About St. Michael · Newark, New York
St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church is a parish in Newark, New York (Wayne County), part of the Diocese of Rochester and now clustered with neighboring parishes as the Catholic Parishes of Eastern Wayne County (St. Michael, St. Joseph the Worker, and Catholic Community of the Blessed Trinity). The parish serves as a spiritual home for the Newark community, offering Sunday and daily Mass, sacramental preparation, youth faith formation, Hispanic Ministry, outreach to local nursing homes, and a Martha Ministry of practical care. Its current worship site, dedicated in 1903, sits at 401 South Main Street at the corner of Franklin, and remains the heartbeat of Catholic life in the village.
- Established
- 1855
- Patron
- St. Michael the Archangel
- Rector
- Rev. Felicjan Sierotowicz, Parochial Administrator (part of the Catholic Parishes of Eastern Wayne County clergy team, with Fr. Jeff Chichester and Fr. John Omboga as Parochial Vicars)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Rochester
Why belong here
St. Michael's is a small-town parish where parishioners still know one another by name, and where the church continues to serve both long-time families and newcomers in the Newark community. Worship is offered several times a week — including daily Mass and a special Monday Mass at local nursing homes — alongside faith formation for children and youth, RCIA for adults, a Hispanic Ministry, a Martha Ministry of practical care, and outreach through the local inter-church council. Joining St. Michael's means becoming part of a Catholic community rooted in Newark for more than 170 years, and now linked to a wider family of parishes across eastern Wayne County.
Mass times at St. Michael
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 9:45–10:15 AM (or by appointment)
- Wednesday 6:45–7:15 PM (or by appointment)
- First Wednesday of the month 6:15–6:50 PM (or by appointment)
Adoration times
- Wednesday Holy Hour 6:30–7:30 PM
Parish History & Heritage
St. Michael's Newark was founded in 1855 as a mission of St. Michael's in Lyons, incorporated as a parish in 1863, and became an independent parish when the present church on South Main Street was dedicated in 1903. The parish's heritage is told in a clear timeline of milestones — from the purchase of the current site in 1897, to the school opening in 1954, and the school closure in 2011.
- 1855 — Established as a mission of St. Michael's, Lyons
- 1863 — Incorporated as a parish (still served from Lyons)
- 1897 — Land at South Main & Franklin purchased for the present site
- 1903 — Current church dedicated; parish becomes independent
- 1911 — 1903 organ (originally from a synagogue) renovated
- 1930 — New organ installed
- 1937 — Land for parish school purchased
- 1954 — St. Michael's School opened
- 2011 — Parish school closed due to declining enrollment
Vocations from St. Michael's
The parish proudly notes the priestly and religious vocations that have come from the St. Michael's community over the years.
- Priests: Rev. Thomas Roache, Rev. John Randall, Rev. Lawrence Murphy, Rev. B. Thomas Celso, Rev. John Colacino, Rev. Stephen Baumann
- Religious Sisters: Sr. Cass, Sr. Virginia Whelan
Sacraments
St. Michael's prepares parishioners for all seven sacraments. Baptism for infants and young children is celebrated outside of Lent, with required parental preparation. Sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, and Confirmation is integrated into the parish Faith Formation program, and adults seeking initiation enter through RCIA. The parish also coordinates Marriage preparation, Anointing of the Sick, and Funeral Liturgies.
- Baptism (infants/children under 7; pre-Baptismal class required; not during Lent)
- First Penance / Reconciliation
- First Eucharist (First Communion)
- Confirmation
- Marriage preparation
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Orders & Religious Life (vocations)
- RCIA for adults and children
- Funeral preparation — contact June Sherman at (315) 331-6753 ext. 104
Faith Formation
Faith Formation is at the heart of the parish's mission, offered in partnership with the Catholic Parishes of Eastern Wayne County. The program serves children in grades 1–7 with foundational catechesis, integrates sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation and First Communion, and includes youth ministry opportunities for middle and high school students such as service projects, retreats, and liturgical participation. Adult Faith Enrichment, Bible studies, prayer groups, and RCIA round out the formation offerings.
- Grades 1–7 Faith Formation classes
- First Reconciliation & First Communion preparation
- Youth Ministry (middle and high school)
- Adult Faith Enrichment
- RCIA (adults and children)
- Opportunities to Grow Deeper in Faith
Parish Ministries & Outreach
St. Michael's supports a wide range of parish ministries — liturgical, formational, and charitable — alongside active outreach to the wider Newark community. The parish participates in the Lyons Inter-Church Council and runs a Hispanic Ministry, Jail Ministry, and Martha Ministry of practical care for parishioners. The Altar & Rosary Society and seasonal parish activities round out parish life.
- Liturgical Ministries (altar servers, lectors, Eucharistic ministers)
- Music Ministry — Tim Schramm, Music Director
- Children's Liturgy of the Word
- Family Ministry
- Altar & Rosary Society
- Parish Service to Our Community
- Parish Activities (seasonal)
- Hispanic Ministry
- Jail Ministry
- Martha Ministry (care for parishioners)
- Lyons Inter-Church Council
Parish Staff & Contacts
The parish is served by the Catholic Parishes of Eastern Wayne County clergy and a team of parish staff and volunteers who handle music, finances, secretarial work, pastoral care, funerals, and maintenance.
- Fr. Felicjan Sierotowicz — Parochial Administrator
- Fr. Jeff Chichester — Parochial Vicar
- Fr. John Omboga — Parochial Vicar
- Fr. Sylvester Bioh — Parochial Vicar (listed by Diocese of Rochester)
- June Sherman — Pastoral Associate / Funeral Coordinator ([email protected])
- Tim Schramm — Music Director
- Katie Childs — Parish Secretary
- Mary Capone (Annette Syracusa per newer staff listing) — Regional Financial Director
- Dominic Vitaro — Maintenance
- Parish phone: (315) 331-6753
Catholic Parishes of Eastern Wayne County
Since June 25, 2019, St. Michael's Newark has been part of a tri-parish cluster with St. Joseph the Worker (Clyde/Lyons/Savannah) and Catholic Community of the Blessed Trinity (Wolcott/Red Creek/Fair Haven), all sharing clergy and many ministries under the unified Catholic Parishes of Eastern Wayne County website (cpewc.org). St. Michael's remains the local worship site for the Newark community, while the cluster model strengthens resources for faith formation, youth ministry, and pastoral care across the region.
- Combined website: https://www.cpewc.org/
- Legacy site (now redirecting): https://www.stmichaelsnewark.org/
- Partner parish: St. Joseph the Worker — 43 W. DeZeng St., Clyde, NY 14433 — (315) 902-4130
- Partner parish: Catholic Community of the Blessed Trinity — Wolcott / Red Creek / Fair Haven
St. Michael's School (1954–2011)
St. Michael's School opened in 1954 on land purchased in 1937, and for decades it was a cornerstone of Catholic education in Newark. Like many small parish schools, it ultimately closed in 2011 due to declining enrollment, ending a 57-year run of parish-based Catholic schooling.
- Land for school purchased in 1937
- School opened 1954 (Grades K–9)
- Closed in 2011 due to declining enrollment
Giving & Financial Support
The parish invites online giving to support the parish and the diocesan Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA), and explains how contributions are used to sustain worship, formation, and outreach.
- Online Giving via parish website
- Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA) — diocesan appeal
- Special collections for parish and cluster ministries
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Francis Clark and Rev. Patrick Lee1869–1876
Early pastors listed on parish timeline.
- Rev. John Hickey1876–1888
- Rev. Daniel Kavannaugh1888–1903
Last pastor during mission/incorporation period; oversaw the move to independence.
- Rev. James Gibbons1903–1927
First pastor in the newly independent parish; current 1903 church built under his tenure.
- Rev. John Ganey1927–1945
- Rev. Henry Doebecker1945–1957
- Rev. Joseph McDonnell1957–1975
- Rev. Peter Deckman1975–1980
- Rev. Edward Steinkirchner1980–1995
- Rev. Peter Clifford1995–2007
- Rev. Mark Brewer2007–2008
- Rev. Felix Dalix Dalimpuo2009–2015
Died unexpectedly in November 2015 while visiting family in Ghana.
- Patricia Albrecht (Pastoral Associate) with Fr. Anthony Nkeitiah providing sacraments2015–2016
Lay-led transition after the death of Fr. Felix.
- Rev. Jeffrey S. Tunnicliff2016–2019
- Fr. David Tedesche (Pastor) with Fr. Matthew Walter (Parochial Vicar)2019–present
Effective June 25, 2019, the parish began sharing priests with St. Joseph the Worker and Catholic Community of the Blessed Trinity, forming the Catholic Parishes of Eastern Wayne County.