About St. Mary of the Lake · Hamburg, New York
St. Mary of the Lake is a Roman Catholic parish in the lakeside village of Hamburg, New York, founded in 1948 and part of the Diocese of Buffalo. The parish sits at 4737 Lake Shore Road — fittingly named for its patron, the Blessed Virgin Mary — and serves a community of roughly 800 registered families under the wider Lakeshore Catholic Faith Community umbrella. Its mission statement calls it 'a welcoming, vibrant community, living the gospel of Jesus through loving service, while sharing our Catholic faith with future generations.' Sunday worship centers on an 11:00 AM Mass, with a Saturday Vigil at 5:30 PM and weekday Masses on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, complemented by regular Thursday confession and Eucharistic Adoration.
- Established
- 1948
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary (under the title Our Lady / St. Mary of the Lake)
- Rector
- Rev. Timothy J. Koester
- Diocese
- Diocese of Buffalo
Why belong here
St. Mary of the Lake offers a peaceful lakeshore setting for traditional Catholic worship, with daily and weekend Mass, weekly Reconciliation on Thursday evenings, and substantial Eucharistic Adoration every Thursday afternoon plus First Fridays. The parish is supported by a strong faith formation program for children, vibrant music ministry under Music Director Glenn Colton, and active community groups such as the Holy Name Society — which has even organized trips together. As part of the Lakeshore Catholic Faith Community, parishioners enjoy the resources and shared clergy of five lakeshore parishes while still gathering at their home church on Lake Shore Road.
Mass times at St. Mary of the Lake
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM (or by appointment)
Adoration times
- Every Thursday 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- First Friday 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Parish Identity and Mission
St. Mary of the Lake Parish, sometimes shortened to 'SMOL,' is a Roman Catholic parish serving the lakeside village of Hamburg, New York. It belongs to the Diocese of Buffalo and is a member of Family #29 — the Lakeshore Catholic Faith Community. The parish's published mission is 'to be a welcoming, vibrant community, living the gospel of Jesus through loving service, while sharing our Catholic faith with future generations.'
- Patron: Blessed Virgin Mary (St. Mary of the Lake)
- Founded: 1948
- Roman Rite, Diocese of Buffalo
- Part of Lakeshore Catholic Faith Community (Family #29)
History
St. Mary of the Lake Parish was established in 1948 to serve Catholics living along the Lake Erie shore. Throughout its history it has been a multi-generational parish with strong community ties. In more recent decades the parish was shaped by the long pastorate of Msgr. W. Jerome Sullivan (ordained in Rome in 1961; held a doctorate in Canon Law from the Lateran University), who served roughly 17 years as pastor before retiring in 2009. He continued as administrator of several neighboring parishes and remained active until his death on September 8, 2023.
- 1948 — Parish founded
- c. 1980s–2009 — Pastorate of Msgr. W. Jerome Sullivan
- 2009 — Msgr. Sullivan retires
- 2023 — Msgr. Sullivan dies (Sept. 8)
- 2024 — Diocese of Buffalo recommends merger with St. Francis of Assisi as part of 'Road to Renewal'
Road to Renewal and Merger Context
In June 2024, Bishop Michael W. Fisher and the Diocese of Buffalo released a new round of parish recommendations under the diocese's 'Road to Renewal' initiative, prompted in part by the diocese's Chapter 11 reorganization. Under 'Family #29' (Lakeshore Catholic Faith Community), St. Mary of the Lake was recommended to merge with St. Francis of Assisi in Athol Springs, with St. Mary of the Lake slated to close as a worship site. Parish bulletin messaging has continued throughout the process, and a 'Decree of Merger – SFA & SMOL' is published on the Lakeshore Catholic Faith Community family website.
- Recommended merger with St. Francis of Assisi (June 2024)
- Part of the wider 'Road to Renewal' restructuring of the Diocese of Buffalo
Clergy and Staff
The parish is served by a full team of priests and deacons, supported by parish and faith-formation staff. The Lakeshore Catholic Faith Community shares clergy across its five parish sites, so the priests serving at St. Mary of the Lake are also part of the wider Family #29 team.
- Pastor — Rev. Timothy J. Koester
- Senior Parochial Vicar — Rev. Ross M. Syracuse, OFM Conv.
- Parochial Vicar — Rev. Johnson Machado
- Parochial Vicar — Rev. Michael Johnson
- Pastor Emeritus — Rev. William Bigelow
- Deacons — Joseph Gray, Neal Linnan, Steven (Steve) Schumer, William J. Walkowiak
- Music Director — Glenn Colton
- Faith Formation Coordinator — William Nistor
- Director of Mission — Jonathan Molik
- Director of Discipleship — Elizabeth Woods
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith formation for parish children and youth is coordinated through a dedicated office, separate from the main rectory. Coordinator William Nistor oversees catechetical programming and sacramental preparation for First Communion and other milestones. Inquiries can be made through the Faith Formation Office.
- Faith Formation Coordinator — William Nistor ([email protected])
- Faith Formation Office — Phone: 716-627-7700; Fax: 716-627-1255
- Sacramental preparation for First Eucharist and other sacraments
Music Ministry
Liturgical music at St. Mary of the Lake is led by Music Director Glenn Colton, who directs the parish's choir and music program for Sunday and weekday liturgies as well as special celebrations.
- Music Director — Glenn Colton
- Provides music for Saturday Vigil, Sunday Mass, and Holy Days
Parish Life and Community Groups
Beyond the sanctuary, parish life includes longstanding community organizations such as the Holy Name Society, which has organized trips and outings (for example, a Buffalo Bisons baseball game trip in summer 2024) and continues to host fellowship events for parishioners. The parish also hosts occasional special events — including a March 2023 free concert by the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame group The Dooleys.
- Holy Name Society (fellowship, outings, refreshments)
- Family-wide Lakeshore Catholic Faith Community events
- Occasional concerts and special celebrations at the church
Visiting and Contact Information
St. Mary of the Lake Church is located on Lake Shore Road in the lakeside village of Hamburg, NY. Parish office hours are limited to two mornings a week, while the Faith Formation Office is open during additional hours and the Lakeshore Catholic Faith Community family office in Angola handles broader administrative business.
- Address — 4737 Lake Shore Road, Hamburg, NY 14075
- Parish Office Phone — 716-627-3123; Fax — 716-627-7062
- Bulletin/Email — [email protected]
- Rectory Email — [email protected]
- Parish Office Hours — Tuesday & Thursday, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Family Office — 24 Prospect St., Angola, NY 14006; 716-780-7020
- Website — www.smolparish.org
- Facebook — facebook.com/smolchurch
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. W. Jerome Sullivan, JCDapproximately 1992–2009 (retired); continued as administrator thereafter
Longtime pastor; ordained in Rome 1961; earned doctorate in Canon Law from the Lateran University; served 17 years as pastor before 2009 retirement; died September 8, 2023
- Rev. William Bigelow
Listed as Pastor Emeritus on the parish bulletin