About St. Josaphat · Cheektowaga, New York
St. Josaphat is a Roman Catholic parish in the Cheektowaga Catholic Family of Parishes (Family #8) in the Diocese of Buffalo, New York. Founded in 1905 to serve the Polish-American community that had grown up along William Street, the parish is one of four (along with Our Lady Help of Christians, Resurrection, and Queen of Martyrs) sharing a single pastoral team. Today the church stands at 20 Peoria Avenue, with Mass celebrated on Sundays at 11:00 a.m. and on Wednesday and Friday at noon.
- Established
- 1905
- Patron
- St. Josaphat Kuntsevych
- Rector
- Rev. Jozef Dudzik (Pastor of the Cheektowaga Catholic Family of Parishes, per 2024 parish bulletin)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Buffalo
Why belong here
St. Josaphat is a small, tight-knit Polish-American heritage parish of about 280 families, now part of the four-church Cheektowaga Catholic Family that shares clergy and faith-formation programs. Parishioners can worship in a simplified Late Gothic Revival church, take advantage of a daily noon Mass on Wednesdays and Fridays, gather around the Rosary before every Mass, attend the St. Joseph Novena on Wednesdays, and serve their neighbors through the parish's food pantry, which is open every Saturday morning.
Mass times at St. Josaphat
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 11:20 – 11:40 a.m. (before noon Mass)
- Wednesday 11:00 – 11:20 a.m. (before noon Mass)
- Saturday 5:00 – 5:30 p.m. on 1st, 3rd, and 5th Saturdays (before Vigil Mass)
- 20 minutes before every daily Mass and 30 minutes before Saturday Vigil Masses (per family-wide confession schedule)
Adoration times
- First Tuesday of the month, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. at St. Josaphat
- Eucharistic Adoration in the OLHC Chapel is also offered Mondays 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. for the wider Family of Parishes
History of St. Josaphat Parish
Bishop Charles Colton of Buffalo established the parish by written decree on October 16, 1905, naming Father Andrew Garstka its first pastor. The community had grown out of the Polish-American settlement that spread east along Genesee, Walden, Bailey, and William Streets; before the parish existed, families walked to the Felician Sisters' chapel and to St. Casimir's school. A combination church/school/parish hall was built in 1907 for $30,000, lost to fire in 1924, and replaced by the present simplified Late Gothic Revival brick church in 1950–52. The parish marked the 400th anniversary of the martyrdom of its patron, St. Josaphat Kuntsevych.
- Parish established October 16, 1905 by Bishop Charles Colton
- First pastor: Father Andrew Garstka (transferred after ~6 months)
- Original 1907 building cost $30,000; destroyed by fire August 20, 1924
- Current church: cornerstone 1951, blessed November 23, 1952; cost $315,000
- 2023: 400th anniversary of St. Josaphat Kuntsevych's martyrdom
Clergy and Pastoral Staff
St. Josaphat shares its pastoral team with the rest of the Cheektowaga Catholic Family of Parishes (Our Lady Help of Christians, Resurrection, and Queen of Martyrs). The pastor is assisted by a senior parochial vicar, a parochial vicar, two deacons (one of whom serves as Pastoral Associate for St. Josaphat), and administrative and formation staff serving the Family.
- Rev. Jozef Dudzik — Pastor
- Rev. Louis Klein — Senior Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Marcin Porada — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Bob Badaszewski — Pastoral Associate
- Deacon Ted (Thaddeus P.) May
- Mr. Charlie Melin — Administrative Assistant for St. Josaphat
Parish Ministries and Organizations
Historically St. Josaphat organized the Holy Name Society, the Sodality of Our Lady, the Rosary Society, and the Mothers Club. Today the parish's most visible ministry is the Saturday food pantry, supported by parish volunteers and donations. Religious education and faith formation are coordinated across the Family by Director Michael Sacilowski, and parish councils (Pastoral and Finance) operate at the Family level.
- St. Josaphat Food Pantry — Saturdays 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
- Family Faith Formation / Religious Education — Director Michael Sacilowski
- Holy Name Society (historical)
- Sodality of Our Lady (historical)
- Rosary Society (historical)
- Mothers Club (historical)
- Family Pastoral Council & Family Finance Council
- Rosary Apostolate
Food Pantry Outreach
The St. Josaphat Food Pantry serves the surrounding community by accepting donations and providing food assistance. It is open every Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and is one of the parish's most active ministries, reaching well beyond the registered parishioners.
- Open every Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
- Donations and assistance appointments
- Contact: St. Josaphat Parish Office, (716) 893-1086
Sacraments
The parish prepares children, teens, and adults for the sacraments and ministers them throughout the year. Baptisms are normally celebrated on Sundays during Mass; First Confession, First Communion, and Confirmation are prepared through the Family-wide Religious Education program. Marriages must be scheduled at least six months in advance, and the Anointing of the Sick is celebrated communally each Tuesday in the Family and on request for home or hospital visits.
- Baptism — Sundays during Mass
- First Confession & First Communion — via Religious Education
- Confirmation — via Religious Education
- Marriage — schedule at least 6 months in advance
- Anointing of the Sick — Tuesdays after 12 p.m. Mass (Family-wide); emergency line (716) 598-0357
- Letters of Recommendation / Sponsor eligibility — for registered parishioners
Parish Office and Contact
The St. Josaphat Parish Office is located at 20 Peoria Avenue, Cheektowaga, NY 14206. Office hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Administrative Assistant Mr. Charlie Melin handles parish business. An emergency line for Anointing of the Sick is available at (716) 598-0357.
- Address: 20 Peoria Avenue, Cheektowaga, NY 14206-2695
- Phone: (716) 893-1086
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon., Wed., Fri. 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
- Emergency Anointing line: (716) 598-0357
Architecture and Buildings
The present St. Josaphat church is a simplified Late Gothic Revival brick edifice begun in 1950 and blessed in 1952. The façade centers on a large stained-glass window and a recessed arched entrance, with stepped parapets rising at the rooflines and a belfry atop the rear campanile continuing the same motif. The parish complex also includes the parish center blessed January 8, 1961 (with hall, gym, and six classrooms) and the Grotto of the Blessed Mother blessed May 31, 1964 by Auxiliary Bishop Stanislaus Brzana.
- Late Gothic Revival, brick — blessed November 23, 1952
- Stained-glass façade window and recessed arched entrance
- Belfry atop the rear campanile
- Parish Center blessed January 8, 1961 (hall, gym, 6 classrooms)
- Grotto of the Blessed Mother blessed May 31, 1964
The Cheektowaga Catholic Family of Parishes
St. Josaphat is one of four parishes that share clergy and faith-formation programming under the umbrella of the Cheektowaga Catholic Family of Parishes (Family #8), alongside Our Lady Help of Christians (4125 Union Rd., Cheektowaga, NY 14225), Resurrection (130 Como Park Blvd., Cheektowaga, NY 14227), and Queen of Martyrs (180 George Urban Blvd., Cheektowaga, NY 14225). The shared central office can be reached at (716) 276-9288.
- Our Lady Help of Christians — 4125 Union Rd., Cheektowaga, NY 14225
- St. Josaphat — 20 Peoria Ave., Cheektowaga, NY 14206
- Resurrection — 130 Como Park Blvd., Cheektowaga, NY 14227
- Queen of Martyrs — 180 George Urban Blvd., Cheektowaga, NY 14225
- Central Office phone: (716) 276-9288
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Andrew Garstka1905 – c. April 1906
First pastor appointed by Bishop Charles Colton; transferred to St. Barbara's, Lackawanna after about six months.
- Rev. Ludwik LeichertMarch 1906 – June 1906
Brief tenure before being succeeded by Hordych.
- Rev. Wladyslaw HordychJune 24, 1906 – 1914
Built the original three-story combination church/school/parish hall (cornerstone 1907, opened January 1908). Transferred to Assumption Church, Black Rock, in 1914.
- Rev. Karol Mioduszewski1914 – c. 1924/25
Built a parish bowling alley for youth; the original building burned down on the night of August 20, 1924.
- Rev. Stanislaus Kroczekc. 1924/25 – late 1940s
Exchanged parishes with Mioduszewski from Sacred Heart, Medina; built rectory and convent; named Canon/Msgr. in 1948; fell ill and was relieved by the Franciscan Fathers.
- Franciscan Fathers (Rev. Emil Tokarz, head)late 1940s – 1949
Administered the parish after Msgr. Kroczek's illness.
- Rev. Frank Wlodarczak1949 (administrator) – Feb. 15, 1976 (death)
Built the present church (ground broken Nov. 5, 1950; blessed Nov. 23, 1952); installed as pastor Feb. 15, 1953; blessed Stations of the Cross and altars; named Dean of Erie County South and a Monsignor in the 1970s.
- Rev. Max PanczakiewiczMarch 18, 1976 – March 6, 1994 (death)
Named a Monsignor in the 1990s; died shortly after retirement.
- Rev. Charles SliszSeptember 1, 1992 – 1998
Overlapped briefly with Msgr. Panczakiewicz's retirement.
- Rev. Theodore C. Rog1998 – December 31, 2008
Retired at the end of 2008.
- Rev. Richard PoblockiJanuary 1, 2009 – December 1, 2021
Retired at the end of 2021.
- Rev. Jozef Dudzikcurrent
Current Pastor of the Cheektowaga Catholic Family of Parishes (per 2024 bulletin).