About St. Lawrence · Buffalo, New York
St. Lawrence Parish was a Roman Catholic parish on Buffalo's Far East Side, belonging to the Diocese of Buffalo. The parish grew from a 1914 mission church of nearby St. Gerard and was formally established in 1929 to serve Italian-American immigrant families of the East Delavan neighborhood. Over nine decades its character shifted from a tight ethnic parish into a small, ministry-focused community serving a low-income, largely non-Catholic neighborhood. After years of declining sacramental and financial capacity, the parish celebrated its final Mass on the Feast of St. Lawrence, August 10, 2024, and closed its doors after 95 years.
- Established
- 1929
- Patron
- St. Lawrence (deacon and martyr)
- Rector
- Family #21 pastor: Father Joseph Rogliano (appointed Feb. 1, 2023, six-year term); parish served 2022–early 2023 by temporary administrator Father Robert Gebhard; previously Father Christopher Okoli (left the diocese Jan. 24, 2023).
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo
Why belong here
St. Lawrence was a small parish with a large heart, distinguished by a hands-on, ministry-based identity rather than ethnic or geographic density. Its signature outreach included the Rev. Joseph F. Moreno Food Pantry, a children's clinic, a guest house for service volunteers, a youth ministry, and the unusual 10 p.m. Saturday Mass that served night-shift nurses at nearby ECMC as well as police and firefighters. The parish also hosted the Jesuit-run Nativity Miguel Middle School of Buffalo in its former school building, extending its Catholic presence to underserved families well beyond its immediate pews.
Mass times at St. Lawrence
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:45 PM to 4:15 PM (or by request)
Parish History
St. Lawrence Parish grew from a 1914 mission of St. Gerard church on Buffalo's Far East Side, founded to serve Italian-American families expanding toward the city line. It became an independent parish in 1929, built a small wood-frame church designed by Karl Schmill, expanded it in 1930 and 1941, then lost the structure to fire in 1960. The present Modernist church, designed by Thomas Justin Imbs, was built the following year and served the community for more than six decades.
- 1914: St. Gerard establishes a mission for the outer Italian-American settlement near the Buffalo city line.
- 1929: Mission becomes the independent St. Lawrence Parish.
- 1930, 1941: Original wood-frame church expanded.
- 1960: Original church destroyed by fire.
- 1961: Current Modernist church (Thomas Justin Imbs, architect) erected on East Delavan Avenue.
- February 2024: Diocese of Buffalo announces the parish is insolvent and will close.
- August 10, 2024: Final Mass celebrated on the Feast of St. Lawrence; parish closes after 95 years.
Architecture & Buildings
The current church is a Modernist edifice built in 1961 after the original wood-frame church burned. It replaced the Schmill-designed mission structure that had served the parish since the 1920s. The parish also once operated a parochial school, the building of which later housed the Jesuit-run Nativity Miguel Middle School of Buffalo.
- Original church: wood frame, architect Karl Schmill (expanded 1930, 1941; destroyed by fire 1960).
- Current church: Modernist, architect Thomas Justin Imbs, 1961.
- Former parish school building later home to Nativity Miguel Middle School of Buffalo.
Clergy & Staff
In the Diocese of Buffalo's Family of Parishes model, St. Lawrence was part of Family #21 and shared pastoral leadership with neighboring parishes. Father Joseph Rogliano was appointed pastor of Family #21 on Feb. 1, 2023 for a six-year term; Father Robert Gebhard served as administrator for the cluster and spoke at the closing Mass. The parish also remembered beloved former pastors including Father Paul Seil (1999–2007), Father Ronald Sajdak, Father Christopher Okoli, and the late Father Joseph F. Moreno, whose name lives on in the parish food pantry.
- Father Joseph Rogliano — Pastor, Family #21 (from Feb. 1, 2023).
- Father Robert Gebhard — Administrator, Family #21.
- Father Christopher Okoli — former Administrator; left diocese Jan. 24, 2023.
- Father Paul Seil — Pastor 1999–2007; returned for final Mass.
- Father Ronald Sajdak — former Pastor.
- Father Paul Bossi — priest raised at the parish.
- Father Joseph F. Moreno — late beloved priest.
- Deacon Paul Weisenburger and Deacon Thomas LaBelle.
- Pat Dyer — Director of Lifelong Learning.
Pastoral Succession
The succession of named pastors and administrators named in diocesan coverage and final-Mass coverage. Pastor Seil was the first pastorate 10 years after his ordination and was remembered fondly for moving a statue of St. Lawrence to watch over the priests. Pastor Christopher Okoli left for ministry in Texas in early 2023, and Father Rogliano took the Family #21 role shortly after.
- Father Paul Seil — 1999–2007.
- Father Ronald Sajdak — pastor during 2017 roof campaign.
- Father Christopher Okoli — Administrator through Jan. 24, 2023.
- Father Joseph Rogliano — Pastor from Feb. 1, 2023.
- Father Robert Gebhard — Administrator, Family #21, through closure.
Ministries & Outreach
Parish leaders described St. Lawrence as a 'ministry-based parish.' Its outreach served not only parishioners but the wider low-income neighborhood of Buffalo's Far East Side and parts of western Cheektowaga.
- Rev. Joseph F. Moreno Food Pantry — flagship outreach, named for a beloved late pastor.
- Youth Ministry.
- Children's Clinic.
- Guest House — hospitality for visiting service-project volunteers.
- 10 p.m. Saturday Mass — ministry to night-shift ECMC nurses, police and firefighters.
- Faith Formation / Lifelong Learning — under Director Pat Dyer.
Schools & Faith Formation
St. Lawrence once operated its own parish school; the building later became home to the Jesuit-run Nativity Miguel Middle School of Buffalo, which serves students from underserved families. Parish-based faith formation was led as Lifelong Learning under Pat Dyer.
- Parish school building later housed Nativity Miguel Middle School of Buffalo (Jesuit-run).
- Lifelong Learning / Faith Formation directed by Pat Dyer.
Family of Parishes #21
Under the Diocese of Buffalo's Family of Parishes reorganization, St. Lawrence was clustered with three other East Side parishes into Family #21, sharing clergy and resources.
- Blessed Trinity Parish, Buffalo.
- SS. Columba-Brigid Parish, Buffalo.
- St. Martin de Porres Parish, Buffalo.
- St. Lawrence Parish, Buffalo.
- Pastoral team: Father Joseph Rogliano (Pastor), Father Robert Gebhard (Senior Parochial Vicar / Administrator).
The Italian-American East Side Neighborhood
For most of its life St. Lawrence was the spiritual home of Buffalo's Italian-American Far East Side, surrounded by well-known neighborhood families and businesses. By the 2010s those original families had largely moved away and the parish had reinvented itself as a service hub for a changed, low-income neighborhood.
- Founded as an Italian-American parish on East Delavan Avenue.
- Neighborhood namesakes: Ciminelli, Amigone, Bocce.
- First Salvatore's Restaurant located nearby on East Delavan.
- Mother parish: St. Gerard (visible from St. Lawrence).
- By 2010s, original immigrant families gone; parish served low-income, largely non-Catholic neighbors.
Final Mass & Closure (August 10, 2024)
After a February 2024 announcement that the parish was insolvent, St. Lawrence held its final Mass on the vigil of the Feast of St. Lawrence, August 10, 2024. Bishop Michael W. Fisher presided, joined by former pastors, administrators, deacons, school alumni and neighbors. The closing liturgy included the presentation of the oldest sacramental register, brought forward by Eleonore Clark, the parish centenarian. With a turn of the key after Mass, the parish locked its doors for the last time.
- Final Mass: Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024 (Feast of St. Lawrence).
- Presider: Bishop Michael W. Fisher.
- Deacons of honor: Paul Weisenburger and Thomas LaBelle.
- Preacher: Father Paul Seil (pastor 1999–2007).
- Family #21 administrator Father Robert Gebhard offered thanks.
- Parish centenarian Eleonore Clark brought forward the oldest sacramental register.
- Parishioners welcomed at Blessed Trinity, St. Martin de Porres, and SS. Columba-Brigid parishes.
Visit & Contact
St. Lawrence was located on Buffalo's Far East Side near the city line with Cheektowaga. The parish could be reached by phone and email and maintained a website at stlawrencebuffalo.org; after August 2024 the parish is closed and its community has been directed to neighboring Family #21 parishes.
- Address: 1520 East Delavan Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14215.
- Phone: (716) 892-2471.
- Email: [email protected].
- Website: http://www.stlawrencebuffalo.org.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Paul Seil1999–2007
First pastorate 10 years after ordination; moved a St. Lawrence statue to the front of the church to watch over the priests; returned to preach at the final Mass.
- Father Ronald Sajdak
Spoke publicly about parish ministries and the 2017 roof-replacement campaign.
- Father Christopher Okolithrough Jan. 24, 2023
Administrator of St. Lawrence and chaplain for the Catholic Health System; left the diocese to work for Christus Health in Corpus Christi, Texas.
- Father Joseph RoglianoFeb. 1, 2023 onward
Pastor of Family of Parishes #21 (Blessed Trinity, SS. Columba-Brigid, St. Lawrence, St. Martin de Porres); appointed for a six-year term.
- Father Robert Gebhard2023–2024
Temporary administrator of Family #21; spoke at the closing Mass in August 2024.