About Blessed Mary Angela Parish, St. Hyacinth site · Dunkirk, New York
Blessed Mary Angela Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Dunkirk, New York, part of the Diocese of Buffalo. Formed in 2008 through the merger of the historic Polish-heritage parishes of St. Hyacinth and St. Hedwig, it was renamed in honor of Blessed Mary Angela Truszkowska (1825–1899), the Polish foundress of the Felician Sisters, after a local parishioner's 1984 miraculous cure through her intercession helped lead to her 1993 beatification. The parish today operates as part of the diocese's 'Lord's Vineyard' (Family #3) grouping and worships principally at St. Hyacinth Church on Lake Shore Drive East, after the closure of St. Hedwig on June 8, 2025.
- Established
- 2008
- Patron
- Blessed Mary Angela Truszkowska (Foundress of the Felician Sisters)
- Rector
- Rev. Robert J. Owczarczak
- Diocese
- Diocese of Buffalo
Why belong here
Blessed Mary Angela Parish offers Catholics in Dunkirk a unique spiritual home centered on Eucharistic devotion, Marian prayer, and a strong Polish-Catholic heritage. The community gathers for weekday and Sunday Mass at St. Hyacinth Church, with weekly Thursday Eucharistic Adoration and confessions, and it nurtures a special devotion to Blessed Mary Angela Truszkowska — the Felician foundress and the only parish in the world named in her honor, rooted in a local miracle. Belonging here means joining a parish family that has lived its patroness's call to prayer, outreach to the needy, and passing the Gospel to the next generation.
Mass times at Blessed Mary Angela Parish, St. Hyacinth site
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 5:00–6:00 PM (St. Hyacinth)
- Any time upon request
Adoration times
- Thursday 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Eucharistic Adoration at St. Hyacinth)
Parish Identity & Heritage
Blessed Mary Angela Parish is one of the most distinctive Catholic parishes in the United States — it is the only parish in the world named after Blessed Mary Angela Truszkowska, foundress of the Felician Sisters. The parish carries the unmistakable imprint of Dunkirk's Polish-American Catholic community, having been formed in 2008 from the merger of two of the city's oldest Polish parishes: St. Hyacinth in the First Ward and St. Hedwig in the Fourth Ward (Gorki Hills). The parish is part of the Diocese of Buffalo's 'The Lord's Vineyard' / Family #3 grouping, sharing pastors and staff with Holy Trinity, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and the Fredonia parishes.
- Parish Name: Blessed Mary Angela (named 2008)
- Type: Roman Catholic (Roman Rite)
- Diocese: Buffalo
- Family: The Lord's Vineyard / Family #3
- Parish ID (GCatholic): 17750
History of the Merging Parishes
The parish's history stretches back to 1902, when Polish immigrants in Dunkirk's Fourth Ward petitioned Bishop Charles Colton for a parish of their own. That request became St. Hedwig Parish, with Rev. Peter Szulc as first pastor; the parish built successive churches, a school staffed by Felician Sisters, and in 1973 a modern church dedicated by Bishop Edward Head. The older sister parish of St. Hyacinth in the First Ward had sponsored St. Hedwig's founding decades earlier.
- 1902 — St. Hedwig Parish founded (Rev. Peter Szulc)
- 1907 — Brick church-school completed
- 1973 — Current St. Hedwig Church dedicated by Bishop Edward Head
- June 2008 — St. Hyacinth and St. Hedwig merged into one parish
- September 15, 2008 — Bishop Kmiec names the merged parish after Blessed Mary Angela
- October 11, 2008 — Opening Mass for the newly named parish
The Miracle of Lillian Halasinski & Connection to Mother Angela
The parish's patroness connection is rooted in a local miracle. In 1984, St. Hyacinth parishioner Lillian Halasinski was suffering from incurable diabetic neuropathy in her left leg when she prayed to Mother Mary Angela Truszkowska; her leg was instantaneously and permanently healed. That miracle was the one accepted by the Church for Mother Angela's beatification, which Pope John Paul II celebrated in 1993. Every year the parish honors that gift with a Triduum of prayer and teaching leading to her October 10 feast day, including veneration of her relic and Marian devotions.
- 1984 — Healing of Lillian Halasinski
- 1993 — Beatification of Mother Angela Truszkowska by Pope John Paul II
- October 10 — Annual feast of Blessed Mary Angela
- Annual Triduum at St. Hyacinth Lyceum and (formerly) St. Hedwig
Worship Sites & the Road to Renewal
From 2008 to 2025 the parish worshiped at two Dunkirk sites: St. Hyacinth on Lake Shore Drive East and St. Hedwig on Townsend/Doughty Street. Under the Diocese of Buffalo's 'Road to Renewal' reorganization announced in 2024, St. Hedwig Church celebrated its final Mass on June 8, 2025, and St. Hyacinth is scheduled to close on February 15, 2026. Until then, regular Masses, adoration, and confessions are centered at St. Hyacinth, with sacramental life continuing through Family #3 parishes.
- St. Hyacinth Worship Site — 295 Lake Shore Dr. E., Dunkirk
- St. Hedwig Worship Site — 324 Townsend St., Dunkirk (final Mass June 8, 2025)
- Family #3 remaining parishes: Holy Trinity, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Clergy & Parish Staff
Blessed Mary Angela Parish is served by the priests of Family #3 ('The Lord's Vineyard'), with Rev. Robert J. Owczarczak as pastor and Rev. Stephen Soares as parochial vicar, assisted by senior parochial vicars Rev. Daniel F. Fiebelkorn and Rev. Joseph A. Walter. Lay staff include business manager Rick Donovan and religious education coordinators JoAnn Catalano and Natalie Hoebener. Felician Sisters — including Sr. M. Rachel Mikolajczak (pastoral associate) and Sr. Cynthia Kilian (Mission Integration Coordinator for the Cause of Canonization of Blessed Mary Angela) — provide ongoing spiritual leadership.
- Pastor: Rev. Robert J. Owczarczak
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Stephen Soares
- Senior Parochial Vicars: Rev. Daniel F. Fiebelkorn, Rev. Joseph A. Walter
- Business Manager: Rick Donovan
- Religious Education: JoAnn Catalano, Natalie Hoebener
- Felician Sisters — Sr. Cynthia Kilian, Sr. M. Rachel Mikolajczak
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation for children and adults is coordinated across Family #3 by JoAnn Catalano and Natalie Hoebener, with sacramental preparation for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, and Marriage coordinated through the parish office. Adult initiation (RCIA) and ongoing faith formation are offered through the Family #3 parish family, and catechetical materials often incorporate the spirituality of Blessed Mary Angela and the Felician charism of humble service.
- Family #3 Religious Education
- RCIA / adult initiation
- Sacramental preparation (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation)
- Marriage preparation
Devotions & Special Observances
The parish's devotional life centers on Blessed Mary Angela and the Eucharist. The annual Triduum of Blessed Mary Angela is held October 7, 9, and 10 each year, with presentations by Sr. Cynthia Kilian on themes such as 'Living in the Present Moment,' 'Love of Neighbor: Come Into Life,' and 'Behold Your Mother,' concluding on the feast day itself with Marian hymns, Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, and veneration of the Relic of Blessed Mary Angela. Lenten Stations of the Cross use excerpts from Mother Angela's personal writings.
- Annual Triduum of Blessed Mary Angela (Oct. 7, 9, 10)
- Wednesday Mother Angela prayer and discussion group
- Lenten Stations of the Cross from Mother Angela's writings
- Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament on the feast day
Outreach & Community Life
Outreach to the homebound, needy, neglected, and undesirable has been a stated mission of the parish since its founding, drawing directly on Blessed Mary Angela's lifelong work among the poor and sick. The parish hosts an annual Fall Chicken Barbecue, and its Polish heritage is celebrated each year at the October feast day Mass and reception (historically with the Wallace Farina Band). The parish also runs the Blessed Mary Angela Prayer Line, coordinated by Sr. Cynthia Kilian, which has received more than 2,000 prayer requests.
- Blessed Mary Angela Prayer Line (Sr. Cynthia Kilian, 716-892-4141 ext. 222)
- Outreach to the homebound and needy
- Annual Fall Chicken Barbecue
- Polish heritage celebrations
Visiting & Contact
Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed at the St. Hyacinth Worship Site, 295 Lake Shore Drive East, Dunkirk. The parish office can be reached by phone at (716) 366-2306 (with a secondary line at 716-366-2307) or by email at [email protected]. Sacramental records requests are handled at 716-366-2306. Mailing address is 1030 Central Ave., Dunkirk, NY 14048. As the parish enters the final months of its worship site, sacramental life continues across Family #3 parishes; visitors are encouraged to call ahead for current schedules.
- Parish Office: (716) 366-2306
- Secondary: (716) 366-2307
- Email: [email protected]
- Mailing: 1030 Central Ave., Dunkirk, NY 14048
- Family #3 website: thelordsvineyard3.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Peter Szulc1902
First pastor of St. Hedwig Parish, which later merged into Blessed Mary Angela
- Fr. Czeslaw Krysa2008–c.2010
Led the 2008 merger of St. Hyacinth and St. Hedwig and the renaming after Blessed Mary Angela; spearheaded prayer and evangelization efforts around the new patroness.
- Fr. Matt (Mieczyslaw) Nycz2010–2016
Served as pastor; later returned as administrator at Ss. Peter & Paul, Williamsville.
- Rev. Robert J. Owczarczak2023–present
Appointed by Bishop Michael W. Fisher as pastor of Family #3 ('The Lord's Vineyard'), which includes Blessed Mary Angela Parish.