About St. John the Baptist (linked with St. Aloysius, Springville) · West Valley, New York
St. John the Baptist is a small Roman Catholic parish in West Valley, New York, in the Diocese of Buffalo. According to GCatholic, the church dates to 1904 and serves the rural Cattaraugus Creek Catholic Community (Diocesan Family #33). Since diocesan mergers carried out under Bishop Michael W. Fisher, it is 'linked with' St. Aloysius, Springville, sharing clergy, staff, and bulletins through the parish website staloy.com. It is a worship site within a larger Family of Parishes that also includes St. Mary, Arcade, St. Mary, East Arcade, and (as of the latest published assignment) St. Joseph, Holland.
- Established
- 1904
- Patron
- St. John the Baptist
- Rector
- Rev. Daniel J. Fawls
- Diocese
- Diocese of Buffalo
Why belong here
St. John the Baptist offers a traditional, intimate Sunday Mass at 8:00 AM for Catholics in the West Valley area, and its care is shared with the larger Cattaraugus Creek Catholic Community anchored at St. Aloysius, Springville. Through that link, parishioners have access to faith formation (Theresa O'Neal, Director of Faith Formation), the Altar Society, the Knights of St. John, the 'Men of the Challenge' men's ministry, a music program under Director Maureen Dash, the Elizabeth Ministry, bereavement support, prayer-request ministry, and the Sisters of St. Francis convent (71 W. Main, Springville). A parish cemetery is also maintained, making it a true community of worship, formation, and remembrance for the rural southern Erie County hill towns.
Mass times at St. John the Baptist (linked with St. Aloysius, Springville)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM (or by appointment) — listed on staloy.com parish-wide schedule
Parish Identity & Family of Parishes
St. John the Baptist, West Valley, is the smallest and most rural worship site in the Diocese of Buffalo's Cattaraugus Creek Catholic Community (Family #33). Since the diocesan mergers enacted under Bishop Michael W. Fisher, it has been 'linked with' St. Aloysius, Springville, and now shares one bulletin, one parish staff, and one clergy team with St. Aloysius and St. Mary, Arcade (and, per the July 2025 diocesan listing, St. Joseph, Holland).
- Worship site in Family #33 (Cattaraugus Creek Catholic Community)
- Linked with St. Aloysius, Springville
- Sister sites: St. Mary, Arcade; St. Mary, East Arcade; St. Joseph, Holland (2025)
- Decree of reduction of St. John the Baptist and decree of merger of St. Aloysius posted on staloy.com
History
GCatholic dates the parish to 1904. For more than a century it has served the farming and small-mill communities of the West Valley area in southeastern Erie County. In recent years it has been absorbed into a wider diocesan Family of Parishes structure rather than continuing as a standalone parish. The reduction of the parish to a worship site was formalized by decree during the Road to Renewal process and is publicly referenced on the parish website.
- Founded 1904 (GCatholic)
- Subject of a 'Decree of reduction' under Bishop Michael W. Fisher
- Now linked with St. Aloysius, Springville, in the Cattaraugus Creek Catholic Community
Clergy & Staff
The parish is staffed as part of Family #33. The pastor for the Family is Rev. Daniel J. Fawls; the Senior Parochial Vicar is Rev. Jozef Dudzik. Permanent deacons serving the Family are Deacon Jeffrey Forster (also spelled Foster on diocesan rosters) and Deacon Richard F. Mackiewicz (also Maciewicz). The shared 'Parish Family Office' for the linked parishes operates out of the St. Aloysius campus, with bulletin and business-office e-mails listed on staloy.com.
- Rev. Daniel J. Fawls – Pastor
- Rev. Jozef Dudzik – Senior Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Jeffrey Forster – Active Deacon
- Deacon Richard F. Mackiewicz – Active Deacon
- Parish office e-mail: [email protected]
- Bulletin e-mail: [email protected]
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation for the linked parishes is coordinated at the Family #33 level. Theresa O'Neal is listed as Director of Faith Formation. The office phone (716) 592-4869 is published on staloy.com for registration and inquiries. RCIA for adults entering the Church is also offered through the Family of Parishes.
- Director of Faith Formation: Theresa O'Neal
- Faith Formation office: (716) 592-4869
- RCIA offered at the Family level
Parish Ministries & Groups
Ministries for St. John the Baptist are listed on staloy.com as part of the wider linked-parish community. They span liturgical, devotional, service, fraternal, and family-life work, and most groups have a named lay contact.
- Altar Society – Jean Koessler
- Bereavement Support – Karen Schlageter
- Director of Music – Maureen Dash
- Elizabeth Ministry – Dianna Havens
- Faith Formation – Theresa O'Neal
- Knights of St. John – Charles Skelton
- Men of the Challenge Men's Ministry – Deacon Jeff Forster
- Prayer Requests – Karen Schlageter
- Sisters of St. Francis Convent, 71 W. Main, Springville
Cemeteries
The linked parishes maintain four historic Catholic cemeteries in the area. St. John the Baptist Cemetery is the parish's own burial ground, with care and inquiries handled through the parish office.
- St. John the Baptist Cemetery – (716) 592-2701
- St. Aloysius Cemetery – (716) 592-2701 ext. 213, Mon & Fri 9 AM – noon
- St. Mary Cemetery – (716) 572-8456
- St. Peter & Paul Cemetery – (716) 572-8456
Contact & Office Hours
All administrative, faith-formation, and cemetery contacts for St. John the Baptist flow through the linked-parish office in Springville. The Business Office is staffed three mornings a week; the Parish Family Office covers both St. Mary's, Arcade and St. Aloysius, Springville on different days.
- Parish address: 5381 Depot Street, West Valley, NY 14171
- Phone: (716) 592-2701
- E-mail: [email protected]
- Business Office hours: Mon, Wed, Fri 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Parish Family Office hours: Mon & Thu 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM; Tue 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM at St. Aloysius
Diocesan & Family Context
St. John the Baptist is part of the Diocese of Buffalo, whose current bishop is the Most Reverend Michael W. Fisher. Within the diocese, it sits in Family #33 (Cattaraugus Creek Catholic Community), one of more than three dozen Families of Parishes established under the Road to Renewal initiative. As of the diocese's July 2025 assignment listing, Family #33 includes St. Aloysius, Springville; St. Mary, Arcade; St. John the Baptist, West Valley; and St. Joseph, Holland.
- Diocese: Buffalo (Bishop Michael W. Fisher)
- Family #33 – Cattaraugus Creek Catholic Community
- Family Hub parishes: St. Aloysius, Springville; St. Mary, Arcade
- Worship sites: St. John the Baptist, West Valley; St. Joseph, Holland; East Arcade worship site