About St. Paul · Kenmore, New York
St. Paul Roman Catholic Church is a historic parish in Kenmore, a suburb just north of Buffalo, New York. Founded in the 1890s to serve the residents of the then-newly-incorporated village of Kenmore, the parish worships today in a striking 1954 Late Gothic Revival church designed by prominent Buffalo architect Mortimer J. Murphy. As one of five parishes in the Light of Christ Roman Catholic Community of the Northtowns (Family #17) within the Diocese of Buffalo, St. Paul's offers Saturday Vigil and two Sunday Masses, weekday Masses on Tuesdays and Fridays, First Friday Eucharistic Adoration, a children's Liturgy of the Word program, and active lay ministries including altar servers, ushers, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, and parish societies such as the Holy Name, the Sodality, and St. Paul's Seniors.
- Established
- 1892 (parish created); 1897 (first wood-frame church built)
- Patron
- St. Paul the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. Michael J. Parker
- Diocese
- Diocese of Buffalo (Light of Christ Roman Catholic Community of the Northtowns / Family #17)
Why belong here
St. Paul's is a parish where a smaller, well-known congregation still worships in a beautiful 1954 Late Gothic Revival church on Victoria Boulevard. Visitors will find Saturday Vigil and two Sunday Masses, weekday Masses on Tuesdays and Fridays, First Friday Eucharistic Adoration, a children's Liturgy of the Word during the school year, and a long list of ways to get involved — altar servers (youth and adult), ushers and greeters, lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, the Holy Name men's society, the Sodality women's society, and St. Paul's Seniors. As part of the Light of Christ Family of Parishes with neighboring Kenmore, Tonawanda, and Grand Island parishes, St. Paul's also shares family-wide faith formation and sacramental preparation, making it a good fit for families looking for an active, historic parish rooted in Catholic tradition.
Mass times at St. Paul
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 4:00–4:30 PM (in church)
Adoration times
- First Friday of every month, following the 8:00 AM Mass until 12:00 noon (both side doors open for easy entry)
About St. Paul Parish
St. Paul Roman Catholic Church is a historic Kenmore parish of the Diocese of Buffalo serving roughly 1,150 families. Founded in the 1890s to minister to the booming village of Kenmore — Buffalo's first planned suburb — it is today one of the five parishes of the Light of Christ Roman Catholic Community of the Northtowns (Family #17). The parish is anchored by a stunning 1954 Late Gothic Revival church designed by the celebrated Buffalo architect Mortimer J. Murphy.
Parish History
St. Paul's was created in 1892 to serve the fast-growing village of Kenmore. Three years later, in 1897, a simple wood-frame church was built at the corner of Delaware Avenue and Victoria Boulevard with the volunteer labor of Jesuit priests from St. Michael's parish on Washington Street in downtown Buffalo. By the 1950s the wooden church had been outgrown, and the parish built its present church (and an adjoining Catholic school) in 1953. The new church was completed and dedicated in 1954, designed by Mortimer J. Murphy in his signature Late Gothic Revival style. In the Diocese of Buffalo's 'Families of Parishes' reorganization, St. Paul's joined with neighboring parishes to form Family #17, the Light of Christ Roman Catholic Community of the Northtowns.
- 1892 – Parish created to serve the newly incorporated village of Kenmore
- 1897 – First wood-frame church built on Victoria Boulevard and Delaware Avenue
- 1953 – Construction begins on the present-day church and adjoining school
- 1954 – Current Late Gothic Revival church dedicated; designed by architect Mortimer J. Murphy
- 21st century – Grouped into Light of Christ Roman Catholic Community of the Northtowns (Family #17)
Architecture & Building
The 1954 church is widely regarded as one of the finest works of Western New York's pre-eminent Catholic architect Mortimer J. Murphy. It is a Late Gothic Revival composition with sleek, modernist-influenced simplifications that distinguishes it from the more ornate Gothic churches of the previous generation. The building is considered eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.
- Architect: Mortimer J. Murphy (Buffalo, NY)
- Style: Late Gothic Revival with Modernist influences
- Year built: 1954
- Signature features: enormous stained-glass window with geometrical bar tracery, triple entrance with pointed compound arches, simple stepped buttresses, and a stout flat-roofed crenellated corner tower
- NRHP-eligible
Liturgy of the Word for Children
Children are invited to step out of the assembly during the 10:00 AM Sunday Mass (September through June) for a Liturgy of the Word led by a catechist in an age-appropriate setting. After the children's proclamation of the Gospel, they return to their families for the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
- Day: Sundays (school year)
- Time: during the 10:00 AM Mass
- Season: September through June
- Led by parish catechists
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious education and sacramental preparation for St. Paul's children are coordinated family-wide through the Light of Christ Roman Catholic Community of the Northtowns, with classes hosted at St. John the Baptist, St. Stephen, and St. Timothy parishes. Families are encouraged to call the Light of Christ South Office (located at St. John's, 1085 Englewood Avenue) at 716-875-2730 for current registration and program details.
- Offered family-wide through Light of Christ Family of Parishes
- Class sites: St. John the Baptist, St. Stephen, St. Timothy
- Contact: Light of Christ South Office at St. John's, 716-875-2730
Parish Ministries
St. Paul's offers many ways to participate in parish life — both at the altar and behind the scenes. Liturgical ministries include altar servers (youth grades 4–12 and adults for daily and funeral Masses), ushers and greeters, lectors, and Eucharistic Ministers. Parish societies include the Holy Name (men), the Sodality (women), and St. Paul's Seniors, which together have long anchored the parish's social and devotional life.
- Altar Servers — youth (grades 4–12 with First Communion) and adult; training each fall
- Ushers and Greeters
- Lectors
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Holy Name Society (men)
- Sodality (women)
- St. Paul's Seniors
- Music Ministry / Ensemble (directed by Keith Konopa)
- Funeral Mass servers (rotating basis, training provided)
Clergy & Staff
St. Paul's is currently served by a pastor and parochial vicar from the Light of Christ Family of Parishes, with a permanent deacon and a small lay staff supporting the parish's liturgical, administrative, and communications work.
- Rev. Michael J. Parker — Pastor
- Rev. Peter Ekanem — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Martin F. Gallagher — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Richard W. Parker — Permanent Deacon (per diocesan directory)
- Carolyn Nye — Business Manager / Respect Life Coordinator / Safe Environment Coordinator
- Michelle Fisher — Director of Religious Education (Light of Christ)
- Keith Konopa — Ensemble Director (parish website)
- Sean Polen — Music Director (per diocesan directory)
- Jane Merkle — Part-time secretary
- Deena Nye — Bulletin Coordinator
Light of Christ Family of Parishes
St. Paul's belongs to Family #17 — the Light of Christ Roman Catholic Community of the Northtowns — one of the Diocese of Buffalo's Families of Parishes grouping the Catholic churches of Tonawanda, Kenmore, and Grand Island. The five parishes share pastoral leadership and a central office so that priests, deacons, and staff can minister across the whole community.
- Family parishes: Blessed Sacrament (Tonawanda), St. John the Baptist (Kenmore), St. Paul (Kenmore), St. Stephen (Grand Island), St. Timothy (Tonawanda)
- Family website: lightofchristrcc.com
- South Office location: St. John's, 1085 Englewood Avenue
- Office hours: Monday–Friday 9:00 AM–4:00 PM (closed noon–12:30 PM)
Visit, Contact, & Connect
Visitors and parishioners are warmly welcomed at St. Paul's. The parish can be reached by phone during family office hours; the parish hall sits just off Westgate Avenue for parish gatherings; and St. Paul's maintains an active Facebook page with weekly welcome notes, Mass reminders, and parish updates.
- Address: 33 Victoria Blvd., Kenmore, NY 14217-2380
- Rectory / office phone: 716-875-2730 (fax 716-877-3874)
- Parish Hall: off Westgate Avenue
- Diocese: Diocese of Buffalo
- Family South Office: St. John's, 1085 Englewood Avenue, Mon–Fri 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
- Facebook: St. Paul's RC Church (facebook.com/stpaulskenmore)