About St. Mary of the Assumption · Lancaster, New York
St. Mary of the Assumption is a Roman Catholic parish in Lancaster, New York, perched on the historic St. Mary's Hill — the very spot where German Catholic settlers from Alsace and Bavaria pooled $80 in 1834 to buy land for a future church and school. The parish was officially incorporated on July 28, 1850, when Buffalo's first bishop, John Timon, appointed Fr. Sergius de Stchoulepnkoff (a Russian nobleman by birth) as its first resident pastor and a brick church was dedicated as 'St. Mary's Church of the Assumption.' Today the parish belongs to the Diocese of Buffalo and operates an elementary school, a cemetery, a young-adult ministry called Ablaze, and a second worship site at the Our Lady of Pompeii Campus, with daily noon Mass live-streamed from the chapel.
- Established
- 1850
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary, under her title of the Assumption
- Rector
- Msgr. Richard 'Fr. Rich' Siepka
- Diocese
- Diocese of Buffalo
Why belong here
St. Mary's welcomes parishioners into a community with roots stretching back to the very first Catholic settlers of Lancaster in 1834 and a hilltop church first dedicated in 1850. Its daily noon Mass, live-streamed Saturday Vigil, and weekend schedule (with a livestreamed Sunday Mass) make daily devotional life accessible, while First Friday Eucharistic Adoration, weekly Reconciliation, and an extensive parish school invite families to grow in faith together. Ministries like Ablaze (for young adults in their 20s and 30s), Faith Formation, the St. Vincent de Paul conference, Respect Life, and a full Music program mean there's a place for every age, season, and calling.
Mass times at St. Mary of the Assumption
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m.
- Saturday: 3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
- Saturday (parish handbook reference): 6:00 – 6:30 p.m. (or 6:00 – 6:45 p.m. per diocesan listings)
- By appointment
- Regional Penance Services during Advent and Lent
Adoration times
- First Friday of the month — after 12 noon Mass until 2:30 p.m. in Church
- Our Lady of Pompeii Campus — First Friday 12 noon – 6:00 p.m. in Church
- Weekly adoration also offered at the chapel on the north end of the school campus — visitors and weekly adorers welcome
Our History
St. Mary of the Assumption traces its origins to German Catholic settlers from Alsace and Bavaria who began arriving in Lancaster in the 1820s and 1830s. On January 6, 1834, fifteen families — represented by Sebastian Stockle for the Catholic Society of the Town of Lancaster — purchased the wooded hilltop from Truman and Lauretta Luce for $80, envisioning a future church and school. A young visiting priest from Bohemia, Fr. John Neumann (later canonized a saint in 1977), built the first rough-board church between 1837 and 1840 and founded the parish school with thirty pupils at Transit and Broadway. On November 25, 1847 the trustees Joseph Sugg, Jacob Jerge, George Krimm, George Ott, and Joseph Zimmet deeded the property to Bishop John Timon of the newly erected Diocese of Buffalo. Parish status was formally granted on July 28, 1850, when Bishop Timon appointed Fr. Sergius de Stchoulepnkoff as first resident pastor and the brick church was dedicated 'St. Mary's Church of the Assumption.' The present building was enlarged and rededicated in 1890.
- Land purchased January 6, 1834 for $80
- St. John Neumann served as visiting priest 1837–1840
- Parish officially established July 28, 1850
- First resident pastor: Fr. Sergius de Stchoulepnkoff (Russian nobleman)
- Pioneer families: Meyers, Stockl, Bund, Schwartz, Raynor, Huber, Ott, Jerge, Smith, Kaiser, Eismann, Weisbeck, Ringeisen, Lambrix, Messner, Forness, Landin, Laux, Naab, Kircholder, Suttel, Grant, Merge, Zimet, Zugg, Beyer, Nuwer
- Present brick church rededicated 1890
- Sisters of St. Francis (3rd Order Regular) staffed school since August 1898
- High school assumed by Diocese of Buffalo in 1955
- New elementary building constructed Spring 1958
Parish Staff & Clergy
St. Mary's is led by Msgr. Richard 'Fr. Rich' Siepka as Pastor, assisted by two Senior Parochial Vicars — Rev. Bart Lipiec and Rev. Lukasz Kopala — with Rev. Paul W. Steller in Residence. Permanent Deacons John Owczarczak and Matt Hens serve the parish, along with Sister Joyce King, CSSF as Pastoral Associate. A full lay staff supports the parish office, music program, faith formation, school, cemetery, and facilities.
- Msgr. Richard 'Fr. Rich' Siepka — Pastor (716) 668-8370 x215
- Rev. Bart Lipiec — Senior Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Lukasz Kopala — Senior Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Paul W. Steller — In Residence, ext. 17
- Deacon John Owczarczak — Permanent Deacon
- Deacon Matt Hens — Family Permanent Deacon
- Sister Joyce King, CSSF — Pastoral Associate
- Bob Over — Business Manager, ext. 36, [email protected]
- Sue Cole — Parish Secretary, ext. 10, [email protected]
- Kassie Esskuchen — Parish Secretary, ext. 12, [email protected]
- Margaret Testa-Goss — Parish Accountant, ext. 14, [email protected]
- Andrea Ross — Music Director
- Becky Hoag — Faith Formation Director, [email protected], (716) 683-8564
- Glenn Olejniczak — Principal, St. Mary's Elementary School, (716) 683-2112 ext. 124, [email protected]
- Daniel Rinow — Cemetery Director, ext. 34, [email protected]
- Donna Faatz — Facility Coordinator, (716) 683-6522 ext. 101, [email protected]
- Jennifer Gaglione — Social Media & Website Coordinator, (716) 480-0510
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish's Faith Formation Office — directed by Becky Hoag — oversees Sacramental preparation and ongoing catechesis. Children in grade 2 and above are eligible for First Reconciliation, and Confirmation enrollment is open each fall.
- First Reconciliation (grade 2+) — contact (716) 683-8564
- Confirmation program with annual retreat
- Catechist and classroom-aide volunteers needed
- FORMED digital content free for parishioners (zip 14086)
Sacraments
All seven Catholic Sacraments are celebrated at St. Mary's, including Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage (with Pre-Cana/Before Cana preparation), Anointing of the Sick, and Holy Orders/Religious Life discernment support. Reconciliation is offered weekly; First Friday Adoration and anointing by appointment through the Rectory.
- Baptism — registered parishioners welcome
- First Reconciliation — grade 2+
- First Communion and Confirmation — Faith Formation Office
- Marriage — Pre-Cana / Before Cana required
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment, (716) 683-6445
Parish Ministries & Outreach
Ministry involvement is encouraged as 'a great way to serve your parish and community and get to know fellow parishioners,' the parish handbook says. From a young-adult group to those who decorate the church for liturgical seasons, St. Mary's offers dozens of ways to serve.
- Ablaze young adult ministry (20s/30s) — @AblazeBuffaloNY
- Altar Servers (grade 4+ after First Communion; adult servers for funerals)
- Eucharistic Ministers (Communion distribution; homebound visits)
- Liturgy Environment volunteers (decorate for liturgical seasons)
- Live Streaming ministry (church or from home)
- Bereavement ministry
- Respect Life
- St. Vincent de Paul conference
- Music Ministry (Andrea Ross, Music Director)
- Pre-Cana / Before Cana marriage preparation team
St. Mary's Elementary School
St. Mary's Elementary School — with roots in the parish's first school founded by St. John Neumann in 1837–1840 and staffed by the Sisters of St. Francis since August 1898 — operates today under Principal Glenn Olejniczak. The current elementary building dates to 1958. The school hosts weekly Eucharistic Adoration in its chapel.
- Principal: Glenn Olejniczak
- (716) 683-2112 ext. 124 — [email protected]
- Sisters of St. Francis (3rd Order Regular) have staffed the school since Aug. 2, 1898
- Present elementary building constructed Spring 1958
Cemetery
The parish cemetery occupies part of the original hilltop land where the early settler families once walked past a meandering brook. Parishioners and their loved ones can be interred through the parish's cemetery office.
- Cemetery Director: Daniel 'Danny' Rinow
- (716) 683-6445 ext. 34 — [email protected]
Our Lady of Pompeii Campus
St. Mary's also operates the Our Lady of Pompeii Campus, a second worship site that maintains its own First Friday Adoration and a weekend schedule, with Masses live-streamed on YouTube for the homebound.
- Saturday Vigil: 4:00 p.m.
- Sunday: 9:30 a.m. (live streamed), 11:30 a.m.
- First Friday Adoration: 12:00 noon – 6:00 p.m.
- Live stream available on YouTube
Live Stream & Online Presence
Daily Mass at 12 noon, the Sunday 10 a.m. Mass at St. Mary's, and weekend Masses at Our Lady of Pompeii are all live streamed so parishioners unable to attend in person can join. The parish also offers the free Formed digital platform.
- St. Mary's: weekday noon, Sunday 10 a.m. live streamed
- Our Lady of Pompeii: Saturday 4 p.m., Sunday 9:30 and 11:30 a.m.
- Watch on Facebook and YouTube
- FORMED digital library — free with parish zip 14086
New Parishioners / Getting Involved
St. Mary's warmly welcomes new parishioners. Registration may be made by phone or in person; ministry contact information is published in the parish handbook for those wishing to get involved.
- Registration by phone or in person at the Rectory
- Parish Handbook (PDF) lists contact for every ministry
- Sub-2: Ministries & Outreach
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Sergius de Stchoulepnkoff1850–
First resident pastor, appointed July 28, 1850 by Bishop Timon; Russian nobleman by birth; supervised construction of the first brick church