About Blessed Mary Angela Parish, St. Hedwig site · Dunkirk, New York
Blessed Mary Angela Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Dunkirk, New York, formed in 2008 when two historic Polish-heritage parishes — St. Hyacinth and St. Hedwig — were merged by the Diocese of Buffalo. The parish is named for Blessed Mary Angela Truszkowska (1825–1899), the Polish foundress of the Felician Sisters, and was the first parish in the world to take her name. It is part of "The Lord's Vineyard" (Family #3), a family of parishes serving northern Chautauqua County, with its principal worship site at St. Hyacinth Church on Lake Shore Drive East. St. Hedwig Church at 324 Townsend Street closed on June 8, 2025 as part of the diocese's 'Road to Renewal' restructuring.
- Established
- 2008
- Patron
- Blessed Mary Angela Truszkowska
- Rector
- Rev. Robert J. Owczarczak
- Diocese
- Diocese of Buffalo
Why belong here
Blessed Mary Angela Parish is the spiritual home of Western New York's Polish Catholic heritage in Dunkirk, honoring a foundress of the Felician Sisters as its patroness. With weekday and Sunday Masses celebrated at St. Hyacinth Church, Thursday Eucharistic Adoration (4–6 p.m.) and regular Confessions, plus faith formation coordinated by JoAnn Catalano and Natalie Hoebener, the parish welcomes 356 registered families into a close-knit community. As part of The Lord's Vineyard family of parishes, members can attend Mass at any of the family's worship sites while supporting their home parish through envelopes.
Mass times at Blessed Mary Angela Parish, St. Hedwig site
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 5:00 p.m.–5:45 p.m. (St. Hyacinth)
- By request at any time
Adoration times
- Thursday 8:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m. (St. Hyacinth)
- Thursday 8:30 a.m.–6:45 p.m. (St. Hyacinth, ending with Benediction)
Parish History
Blessed Mary Angela Parish was formed in 2008 when the Diocese of Buffalo merged two historic Polish-American parishes in Dunkirk, St. Hyacinth and St. Hedwig, in response to declining clergy numbers. The following year it became the first parish in the world named for Blessed Mary Angela Truszkowska, foundress of the Felician Sisters.
- 1902 — Polish immigrants in Dunkirk's Fourth Ward petition Bishop Charles Colton for a new church; Rev. P. Szulc appointed first pastor
- 1902–1905 — Original provisional St. Hedwig Church
- 1905 — Second, more permanent St. Hedwig Church built
- 1973 — Current St. Hedwig Church completed and dedicated by Bishop Edward Head
- 2008 — St. Hedwig and St. Hyacinth parishes merged into Blessed Mary Angela Parish
- Sept. 15, 2009 — Bishop Edward U. Kmiec grants the new patroness; 82% of parishioners vote in favor of the name
- Oct. 11, 2009 — Opening Mass celebrated on the day after Blessed Mary Angela's feast day (Oct. 10)
- March 8, 2023 — Parish joins 'The Lord's Vineyard' (Family #3) under Bishop Michael W. Fisher
- June 8, 2025 — St. Hedwig Church hosts its final Mass; bell moved to St. Hedwig Cemetery
Patron: Blessed Mary Angela Truszkowska
The parish is named for Blessed Mary Angela Truszkowska (1825–1899), a Polish nun and foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Felix of Cantalice (the Felician Sisters). She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1993. Her feast day is October 10, and her image and story are honored throughout the parish. Sr. M. Rachel Mikolajczak, CSSF, served as pastoral associate and led a Wednesday Mother Angela prayer and discussion group. The parish's devotion is rooted in part in the 1984 miraculous cure from neuropathy of parishioner Lillian Halasinski, which advanced Mother Angela's cause for beatification.
- Sophia Camille Truszkowska (1825–1899)
- Founder of the Felician Sisters (Sisters of St. Felix of Cantalice)
- Beatified by Pope John Paul II, 1993
- Feast day: October 10
- Pastoral associate: Sr. M. Rachel Mikolajczak, CSSF
Worship Sites
The parish has historically operated at two worship sites in Dunkirk. Following the Diocese of Buffalo's 'Road to Renewal,' St. Hedwig Church at 324 Townsend Street was closed after a final Mass on June 8, 2025; the bell was moved to St. Hedwig Cemetery. St. Hyacinth Church at 295 Lake Shore Drive East, facing Lake Erie, remains the principal worship site.
- St. Hyacinth Church — 295 Lake Shore Dr. E., Dunkirk (principal worship site)
- St. Hedwig Church — 324 Townsend St., Dunkirk (closed June 8, 2025)
- St. Hedwig Cemetery — bell relocated here from St. Hedwig Church
- Mailing address: 1030 Central Ave., Dunkirk, NY 14048
Clergy & Staff
Blessed Mary Angela Parish is served by the priests of The Lord's Vineyard (Family #3), with Father Robert J. Owczarczak as pastor since March 8, 2023. Business operations and faith formation are supported by a small parish staff.
- Rev. Robert J. Owczarczak — Pastor
- Rev. Stephen Soares — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Daniel F. Fiebelkorn — Senior Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Joseph A. Walter — Senior Parochial Vicar
- Rick Donovan — Business Manager
- JoAnn Catalano — Religious Education Coordinator
- Natalie Hoebener — Religious Education Coordinator
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious education for parish children and families is coordinated through The Lord's Vineyard family of parishes, with two coordinators serving Blessed Mary Angela and neighboring parishes.
- Religious Education Coordinators: JoAnn Catalano and Natalie Hoebener
- Sacramental preparation through the parish office
- Coordinates with Northern Chautauqua Catholic School and other family programs
The Lord's Vineyard (Family #3)
Since March 8, 2023, Blessed Mary Angela Parish has been part of The Lord's Vineyard, Family #3 of the Diocese of Buffalo's 'Road to Renewal' initiative. The family groups several parishes in northern Chautauqua County under shared clergy and staff, allowing parishioners to attend Mass at any site while contributing to their home parish.
- Blessed Mary Angela Parish — Dunkirk (St. Hyacinth worship site)
- Holy Trinity — Dunkirk (1032 Central Ave.)
- St. Elizabeth Ann Seton — Dunkirk (328 Washington Ave.)
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel — Silver Creek/Forestville (165 Central Ave.)
- St. Anthony — Fredonia
- St. Joseph — Fredonia
- Family email: [email protected]
- Family phone: 716-366-2306
Sacraments & Contact
The parish offers the seven sacraments in coordination with its sister parishes in The Lord's Vineyard. The parish office is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and sacramental records are maintained at the parish office.
- Parish office phone: (716) 366-2306
- Parish fax: (716) 366-4738
- Email: [email protected]
- Sacramental records: 716-366-2306
- Mailing address: 1030 Central Ave., Dunkirk, NY 14048
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. P. Szulc1902–
First pastor of St. Hedwig's, appointed when Polish immigrants in Dunkirk's Fourth Ward petitioned Bishop Charles Colton for a new church.
- Rev. Czeslaw Krysa
Pastor at the 2008 merger of St. Hyacinth and St. Hedwig; led the campaign to name the merged parish after Blessed Mary Angela Truszkowska; traveled to her shrine at the Kraków motherhouse in Poland.
- Rev. Jan Trelabefore 2023
Served as pastor of Blessed Mary Angela Parish before the Family #3 reorganization; reassigned as senior parochial vicar of The Lord's Vineyard in March 2023.
- Rev. Robert J. OwczarczakMarch 8, 2023–present
Appointed pastor of Family #3 parishes including Blessed Mary Angela by Bishop Michael W. Fisher; concelebrated St. Hedwig's final Mass on June 8, 2025.