Rev. Msgr. Samuel J. Faiola

Deceased: 2018-02-12

Diocese: BUFFALO

CSM Graduation Year: 1964

FAIOLA, Rev. Samuel J.

Monsignor Samuel J. Faiola, retired pastor of St. Stephen’s Catholic Church in Middleport and a professor at the former St. John Vianney Seminary, died Monday in Mercy Hospital. He was 92.

Born in Niagara Falls, he attended St. Joseph’s School and Diocesan Preparatory Seminary in Buffalo. He earned a bachelor’s degree at St. Bonaventure University and a master’s degree in Christ the King Seminary at St. Bonaventure.

Ordained June 4, 1949, by Bishop John F. O’Hara in St. Joseph New Cathedral, he spent a year as administrator of St. Mary’s Church in Cattaraugus. Then he was pastoral associate at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Buffalo until 1952, when he was assigned to Diocesan Preparatory Seminary, where he taught English, Latin, science and other subjects.

From 1957 to 1964, he wrote a weekly column for the diocesan newspaper. He also edited a quarterly Vocation Bulletin for all seventh- and eighth-grade parochial school students in the diocese.

In 1962, Rev. Faiola was sent to the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Urbe in Rome, Italy, where he earned a doctorate in sacred theology. He returned to teach sacramental theology at the newly-established St. John Vianney Seminary, now Christ the King Seminary, in East Aurora.

There he served as director of the Transitional Diaconate Program, director of field education for seminary students, director of Clergy Study Days for priests in the diocese and director of the Diocesan House of Prayer, which then was located at the seminary.

He was assigned in 1975 as pastor of St. Stephen’s Parish in Middleport. After retiring in 1995, he continued presenting lectures of theological subjects, helped train eucharistic ministers for the Eastern Niagara Vicarate and was active in the Retrouvaille program.

He was a Fourth Degree member of the Knights of Columbus.

Survivors include a sister, Nicolina “Nickie.”

Bishop Richard J. Malone will be concelebrant at a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in Holy Trinity Parish, St. Stephen Worship Site, 21 Vernon St., Middleport.