About Most Precious Blood · Angola, New York
Most Precious Blood is a Roman Catholic parish in the village of Angola, New York, founded in 1871 and now part of the Lakeshore Catholic Faith Community (Family #29) within the Diocese of Buffalo. The parish, named in honor of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ, currently ministers to about 928 registered families and offers daily and Sunday Masses from its church at 22 Prospect Street. It is pastored by Rev. Timothy Koester alongside parochial vicars, deacons, and lay staff who serve the Angola, Farnham, and surrounding southern Erie County communities.
- Established
- 1871
- Patron
- The Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ
- Rector
- Rev. Timothy Koester
- Diocese
- Diocese of Buffalo (Lakeshore Catholic Faith Community / Family #29)
Why belong here
Most Precious Blood offers the rhythms of an old, small-town Catholic parish — daily Mass in its chapel, a Saturday Vigil and two Sunday Masses, Tuesday-evening Confessions, a Wednesday Holy Hour, monthly Parish Family Breakfasts hosted by the Holy Name Society, and a handicap-accessible Prayer Garden dedicated to Our Lady of the Lake. As part of the multi-parish Lakeshore Catholic Faith Community, parishioners share resources with nearby parishes (including faith formation, OCIA, and devotional events such as the National Night of Prayer for Life) without losing the close-knit feel of Angola. With Holy Cross Cemetery on site, an on-line giving option, and a children's room off the vestibule, the parish is set up to welcome families, retirees, and visitors alike.
Mass times at Most Precious Blood
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (Most Precious Blood)
- By appointment (call the Family Office at 716-780-7020)
Adoration times
- Wednesday Holy Hour immediately following morning Mass (approximately 8:30–9:30 a.m.)
- First Friday devotions and Benediction, 8:30–11:00 a.m.
- Other Eucharistic devotions as announced in the bulletin
Parish Identity & Overview
Most Precious Blood is a 19th-century Roman Catholic parish in the village of Angola, NY, named in honor of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. It is one of three parishes that together form the Lakeshore Catholic Faith Community (Family #29) within the Diocese of Buffalo, alongside St. Mary of the Lake in Hamburg and St. John Paul II in Lake View. The parish is in the Southern Erie vicariate and currently ministers to roughly 928 registered families.
- Founded: 1871
- Patron: The Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ
- Diocese: Buffalo (Southern Erie vicariate)
- Parish family: Lakeshore Catholic Faith Community (Family #29)
- Pastor: Rev. Timothy Koester
History & Heritage
Catholic settlers arrived around 1850 and were first served by visiting priests saying Mass in private homes. In 1871, under Bishop Stephen Ryan, Father Thomas Ledwith became the first resident pastor; an old schoolhouse was converted into the first church, and the first baptism (March 26, 1871), first confirmation (July 9, 1871) and first marriage (June 30, 1872) followed within months. A new brick church was dedicated in 1897, St. Peter's Chapel on Old Lake Shore Road was added in 1938 for summer vacationers, an elementary school opened on Prospect Street in 1953, and the present church at 22 Prospect Street was completed in 1962. The parish celebrated its 150th anniversary throughout 2021.
- First resident pastor: Rev. Thomas Ledwith (1871)
- Holy Cross Cemetery: first burial March 7, 1879
- Lake Street brick church dedicated: 1897
- St. Peter's Chapel: 1938
- Parish school opened: 1953
- Current church opened: June 21, 1962
- Sesquicentennial celebrated: 2021
Lakeshore Catholic Faith Community
Most Precious Blood belongs to the Lakeshore Catholic Faith Community, Family #29, a grouping of three parishes in southern Erie County. The Faith Community shares clergy, staff, and many ministries across the parishes — a single Family Office serves all three from 24 Prospect St., Angola. Most Precious Blood is the historic anchor parish of this community.
- Family Office: 24 Prospect Street, Angola, NY 14006 (Mon–Fri 9 a.m.–1 p.m.)
- Family Office phone: 716-780-7020
- Website: lakeshorecatholicfc.org
- Member parishes also include St. Mary of the Lake (Hamburg) and St. John Paul II (Lake View)
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by a pastor, two parochial vicars, a senior parochial vicar, and five permanent deacons, supported by lay directors for mission and discipleship, an OCIA coordinator, and parish trustees. Clergy and deacons are shared with the Lakeshore Catholic Faith Community.
- Pastor: Rev. Timothy Koester
- Parochial Vicars: Rev. Michael Johnson; Rev. Johnson Machado
- Senior Parochial Vicar: Rev. Ross Syracuse, OFM Conv.
- Permanent Deacons: Gary Andelora; Joseph Gray; Neal Linnan; Steve Schumer; William Walkowiak
- Director of Mission: Jonathan Molik
- Director of Discipleship: Elizabeth Woods
- OCIA Coordinator: Marie O'Connor
- Parish Trustees: Elizabeth Duzen & Conrad Piskorz
Sacraments
The Lakeshore Catholic Faith Community prepares parishioners for all seven sacraments. Baptism, Matrimony, and Confirmation require advance contact with the Family Office and (where applicable) pre-baptismal and pre-marital classes. First Communion and Confirmation are preceded by two years of religious-education preparation.
- Baptism: contact Family Office; pre-baptismal class required for first-time parents; two Catholic godparents (1 male, 1 female)
- First Communion & Confirmation: 2-year sacramental preparation through Religious Education
- RCIA / OCIA: coordinated parish-wide (call Family Office) — hosted Sunday mornings at St. Mary of the Lake school building
- Matrimony: Premarital Investigation Meeting; recent baptismal certificate (within 6 months); Pre-Marital Preparation Program
- Anointing of the Sick: contact Family Office for the homebound or hospitalized
Faith Formation & OCIA
Religious Education is lay- and clergy-led and exists to pass the Catholic faith on to future generations. The two-year sacramental track prepares children for First Communion and Confirmation. Adult inquirers (or those unbaptized / baptized in another Christian tradition) prepare for full initiation through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), meeting Sunday mornings at the St. Mary of the Lake school building.
- Two-year preparation for First Communion and Confirmation
- OCIA (formerly RCIA) – coordinator: Marie O'Connor, 716-780-7020
- OCIA meetings: Sunday mornings at St. Mary of the Lake school building
Parish Life & Fellowship
Parish life at Most Precious Blood is built around small, regular gatherings. The Holy Name Society hosts a Parish Family Breakfast in the parish hall after the 8:00 a.m. Mass on the second Sunday of every month (skipping July and August). A Children's Room is available in the back right corner of the church, entered from the vestibule, for families with young children.
- Parish Family Breakfast — every 2nd Sunday, Sept.–June, after 8:00 a.m. Mass (Holy Name Society)
- Children's Room — back right corner of the church, vestibule access
- Daily Mass in the chapel — enter via the doors to the left of the main church doors
Our Lady of the Lake Prayer Garden
The parish grounds feature a dedicated prayer garden in honor of Our Lady of the Lake. It provides handicap-accessible parking to the church, chapel, and rectory office, and a central walkway and gathering space designed for prayer, meditation, meetings, or quiet reflection. A granite altar bears the parish motto, surrounded by four granite benches.
- Dedication: Our Lady of the Lake
- Features: granite altar with parish motto inscription; four granite benches; gathering walkways
- Accessibility: handicap-accessible parking for the church, chapel, and rectory office
Holy Cross Cemetery
Holy Cross Cemetery is the parish's own cemetery, with the first burial taking place on March 7, 1879. It is owned and maintained by Most Precious Blood as a sacred space of remembrance for Catholic families of the Angola area.
- First burial: March 7, 1879
- Operated by Most Precious Blood parish
Stewardship & Giving
Online giving via ACH (electronic funds transfer) is available. A downloadable enrollment form can be obtained from the parish website, and parishioners can also drop paper envelopes in the weekly collection.
- ACH Online Giving — form downloadable from parish website
- Weekly envelope collection
- Family Office phone for stewardship questions: 716-780-7020
Visit, Directions & Access
Most Precious Blood is easy to find in the village of Angola, on Prospect Street just off the Lake Street extension of Route 5. The grounds are designed to be accessible: a Prayer Garden provides handicap-accessible parking for the church, chapel, and rectory office, and the parish hall is used for regular community meals.
- Address: 22 Prospect St., Angola, NY 14006
- Family Office: 24 Prospect St., Angola, NY 14006 (Mon–Fri, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.)
- From I-90: take Exit 57A, then follow Route 20/Route 5 to Lake Street and right onto Prospect Street
- Accessibility: handicap-accessible parking and Prayer Garden walkways
Heritage of the Lakeshore Catholic Community
Through the Lakeshore Catholic Faith Community, Most Precious Blood shares its sacramental life and evangelization mission with two sister parishes in southern Erie County. In 2025, St. Anthony Church in Farnham was merged into Most Precious Blood under the Diocese of Buffalo's 'Road to Renewal,' and St. Francis of Assisi (Athol Springs) was merged into St. Mary of the Lake. The grouping is pastored centrally with shared deacons, directors, and Family Office staff.
- 2025 merger: St. Anthony, Farnham → Most Precious Blood
- 2025 merger: St. Francis of Assisi, Athol Springs → St. Mary of the Lake
- Shared Faith Community staff: Director of Mission; Director of Discipleship; OCIA Coordinator
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Thomas Ledwith1871–
First resident pastor; appointed by Bishop Stephen Ryan. Celebrated the parish's first baptism (March 26, 1871), witnessed Bishop Ryan's first confirmation of 52 people (July 9, 1871), and performed the first marriage (June 30, 1872).
- Monsignor Raymond W. Stafford
Served as pastor of Most Precious Blood for eleven years; deeply involved with the Croatian community of the parish. Died unexpectedly before Holy Week and celebrated 45 years of priesthood.
- Rev. Fred G. Fingerle1968–1969; 1972–1977
Two stints as parochial assignments at Most Precious Blood. Later included on the Diocese of Buffalo's 2018 list of priests with substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of a minor.
- Rev. James H. Cotter1956–1958
Assignment at Most Precious Blood prior to later transfers; named in the Diocese of Buffalo's 2018 list of accused priests.
- Rev. John P. Hajduk1978–1982
Assignment at Most Precious Blood prior to later transfers; included on the Diocese of Buffalo's 2018 list.
- Rev. J. Grant Higgins1984–1997
Assigned to Most Precious Blood by the Diocese of Buffalo; included on the diocese's 2018 list of accused priests.
- Rev. Timothy Koesterpresent
Current pastor of the Lakeshore Catholic Faith Community; listed in the Official Catholic Directory at 24 Prospect St., Angola, NY 14006.