St. Michael

St. Michael Church in Newark began as a mission of St. Michael Church in Lyons in 1869. For 34 years, priests from Lyons traveled to Newark to serve the Catholic community in this Wayne County village. The mission achieved full parish status in 1903, with Father James J. Gibbons appointed as the first resident pastor.

Father Gibbons served for 24 years until his death in 1927, overseeing the construction of the present church building in 1903 and establishing the parish on solid footing. Father John J. Ganey continued with an 18-year pastorate from 1927 to 1945.

Father Joseph M. McDonnell provided another era of long service from 1957 to 1975. Father Edward E. Steinkirchner served for 15 years from 1980 to 1995, guiding the parish through the challenging years of declining vocations.

Today, St. Michael continues as an active independent parish, one of the few in the Diocese of Rochester not part of a cluster. The parish serves the Newark community, building on over 150 years of Catholic presence in this Wayne County village—from its humble beginnings as a mission to its current status as a thriving parish community.