About St. Mary · Arcade, New York
St. Mary's is a Roman Catholic parish in the village of Arcade, Wyoming County, New York, serving the Tri-County area of Wyoming, Erie and Cattaraugus Counties from two worship sites: the Arcade site at 417 West Main Street and the historic East Arcade site at 6785 East Arcade Road. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Buffalo and, since the diocesan 'Family of Parishes' reorganization, is part of the Cattaraugus Creek Catholic Community (Family #33) alongside St. Aloysius in Springville, St. Joseph in Holland, and the East Arcade site. Its mission, in the words of the parish itself, is to be 'a place to meet Jesus in His Good News and Sacraments, in each other, and in welcoming the seeker.' The parish offers daily and Sunday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, a Religious Education program for children and adults, the OCIA (formerly RCIA) journey, the Knights of Columbus, Alpha, and a range of Lenten and Marian devotions.
- Established
- 1846
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Daniel J. Fawls
- Diocese
- Diocese of Buffalo
Why belong here
St. Mary's welcomes anyone seeking to encounter Christ through the Sacraments and a tight-knit rural Catholic community. The parish offers daily Mass, Sunday Mass, weekday Eucharistic Adoration (Thursdays and Fridays, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), and the Sacrament of Reconciliation before every Mass, with the historic East Arcade site continuing to host a Saturday Vigil Mass. Families can hand their children on to Religious Education and OCIA (the adult journey into the Church), adults can join the CCCC Women's Book Club or Alpha sessions, men can take on the Knights of Columbus Council #5716 or EXODUS 90, and everyone is invited to Marian devotions like the Rosary at the Grotto and Lenten Stations of the Cross. As part of the Cattaraugus Creek Catholic Community with sister parishes in Springville and Holland, St. Mary's is a small but active country parish rooted in nearly 180 years of faith in the Arcade tri-county region.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- One-half hour before every Mass
- Additional confession times at St. Aloysius, Springville (see parish bulletin or website)
Adoration times
- Every Thursday and Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. — Arcade Worship Site (please check the bulletin to confirm)
About St. Mary's Parish
St. Mary's is a Roman Catholic parish in the village of Arcade, New York, ministering to Catholics across the Tri-County area of Wyoming, Erie and Cattaraugus Counties. Its two worship sites — the Arcade site on West Main Street and the historic East Arcade site on East Arcade Road — together form one parish community under the Diocese of Buffalo and the Cattaraugus Creek Catholic Community (CCCC). The parish describes itself as 'a place to meet Jesus in His Good News and Sacraments, in each other, and in welcoming the seeker.'
History
St. Mary's traces its origins to 1846, when about thirty pioneer Catholic families — including Edward Wales, William Hutchinson, Dennis Casey, Lawrence McGuire, Edward O. Sullivan, Andrew Lenox, Thomas McGloughlin, Bernard Sullivan, John Bennett, John Burns, Felix Gillespie, and David Roach — built the first church on land donated by Heman Wilson, Esq. on the east bank of Cattaraugus Creek. Originally affiliated with the church at Java, the mission secured its own resident pastor, Rev. Mr. Flynn, in 1848. Successive pastors — Miller, Stager, John Fitzpatrick, Francis R. Cook, John C. O'Riley, and Edward McShane — built up the community through the 19th century. A letter from Bishop Edward Head in 1981 (135th anniversary) confirmed that St. Mary's was 'organized' one year before the Diocese of Buffalo was founded. The parish marked its 175th anniversary on September 26, 2021 with Bishop Michael Fisher presiding.
Parish History Highlights
Key moments in the parish's life, drawn from the parish's own news pages and from local histories of Wyoming County.
- 1846 — East Arcade church built on land donated by Heman Wilson, Esq.
- 1848 — Rev. Mr. Flynn becomes the first resident pastor
- 1880s — Rev. Edward McShane builds the parish's first dedicated parsonage (~$1,500)
- 1981 — 135th anniversary marked; Bishop Edward Head writes commemorative letter to Father Steinbach
- 2007 — Sts. Peter and Paul parish merged into St. Mary's
- 2021 — 175th anniversary; Bishop Michael Fisher celebrates Mass of Thanksgiving at East Arcade
Two Worship Sites
St. Mary's parish family worships at two physical sites in the town of Arcade, both listed on the official website and confirmed by GCatholic.
- Arcade Worship Site — 417 West Main Street, Arcade, NY 14009 (parish office, daily Mass site, Adoration)
- East Arcade Worship Site — 6785 East Arcade Road, Arcade, NY 14009 (the original 1846 church; Saturday Vigil Mass)
Clergy & Staff
St. Mary's is served by clergy assigned through the Diocese of Buffalo's Family of Parishes system, with the parish office staffed Monday and Thursday mornings. The Diocese of Buffalo's Family of Parishes Assignment Listing names Rev. Daniel J. Fawls as Pastor of Family #33 (Cattaraugus Creek Catholic Community) and Rev. Jozef Dudzik as Parochial Vicar, supported by Deacons Jeff Foster and Richard F. Maciewicz. The parish website still lists Rev. Joseph A. Gullo, Pastor (Retired), who led the 175th anniversary in 2021.
- Rev. Daniel J. Fawls — Pastor
- Rev. Jozef Dudzik — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Joseph A. Gullo — Pastor (Retired)
- Deacon Jeff Foster
- Deacon Richard F. Maciewicz
- Parish secretary reachable at [email protected]
Lenten & Marian Devotions
Beyond Sunday and weekday Mass, St. Mary's keeps a strong tradition of devotions, especially during Lent and in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
- Stations of the Cross (Lent): Fridays 5:00 p.m. — Arcade
- Stations of the Cross (Lent): Sundays 1:00 p.m. — East Arcade
- Stations of the Cross (Lent): Fridays 7:00 p.m. — St. Joseph, Holland
- Tenebrae Service on Good Friday — 7:00 p.m., St. Joseph, Holland
- Rosary at St. Mary's Grotto — seasonal outdoor prayer (rain or shine; bring a lawn chair)
- Cursillo — contact parish office
- Holy Face devotion
Faith Formation & OCIA
St. Mary's runs both Children's and Adult Religious Education and welcomes inquirers through the OCIA — the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, the renewed name for the former RCIA process. The parish invites anyone who has been thinking about becoming Catholic, has been baptized in another tradition, or is a Catholic adult who missed receiving a Sacrament to reach out to Father Dan or Father Jozef, or to coordinators Diane and Eric Perry. Sessions are described as prayerful, informational, and pressure-free.
- Children's Religious Education (family-integrated)
- Adult Religious Education
- OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
- Inquiry begins any time — 'reach out to us'
- Coordinators: Diane and Eric Perry
Sacraments
The parish provides detailed, practical instructions for Baptism, Marriage, and the other Sacraments on its Our Parish page. Baptisms are scheduled after a parental baptismal class; godparents from another parish must provide a letter of recommendation. Marriage preparation requires an appointment with a priest at least six months before the wedding, followed by Pre-Cana classes.
- Baptism — call the rectory, attend baptismal class, provide godparent information
- Marriage — six-month advance appointment; Pre-Cana required
- First Communion & Confirmation — through Religious Education
- Reconciliation — ½ hour before every Mass
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment
Parish Ministries & Groups
The parish's Events page lists an active roster of ministries and small groups, many of them shared with the broader Cattaraugus Creek Catholic Community.
- Knights of Columbus Council #5716 (4th Thursday, 7:00 p.m., St. Mary's, Arcade)
- Alpha — Christian faith exploration (Thursdays 6:30 p.m., rotating CCCC churches, Spring 2026)
- EXODUS 90 — 90-day spiritual exercise for men (prayer, asceticism, fraternity)
- CCCC Women's Book Club (Thursdays 9:00–10:30 a.m., St. Aloysius Parish Hall, Springville)
- Cursillo
- Rosary at the Grotto
- Holy Face devotion
Cattaraugus Creek Catholic Community (CCCC)
St. Mary's is the lead parish of Family #33 in the Diocese of Buffalo's Family of Parishes reorganization, grouped under the name 'Cattaraugus Creek Catholic Community.' The CCCC links St. Mary's Arcade, St. Mary's East Arcade, St. Aloysius Springville, and St. Joseph Holland under shared clergy and ministry teams, with a second business office at St. Aloysius in Springville (716-592-2701, [email protected]).
- St. Mary's, Arcade (Arcade Worship Site)
- St. Mary's, East Arcade (East Arcade Worship Site)
- St. Aloysius, Springville
- St. Joseph, Holland
- Business Office — Springville: Mon/Wed/Fri 9 a.m.–12 noon; Tue 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
Parish Office & Contact
The parish office is at 417 West Main Street, Arcade, NY 14009, with staffed hours on Monday and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The Springville Business Office at St. Aloysius covers the wider CCCC on additional days. To register as a new parish member, the parish asks visitors to call the parish office.
- Parish Office — 417 West Main Street, Arcade, NY 14009
- Telephone — 585-492-5330
- Email — [email protected]
- Office Hours — Monday & Thursday, 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
- Springville Business Office — 716-592-2701 / [email protected]
- New parishioner registration — call the parish office
News, Bulletins & Getting Involved
The News & Events page on the parish website is the parish's main communication channel, regularly updated with bulletins, ministry announcements, and seasonal devotions. Recent notices include Alpha launching in Spring 2026, the CCCC Women's Book Club reading 'The Friendship Project' (Thursdays, April 9 – May 28, 2026), Knights of Columbus meetings, and the Lenten Stations schedule across the CCCC parishes.
- Latest bulletin referenced for any schedule changes
- Knights of Columbus contact: Tom Farrell
- Alpha contact: Dustin Bliss
- Rosary at the Grotto contact: Kathy Ziolkowski
- EXODUS 90 contact: Dustin Bliss
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Mr. Flynnfrom 1848
First resident pastor of St. Mary's East Arcade
- Rev. Mr. Miller
Succeeded Flynn after a short pastorate
- Rev. Mr. Stager
- Rev. John Fitzpatrick
- Rev. Francis R. Cook
- Rev. John C. O'Riley
- Rev. Edward McShane
Building a new parsonage during his pastorate (per 1880-era county history)
- Father Steinbachby 1981
Received 135th-anniversary letter from Bishop Edward Head
- Rev. Joseph A. Gullo
Pastor (Retired); led 175th anniversary in 2021
- Rev. Daniel J. Fawls
Current pastor per Diocese of Buffalo Family of Parishes assignment