ORCHARD PARK — On Dec. 26, St. Bernadette Parish is hosting an Inclusive Christmas Mass from 7-7:30 p.m. This Mass is designed for families with children and adults who have special needs. These families are living examples of Christ's love and his nearness to the most vulnerable among us. The Open Doors Committee, who advocates for parishioners with disabilities planned the celebration.

St. Joseph Cathedral, 50 Franklin St., Buffalo, has scheduled a number of celebrations during the Advent and Christmas seasons.

The following Catholic institutions and organizations will hold blood drives in the next few weeks. Dates and times are subject to change.

A little bit of Africa came to Buffalo when the Office of Cultural Diversity held its annual African bazaar. The event, Held at Our Lady of hope Parish in Buffalo, raised money to help Vive La Casa Refugee Center in Buffalo.

Buffalo native Tom Fontana, who has written and produced such groundbreaking television series as "St. Elsewhere," "Homicide: Life on the Street," and "Oz," will take part in the Downtown Jesuits Distinguished Speaker Series Saturday, Nov. 10, at 2 p.m. at St. Michael Church, 651 Washington St., in downtown Buffalo.

St. Mary Parish in Canaseraga wants to give everyone in the diocese a big thank you for helping the orphaned and abandoned children in Ghana. The Allegany County parish has successfully bought a van for Sister Stan Terese Mumuni's Nazareth Home for God's Children with the many generous donations from the community.

Walking into the lyceum of St. John Kanty Parish is like walking into a bygone era. The tiles on the wall look like something out of Gatsby. The wooden pocket doors, the ambient lighting, the bar neatly tucked backstage that once sold beer for 35 cents brings smiles to those who remember and awe to those too young to know.

Nearly 600 people of faith attended a Day of Reparation & Healing; a Path to Hope at St. Leo the Great Parish on Friday, Sept. 7. This collaborative effort initiated by the parish with the North Eastern Vicariate was a spiritual response to the current sex abuse scandal in the Diocese of Buffalo and in the Church. Fourteen priests were present throughout the day either as confessors or concelebrating Mass with St. Leo the Great's pastor, Msgr. Robert E. Zapfel, STD, as celebrant and homilist. "The day was designed to reach out and touch many in need of comfort and healing during these emotionally difficult days," said Msgr. Zapfel.

CHEEKTOWAGA — St. John Gualbert Church and Diocesan Shrine is debuting a Mass series, honoring the saints whose relics are amongst the 1,100 housed in the shrine. The series kicks off at 6:00 p.m., on Wednesday, Oct. 24, at St. John Gualbert in Cheektowaga.

Travelers from St. John XXIII Parish eagerly awaited and planned for their first ever Mystery Trip. The day they all anticipated finally arrived on Thursday, Aug. 9 as 55 brave parishioners boarded a luxury coach at the parish to an unknown destination. Father John Stanton, pastor of St. John XXIII Parish, planned a special day to a secret destination. He wanted to build community, enjoy time together, and celebrate summer in the parish.

On a warm summer night, after Mass celebrating the Feast of the Assumption, the congregation at St. Mary Parish in Holley all got up to take a walk. The 100-plus line of people processed from the Main Street church down Wright Street and the public square carrying a statue of Mother Mary and singing "Ave Maria."

EAST AURORA — Young people from Immaculate Conception Parish spent a week of their summer, July 15-20, serving others in the Appalachia area of Pennsylvania. This was the Immaculate Conception Youth's third Mission Trip with Young People Who Care in Frenchville, Pa. Each day the teens picked blueberries at YPWC's blueberry patch and then went to various work sites. Roofing, yard work, painting, pouring concrete and various building projects were among the tasks they completed for residents in the area. The blueberries are sold to raise funds for YPWC.

St. John Maron Parish in Williamsville will hold a "Taste of Lebanon" to support an orphanage in the Middle East. This has become an annual event for a group of parishioners who formed SAVE ONE.

"Cantate Omnes," it's a Latin phrase meaning "let us all sing." That's the motivating factor behind the formation of a new young adult choir based at St. Benedict's Parish in Eggertsville. It's for everyone.

Bishop Richard J. Malone will be the main celebrant and homilist at the annual Respect Life Mass on Saturday, Oct. 6, at 4 p.m. at St. Louis Church, 780 Main St., Buffalo. During the Mass, the bishop will commission the parish respect life coordinators.

In the wake of the priest abuse scandal that has shaken the Diocese of Buffalo, Bishop Richard J. Malone held a Holy Hour of Reparation and Healing "to apologize deeply and sincerely to all who have been victimized by clergy or other Church ministers." The Sept. 30 gathering took place at 3 p.m., Mercy Hour, at St. Joseph Cathedral.

All of God's creation should be cared for and protected, even bees. So how do you protect a hive when it has become a problem and is in danger of damaging a church?

The Holy Name Society at the Church of the Annunciation, 7580 Clinton St., Elma, will hold a Pork Chop Dinner and Theme Basket Auction beginning at noon Sunday, Oct. 28. The event will take place in Selbert Hall.

Several diocesan offices and the Samaritan Counseling Center gathered to address the crisis of opioid addiction and related deaths that has hit Western New York with a workshop that addressed the scientific, social and spiritual perspectives of addiction. The Sept. 22 presentation, held at Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora, was one in a series of events that the diocese has held on the topic.

For 38 years, faithful Catholics have been gathering at the Our Lady of Fatima Shrine in Lewiston for the annual Rosary Crusade for World Peace. This year's crusade will be held on Sunday, Oct. 7, from 2-3:30 p.m. The shrine is located at 1023 Swann Road, Lewiston. "Mary, Queen of the Holy Rosary, intercedes for all humanity" is this year's chosen theme.

He didn't wear a fedora or carry a bullwhip, but Msgr. Paul J.E. Burkard did lead an adventurous expedition into a historical land as Our Lady of Victory took its annual pilgrimage. This year 22 pilgrims traveled to the Holy Land, visiting Israel, Jerusalem and Bethlehem.

St. Casimir Church, the home of the world's first shrine to the Domestic Church, will offer classes on easy family faith celebrations for the home. The 10-week series offers traditional, user-friendly ways to invite Jesus into the family household.

When friends gathered together to reminisce about the old days, who knew that it would blossom into a full blown class reunion for the Christ the King School class of 1968. Through social media and friends reaching out to other friends, most of the class was able to reconnect. They came from California, Texas, Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Vermont and from all parts of New York state.

Grammy-nominated musician David Haas will lead a workshop/retreat at Sacred Heart Parish in Lakewood, followed by a concert. With him will be Lori True, associate director of Music Ministry Alive, a national liturgical music formation program.

An incident of vandalism against a Catholic Church statue of Mary received a happy ending, as the St. John Kanty Parish community in Buffalo raised more than $1,000 to buy a replacement statue over the summer. Bishop Richard J. Malone blessed the new statue during a parish visit Aug. 14.

Our Lady of Victory Homes of Charity board of directors proudly announces the appointment of David J. Kersten as chief executive officer. Our Lady of Victory Homes of Charity is the fundraising and support services arm of Our Lady of Victory Organizations/Father Baker's.

Have you ever had an encounter with Jesus outside a 5 and dime store? A crew from St. Vincent Parish in Springbrook hopes you will.

The National Pilgrim Virgin Statue will come to more than a dozen parishes in the Diocese of Buffalo from Aug. 8-27. The statue is one of 25 blessed by Pope Paul VI for the 50th anniversary of the Fatima apparitions in 1967.

One Jesuit Buffalo is launching the inaugural "Iggy Fest" on July 31, the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus.

St. John the Baptist Parish in Lockport has a nearly 40-year history of outreach to Eastern Niagara County, helping the low-income households to eat, sleep and stay clothed. Now, the parish wants to start a program to help the local residents fend for themselves by teaching fiscal responsibility.

Church festivals are known for their food. Chivetta's chicken, corn dogs and shawarma. Shawarma? If you have never tried one of the world's most popular street foods then you need to broaden your food horizons by attending Lebanese Festival at St. John Maron Church in Williamsville.

An historical moment will take place on August 1 as Father Patrick Melfi will become the ninth resident pastor (in 142 years) and the second rector of the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels. Also starting on that day, a new linked configuration of three local parishes will take place, effectively joining under the leadership of shared clergy the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angles of Olean, St. John the Evangelist Church of Olean (where Father Melfi serves as pastor), and St. Philomena Church of Franklinville (where Father Melfi recently assumed pastorship). A new Mass schedule for all three parishes will be announced in the coming weeks and will commence effective the weekend after Labor Day.

To celebrate its rich historical connection with migrants, and to celebrate its current outreach, St. Benedict Parish has announced plans to install "Angels Unaware," by internationally known Canadian sculptor Tim Schmalz, on the grounds of St. Benedict Parish.

Jerry Wszalek is a third-generation carney. He has been working the Queen of Heaven Summer Carnival well over 30 years. He knows the history, the origins and why it's not called a lawn fete.

In the hopes of hearing the 'voice of the people', Msgr. Robert Zapfel welcomed a crowd of over 600 Catholics, Wednesday evening, to an open discussion called "Let's Talk About...The Future of the Catholic Church" at St. Leo the Great Parish in Amherst.

AMHERST — What will the Catholic Church look like in 20 years? What do you want our Catholic Church to be? Four Catholics of distinction in our diocese will each make a brief presentation about their vision of the Catholic Church of the future. Then you will have an opportunity to question and share with a Q & A session.

St. Christopher Parish in Tonawanda has begun a new monthly Praise & Worship program that blends something old and something new. Father Steven A. Jekielek, pastor, and music director Sean Polen have designed a program that incorporates adoration with Scripture readings and music that mixes traditional, contemporary, meditative and upbeat music.

St. John Paul II Parish in Lake View received a first class relic of their patron, the 264th pope. The parish held a special Mass to install the relic on May 3. The small drop of blood will be on permanent display in the vigil chapel room for veneration.

Buffalo's Broadway-Fillmore district saw an event so large it took two churches to make it happen. To celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi, St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr Parish joined with Corpus Christi Parish for a procession from church to church.

St. Jude the Apostle Parish, 800 Niagara Falls Blvd, North Tonawanda, will be the site of the Rosary Novena for Life on Saturday, May 26, at 5 p.m. Father James Kirkpatrick, pastor, will be the main celebrant.