About St. Januarius.Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Community. · Naples, New York
St. Januarius' Church, located at 180 N. Main Street in the village of Naples, New York, is one of three worship sites of Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Community in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester. Founded in 1876 by a small community of German Catholic vintners and named after the patron saint of Naples, Italy, the parish is celebrated today as the site of the diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of the Grapes and for its striking mid-century modern church designed by Rochester architect James H. Johnson in 1966 — a poured-concrete, organic-modern building whose curving footprint and stained-glass 'jellybean' openings make it one of the most distinctive small Catholic churches in the Finger Lakes region.
- Established
- 1876
- Patron
- St. Januarius (San Gennaro), Bishop of Benevento, martyr (c. 305 AD)
- Rector
- Rev. Leo Reinhardt (Pastor of Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Community)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester
Why belong here
St. Januarius' offers a small, intimate Catholic community in the heart of the Finger Lakes with a Sunday morning Mass (8:30 AM) in one of the most architecturally distinctive churches in New York State — a poured-concrete, organic-modern building that doubles as the diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of the Grapes. The parish combines traditional devotional life (weekday Masses, First Saturday opportunities, the Anointing of the Sick, and ecumenical outreach like the Thanksgiving dinner hosted at St. Januarius) with an intergenerational family-style faith-formation program, a vibrant Catholic Daughters and Knights of Columbus presence, and active liturgical, social and cemetery ministries. Whether you come for the Sunday liturgy, to pray at the grape-themed shrine, to enroll your children in faith formation, or simply to experience the famous 'jellybean' light pouring through the sanctuary walls, St. Januarius' is a welcoming parish with deep local roots and a striking sense of place.
Mass times at St. Januarius.Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Community.
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 5:00–5:20 PM at St. Michael's Church, Penn Yan (the multi-site parish's regular confession time)
- By appointment — call Fr. Leo Reinhardt at 607-279-3750
Adoration times
- Wednesday at St. Michael's (Penn Yan): Adoration occasionally precedes the noon Mass from 11:30 AM–12:00 PM — check bulletin
- Thursday at St. Michael's (Penn Yan): Holy Hour 8:30–9:30 AM following the 8 AM Communion Service
History of St. Januarius' Parish
Founded in 1876 by a small community of German Catholic vintners in the Finger Lakes village of Naples, St. Januarius' Roman Catholic Church was officially incorporated on October 4, 1876 — the U.S. centennial year. The first Masses were celebrated monthly in the Dinzler family home; the first dedicated church building, a modest white frame structure with Gothic windows and a small belfry, was blessed by Bishop Bernard J. McQuaid on May 19, 1879, at a cost of $2,500. The parish did not acquire a resident pastor until 1919 and served its 50–60 families in the original 1879 church until the 1960s, when rapid growth and the inadequacy of a 125-seat building led to the construction of today's organic-modern landmark.
- October 4, 1876 — Parish incorporated as 'St. Januarius Roman Catholic Church of Naples, N.Y.'
- 1876 — Father Dietrich Laurenzis, a German diocesan priest, founds and organizes the congregation
- 1878 — First Sunday services held in the Naples Town Hall
- September 1878 — Rev. Frederick Rauber assigned to the Naples mission
- May 19, 1879 — Bishop Bernard J. McQuaid dedicates the first wood-frame church ($2,500)
- 1919 — Parish acquires its first resident pastor
- 1965 — Construction begins on the current James H. Johnson-designed church
- 1966 — New church completed (capacity 300)
- 1976 — Bishop Joseph L. Hogan dedicates the Shrine of Our Lady of the Grapes (parish centennial)
- 2010 — Merged into Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Community
- 2011 — Major two-phase renovation completed (≈$300,000)
The Saint: Who Was Januarius?
St. Januarius (Italian: San Gennaro) was a fourth-century bishop of Benevento, about thirty miles east of Naples, Italy, martyred during the Diocletian persecution around 305 AD. Visiting fellow Christians in prison at Pozzuoli, he was arrested alongside his deacon Festus and lector Desiderius, and was beheaded near the Solfatara crater along with six companions (including Proculus, Euticius and Acutius, who were arrested for protesting the injustice). His relics were enshrined in the Catacomb of St. Januarius at Capodimonte above Naples, were stolen in 831 AD by the Lombard Duke of Benevento, recovered and reburied under the high altar of Monte Cassino, and finally returned to Naples cathedral, where the famous miracle of his blood is celebrated to this day. He is invoked against volcanic eruptions — particularly those of Vesuvius.
- First historical reference: a letter of c. 432 AD by the priest Uranius of Naples to Pacatus, calling Januarius 'the glory of the church of Naples'
- Earliest portrait: a fresco in the Catacomb of St. Januarius at Capodimonte, c. 432 AD
- Martyrdom companions: Proculus (deacon of Pozzuoli), Euticius and Acutius (laymen), plus Festus and Desiderius (Januarius's own deacon and lector)
- Feast day: September 19 — the date celebrated in the universal Roman calendar and chosen as the dedication date for the parish's name
Why Naples? Why St. Januarius?
When the township at the foot of Canandaigua Lake was created in 1789 it was called 'Middletown,' and its village 'Watkinstown' after early landowner William Watkins. In 1808 the village's name was changed to 'Naples' as part of an early-19th-century fashion for adopting romantic Italian place names — Milan, Modena, Parma, Verona, and a Cattaraugus County hamlet called 'Napoli.' Once the village had the name Naples, Bishop McQuaid and the founding priest Father Laurenzis chose for the new church the principal patron of Naples, Italy — St. Januarius — even though the local congregation was overwhelmingly German, not Italian. The choice likely reflected the Bishop's or the founding priest's familiarity with the saint's September 19 feast in the priestly breviary.
- 1789 — Township created as 'Middletown'
- Early settlement called 'Watkinstown' after William Watkins
- 1808 — Renamed 'Naples' in keeping with the era's taste for Italian place names
- October 4, 1876 — Parish of St. Januarius formally incorporated to honor the patron of Naples, Italy
Architecture & the Shrine of Our Lady of the Grapes
The present St. Januarius' Church is one of the most architecturally celebrated small Catholic churches in upstate New York. Completed in 1966 to designs by Rochester architect James H. Johnson, the building is a benchmark of organic modernism, with a sweeping prow-shaped roof, molded-concrete walls studded with multicolored stained-glass openings, and an irregular footprint said to mimic a grape leaf. The earth-formed concrete technique — developed in partnership with ceramic artists James and Philip Secrest — leaves every wall panel unique, and the deep concave window openings transform interior surfaces into a honeycomb of colored light. Inside, the 1976 Shrine of Our Lady of the Grapes honors Naples' long viticultural heritage, with a deliberate arrangement of red, orange and yellow windows behind the reredos evoking the blood of Christ and the rising sun.
- Architect: James H. Johnson (Rochester, 1932–2016)
- Project team: architect Peter Romeo; structural engineer Ray DiPasquale; ceramic artists James and Philip Secrest
- Material: poured concrete cast in sand molds dug into the construction-site earth
- Capacity: ~300 worshippers (vs. 125 in the original frame church)
- Local nicknames: 'Grape Church,' 'Swiss Cheese Church,' 'Jelly Bean Church'
- Shrine of Our Lady of the Grapes: dedicated 1976 by Bishop Joseph L. Hogan
- 2011 renovation: two-phase project including new parish hall and confessionals (≈$300,000)
Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation
Our Lady of the Lakes offers family-style, intergenerational Faith Formation that meets once a month (September through June) for community-building, with weekly at-home learning supported by the Gospel Weeklies curriculum. Sacramental preparation for Reconciliation, First Eucharist and Confirmation takes place outside the regular program. Adult formation is supported through the parish's FORMED subscription, the Diocese of Rochester's 'Franciscan At Home' catechetical institute, the Word on Fire Institute, and Bible-study apps such as Hallow and the Amen app. The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) and Order of Christian Initiation of Children (OCIC) are coordinated through the Religious Education Coordinator and Pastor.
- Family Faith Formation (monthly meetings, September–June)
- Gospel Weeklies at-home curriculum
- OCIA (adults) and OCIC (children) preparation
- Gather Our Children (Liturgy of the Word for ages 2–7)
- FORMED Catholic faith-on-demand (parish code: 14527)
- Franciscan At Home (Diocese of Rochester / Franciscan University)
- Ecumenical Vacation Bible School in Penn Yan
Parish Ministries & Getting Involved
The parish maintains a broad ministry portfolio spanning liturgical service, faith formation, social outreach and parish operations. Volunteers are encouraged to complete the diocesan 'Creating A Safe Environment' (CASE) training and undergo background checks every three years. Beyond the ministries listed below, the parish operates a Cemetery Committee and is engaged in migrant-worker advocacy through the Worker Justice Center of New York's Alianza Agricola.
- Liturgical Ministries
- Catholic Daughters of America
- Knights of Columbus
- Martha's Ministers (receptions after Masses and funerals)
- Small faith-sharing groups (men, women, youth)
- Prayer shawl knitters & quilters
- Ecumenical Thanksgiving Dinner (hosted at St. Januarius')
- Council of Churches representative
- Stewardship Committee / Finance Council / Buildings & Grounds
- Cemetery Committee
- Migrant Issues (Worker Justice Center / Alianza Agricola)
Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Community
Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Community is a multi-site parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester that serves Catholics across roughly 650 square miles of Yates, Steuben and Ontario counties. It was formed in 2010 from the merger of six formerly independent parishes — St. Michael's (Penn Yan), St. Andrew's (Dundee), St. Januarius' (Naples), St. Patrick's (Prattsburgh), St. Mary's (Rushville) and St. Theresa's (Stanley) — in response to declining priestly vocations. Today three worship sites remain active: St. Michael's in Penn Yan (the parish hub, with the parish school), St. Patrick's in Prattsburgh, and St. Januarius' in Naples.
- Parish Center: 210 Keuka Street, Penn Yan, NY 14527 (315-536-7459)
- Naples Office: 180 N. Main Street, Naples, NY 14512 (585-374-2414)
- St. Michael's School: 214 Keuka Street, Penn Yan (PreK–5); Principal Tracy Marchionda
- Closed worship sites: St. Andrew's (Dundee, 2009), St. Mary's (Rushville, 2011), St. Theresa's (Stanley, 2019)
- Mission statement: 'We come together in our common faith as God's holy people. Strengthened by the Word of God and His Sacraments, we go forth in faith to love and serve all.'
Contact & Visiting
The Naples office at St. Januarius' is staffed as part of the multi-site parish. Office hours at the Penn Yan Parish Center are 9 AM–1 PM, Monday through Friday. After-hours needs (Anointing of the Sick, funeral arrangements) are handled by Fr. Leo Reinhardt at 607-279-3750. The church is most spectacularly lit in late-morning sunlight, when the multicolored 'jellybean' stained glass glows through the sanctuary walls.
- Parish Center (Penn Yan): 315-536-7459 / fax 315-536-3817
- Naples Office: 585-374-2414
- Fr. Leo Reinhardt (Pastor): 607-279-3750
- Website: ourladyofthelakescc.org
- Facebook: facebook.com/ourladyofthelakescc
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Dietrich Laurenzis1876–c. 1878
Young German diocesan priest who organized and 'founded' the new congregation; celebrated the first monthly Masses at the Dinzler home and incorporated St. Januarius Roman Catholic Church on October 4, 1876. Served as visiting/mission priest rather than resident pastor.
- Rev. Frederick RauberSeptember 1878 –
Diocesan priest to whom Bishop McQuaid 'confided' the Naples mission in September 1878. Oversaw construction and the May 19, 1879 dedication of the first wood-frame church by Bishop McQuaid.
- (Unnamed — first resident pastor)1919 –
Per the Catholic Courier, St. Januarius 'acquired its first resident pastor' in 1919. Specific name not found in available online sources.
- Rev. Leo Reinhardtpresent
Current pastor of Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Community (multi-site parish formed 2010); also serves St. Michael's, Penn Yan and St. Patrick's, Prattsburgh. Reachable at 607-279-3750 for appointments.
