St Leo The Great Church - Amherst, NY

St. Leo the Great Parish was established on June 12, 1953 by the Most Rev. Joseph A. Burke, Bishop of Buffalo with Rev. Clatus E. Snyder appointed as the first pastor. A small residence at 803 Sweet Home was purchased from Santo Billoni for $16,500 to be used as a temporary rectory. Later, the house was exchanged for property from the Sykes family. Twenty acres of land on Sweet Home was purchased from Mr. and Mrs. Henry Brummer and additional land was donated by the Donovan family to serve as a future site of the church and school.

The first Mass of the new parish was offered in a field with subsequent masses offered in the parking lot of Northtown Plaza. Daily Mass was held in the Rectory.

Ground was broken on Ascension Day in 1954 for the school and in September of that year the school was open for children in grades K-8. In December, mass was offered in the basement of the school, named the Chapel of the Infant Jesus. Just 4 years later in September 1958, a new wing of the school containing the junior auditorium and bowling lanes were opened.

In June of 1961, Fr. Patrick J. Dineen became the 2nd pastor. In 1966, the new rectory was completed and in spring 1970, work was started on the current church and dedication was held on December 5, 1971.

A 3-alarm fire, destroyed “Leo Lanes,” the parish bowling alleys on August 25, 1970. The fire was blamed on burglars. A decision was reached not to rebuild the bowling lanes.

On August 1, 1978, Msgr. Patrick Dineen retired at the age of 75 and Bishop Edward D. Head named Msgr. William McDonnell the 3rd pastor of St. Leo’s. A 6 year fund drive was initiated in January 1979 to reduce the parish debt and to make major repairs. On October 6, 1985 a special mortgage burning Mass was celebrated.

Msgr. McDonnell died suddenly on retreat in Florida on January 17, 2002. Msgr. Michael J. Yunk was named administrator of the parish.

Msgr. Robert E. Zapfel was appointed on April 8, 2002 as the 4th pastor of St. Leo’s. In January 2003, the new addition to the church was completed to provided a central gathering space, baby sitting area and an updated front entrance.

In March 2003, the new parish office addition was completed to provide office space for the parish staff.