On November 24, 1876, the bishop of Buffalo formally established St. Mary of the Angels as a full-fledged parish in the Diocese of Buffalo. With this designation, he assigned Rev. John Hamel as our first resident pastor. This anniversary date was celebrated in the parish for decades following Fr. Hamel's death in 1912.
FREE excerpt of the Basilica history book, A Place Set Apart. Read about Father John Hamel's remarkable life and ministry in Olean 1876-1912. The 50-page excerpt is fully documented and includes vintage photos.
Download the PDF file of the excerpt at this link.