The diocesan Catholic Directory team has been busy over the cold winter updating and overhauling the official book of diocesan information. The Directory was posted to the web on Feb. 1 and will continue to be updated on a monthly basis.

Throughout its 60-plus year history, the Directory has undergone a major update every fall to create a new book by January. Despite the Directory becoming a constantly changing online document, the team still went through the process of sending out information sheets to all the parishes and organizations in the diocese to get the most recent listing of Mass times, staff and contact information.

Anyone who regularly prints out updated pages, should print out the whole book as much information has shifted pages. 

The process of updating the Directory takes place throughout the year. Each time a priest receives a new assignment, or a religious sister passes away, the corresponding entry changes. This is not as easy as it sounds. A new pastor means removing the name of the former pastor and adding the new name, then going to the clergy section and changing the addresses of both priests. If an active priest passes away, his name must be removed from every entry throughout the entire 180 pages.

The changes are made as soon as the official word comes down from the Chancery or a religious community. At the first of the month, a list of updates is posted on the diocesan website. People can then print out the altered pages or make a note in the books themselves. Note pages appear at the end of many sections of the Directory.

To keep the book as current as possible the Directory team asks pastors, parish secretaries and organizational leaders to inform them when changes are made to staff or Mass times. By informing the team throughout the year, less work has to be done in the fall.

Contact 716-847-8744 when changes need to be made.