About St. Vincent de Paul Parish - Prince of Peace Church · Niagara Falls, New York
St. Vincent de Paul Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Buffalo that serves the LaSalle/western Niagara Falls, New York area from two worship sites — the Prince of Peace Church at 1055 North Military Road and St. Leo's Church at 2748 Military Road. The parish traces its roots to 1943, when Father John Carey was sent by Bishop John Duffy to minister to war workers and new residents on the "Pine Avenue side" of LaSalle; the original wartime chapel on North Military Road was renamed Prince of Peace in December 1943 and became the seed from which today's St. Vincent de Paul Parish grew. In 2008 the parish was formed through the Diocese of Buffalo's "Journey in Faith and Grace" reorganization, and today it is part of the Niagara Falls Roman Catholic Family of Parishes, offering weekday and weekend Masses, Eucharistic adoration, a food pantry through the St. Vincent de Paul Society, parish nursing, music ministry, bereavement support, and faith formation for all ages.
- Established
- 2008
- Patron
- St. Vincent de Paul
- Rector
- Rev. Mario Racho (Parish Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Buffalo
Why belong here
St. Vincent de Paul Parish is a welcoming Catholic community on the Pine Avenue side of LaSalle that worships across two convenient Military Road sites — Prince of Peace and St. Leo's — with daily and weekend Masses, First Friday Eucharistic adoration in the Prince of Peace chapel, and Saturday confession before the vigil Mass. Parishioners are fed through a vibrant Music Ministry led by Director Jeff Jeckovich, a youth choir, adult faith formation and RCIA, Vacation Bible School, Confirmation preparation, and active outreach including the St. Vincent de Paul Society food pantry, a Parish Nurse flu-shot program with Rite Aid, a Rosary & Altar Society, a Catholic Men's Group, a Prayer Chain, and a New Venture Seniors group — all rooted in a parish story that stretches back to the war years of the 1940s.
Mass times at St. Vincent de Paul Parish - Prince of Peace Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM (Prince of Peace)
- Anytime upon request
Adoration times
- First Fridays, 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon, Prince of Peace Chapel
Our Story
St. Vincent de Paul Parish is rooted in the wartime foundation of Prince of Peace Church on North Military Road in 1943–1944 and carries forward the community planted by Father John Carey for the workers and families of LaSalle's Pine Avenue side. The parish's identity, ministry to the poor, and very name all reflect the heritage of St. Vincent de Paul and the legacy of those who first gathered around a portable altar in the Plantation Restaurant.
- Founded as a new parish on September 23, 1943 by Bishop John Duffy, with Father John Carey as first pastor.
- First parish in the U.S. named "Prince of Peace" (Christmas 1943).
- Original wooden church and parish hall built 1944 on North Military Road between Cayuga Drive and Jacob Place, near Cayuga Creek.
- Larger permanent church begun 1955, cornerstone laid January 1, 1956.
- St. Leo's, the second worship site on Military Road near Porter Road, opened as a mission of Prince of Peace in 1955–56.
- Parish took the name St. Vincent de Paul in 2008, reuniting Prince of Peace and St. Leo's.
- Joined the Niagara Falls Roman Catholic Family of Parishes in 2023 under the Diocese of Buffalo's Road to Renewal.
Worship Sites
The parish serves from two worship sites on Military Road in the LaSalle/Town of Niagara area, together with a parish office on Cayuga Drive.
- Prince of Peace Worship Site — 1055 N. Military Road, Niagara Falls, NY 14304
- St. Leo's Worship Site — 2748 Military Road, Niagara Falls, NY 14304
- Parish Office — 1040 Cayuga Drive, Niagara Falls, NY 14304; (716) 283-2715
Clergy & Staff
St. Vincent de Paul Parish is shepherded together with its sister parishes in the Niagara Falls Roman Catholic Family of Parishes. Pastoral care is provided by a parish administrator and associate priests, supported by permanent deacons.
- Rev. Mario Racho — Parish Administrator
- Rev. Duane R. Klizek
- Rev. Lathislaus B. Mariasoosai
- Deacon Chris Privitera
- Deacon David Slish
- Jeff Jeckovich — Director of Music Ministry
Music Ministry
St. Vincent de Paul's Music Ministry, under Director Jeff Jeckovich, seeks to bring the parish community closer through the Liturgy of the Word, the Eucharist, and music. The program includes adult choirs serving all five weekend Masses (Saturday 4:00 PM and 5:30 PM; Sunday 9:00 AM, 11:30 AM, and 6:00 PM) as well as the St. Vincent de Paul Youth Music Group, which leads the monthly March Youth Mass and the Shadow Stations of the Cross. No audition is required to participate.
- Director of Music Ministry: Jeff Jeckovich — [email protected] / (716) 283-3618
- Adult choir for 11:30 AM Sunday Mass and other weekend liturgies
- St. Vincent de Paul Youth Music Group (Shadow Stations, Youth Masses)
Faith Formation & Adult Education
The parish provides lifelong faith formation for children, teens, and adults, including sacramental preparation and ongoing study. RCIA, Adult Bible Study, Small Group Study, Confirmation Preparation, Faith Formation, and Vacation Bible School are all listed on the parish website, along with family resources, a parent newsletter, and at-home resources.
- RCIA — Becoming Catholic
- Adult Formation, Adult Bible Study, Small Group Study
- Confirmation Preparation Program
- Office of Life Long Faith Formation
- Vacation Bible School
- Faith Formation in Action, Calendar, Parent Newsletter, At Home Resources, Student Registration
Parish Ministries & Outreach
A wide range of ministries serves the parish and the wider LaSalle community, from prayer and fellowship to charitable outreach. The St. Vincent de Paul Society runs a food pantry, the Parish Nurse Program partners with Rite Aid Pharmacy for flu shots, and the Rosary & Altar Society, Catholic Men's Group, Prayer Chain, New Venture Seniors, and Bereavement support groups offer ways for parishioners to walk with one another through every stage of life.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — President Barb Skowronski (716-731-9072); Pantry Manager Shirley Stringaro (716-957-7146); [email protected]
- Rosary & Altar Society — Margaret Skowron (716-283-0198); Dorothy Spears (716-297-5927)
- Catholic Men's Group — Bob LaBarber (716-297-1057)
- Prayer Chain — Donna Biro (716-579-0319); Pat DeVantier (716-536-9065)
- Parish Nurse Program — Maria Stevenson (716-297-1816); flu shots with Rite Aid
- New Venture Seniors — Dorothy Spears (716-297-5927)
- Bereavement: Coping With Loss — Maria Stevenson (716-297-1816); gatherings at Ministry Center, St. Leo's site
- Walking with Grief — monthly lecture series (2nd Wednesday, 6:30 PM), St. Edmund's Campus cafeteria
Sacraments & Family Life
The parish celebrates and prepares parishioners for the seven sacraments of the Catholic faith, with information and registration available for Baptism, Marriage, and Confirmation. Special support is offered for separated or divorced Catholics, and care for the sick and bereaved is provided through the Parish Nurse Program and the Bereavement ministry.
- Baptism preparation and celebration
- Marriage preparation
- Confirmation Preparation Program
- Support for Separated or Divorced Catholics
- Care of the sick and Bereavement ministry
Getting Involved & Resources
The parish invites parishioners to register, volunteer, and grow through its many groups, online resources, and media. A Volunteer Brochure and Ministry Schedule are posted on the parish website, and every parishioner has a gift subscription to FORMED, a Catholic streaming platform with movies, talks, audio, and e-books.
- Parish Registration
- Volunteer Brochure, Ministry Training, Ministry Schedule
- Parish Photo Gallery
- Evangelization / Catholics Come Home
- Resource Documents, Prayer List for the Sick
- Online giving in place of paper envelopes
- FORMED subscription (Catholic Netflix) for every parishioner
- Family Resources, Assisted Living Options, Young Adult and Vocation resources
- Catholic links — Diocese of Buffalo, USCCB, Vatican, Catholic Answers, VIRTUS/Protecting God's Children
Visiting Niagara Falls
St. Vincent de Paul Parish welcomes visitors to its two worship sites on Military Road in the LaSalle section of Niagara Falls, just minutes from the Niagara River, the Falls themselves, and the Canadian border. Weekday Masses, the Saturday vigil, and the Sunday 11:30 AM liturgy are open to all, and the livestream makes it easy to join remotely when travel is not possible.
- Two worship sites on Military Road in LaSalle
- 11:30 AM Sunday Mass livestreamed from Prince of Peace
- First Friday adoration and Saturday confession in Prince of Peace Chapel
- St. Leo's site hosts the Ministry Center, Bereavement meetings, and All Souls Mass
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John Carey1943 – c. 1950s
Appointed by Bishop John Duffy to found the parish (originally St. Charles Borromeo) on Sep 23, 1943; renamed it Prince of Peace at Christmas 1943; built the original wooden church in 1944, opened the school in 1944, established St. Charles Chapel (1944) and St. Leo's mission (1955), and oversaw construction of the present church in 1955–56.