Bishop Richard J. Malone has appointed two priests to new assignments and has reappointed two others to additional term at their current parishes.

The Diocese of Buffalo will mark the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday with a special Mass on Sunday, Jan. 17, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Martin de Porres Church, 555 Northampton St., Buffalo. The Mass is sponsored by the African American Commission and the Office of Cultural Diversity for the Diocese of Buffalo.

VATICAN CITY (CNA/EWTN News) - On Sunday Pope Francis baptized 26 babies in the Sistine Chapel, telling parents to nurture the faith in the lives of their children, because it is the greatest inheritance they can give.

A Mass for the observance of the 43rd anniversary of the United States Supreme Court decision of Roe v. Wade legalizing abortion will take place on Saturday, Jan. 16, at 4 p.m. at Divine Mercy Parish, 2437 Niagara St., Niagara Falls. The Mass serves as a symbol of reparation for the millions of unborn children, victims of abortion; reconciliation for all women and men who have been involved in an abortion; and recommitment to end abortion-on-demand in our nation.

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

On Sunday, Dec. 13, Bishop Richard J. Malone will open the "Door of Mercy" at St. Joseph Cathedral, 50 Franklin St., Buffalo, signifying the beginning of the Jubilee Year of Mercy for the Catholic Church. The doors symbolize the welcoming of all to the Church. The ritual will take place at the 10:30 a.m. Mass. All are welcome.

The annual Retirement Fund for Religious collections will be held this weekend, December 12 and 13, in the Diocese of Buffalo. Now in its 28th year, the appeal is coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO) and offers support for senior Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests whose communities lack sufficient retirement funding. Some 33,000 women and men religious past age 70 benefit.

Daybreak TV Productions, the television component of the Diocese of Buffalo's Office of Communications, has announced special programming that will air on WKBW-TV Channel 7 during the month of December.

Bishop Richard J. Malone will lead a group representing more than 95 parishes from across the Diocese of Buffalo in a prayer service and reflection at the start of the social justice convocation at Christ the King Seminary on Saturday.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. bishops will vote on a proposed formal statement, "Create in Me a Clean Heart: A Pastoral Response to Pornography," at the annual Fall General Assembly, November 16-19, in Baltimore. The statement's development has been directed by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth (LMFLY), in collaboration with other USCCB Committees and offices, as well as additional experts.

Bishop Richard J. Malone will mark the Feast of All Souls by presiding at a committal service for unclaimed cremated remains at Holy Cross Cemetery in Lackawanna.

A veteran educator with a wealth of school administration experience has been named principal of St. Benedict School in Eggertsville.

Bishop Richard J. Malone will preside over a prayer service on Tuesday, Oct. 20, the observance of the National Remembrance Day for the Unborn. The prayer service will be held at 4 p.m. at St. Mary Cemetery, 10880 Bennett Road (Route 60), Dunkirk, at Baby Jesse's grave.

The African-American Commission of the Diocese of Buffalo will present "Revival 2015 - Cast the First Stone" on October 13, 14, and 15 at SS. Columba & Brigid Church, 75 Hickory St., Buffalo. The three-night program will include worship, music and guest speakers. The programs begin with 30 minutes of praise and worship at 6 p.m. each night.

Bishop Richard J. Malone will bless animals on the front lawn of his residence, 77 Oakland Place in Buffalo, at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3, the day before the Feast of St. Francis.

Among the recent clergy assignments announced by Bishop Richard J. Malone are six priests who were given additional terms as pastor at the parishes they have been serving.

A confusing process to many, we've answered many of the common questions regarding annulments.

After consulting with the Canonists of the Chancery, I have confirmed that the faculties granted to all priests of the Buffalo Diocese include the faculty of remitting the excommunication attached to the procurement of abortion. This has been the case in our diocese since the 1980s during Bishop Edward Head's tenure. By extending this faculty to every priest throughout the world, Pope Francis is reminding us of the limitless power of God's mercy and compassion.

In its second year of the STREAM Education Initiative (S - science T- technology - R - religion - E - engineering A - arts - S science) more than 150 Catholic elementary school teachers will be trained in dynamic 21st century education courses which emphasize inquiry, creativity, design and complex thinking.

Bishop Richard J. Malone announced the following appointments regarding religious order priests.

Bishop Richard J. Malone has informed members of two parishes in Kaisertown that their faith communities will be linking, effective Oct. 1.

A special collection to support the Catholic League for Religious Assistance to Poland will be conducted in parishes throughout the Diocese of Buffalo during the month of August.

Chancery bulletin announcements for the week of July 20, 2015.

The Diocese of Buffalo announced a new round of clergy assignments, including two reappointments.

I am bitterly disappointed that the majority of justices of the U.S. Supreme Court has decided to overturn the definition of marriage, which has remained unchanged for more than two millennia. Marriage is the lifelong exclusive union of one man and one woman, a font of unitive life and love as well as the foundation of a stable family and society.

Bishop Richard J. Malone has announced new assignments for several clergy members including the newly ordained permanent deacons and priests.

Bishop Richard Malone of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo and Bishop R. William Franklin of the Episcopal Diocese of Western New York have issued a joint pastoral letter to both Dioceses, calling on all members of both churches to take specific action to address issues of equality and economic justice in the Western New York region.

Digital communications are everywhere from online newspapers and websites to social media. Today's consumers demand up-to-date news.

In the final days of this legislative session in Albany, Governor Andrew Cuomo and key legislators are leading the fight to enact the Education Tax Credit. The governor's plan, called the Parental Choice in Education Act, will help keep Catholic schools affordable.

Bishop Richard J. Malone has asked pastors in parishes throughout the Diocese of Buffalo to conduct special collections at Masses the weekend of May 9-10, with all proceeds going to Catholic Relief Services (CRS), which has mobilized immediate response teams in support of earthquake relief in Nepal.

Bishop Richard J. Malone has named former New York State Regent Chancellor Robert M. Bennett to the Diocese of Buffalo's Catholic School Advisory Council, the panel which advises the bishop on matters related to Catholic education.

Bishop Richard J. Malone will celebrate a special Mothers' Day Mass at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 10, at St. Joseph Cathedral, 50 Franklin St., Buffalo. The Mass will include the Rite for the Blessing of a Child in the Womb.

Buffalo Bishop Richard J. Malone and the Office of Pro-Life Activities invite all to participate in prayer for a culture of life at 8 a.m. on Saturday, April 25, at the Rosary Novena for Life Mass at St. Rose of Lima Parish, 500 Parker Ave., Buffalo. All priests and deacons are invited to concelebrate and vest for Mass.

Renee Resler Joffe, a volunteer for the Holocaust Resource Center's Speakers Bureau, spoke to Mount St. Mary Academy students on March 30, detailing her experiences in Occupied France. Joffe lived with her mother, father and younger sister in Paris during the outbreak of the war and first years of occupation, before escaping to Southern France.

Bishop Richard J. Malone will talk about family life and marriage as one of two keynote speakers at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast (NCPB), Thursday, May 7, at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, D.C. Texas Governor Greg Abbott is also scheduled to speak.

My brother bishops and I are sorely disappointed in all of our political leaders in Albany, who again assured us of their strong personal support, but again could not deliver for the children of our state. Yet we have no alternative but to turn to them again and implore them to please pass this legislation once and for all before the close of the legislative session.

Bishop Richard J. Malone is happy to welcome the Pauline Fathers (the Order of St. Paul the Hermit) in the leadership of St. Stanislaus Parish, 123 Townsend St., Buffalo, effective Apr. 12, Divine Mercy Sunday.

The 2015 annual Rosary Novena for Life commences on Saturday, March 28, with 8 a.m. Mass at St. Rose of Lima Parish, Parkside and Parker avenues, Buffalo, and will continue on one Saturday each month through November.

St. Bonaventure University and Hilbert College announced the conclusion of their integration efforts and agreed to continue to collaborate on key strategic initiatives in keeping with their 20-year partnership.

To continue the forward motion of this exciting diocesan initiative, more than 160 teachers from the 10 pilot STREAM (science, technology, religion, engineering, arts and math) schools in the Diocese of Buffalo took part in a professional development program Friday afternoon.