About Our Lady of Hope · Buffalo, New York
Our Lady of Hope is a multi-cultural, multi-generational Catholic parish on Buffalo's Upper West Side, located at the corner of Lafayette Avenue and Greenwood Place. Formed in 2008 from the merger of three historic West Side parishes — Annunciation, Our Lady of Loretto, and Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary — the community worships in the 1901 Gothic Revival church originally built for Annunciation Parish. The parish is served by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) and is widely recognized as one of the most ethnically diverse Catholic communities in the Diocese of Buffalo, with worship and parish life drawing on more than sixteen languages and cultures, including a large and growing Burmese (Karen) community, Vietnamese, Hispanic, African, and longtime Italian- and Irish-American families.
- Established
- 2008
- Patron
- Our Lady of Hope (Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Felix Nyambe, OMI
- Diocese
- Diocese of Buffalo
Why belong here
Our Lady of Hope is, in its own words, 'a multi-cultural, multi-generational Catholic community that warmly welcomes all to worship with us' — a place where Mass is shaped by more than sixteen languages and where longtime West Side families worship side by side with newly arrived Burmese (Karen), Vietnamese, Hispanic, and African Catholic neighbors. Worship in the historic 1901 Annunciation church is supported by an active Religious Education and Confirmation program, lay musicians, a parish pastoral associate, and the pastoral care of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. Visitors are openly welcomed, sacraments are celebrated across cultures, and the parish explicitly invites anyone who has been away from the Church to 'come home' — making it a particularly inviting parish for anyone seeking a living, global Catholic community in the city of Buffalo.
Mass times at Our Lady of Hope
Weekly Mass schedule
Welcome to Our Lady of Hope Parish
Our Lady of Hope Catholic Church sits at the corner of Lafayette Avenue and Greenwood Place on Buffalo's Upper West Side, in the Gothic Revival church that has served this neighborhood since 1901. The parish describes itself as 'a multi-cultural, multi-generational Catholic community that warmly welcomes all to worship with us' and as 'a mission-driven church that loves God completely and loves God's people compassionately.' The parish office at 18 Greenwood Place is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and the phone line — (716) 885-2469 — also serves as the after-hours emergency contact.
- Address: 18 Greenwood Place, Buffalo, NY 14213
- Phone: (716) 885-2469
- Fax: (716) 885-3385
- Diocese: Diocese of Buffalo
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Parish History
The parish of Our Lady of Hope was created in 2008 when the Diocese of Buffalo merged three historic West Side parishes — Annunciation, Our Lady of Loretto, and Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary — under the bishop's 'Journey in Faith and Grace' consolidation program. The new community was inaugurated on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross in September 2008, with the merged parish formally beginning its life together in 2009. It took as its spiritual home the 1901 Annunciation church building on Lafayette Avenue — itself the first Catholic parish in this part of the city, founded in 1885 for Irish families moving north out of the Old First Ward.
- 1885: Annunciation Parish founded by Bishop Ryan; Father Kelly organizes a frame church at Lafayette and Glenwood
- 1901: Present Gothic Revival church designed by Albert Asa Post and dedicated by Bishop Quigley; cost $45,000
- 20th century: parish evolves from Irish to Italian-American to predominantly Hispanic congregation
- 1960: peak membership of roughly 2,000 families
- 2005: parish school (Lafayette campus of West Buffalo Catholic Academy) closes
- 2008: former parochial school listed on the National Register of Historic Places
- 2008: Our Lady of Hope created from merger of Annunciation, Our Lady of Loretto, and Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary parishes
- 2009: merged parish formally begins operation
Architecture & Building
The church is a Gothic Revival masterpiece executed in rough, rustic blocks of Medina sandstone, designed by Canadian architect Albert Asa Post shortly after he moved his practice from Toronto to Buffalo. Its classic Gothic markers — Venetian Gothic arches over the main stained-glass window and the niche above it, flanking pier buttresses, quatrefoil reliefs, finial-topped pinnacles, lancet windows, and a cross bottony crowning the front gable — make it one of the architectural landmarks of the Upper West Side. The neighboring former parochial school was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008 and was later converted to housing by developer Karl Frizlen.
- Style: Gothic Revival
- Material: rough/rustic Medina sandstone
- Architect: Albert Asa Post
- Year: 1901
- Adjacent former school: National Register of Historic Places, 2008
Worship Schedule
Our Lady of Hope celebrates Mass in its historic church on weekends, with weekday Masses offered at the parish convent. On major holy days such as All Saints and All Souls, the parish joins with neighboring Holy Angels and Holy Cross for a combined-choir Mass at 7:00 PM. The parish also hosts occasional multilingual liturgical elements drawn from the many cultures represented in the community, with parts of the Mass recited in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Burmese, Swahili, and other languages, and televisions in the church used to help congregants follow the liturgy in their own language.
- Saturday Vigil: 4:00 PM
- Sunday: 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM
- Weekday: 8:00 AM and 12:00 PM (at the Convent)
- All Saints / All Souls: 7:00 PM (combined with Holy Angels and Holy Cross)
Sacraments
Our Lady of Hope prepares parishioners for and celebrates all the usual Catholic sacraments. Baptisms are scheduled during or after weekend Masses, with a roughly one-hour preparation session required for at least one parent. Confirmation follows a two-year preparation program. The parish prepares couples for Marriage in cooperation with the Diocese of Buffalo's Office of Family Life Ministries and asks engaged couples to contact the parish at least six months in advance. Reconciliation (Confession) is available; arrangements are made through the parish office.
- Baptism: parent preparation session required; usually scheduled during or after weekend Mass; suggested thanksgiving offering $20
- Confirmation: two-year preparation; registration and classes begin each fall
- Eucharist: weekend and weekday Masses as listed
- Reconciliation: contact parish office; preparation resources on parish website
- Marriage: at least 6 months advance notice; Pre-Cana required; valid NY State marriage license; wedding offering $270 parishioners / $320 non-parishioners; Friday and Saturday (11:30 AM, 1:30 PM, 6:00 PM) ceremonies
- Vocations: links and information for discerning a call to priesthood or religious life
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Our Lady of Hope runs a parish-based Religious Education program for children and a separate two-year Confirmation program for youth. Classes are held in O'Brien Hall on the parish campus. Registration typically begins in early September, with parents asked to attend the first session alongside their children, and the program runs through the school year. Adult faith renewal is also supported through a 'Rediscover Faith in Lent' initiative that welcomes back Catholics who have been away from the Church for months or years.
- Religious Education (children): registration in early September; classes in O'Brien Hall
- Confirmation: two-year preparation program (separate from elementary RE)
- Adult faith renewal: 'Rediscover Faith in Lent' welcome-back ministry
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI)
Our Lady of Hope is served by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, an international religious congregation of roughly 4,000 brothers and priests who minister among the 'poorest of the poor' in more than 60 countries. The Oblates are active in Native American ministry, inner-city ministry, parishes, shrines, retreat centers, and other apostolates, and they have a house of formation in Buffalo. The Oblate charism of reaching the underserved fits naturally with the parish's role as a spiritual home for new immigrants and refugees on Buffalo's West Side. The parish website invites visitors discerning a religious vocation to 'meet the Oblates' for more information.
- Congregation: Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI)
- Parish pastor: Rev. Felix Nyambe, OMI
- Parochial vicar: Rev. Tuan Pham, OMI
- Buffalo houses an OMI house of formation
Parish Staff
The parish is led by Oblate clergy and supported by a strong lay staff of catechists, musicians, and administrators. Deacon Roberto G. Miranda assists with liturgical and pastoral ministry, while Ron Thaler serves as the parish Pastoral Associate and point of contact for many parish programs. Erin Sember coordinates Religious Education and Andrew Sember coordinates Confirmation preparation. Music is led by John Panepinto, Jenny Serniuk, and Gloria Htoo.
- Pastor: Rev. Felix Nyambe, OMI
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Tuan Pham, OMI
- Deacon: Roberto G. Miranda
- Pastoral Associate: Ron Thaler
- Religious Education: Erin Sember
- Confirmation: Andrew Sember
- Musicians: John Panepinto, Jenny Serniuk, Gloria Htoo
- Parish Secretary: Cheryl Walters
- Parish Bookkeeper: Nellie Perez
Community Life & Outreach
Beyond the sacraments and Religious Education, Our Lady of Hope is known for a warm, food-centered parish life. After the 11:00 AM Sunday Mass, parishioners gather for a simple parish meal — a suggested donation of $1 per adult (children free) — described on the parish site as a chance to 'come and enjoy food and friendship.' The parish also acts as a landing place for new arrivals, especially Burmese (Karen) Catholics, who have been drawn to the church by word of mouth and have reshaped its worship and community life over the last decade.
- Sunday fellowship meal after 11 AM Mass ($1 suggested donation per adult, children free)
- Hospitality to immigrant and refugee Catholic communities
- Multilingual liturgical elements reflecting 16+ languages