About St. Martin of Tours · Buffalo, New York
St. Martin of Tours is a Roman Catholic parish in the South Buffalo neighborhood of Buffalo, New York, founded in 1926 to serve the spiritual needs of the rapidly growing Abbott Road corridor. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Buffalo and is 'linked' (since 2008) with neighboring St. Thomas Aquinas Church, with which it shares a pastor. Today the parish of roughly 1,800 families is pastored by Father William 'Bill' Quinlivan, and offers daily and weekend Mass, Saturday confessions, RCIA and Faith Formation for children and adults, baptisms and weddings, and a Liturgical Music Ministry led by Music Director Laura Lawless.
- Established
- 1926
- Patron
- St. Martin of Tours
- Rector
- Rev. William 'Bill' Quinlivan
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo
Why belong here
St. Martin of Tours is a welcoming South Buffalo parish with a daily-Mass and Rosary rhythm, a clearly organized sacramental life (baptism, Confirmation, marriage, RCIA), and a working music ministry that rotates between St. Martin's and its linked parish, St. Thomas Aquinas. Active liturgical ministries — altar servers, Eucharistic ministers, lectors, choir, ushers, hospitality/greeters — keep the parish alive and easy to plug into, and the Faith Formation program serves children in grades 1–9 (and Confirmation) alongside a flexible, even virtual, RCIA track for adults considering coming into full communion with the Church.
Mass times at St. Martin of Tours
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00–3:30 PM
- By appointment with Fr. Bill
- Thursdays at 6:00 PM at Holy Family
History of St. Martin of Tours Parish
St. Martin of Tours was established in 1926 as South Buffalo was rapidly developing as a streetcar suburb. The Kinsey Real Estate Company gave the Diocese of Buffalo a plot on Abbott Road for free, on the condition it be used for a Catholic church — a common developer's tactic to draw homebuyers. The parish grew quickly through the mid-century, reaching about 1,800 families, which made a larger building necessary. The present church, designed in the Mid-Century Modern style by the Buffalo firm Backus, Crane & Love, was completed in 1958. Its distinctive exposed-frame bell tower houses bells rescued from St. Patrick's Church after its 1982 demolition. In 2008 the parish was 'linked' with neighboring St. Thomas Aquinas under the Diocese of Buffalo's 'Journey in Faith and Grace' program; the two parishes remain independent but share a pastor and cooperate closely.
- Founded: 1926
- Land donated by Kinsey Real Estate Company
- Current church: 1958, by Backus, Crane & Love
- Bells salvaged from St. Patrick's Church (demolished 1982)
- Linked with St. Thomas Aquinas in 2008
Meet Our Staff
The parish is pastored by Rev. William 'Bill' Quinlivan, who also serves the linked St. Thomas Aquinas parish. Day-to-day parish life is supported by Dawn M. Iacono (Pastoral Associate and RCIA Coordinator), Suellen (parish office and ministry volunteer coordinator), Cheryl McNerney (Faith Formation / Religious Education contact), and Music Director Laura Lawless. The parish also has a Pre-Baptismal Leader Couple, Mary & Marty Kennedy.
- Rev. William 'Bill' Quinlivan — Pastor
- Dawn M. Iacono — Pastoral Associate / RCIA Coordinator ([email protected])
- Suellen — parish office / ministries
- Laura Lawless — Music Director
- Cheryl McNerney — Faith Formation ([email protected])
- Mary & Marty Kennedy — Pre-Baptismal Leader Couple
Liturgical Ministries
St. Martin's draws on a stable of volunteer liturgical ministers who serve at the altar and in the pews each weekend. The parish is always welcoming new volunteers and asks interested parishioners to contact Suellen at the parish office.
- Altar Servers
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Lectors
- Music Ministry (Choir, Music Director Laura Lawless, and 'Kindred')
- Ushers
- Hospitality / Greeters
Music Ministry
Music Director Laura Lawless plays piano for the Masses at both St. Martin of Tours and St. Thomas Aquinas, as well as for funerals and weddings celebrated in the churches. One Mass each weekend is accompanied by the parish choir, with the schedule rotated between the two parishes. The parish is also blessed to have the South Buffalo–based group Kindred playing for Masses at both locations, alternating with Laura. New voices and instrumentalists are always welcome.
- Music Director: Laura Lawless
- Parish Choir (rotates between parishes and Mass times)
- Kindred (South Buffalo group) — rotates with Laura
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Children in grades 1–9, as well as those preparing for Confirmation, attend Faith Formation classes through their home parish — the same process for students in both public and Catholic schools. The Catholic Family of South Buffalo offers one unified Religious Education program; registration forms are available at the parish offices at 260 Okell St. or online. Cheryl McNerney handles inquiries for Faith Formation. Sacramental preparation (Reconciliation, Eucharist, Confirmation) must take place through the child's home parish.
- Grades 1–8 Faith Formation
- Grade 9 and Confirmation program (joint Family of Parishes program)
- 1st Reconciliation & 1st Eucharist preparation
- Contact: Cheryl McNerney — [email protected] or 716-823-8575
- Family of Parishes office: 260 Okell St.
RCIA & Adult Confirmation
The parish runs the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) for anyone — adult or older child — wishing to be baptized, receive First Communion, or be confirmed in the Catholic Church. A separate Adult Confirmation Formation program is offered year-round for baptized, practicing Catholics who were never confirmed as teens, which is a frequent need for adults wanting to serve as a Godparent or Confirmation Sponsor. Sessions are currently held virtually on Monday evenings at 6:30 PM and can be customized weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. Inquiries go to Pastoral Associate / RCIA Coordinator Dawn Iacono.
- RCIA for unbaptized adults and catechumens
- Adult Confirmation for already-baptized Catholics
- Virtual Monday-evening sessions at 6:30 PM (customizable)
- Contact: Dawn Iacono — [email protected] or 716-823-7077
Sacraments: Baptism & Weddings
Infant baptisms are scheduled by appointment after weekend Masses; parents are required to attend a Pre-Baptismal Class beforehand, ideally during pregnancy, taught by Leader Couple Mary & Marty Kennedy. Adult baptisms are handled through RCIA. Weddings are arranged through Fr. Bill with at least six months' notice; Pre-Cana is required (in-person or online), and ceremonies are traditionally held on Fridays at 6:00 PM or Saturdays at 2:00 PM. The parish provides online readings, diocesan Couples Guidelines, and Music Guidelines for weddings.
- Pre-Baptismal Class (Mary & Marty Kennedy, 716-825-6327)
- Godparent eligibility rules listed on parish site
- Wedding bookings: 716-823-7077 (Fr. Bill)
- Pre-Cana required; six months' notice
Parish Life & Resources
Beyond the Mass schedule, the parish keeps members connected through online giving, a monthly 50/50 drawing, a live-streamed Mass feed (linked from the parish website), and a prayer list for the sick of the linked parishes. The parish collects food and monetary donations for those in need, including supporting the local St. Luke outreach effort, and parishioners are encouraged to donate through church envelopes or online.
- Online Giving (QR code on parish site)
- Monthly 50/50 Drawing
- Live Stream (linked from stmartinbuffalo.com)
- Prayer list for the sick of St. Martin's & St. Thomas Aquinas
- Outreach: food and monetary donations for those in need; St. Luke mission partnership
Getting Involved
St. Martin's emphasizes that 'we are always looking for more volunteers' across its ministries. Suellen, in the parish office, is the central point of contact for anyone wishing to serve as an altar server, Eucharistic minister, lector, choir member, usher, or greeter. Newcomers are invited to register with the parish using the form available on the website (returned in person or emailed to [email protected]).
- Contact Suellen at the parish office (716-823-7077) to volunteer
- Parish registration form on stmartinbuffalo.com
- Open invitations for liturgical and music ministries