About St. Stephen · Grand Island, New York
St. Stephen is a Roman Catholic parish located on Grand Island in the Niagara River between Buffalo and Niagara Falls, New York. Founded in 1862 as a mission church and established as its own parish in 1906, it is the oldest Catholic parish on Grand Island and today serves roughly 2,400 families within the Diocese of Buffalo. The parish complex at 2100 Baseline Road includes the current church (dedicated in 2000), a parish school, cemetery, rectory, and parish offices, and offers daily and weekend Masses, the sacraments, faith formation for about 900 students, and a wide range of ministries from choir and Knights of Columbus to St. Vincent de Paul and the ALPHA program — the first in the Diocese of Buffalo to host it.
- Established
- 1862 (mission church); parish established 1906
- Patron
- St. Stephen
- Rector
- Fr. Michael J. Parker
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo
Why belong here
St. Stephen is a parish with deep roots on Grand Island — its mission church dates to 1862 and its parish was established in 1906 — and it still feels like a close-knit community of about 2,400 families. Worshippers enjoy a modern church dedicated in 2000, a historic 1890 Old Church that was lovingly restored in 1977, daily and weekend Masses, Saturday confessions, monthly First Friday Eucharistic Adoration, an on-site parish school of roughly 200 students, and a faith formation program serving about 900 students. With more than a dozen active ministries — choir, lectors, altar servers, Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, St. Vincent de Paul, Knights of Columbus, Bereavement Committee, scouting, men's and women's groups, the annual parish bazaar, and the parish's signature ALPHA program (the first in the Diocese of Buffalo) — there's a real place for every talent and stage of life.
Mass times at St. Stephen
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM in the Daily Chapel
- Or anytime by request
Adoration times
- First Friday of the month, 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM in the Daily Chapel
Parish History
Catholic life on Grand Island began in 1847 when Fr. James Boyle celebrated Mass at the home of William Carroll Sr. on East River Road for Irish and French Canadian settlers. Fr. Francis Stephen Uhrich began regular pastoral visits in 1854, and on February 16, 1862 — 'a bright sunshiny day with ample snow for sleighing' — the first framed church was dedicated by three priests for about forty families. The collection that day totaled $17. The parish was formally established in 1906 when Bishop Charles Colton appointed Fr. William J. Kuellertz as its first resident pastor. The 1890 'Old Church' designed by Chicago architect Adolphus Druiding, the 1956–57 'Auditorium Church,' the parish school (opened September 1967 with the Felician Sisters), and the current church dedicated by Bishop Henry Mansell on February 27, 2000, all reflect more than 160 years of continuous growth on the island.
- 1847: First Mass on Grand Island at the Carroll home on East River Rd.
- 1854: Fr. Francis Stephen Uhrich begins regular visits
- July 4, 1861: Mass celebrated in a chapel of tree branches
- Feb. 16, 1862: First framed church dedicated
- 1890: 'Old Church' completed (architect Adolphus Druiding)
- 1906: Parish canonically established; Fr. Kuellertz first resident pastor
- 1948: Old Church enlarged; seating 108 → 240
- 1956–57: 'Auditorium Church' built (later converted to gym)
- Sept. 1967: Parish school opens with the Felician Sisters
- 1977: Old Church restored and rededicated by Bishop Head
- 1999–2000: New church built and dedicated by Bishop Mansell
- 2010: Solar panels on school, new carillon, CPL stewardship program launched
Clergy & Staff
St. Stephen is currently pastored by Fr. Michael J. Parker as part of 'Family #17' in the Diocese of Buffalo's collaborative model, with Fr. Peter Ekanem serving as Parochial Vicar and Deacon Frank Kedzielawa assisting. The parish office staff is led by Business Manager Karen Sweet, with Sandy Beyer handling cemetery and funerals and Lori Lenz coordinating Protecting God's Children.
- Fr. Michael J. Parker — Pastor (Family #17)
- Fr. Peter Ekanem — Parochial Vicar (Family #17)
- Deacon Frank Kedzielawa — 716-773-3364
- Karen Sweet — Business Manager (ext. 104)
- Sandy Beyer — Cemetery/Funerals (ext. 101)
- Lori Lenz — Protecting God's Children (ext. 114)
- Max Mauro — Music Director (ext. 126)
- Lynn Ortiz — School Principal (ext. 120)
- Alexa Lombardo — Assistant to Principal (ext. 129)
- Rebecca Cambria — Director of Faith Formation (ext. 122)
- Denise Ricotta — Assistant, Faith Formation (ext. 117)
- Trustees: Kathleen Kovacs & James Panepinto
Boards & Councils
Parish governance and vitality are supported by several consultative bodies working alongside the pastor and staff.
- Parish Finance Council — advises the pastor on financial matters; includes Trustees and Business Manager
- School Advisory Board — works with pastor, principal and business manager on planning, policy and finance
- Home School Association — fundraising, event planning and social programming for school families
- Altar & Rosary Society — open to all women of the parish; cares for vestments, linens, sanctuary cleaning and flower arrangements
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation is family-based and serves all families with children in grades 1 through 10, divided into a 1–5 group and a 6–10 group. The program pairs eleven online lessons completed together as a family with various in-person gatherings throughout the year. Parents are recognized as the primary educators of their children, with the parish providing guidance, support and prayer.
- First Reconciliation — celebrated in 2nd grade
- First Communion — celebrated in 3rd grade
- Confirmation — celebrated in the Spring of 10th grade
- RCIA — Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults
- Bible Study & Small Faith Groups — offered at multiple times throughout the year
- Mission — eight consecutive evenings of Lenten spiritual renewal for all ages
Parish Ministries & Outreach
The parish encourages every parishioner to use his or her gifts in service to the community. Liturgical ministries include choir, lectors, altar servers and Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist; social-justice work includes visiting the homebound, serving the poor, volunteering at food pantries and the St. Vincent de Paul Society. The parish was the first in the Diocese of Buffalo to host the ALPHA program.
- Liturgical ministries: choir, lectors, altar servers, EMHC
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Youth ministry
- Men's and women's groups
- ALPHA Program (first in the Diocese of Buffalo)
- Bereavement Committee
- Scouting (Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts)
- Knights of Columbus
- Holy Name Society
- Parish Theater Group
- Annual parish bazaar
- Commitment to Parish Life (CPL) stewardship program
Sacraments
Information about the seven sacraments, baptismal certificates, and letters of recommendation are available through the parish office. Sacramental preparation for children follows the Faith Formation track, and adults prepare through the RCIA process.
- Baptism (infant baptism and certificates)
- First Reconciliation (2nd grade)
- First Communion (3rd grade)
- Confirmation (10th grade, Spring)
- Marriage preparation
- RCIA for adults
- Anointing of the Sick / homebound visits
- Funerals and Letters of Recommendation
Parish School
St. Stephen Parish School opened in September 1967 with the Felician Sisters staffing the building and convent; the Felicians continued to provide a principal through the 2000–2001 school year, when Donna Ende became the parish's first lay principal. The school has maintained a student body of about 200 children and is supported by a School Advisory Board and the Home School Association.
- Opened September 1967 (Felician Sisters)
- First lay principal: Donna Ende (2001)
- Current Principal: Lynn Ortiz (ext. 120)
- Assistant to Principal: Alexa Lombardo (ext. 129)
- Enrollment ~200 students
- Solar panels installed on the school roof in 2010
Cemetery
St. Stephen's Roman Catholic Cemetery was founded in 1862 in conjunction with the formation of the parish; plots were originally allocated to families according to size in return for their contributions toward building the 1890 'Old Church.' Cemetery inquiries are handled by Sandy Beyer in the parish office.
- Founded 1862 alongside the parish
- Original family plots tied to contributions toward the 1890 Old Church
- Contact: Sandy Beyer, parish office ext. 101
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. James Boyle1847 (visiting)
Pastor of Youngstown, Lewiston & Niagara Falls; celebrated the first recorded Mass on Grand Island at the home of William Carroll Sr. on East River Rd.
- Fr. Francis Stephen Uhrich1854–1890
Pastor of Pendleton and the Tonawandas; began regular visits to the island in 1854; built the first framed church dedicated Feb. 16, 1862, and named it in honor of St. Stephen, his own patron.
- Fr. William J. Kuellertz1906–1910
First resident pastor of St. Stephen; oversaw construction of the first rectory. Died July 1910.
- Fr. Frank Meyer1910–1916
Built Mary Star of the Sea church (1913) at Ferry and Orchard Roads for the island's summer population.
- Fr. Charles Kraehn1916–1928
- Fr. Albert Hoffmeyer1928–1935
- Fr. Alfred Hagemier1935 (one month)
- Fr. William Martin1935–1943
Pastorate coincided with completion of the Grand Island bridges and the resulting population growth.
- Fr. Martin Marnon1943–1945
- Msgr. Edward Schwegler, D.D.1945–1970
Long pastorate; enlarged the Old Church in 1948, designed the symbolic sanctuary decorations, and oversaw construction of the Auditorium Church (1956–57) and the parish school (opened 1967 with the Felician Sisters). Died 1970.
- Msgr. Paul J. Eberz1970–1971
Assigned to St. Mary's, Lockport in 1971.
- Msgr. Richard A. Graeber1971–1976
Assigned to St. Andrew, Tonawanda in 1976.
- Fr. Donald Hughes1976–1985
Led the 1977 restoration and rededication of the Old Church and built the current rectory/parish offices.
- Msgr. Richard Cahill1985–2000
Supported Holy Name Society, Altar Society, Charismatic Prayer Group, Choir, Folk Group, Knights of Columbus; launched the parish theater group with Fr. Mark Illig.
- Fr. Paul NogaroSept. 1, 2000–
Came from St. Paul, Kenmore; led the dedication of the new church in 2000, hired the parish's first full-time business manager, and enriched the church with items from closed parishes during the Journey in Faith and Grace.
- Fr. Michael J. Parkerpresent
Current pastor; pastor of Family #17.