About St. John Paul II · Lake View, New York
St. John Paul II Parish is a welcoming, Roman Catholic Eucharistic Community in Lake View, New York, located in the Lakeshore area south of Buffalo in the Diocese of Buffalo. Formed in 2011 through the merger of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Lake View and St. Vincent de Paul Parish in North Evans, the parish shares its campus and ministries across the two historic sites. It is known for its 24/7 Eucharistic Adoration chapel (the original 1922 'Little Church'), its first-class relic of Pope St. John Paul II, and a robust network of lay ministries that includes faith formation, a school, an active Haiti outreach, and a St. Vincent de Paul Society conference.
- Established
- 2011
- Patron
- St. John Paul II (Pope)
- Rector
- Rev. Timothy Koester
- Diocese
- Diocese of Buffalo
Why belong here
Parishioners belong to a thriving Eucharistic community that worships in a new church built in 2001, prays before the Blessed Sacrament in a 24/7 adoration chapel inside the original 1922 'Little Church,' and venerates a first-class relic of St. John Paul II in the prayer chapel near the sanctuary. With three weekend Masses (including a Saturday Vigil), multiple days of confession, Faith Formation for K-10, an on-site Catholic school (Southtowns Catholic), and dozens of active ministries — from the Haiti Outreach and St. Vincent de Paul Society to the Healing Hearts coffee hour and parish vegetable garden — there are easy, concrete ways for new families, retirees, and visitors to plug into parish life.
Mass times at St. John Paul II
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM (MPB - Most Precious Blood)
- Thursday 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM (SMOL - St. Mary of the Lake)
- Saturday 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM (JP2)
- Always available by appointment
Adoration times
- 24/7 (LC - Little Church / Adoration Chapel)
Our History
St. John Paul II Parish was formed on September 1, 2011 through the merger of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Lake View (founded 1922) and St. Vincent de Paul Parish in North Evans (originally a wooden mission church built in 1853, made an independent parish in 1914). The merger grew out of the Diocese of Buffalo's 2006 Strategic Planning Process; the two parishes were formally linked in 2010 under Bishop Kmiec, and Fr. Peter J. Karalus became their first joint pastor. After the canonization of Pope John Paul II on April 14, 2014, the parish was renamed Saint John Paul II Parish Community. Fr. Sean DiMaria was appointed the parish's second pastor in March 2019. The parish traces its roots through more than a century of Catholic life on the Lake Shore and continues both predecessor communities' traditions today.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Lake View) – Parish Origins
In March 1921, ten of the thirteen Catholic families in Lake View met to discuss forming a parish; Bishop Turner approved the project, and the new church basement was finished in August 1922. Fr. Leo J. Toomey celebrated the first Masses there, and Bishop Turner dedicated the church to Our Lady of Perpetual Help on October 22, 1922. Post-WWII growth led to a school (1961), a convent (1963), and a new rectory; the parish celebrated its 75th Anniversary in 1997 and, after a $3.5 million campaign, opened its current larger church the weekend of December 16-17, 2001.
St. Vincent de Paul (North Evans) – Parish Origins
German pioneer farmers built a wood-frame Catholic church in North Evans in 1853, served by visiting priests from St. Mary's in East Eden. The mission was incorporated in 1892 and became an independent parish in 1914 under Rev. George Zucher. A 1931 fire destroyed the original church, but a new brick church was completed the same year. A parish cemetery was added in 1946, and the parish opened St. Vincent's School that fall — the first parochial school in the Lake Shore area. After a permanent school building in 1952 and a convent in 1957, the parish grew to some 1,200 families by the 1960s, and in 1968 a larger church was built across the street. The 1931 church still stands on its original site and now houses Operation Good Neighbor.
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish runs a three-tier weekly Faith Formation program with sessions for Kindergarten through Grade 5 on Sunday mornings, Grades 6-8 on Tuesday evenings, and Grades 9-10 on Sunday evenings. Catechists walk children and teens through the Church's teaching and prepare them for the sacraments of Reconciliation, First Eucharist, and Confirmation. Adults preparing to enter the Catholic Church participate in the parish RCIA program, and parents of infants attend required Pre-Baptism Classes before baptism.
Southtowns Catholic School
Southtowns Catholic School is the parish's PreK-8 elementary school, located on the Lake View campus. It was founded in 1983 as a consolidation of the OLPH and St. Vincent de Paul schools, becoming the parish school of Saint John Paul II Parish at the 2011 merger. Following the Religion Curriculum of the Diocese of Buffalo, the school integrates faith, family, and academics; students in K-8 attend the 8:30 AM Mass every Friday and Holy Day of Obligation, and Reconciliation is offered several times a year. The school welcomes families of other faiths and can be reached at (716) 627-5011.
Music & Liturgy
The parish Music Ministry rehearses and provides music for all weekend liturgies, with opportunities for Adult Ensemble singers, cantors, and instrumentalists. Lectors serve as Ministers of the Word, Eucharistic Ministers distribute Holy Communion, and Altar Servers assist at the altar. Greeters and Ushers help parishioners and visitors before, during, and after Mass.
Outreach & Charity
St. John Paul II Parish runs an unusually wide outreach network. The St. Vincent de Paul Society helps needy families practically and meets regularly to pray; the Ladies of Charity make quilts and lap robes and supply the Diocesan Ladies of Charity with household items; Healing Hearts hosts a Friendship Coffee Hour on the last Wednesday of each month for anyone who has suffered a loss; Bedside Mercy ministers bring the Chaplet of Divine Mercy to the sick; and Heart to Heart crochets and knits prayer shawls and lap blankets for parishioners in need.
Haiti Outreach
The Haiti Outreach Ministry holds a basket before Masses on the first weekend of each month, on a rotating basis, to fund a sister-parish relationship with the parish community in Marbial, Haiti. Donations are forwarded to support that mission community, and parishioners are invited to help in other ways through the parish office.
Parish Vegetable Garden & Operation Good Neighbor
Volunteers plant, maintain, and harvest the Parish Vegetable Garden, with produce donated to the local food pantry. That food pantry connection also extends to Operation Good Neighbor — the volunteer-run ecumenical food distribution center and thrift shop that today occupies the original 1931 St. Vincent de Paul church in North Evans.
Parish Life & Fellowship
Fellowship and formation groups include the Coffee & Donuts Social (Sunday mornings, rotating schedule), the Holy Name Society for lay men, religious, and clergy devoted to the Holy Name of Jesus, the Little Flower Ministry (floral arrangements for the sick and homebound), the Men's Prayer Group (one Saturday morning per month), Prayer Groups that meet in parishioners' homes, the Seniors Club, and the annual Lawn Fete, a parish-wide fundraiser organized by its own committee. Wedding Ministry volunteers assist brides at rehearsal and on the day of the wedding, while the Transportation Committee gives rides to Mass for parishioners who cannot drive themselves.
Youth & Scouting
The parish hosts Cub Scout Troop 591 (boys and girls ages 5-10) and Boy Scout Troop 591 (young men ages 11-18). Both troops help young people grow in ethics, service, and Catholic virtue in line with the Scout Oath and Law.
Sacraments
The parish office coordinates all seven sacraments. Baptisms follow Pre-Baptism Classes for parents; First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, and Confirmation are prepared for through parish Faith Formation and Southtowns Catholic School; RCIA welcomes adults studying to become Catholic; the Wedding Ministry assists engaged couples; the Bereavement Ministry helps families plan funerals; and Bedside Mercy ministers bring the Chaplet of Divine Mercy to those who are sick or homebound.
Clergy & Staff
The parish is served by a pastor, three parochial vicars (including a Conventual Franciscan, Fr. Ross Syracuse, OFM Conv.), and four permanent deacons. Inquiries are routed through several parish phone lines: general office, funerals, baptisms, and weddings at (716) 627-2910; Faith Formation and all other sacraments at (716) 627-9397; bulletin, social media, marketing, and advertising at (716) 381-7386; and Southtowns Catholic School at (716) 627-5011.
Contact & Getting Involved
Mailing address: Saint John Paul II Parish, 2052 Lakeview Road, Lake View, NY 14085. The 'Who Do I Contact For…' page on the parish website lists a dedicated email address and contact person for every ministry — from the Altar & Rosary Society and Eucharistic Apostles, to the Haiti Outreach, Healing Hearts, Pro-Life, and St. Vincent de Paul Society — making it easy for newcomers to plug into parish life.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Leo J. Toomey1922
First pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the founding parish in Lake View.
- Rev. George Zucher1914
First resident pastor of St. Vincent de Paul in North Evans.
- Fr. John W. Zeitler1990 (as OLPH pastor)
Led OLPH through its 75th Anniversary and the campaign that built the current church.
- Fr. William Tuynuntil 2010
Pastor of St. Vincent de Paul at the time of the parishes' linking; retired September 1, 2010.
- Rev. Peter J. Karalus2010-2019
Appointed by Bishop Kmiec to pastor both OLPH and St. Vincent de Paul through the linking and merger; first pastor of Blessed / Saint John Paul II Parish.
- Fr. Sean DiMariafrom March 2019
Appointed second Pastor of Saint John Paul II Parish in March 2019.