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| Address: | 189 Clark Street Buffalo, NY 14212 |
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| Telephone: | 716-896-1050 | |
| Web Page: | http://www.corpuschristionline.org/ | |
| Pastor: | Father Anselm Chalupka, OSPPE | |
| Founded: | April 1898 | |
| Parish Census: | 648 Families | |
| Mass Schedule: | Sat. 5 PM Sundays 8:30 AM, 10:00 AM (Polish), 11:30 AM |
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| School: | Closed | |
| Year Built: | 1909 | |
| Style: | Red sandstone in Romanesque style. |
By the end of the 19th century, the Eastside of Buffalo was densely populated with Poles. Seeing the tremendous strain on the existing parishes and the growth of the Independent Polish Catholic Church, Bishop Quigley, contacted the Franciscan Fathers in Syracuse, a German province, for assistance. The Rev. Jacek Fudzinski, a Pole, came to Buffalo and met with the Bishop about founding still another Roman Catholic parish. Fr. Fudzinski with the Bishop's advise, purchased 29 lots with some buildings on them at Clark Street and Kent. Within the first year of existence, the new church boasted 650 families with a sizable youth element. With such numbers, a church building large enough to accommodate these growing numbers was a necessity.
In 1907 construction of the present red sandstone church was begun and dedicated by Bishop Colton and the Rev Bishop Pawel Rhode, the first Polish bishop in America, on June 13, 1909. To instruct the parish children, Fr Fudzinski brought a newly founded religious order of women to the parish, the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph, who taught until the school was closed in the 1980s. Corpus Christi is among the most decorative churches in the diocese and its frescos painted by Jozef Mazur, a local ecclesiastic artist. The Franciscan Conventional Fathers of the parish are nationally known also because of the work of one of the priests stationed in Buffalo.
In the late 1920s the Rev. Justyn Figas was invited to answer some religious questions on a Polish language radio-comedy sketch. The broadcast was so successful that in 1931, Fr Justyn began his own religious broadcasting under the name of the "Rosary Hour", the program 68 years later is still aired across the country to Polish communities. The present director of the radio program is the Rev. Marion Tolczyk,OFM. who broadcasts now from the Franciscan high school in suburban Athol Springs, NY.
In 1998, the parish observed its centennial of founding with monthly events to mark the auspicious occasion. Due to the changing make up of the immediate area of the parish, many parishioners no longer live in the area and commute each Sunday. With attendance at services decreasing, and the neighborhood no longer predominately Polish, the fate of how long the parish will survive is a question.
Since January 2004 when the Paulines arrived some old parishioners have returned and new ones have joined. The pastoral staff is working together with the parishioners to keep Corpus Christi alive and successful. Renovations to the Rectory, Church and former Convent have given the parish new life and a positive outlook for the future. CCD classes and music essons are also offered free of charge for children.