About St. Maximilian Kolbe (St. Francis of Assisi Worship Site, Corfu) · Corfu, New York
St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish is a Roman Catholic community of faith in the rural Genesee County towns of Corfu and East Pembroke, New York, in the Diocese of Buffalo. It is a two-worship-site parish: St. Francis of Assisi Church at 18 West Main Street in Corfu, and the Church of the Holy Name of Mary on Church Street in East Pembroke. The parish was canonically established in 2009 and is currently pastored by Father James Fugle, with the parish office staffed by Administrative Assistant Sue Drozdiel. Its self-described mission is 'to strengthen the Body of Christ in our community through the sharing of the Eucharist, prayer, and works of charity.'
- Established
- 2009
- Patron
- St. Maximilian Kolbe
- Rector
- Rev. James Fugle
- Diocese
- Diocese of Buffalo
Why belong here
St. Maximilian Kolbe is a small, family-style parish that puts the Eucharist at the center of its life. Weekday and weekend Masses are celebrated at both of its country churches (St. Francis of Assisi in Corfu and Holy Name of Mary in East Pembroke), the parish offers regular confession times, a First Friday Devotion to the Sacred Heart with Mass and Eucharistic Adoration until noon, and it explicitly welcomes people into the 'Body of Christ' through prayer and works of charity. For Catholics in the Corfu, East Pembroke, and greater Batavia area looking for a tight-knit rural parish rooted in traditional devotion, St. Maximilian Kolbe is home.
Mass times at St. Maximilian Kolbe (St. Francis of Assisi Worship Site, Corfu)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 – 3:45 PM (St. Francis of Assisi, Corfu)
Adoration times
- First Fridays: Eucharistic Adoration until Noon following 10:00 AM Mass at Holy Name of Mary, East Pembroke
Parish Identity and Mission
St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish identifies itself as 'a Roman Catholic Community of Faith located in East Pembroke and Corfu, NY.' Its mission statement reads: 'to strengthen the Body of Christ in our community through the sharing of the Eucharist, prayer, and works of charity.' The parish is part of the Diocese of Buffalo, in the Genesee/Wyoming Vicariate, and was formally constituted in 2009.
Worship Sites
The parish operates two churches in neighboring hamlets of Genesee County, east of Batavia. Together they let parishioners in small, geographically scattered communities keep a regular Mass schedule close to home.
- St. Francis of Assisi Church — 18 West Main Street, Corfu, NY 14036. Site of the Saturday Vigil Mass and Saturday confessions.
- Church of the Holy Name of Mary — 8656 Church Street, East Pembroke, NY 14056. Site of the Sunday Mass, Tuesday daily Mass, and First Friday Devotion.
Clergy and Staff
Father James Fugle has served as pastor since October 2012. He holds a Master of Divinity from Christ the King Seminary and was ordained a Transitional Deacon in November 2007. He was in Rome on a pilgrimage in March 2013 when Pope Francis was elected. Sue Drozdiel serves as the parish Administrative Assistant and is a main point of contact through the parish office.
- Rev. James Fugle — Pastor (since October 2012)
- Sue Drozdiel — Administrative Assistant
Parish History and 'Road to Renewal'
St. Maximilian Kolbe was established in 2009 as part of a wave of parish restructurings in the Diocese of Buffalo and was grouped as 'Family #12' with Resurrection Parish in Batavia. In June 2024, the diocese's 'Road to Renewal' initiative published a list of recommended mergers that included merging St. Maximilian Kolbe with St. John the Baptist Parish in Alden, with both the Corfu and East Pembroke worship sites eventually slated to close. As of the latest published information, the parish continues to celebrate Mass at both sites under Fr. Fugle.
- Parish established 2009
- Original grouping: 'Family #12' with Resurrection, Batavia
- June 2024: Diocese of Buffalo 'Road to Renewal' recommended merging with St. John the Baptist (Alden) and closing both worship sites
Contact and Office
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, email, or through the parish website and Facebook page. The parish office is staffed weekdays and is the hub for scheduling sacraments, requesting bulletins, and coordinating with the pastor.
- Phone: (585) 599-4833
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.stmax.net
- Facebook: facebook.com/stmaxrc
- Administrative Assistant: Sue Drozdiel
Patron — St. Maximilian Kolbe
The parish is named for St. Maximilian Kolbe (1894–1941), a Polish Conventual Franciscan friar, missionary, and martyr. He founded the Militia Immaculata (Army of Mary) and is famous for voluntarily taking the place of another prisoner at Auschwitz, where he was killed by lethal injection on August 14, 1941. He was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1982 and is honored as a patron saint of drug addicts, political prisoners, families, journalists, and the pro-life movement. His feast day is celebrated on August 14.
- St. Maximilian Kolbe (1894–1941), Polish Franciscan friar
- Martyred at Auschwitz, August 14, 1941
- Canonized by Pope John Paul II on October 10, 1982
- Feast day: August 14
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. James FugleOctober 2012 – present
Currently pastor of St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish. Was a chaplain on a pre-planned pilgrimage in Rome in March 2013 and was present in St. Peter's Square for the white smoke and Pope Francis's first papal blessing. Holds an MDiv from Christ the King Seminary and was ordained a Transitional Deacon in November 2007.