About St. Dominic Parish (St. James and St. Patrick worship sites) · Westfield, New York
St. Dominic Parish is a Roman Catholic community of the Diocese of Buffalo that serves the lakeshore villages of Westfield and Brocton in northern Chautauqua County, New York, through two historic worship sites: St. James Major Church (15 Union St., Westfield) and St. Patrick Church (12 Central Ave., Brocton). The parish is part of the Chautauqua Family of Catholic Churches (Family #5), which also includes St. Mary of Lourdes in Mayville/Bemus Point and Christ Our Hope in French Creek. Weekend Masses are celebrated Saturday at 4:00 pm in Brocton and Sunday at 11:15 am in Westfield, with daily Masses Monday and Friday in Westfield and Thursday in Brocton. The parish traces its roots back to congregations founded in 1871, and today worships in churches with deep local memory — both marked by tragic fires from which they were rebuilt and rededicated.
- Established
- 1871
- Patron
- St. Dominic
- Rector
- Rev. Dennis Mancuso (Parish Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Buffalo
Why belong here
St. Dominic Parish is a small, lakeside Catholic family where two historic worship communities — St. James Major in Westfield and St. Patrick in Brocton — share one pastor and one faith family. Weekend Masses are offered at both sites, weekday Masses keep a daily rhythm of prayer, and First Friday Adoration (9:00 am–3:00 pm) plus weekly Friday adoration give parishioners opportunities for sustained Eucharistic devotion. As part of the Chautauqua Family of Catholic Churches, the parish is woven into a wider network of Catholic communities in northern Chautauqua County, making it a welcoming home for visiting Catholics, returning parishioners, and those discerning a return to the faith.
Mass times at St. Dominic Parish (St. James and St. Patrick worship sites)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:15–3:45 pm (Brocton, St. Patrick site, before 4:00 pm Mass)
- Sunday 8:00–8:30 am (Mayville worship site, within the Chautauqua Family)
- Monday after daily Mass (within the Chautauqua Family)
- By appointment — confession is always available upon request if these times do not fit your schedule
Adoration times
- Friday 9:00–10:00 am (weekly)
- First Friday 9:00 am–3:00 pm (extended First Friday Adoration)
About St. Dominic Parish
St. Dominic Parish is a Catholic community in the Diocese of Buffalo that serves northern Chautauqua County from two historic worship sites: St. James Major Church in Westfield (the main site and parish mailing address) and St. Patrick Church in Brocton. Weekend Masses are celebrated at both locations, and the parish shares pastoral leadership with neighboring St. Mary of Lourdes and Christ Our Hope as part of the Chautauqua Family of Catholic Churches (Family #5).
- St. James Major worship site — 15 Union St., Westfield, NY 14787
- St. Patrick worship site — 12 Central Ave., Brocton, NY 14716
- Part of the Diocese of Buffalo's Family #5: Chautauqua Family of Catholic Churches
Parish History
The parish is the product of two older Catholic communities, both touched by fire. St. James Major in Westfield was originally established in 1871 and was rebuilt in 1915; the rebuilt church was blessed and opened by Venerable Nelson Baker, then Vicar General of the Diocese of Buffalo. St. Patrick in Brocton traces its origin to St. Michael's parish and was rebuilt in 1944 after a fire, with the original crucifix, altar, and tabernacle surviving that disaster and remaining on display in the present church.
- 1871 — St. James Major congregation first established in Westfield
- September 26, 1915 — rebuilt St. James Major church blessed and opened by Venerable Nelson Baker
- 1944 — St. Patrick site rebuilt following the fire that destroyed the predecessor St. Michael's community
- Parish consolidated into St. Dominic Parish under the Diocese of Buffalo's Family of Parishes model
Worship Sites
St. Dominic Parish's two worship sites are the heart of its Catholic life along the Lake Erie shoreline. St. James Major in Westfield serves as the principal site and parish office, while St. Patrick in Brocton preserves original furnishings that survived its 1944 fire.
- St. James Major, 15 Union St., Westfield — rebuilt 1915
- St. Patrick, 12 Central Ave., Brocton — rebuilt 1944
- St. Patrick retains original crucifix, altar, and tabernacle from the pre-fire church
Chautauqua Family of Catholic Churches
St. Dominic Parish is one of three parishes that make up Family #5 of the Diocese of Buffalo's Family of Parishes, known collectively as the Chautauqua Family of Catholic Churches. The shared leadership team serves multiple worship sites across northern Chautauqua County.
- St. Dominic Parish (St. James Major, Westfield; St. Patrick, Brocton)
- St. Mary of Lourdes Parish (Our Lady of Lourdes, Mayville; St. Mary, Bemus Point)
- Christ Our Hope Parish (St. Matthias, Clymer; French Creek)
- Parish Administrator: Rev. Dennis Mancuso
Clergy and Staff
St. Dominic Parish is served by the priests and deacons of the Chautauqua Family of Catholic Churches. Office correspondence is directed through [email protected] and the parish phone line, (716) 326-2816.
- Rev. Dennis Mancuso — Parish Administrator
- Rev. Romulo T. Montero
- Deacon Dan Quagliana
- Deacon David Armstrong
- Deacon Nicholas Cirell
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments, with Reconciliation offered on a posted schedule and by appointment, and First Friday Mass and Adoration giving special opportunities for devotion. Sacramental preparation is coordinated through the Family of Parishes; the parish bulletin and website list current schedules.
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- Eucharist / First Communion
- Marriage
- Anointing of the Sick
- Reconciliation (see posted schedule or by appointment)
Visiting and Contact
The parish office is housed at the St. James Major worship site in Westfield and serves as the contact point for both worship sites. Inquiries about Mass intentions, sacraments, and parish life can be made by phone or email.
- Address: 15 Union Street, Westfield, NY 14787
- Phone: (716) 326-2816
- Email: [email protected]
- Websites: stdominicrcc.org and cfofcc.net
Historic Cemeteries
Two historic St. James Catholic cemeteries — on Union Street in Westfield and on Main Street in Brocton — preserve the burial records of generations of Catholic families from the lakeshore communities and remain accessible points of local heritage.
- St. James Cemetery, Union Street, Westfield (first burial 1940)
- Old Catholic Cemetery, Main Street, Brocton