St. Mary's Roman Catholic
Church, at the foot of Saxton Street at The Big Bridge, is a Lockport Landmark
for generations. Our Lockport Page photographer was out well before
the first service at St. Mary's on a Sunday morning to catch the contrast of sun on the
steeple and the moon in the background.
St. Mary's was originally known as Lockport's German Church. There was a large Catholic population from Germany who settled here back in the early 19th century. Although they made a successful effort to learn English ---and used it --- there was a love for "the old country" that was indulged in things associated with family and church. Although the early Lockport German-Americans spoke English in everyday affairs, they also treasured being able to retain parts of their culture. On March 6, 1999, St. Mary's Church celebrated its 140th Anniversary (1859-1999).
St. Mary's has just seen the retirement of Rev. Msgr. Michael J. Yunk as Pastor. Replacing him is Rev. Gary R. Kibler, who had previously served as pastor of St. Ambrose in South Buffalo. Father Kibler is carrying on a exceptional monthly service, unique to St. Mary's in the Greater Lockport area...
Once a month, on the first Saturday of the month, Father Gary Kibler conducts a Healing Mass at this landmark church. The service concludes with the Catholic sacrament of the Anointing Of the Sick. Once referred to as "the last rites" or the "sacrament of the dying" its availability is increasingly being offered to to all those in the Church troubled with illness or in need of healing (including spiritual healing.) Still, requests for the rite are usually taken from those on hospital beds and the infirm who make special arrangements for it. The regular monthly offering at St. Mary's, available to Catholics from here and within traveling distance, is unusual in the Greater Lockport area. Indeed, more than a few travel from outside Lockport to attend.
The service begins at 9AM with a healing Mass which includes appropriate liturgy from the centuries of tradition of the Roman Catholic Church and soft inspirational music. The tone is one of peace and quiet. The homily from Father Kibler is one of healing. The Mass includes, of course, the opportunity for Catholics to receive the Holy Eucharist---yet another sacrament---which they believe to be the body and blood of Jesus Christ. At the end of the Mass the anointing rite begins for those who desire it. And for those who just watch, the scene is still one of a powerful spiritual experience. Father Kibler, a humble holy man of powerful prayer capability lays his hands on each of the afflicted while silently praying for the intercession of the Holy Spirit. This is followed by an anointing with holy oil. The procedure is one not much changed since the times of Christ.
As in most other sacraments and graces available from the Catholic Church, the results are usually proportional to the disposition of those involved. Many report powerful feelings from the experience. Hardened hearts have been healed and turned humble. Frail bodies have been given spiritual and even apparent physical strength to carry on. Some say suffering has been moderated, reduced, or eliminated. A few feel they have been cured. It is not at all uncommon where the anointing sacrament is administered on a repeating basis for the terminally ill to receive additional time, in seeming contradiction to forecasts by medical practitioners.
The official Catechism of the Catholic Church summarizes the benefits of the Anointing of the Sick as follows:
 | The uniting of the sick person to the passion of Christ, for his own good and that of the whole Church; |
| The strengthening, peace, and courage to endure in a Christian manner the sufferings of illness or old age; |
| The forgiveness of sins, if the sick person was not able to obtain it through the sacrament of Penance; |
| The restoration of health, if it is conducive to the salvation of his soul; |
| The preparation for passing over to eternal life. |
Stained Glass At St. Mary's
Saint Mary's Steeple At Night
0 Christ, you are the light and day
Which drives away the night,
The ever shining Sun of God
And pledge of future light.
As now the ev'ning shadows fall
Please grant us, Lord, we pray,
A quiet night to rest in you
Until the break of day.
Remember us, poor mortal men,
We humbly ask, 0 Lord,
And may your presence in our souls,
Be now our great reward.
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