Churches of Rochester
St. Michael

St. Michael

Active

City of Rochester, Monroe County

St. Michael Church was established on May 26, 1873, to serve the German Catholic community in northeast Rochester. The parish was founded during a period of heavy German immigration, when German-speaking Catholics sought parishes where they could worship in their native language and maintain their cultural traditions.

The Redemptorist Fathers (C.Ss.R.) initially served the community, with Father August Pingel, C.Ss.R., as the first temporary pastor. Father Fridolin Pascalar became the first permanent pastor in 1874, serving until 1896. Father Mathias J. Hargather provided the longest pastorate, serving 33 years from 1896 until his death in 1929. The present church building was constructed in 1890.

In later decades, St. Michael pioneered various models of collaborative ministry that would become more common in the Diocese of Rochester. The parish experimented with co-pastorates, lay administrators, and deacon leadership. Sister Kay Schwenzer and Father Laurence C. Tracy served as co-administrators in the early 1990s, and Deacon Dan Hurley led the parish from 2005 to 2010.

Today, St. Michael is part of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Parish, continuing to serve the northeast Rochester community 150 years after German immigrants founded this vibrant faith community.

Exterior Photographs

Exterior from left angle. Front of the church. Tower. Base of the church. Right transept. Right side of church. Statue of Our Lady. Statue of St. Michael. Original church, now used as parish hall. Orignal church after being painted, July 2014. Church sign.

Interior Photographs

Statue of St. Michael. Statue of St. Joseph. Engravings on altar. Ambo designs. Ambo designs. Ambo designs. Ambo designs. Ambo designs. Stand for book of Gospels. Credence table. Crucifix. Behind the reredo. Altar. Altar. Tabernacle. Ceiling of church. Crucifix. Object. Design on the wall. Archangel Gabriel icon. Archangel Raphael icon. Archangel Michael icon. Church model, unsure of which. Holy water font. Staircase in narthex. Main entrance. Crucifix. Ceiling of narthex.

Murals on walls

St. Michael St. Michael

Stained Glass

Upper section of "The Three Kings." Middle section of "The Three Kings." Upper section of "The Last Judgment." Middle section of "The Last Judgment." Bottom section of "The Last Judgment." Bottom section of "The Last Judgment." Bottom section of "The Last Judgment."