We've all seen those commercials about who to call when you slip and fall. But who do you call months later when you find yourself still taking opiates for the pain, and can't stop? Your local parish should be able to answer that question.

Catholics and Lutherans gathered together at Christ the King Seminary on Aug. 15, to continue a dialogue that has shown promise in mending the 500-year rift that has kept the two faiths focusing on their differences, rather than focusing on what they have in common.

(Olean) — Local Roman Catholics heading to Mass after Labor Day weekend will need to re-think their normal routine. That's because a new Mass schedule goes into effect for three area Roman Catholic parishes—Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, St. John the Evangelist Church, and St. Philomena Church in Franklinville.

For the past 25 plus years St Michael Jesuit Church in Buffalo has offered the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola in Daily Life.

In the coming months the Lifelong Faith Formation Department is updating the catechist formation requirements in order to create a solid, robust formation process for adult catechists.

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.

Clarence has been home to Joan Baez, Joyce Carol Oates and Bishop John Neumann. Now it is home to the Bowen sisters, who form a close sorority in the Brothers of Mercy's Senior Apartments. The five sisters, who come from a family of 15 children born in Mount Jewett, Pa., gather every Tuesday to play cards, which usually turns into an afternoon of laughs.

"The diversity of topics and ability to reach a broad audience and offer something for practically everyone are what makes this newspaper stand out." This is what the judges for the Catholic Press Association had to say about the Diocese of Buffalo's own Western New York Catholic. The paper won first place in the category of Newspaper of the Year for non-weekly diocesan newspaper with a circulation of 25,001 or more.

WILLIAMSVILLE — The Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities will host their third annual "Burgers, Brews and Blues" summer fundraiser on Tuesday, Aug. 14 at St. Mary of the Angels, 201 Reist St., in Williamsville. Event proceeds will benefit the sisters' important ministries throughout Western New York and beyond.

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.

After a long journey refugees trying to enter Canada can find shelter at Casa el Norte in Fort Erie. Run by the Sisters of St. Mary Namur, Casa el Norte helps, "refugees coming into Canada who don't have a place to stay," Sister Judith Carroll, SSMN, provincial superior said. "Once at the shelter they immediately receive food, clothing and sense of security above all."

MOTHERWELL, SCOTLAND (CNA/EWTN News) - Father Patrick Hennessy, who was robbed and attacked in May at his rectory in Scotland, says he has forgiven his robber and wants to visit him in prison to give him pastoral care.

Red and white colors of Polonia will line Walden Avenue and Harlem Road in Cheektowaga as the 80th annual Pulaski Day Parade makes its way from the Thruway Plaza to Cheektowaga Town Park. The parade begins at 1:30 p.m. on July 22.

Joan Dobrin's work brings the written word to life.

FATIMA, PORTUGAL (CNA) - While men in the trenches of World War I faced chemical gasses and industrialized weaponry that wrought unprecedented human carnage, an Angel of Peace appeared with a message.

Deaths from opioid use or substance abuse are prevalent here in Buffalo as well as other places. We know that no two people grieve exactly the same. However, an overdose death creates barricades for healing to take place thereby adding complications to the grief process. This type of grief can become disenfranchised because added emotional stressors such as guilt, resentment and shame can become suppressed because one does not have an outlet to express them. It is important that those who have lost a loved one from an overdose be comforted in a compassionate, non-judgmental way.

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.

'It's been a journey', in her own words, for Sister Emily Beata Marsh, who will make her perpetual profession of vows as a Daughter of St. Paul on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary of Lourdes Catholic Church in Bemus Point. The 31 year old grew up in the community along Chautauqua Lake, where she has fond memories of biking and playing soccer.

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.

Let me say here that if you are expecting a story about Norm's beautiful family or his many ministries or his work at St. Luke's Mission of Mercy, by all means read the previous obituary we shared. You can also search Norm's name at the Buffalo News for 2 wonderful tributes. This is not that story.

The transition from middle school to high school can be a big adjustment for some students, but there is a way to ease the transition during the summer between grades seven and eight. Camps such as the Higher Achievement Program (HAP) at Canisius High School offer boys heading into eighth grade a glimpse ahead to high school life.

St. Gregory the Great Parish's Ministry of Mothers Sharing (MOMS) will lead a Spiritual Pilgrimage for Life in Italy. Former Vatican volunteers for the Jubilee Year of Mercy and St. Greg's members Nadine Bargnes and Dawn Iacono will return to the Eternal City with Catholic MOMS from the diocese. Msgr. Robert E. Zapfel, STD, who studied and lived in Rome and is pastor of St. Leo the Great Parish in Amherst, will spiritually guide 24 MOMS through Rome and Assisi in late May.

NEW YORK CITY (CNA/EWTN News) - The Archbishop of New York said Tuesday that while some recent comments about homosexuality attributed to Pope Francis are "orthodox teaching," the pope's reported remarks could require clarification.

Summertime is in full swing, and travel season is upon us. For seniors, summertime often brings a wealth of travel opportunities, from family reunions to pilgrimages to cruises. But with the urge to get out and see the world comes an increased risk - especially for elderly people - of suffering from heat-related illnesses and injuries.

Seniors in Allegany County have a new tool available through the Center for Elder Law & Justice (CELJ), providing them with free brief legal services and referrals, and if needed, to more in-depth legal services in the caller's geographic area.

Have you ever experienced the prayerful journey of walking through a labyrinth? According to Lessons4Living.com, "a labyrinth is an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness. It combines the imagery of the circle and the spiral into a meandering, but purposeful, path. The labyrinth represents a journey to our own center and back again out into the world. Labyrinths have long been used as meditation and prayer tools ... It is a metaphor for life's journey

HAMBURG — St. Francis Park is now open and leasing more than 35 studio suite apartments on its South Park Avenue campus in Hamburg. The opening follows the completion of the sale of the facility, formerly known as the Immaculate Conception Convent, by the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph to the Catholic Health System in January.

In the fast paced modern world you can experience plenty of noise and stress. Sometimes it can seem overwhelming. Many look for solitude and quiet. The Retreat House at Abbey of the Genesee offers just that for those who want it.

The Dominican Nuns will celebrate a Novena in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima, May 1-9, at the Monastery of Our Lady of the Rosary, 335 Doat St., Buffalo.

When we suffer we look for things that give us comfort and strength. When Sister Johnice Rzadkiewicz, CSSF, visited her terminally ill brother, Jack, she gave him comfort and strength with a small wooden cross.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Assciation of Church Personnel Administrators will hold its annual convocation in the Diocese of Buffalo April 22-24 at the Conference and Event Center, 101 Old Falls St., Niagara Falls. NACPA represents human resource, finance directors, chancellors, principals, college presidents and other Church leaders in arch/dioceses nationwide. The NACPA's mission is "to promote justice in the workplace."

HOUGHTON - Western New York Women of Worship, a one-day event designed to uplift, restore and motivate the spirits of women, returns to Houghton College on Saturday, April 21.

When Bryce McLanahan walked up the aisle of St. Joseph Cathedral to receive his award as one of the Altar Servers of the Year, it was the final steps in a unique journey for the Amherst teen. Although baptized in the Catholic Church, he grew up not attending regular Mass with his family. Instead, he forged his own spiritual path.

Ladies of Charity, a volunteer organization affiliated with Catholic Charities of Buffalo, will hold its inaugural Party Saturday fundraising event Saturday, April 14, at Catholic Charities, 75 Caldwell Place, Lackawanna.

It's the time of year again when the Legion of Mary looks forward to it's annual Marian consecration of active and auxiliary members called the "Acies." Acies is a Latin word meaning army ranged in battle array, which describes the Legion of Mary as they assemble all together to renew their dedication to the Most Holy Virgin Mary and receive from her, strength and blessing for the upcoming year's battles with the forces of evil.

At St. John the Baptist Parish in Kenmore, parishioners have engaged in a number of initiatives to reduce the community's carbon footprint. Since October, this has included collections of Styrofoam, long recognized as a non-biodegradable material that clogs up landfills, after Masses in the church.

Men hungering for a healthy serving of spirituality get more than they bargain for at Blessed Sacrament Parish. The Tonawanda church hosts a Breakfast & the Bible event the first Saturday of every month immediately following the 8 a.m. Mass. The morning consists of fresh made breakfast of eggs (and recently zucchini soufflé), a guest speaker and some Bible study.

The SSJ Sister Karen Klimczak Center for Nonviolence will welcome William J. Hochul Jr. as keynote speaker for its annual event on April 15, at 3 p.m. at SS. Columba-Brigid Church, 75 Hickory St., Buffalo. A reception will follow. Hochel will invite attendees to join him on "A Journey of Justice and Mercy."

The Society of Our Lady of Divine Mercy will be making its sixth bus pilgrimage to the Divine Mercy Shrine in Stockbridge, Mass. from Oct. 4-6 for St. Faustina Day. The purpose of this pilgrimage is to spread the Divine Mercy Devotion and to create fellowship among Catholics and non-Catholics. With the fall colors starting to change, pilgrims will be able to pray and worship in a retreat type setting on the beautiful grounds of the Berkshire Mountains. Here the Marians of the Immaculate Conception Fathers will invite pilgrims to learn about the Divine Mercy Devotion and have them participate in God's mercy through the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the reception of the Holy Eucharist at Mass. Mass will be held at the Mother of Mercy Outdoor Shrine. A guest speaker will preceed Mass. The speaker will cover Divine Mercy related topics. Afterward pilgrims will be able to have their "paper bag lunch" in a tented picnic area.

In today's digital age, Facebook and other social media platforms have changed the way people interact with one another. However, this also presents the challenge of encouraging the use of said technology in a responsible manner. As the final of four components of the "Forming Disciples" curriculum it began implementing at the beginning of this school year, the diocese is focusing on how parishes use the internet, namely social media, in a constructive manner.