-learning tradition
- Chapel and Campus Ministry staffed by Vincentian priests (C.M.)
Visit and Contact
Anyone wishing to attend Mass, schedule a sacrament, request a Mass intention, or simply visit the chapel for private prayer is warmly invited to contact the Office of Mission and Ministry.
- Phone: 716-286-8400
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: Niagara University, N.Y. 14109 (Alumni Hall, second floor)
- Office locations: lower level of the Gallagher Center and the first floor of Seton Hall
- Social: Facebook @Vincentians.NU and Twitter @NUMinistry