About St. Bernard · Youngstown, New York
St. Bernard Church is a historic Catholic worship site in the Village of Youngstown, New York, situated on the Niagara River near historic Fort Niagara in northern Niagara County. It operates as the Youngstown worship site of St. Peter RC Parish in Lewiston, forming part of the Niagara Frontier Catholic Family of Parishes alongside Immaculate Conception Parish in Ransomville. The parish traces its roots to 1830, making it the second-oldest congregation in the village and one of the earliest Catholic communities in the region, and it continues to celebrate weekly Mass in its historic church at 218 Hinman Street. It belongs to the Diocese of Buffalo and serves a tight-knit frontier community bordering Canada.
- Established
- 1830
- Patron
- St. Bernard of Clairvaux
- Rector
- Rev. Luke Uebler
- Diocese
- Diocese of Buffalo
Why belong here
St. Bernard offers a small, historic Catholic community right in the Village of Youngstown, with weekly Sunday Mass and Thursday evening Mass celebrated in its long-standing church near Fort Niagara. Worshipping here means becoming part of the Niagara Frontier Catholic Family of Parishes — sharing vibrant faith formation for children in grades 1-8, Sacramental preparation (Baptism, Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation), Marriage preparation, Anointing of the Sick, a music ministry, parish councils, and the witness of nearly two centuries of Catholic life on the Niagara frontier. Visitors are warmly welcomed by a collaborative parish staffed by a full team of priests, deacons, religious education directors, and lay leaders committed to making disciples across Lewiston, Youngstown, and Ransomville.
Mass times at St. Bernard
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 6:00 PM (before 6:30 PM Mass)
About the Niagara Frontier Catholic Family
St. Bernard Church in Youngstown belongs to the Niagara Frontier Catholic Community, a collaborative Family of Parishes that also includes St. Peter RC Parish in Lewiston (620 Center Street) and Immaculate Conception Parish in Ransomville. The parish office (Family Office) is located at 620 Center Street, Lewiston, NY 14092, with rectory hours Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The shared mission is to respond to God's loving invitation to eternal life by making disciples in His name (Matthew 28:18).
- St. Peter Church — 620 Center Street, Lewiston, NY 14092
- St. Bernard Church — 218 Hinman Street, Youngstown, NY 14174
- Immaculate Conception Parish — 4671 Townline Road, Ransomville, NY 14131
- Family Office: 620 Center Street, Lewiston, NY 14092
- Phone: 716-754-4118
- Email: [email protected]
Parish History
St. Bernard's Catholic community in Youngstown dates to 1830, making it the second church congregation established in this Niagara River frontier village (after the Presbyterian Church, 1823). The Diocese of Buffalo's official pilgrimage guidebook dates the present St. Bernard campus at 218 Hinman Street to 1913. The parish sits in the historic Frontier neighborhood near Old Fort Niagara — the same village that was burned by the British in December 1813 and grew up again as a shipping point and ferry crossing to Canada.
- Parish community organized: 1830
- Present church campus dated: 1913 (Diocese of Buffalo pilgrimage guide)
- GCatholic milestone: 1946
- Setting: northern Niagara County, near Fort Niagara and the Niagara River
Clergy & Staff
The Family of Parishes is served by two priests, two deacons, and a full lay staff. Pastoral care and Sacramental ministry are shared across St. Peter (Lewiston), St. Bernard (Youngstown), and Immaculate Conception (Ransomville).
- Rev. Luke Uebler — Pastor
- Rev. Alphonse Arulandu — Senior Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Dave Augustyniak — [email protected]
- Deacon John Phillips — [email protected]
- Fr. Sam Giangreco
- Dianne Wysocki — Religious Ed. Director (St. Peter) — 716-754-2812, [email protected]
- Religious Ed. Director (Immaculate Conception) — [email protected]
- Joseph Conti — Communications Director — [email protected]
- Mary Palmer — School Principal
- Maxine Menshon — Office Manager — [email protected]
- Maureen Ingham — Business Manager / Finance — [email protected]
- Erica Brenner — Music/Choir Director — [email protected]
Sacraments
All Sacramental arrangements are coordinated through the rectory at 716-754-4118. Arrangements for Marriage must be made at least six months in advance with the pastor. Anointing of the Sick is available any day or time, and the priests are available for hospital and pre-surgery pastoral visits on request.
- Baptism — Sunday by prior arrangement; parent class held monthly
- Reconciliation — Thursday 6:00 PM at St. Bernard; Saturday 3:30-4:15 PM at St. Peter, Lewiston
- First Holy Communion — typically in Grade 2
- Confirmation — after at least nine years of faith formation and current enrollment
- Marriage — six months advance notice required; Tribunal / Marriage Help available
- Anointing of the Sick — any day or time
Faith Formation & School
Faith Formation is provided for children in Grades 1-8 through a family-based program of yearly faith topics and lessons, with separate curriculum tracks for younger children (Grades 1-5) and teens (Grades 6-8). Parents attend an annual Start-Up Meeting and submit a Faith Journey Checklist to track readiness for the Sacraments. The parishes also operate a parish school whose principal is Mary Palmer.
- Dianne Wysocki — Faith Formation Director — 716-754-2812
- [email protected]
- Annual Start-Up Meetings for parents
- Diocesan Protecting God's Children Safety Lesson required by December 1 each year
- Faith Topics include Catholic Social Teaching, Sacred Scripture & Tradition, Vocation & Mission
Parish Leadership & Councils
Parish life is shaped by a collaborative leadership structure that reflects the Family of Parishes model: a Family Pastoral Council, a Family Leadership Team, and Family Finance Councils work alongside the priests and deacons to guide mission, ministry, and resources.
- Family Pastoral Council
- Family Leadership Team
- Family Finance Councils
- Communications Director: Joseph Conti
Stewardship & Giving
The Family of Parishes frames stewardship as a way of life — a relational response to God expressed through the gift of time, talent, and treasure. Online giving links are available for both St. Peter's and Immaculate Conception; the parish encourages participation in ministry and Mission as the primary expression of stewardship.
- Online giving — St. Peter's
- Online giving — Immaculate Conception
- Time, talent, and treasure; see the Mission and Ministry pages to get involved
Music & Liturgy
Liturgical music at the Family of Parishes is coordinated by Music/Choir Director Erica Brenner. The Music Ministry supports the Sunday and weekday Masses celebrated across St. Peter, St. Bernard, and Immaculate Conception, and welcomes new voices and instrumentalists.
- Music/Choir Director: Erica Brenner — [email protected]
Contact & Rectory Information
All three parishes share one rectory office in Lewiston. Calls and emails reach the Family Office, which then routes messages to St. Bernard and Immaculate Conception as needed.
- Family Rectory — 620 Center Street, Lewiston, NY 14092
- Phone: 716-754-4118
- Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
- General email: [email protected]
- Communications: [email protected]