"We value tremendously the service that you render to us," Bishop Richard J. Malone told a gathering of healthcare workers Saturday afternoon at the annual White Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral. "We pray that all of you in the healthcare professions will be guided by the hand of God and sustained by Christ's grace as you engage the art and science of healing body, mind and spirit."

The Diocese of Buffalo partnered with VOICE-Buffalo and Back to Basics Ministries for their first-ever day of community organizing on Martin Luther King Jr. Day at SS. Columba-Brigid Parish in Buffalo. It focused on how to mobilize community awareness on issues in accordance with King's own methods and legacy.

On Saturday, January 27 at 4:00 p.m., Bishop Richard J. Malone will celebrate an Asylum Seekers and Refugee Awareness Mass at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Athol Springs. It will mark the fifth anniversary of Buffalo Peace House. A reception will follow in the Parish Social Center with a meet and greet with the bishop as well as residents and alumni of the Buffalo Peace House. Tours of the house will also be available.

WASHINGTON-Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on Pro-Life Activities, thanked and praised the House of Representatives for passing the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act today with a bi-partisan vote of 241-183.

WASHINGTON, DC (CNA/EWTN News) - President Donald Trump praised the pro-life movement's support for pregnant women and touted his administration's pro-life policy achievements in his remarks to the March for Life Friday.

Happy New Year! That greeting resounds among friends, acquaintances, coworkers and even strangers. It lasts for more than just the day, and continues through much of the month of January as a wish for health, happiness and good fortune through the coming year.

This month, many will honor slain civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with prayer vigils, peace marches and service projects. SS. Columba-Brigid Parish is planning something a little closer to King's vision: building a community.

This year, National Migration Week is from Jan. 7-14. This week has been celebrated in the Catholic Church in the United States for over 50 years. It gives us an opportunity to reflect on the circumstances confronting migrants, immigrants, refugees, children and victims and survivors of human trafficking.

WASHINGTON—On Jan 9th, congressional members met at the White House with President Trump to discuss immigration reform. In response to this important bipartisan meeting, Bishop Joe S. Vásquez of Austin, Texas, Chairman of the Committee on Migration (USCCB/COM), issued the following statement:

For more than 30 years, the Catholic Church and United States bishops have recognized National Migration Week. This year, NMW will take place from Jan. 7-13, and its theme, "Many Journeys, One Family," will serve as a reminder that Americans came from many different origins, with every person and family having a unique story.

WASHINGTON—Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), offers a National Migration Week message to the nation with special gratitude for the gift of immigrants and refugees.

WASHINGTON— After the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate passed The Tax Reform and Jobs Act, Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, drew attention to unacceptable problems that remain, and called on President Trump to insist that Congress fix them before he signs a bill into law.

WASHINGTON— As Congress prepares to reconcile the House of Representatives and Senate tax reform bills, Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, insisted that "Congress should advance a final tax reform bill only if it meets the key moral concerns . . ."

WASHINGTON—With the goal of strengthening and supporting the pastoral work of the Church in Latin America and the Caribbean, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Subcommittee on the Church in Latin America awarded nearly $3.2 million in grants for 183 pastoral projects in the region for 2018. These most recent grants were made at the Subcommittee's meeting in November and bring the total awarded for pastoral grants 2018 to almost $7.2 million. Four other projects were awarded in response to natural disasters.

WASHINGTON—On World AIDS Day, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, Chair of the USCCB Committee on International Justice and Peace, along with Sean Callahan, President and CEO of Catholic Relief Services, urge full funding of U.S. and global HIV and AIDS programs in the FY 2019 budget request. Their position was outlined in a letter sent to the Director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

WASHINGTON—To commemorate the United Nations International Day for the Abolition of Slavery on December 2, 2017, the Coalition of Catholic Organizations Against Human Trafficking (CCOAHT) is asking seafood producers, distributors and seafood retailers to make public, through packaged product labeling, their efforts to fight human trafficking in their product supply chains. According to CCOAHT, consumers are not receiving enough information needed to make moral purchasing decisions.

DENVER, COLO. (CNA) - Sexual misconduct allegations against Republican candidate Roy Moore have brought Alabama's special election to fill a U.S. Senate seat into the national spotlight.

WASHINGTON— Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, expressed "great disappointment" over the House of Representatives' passage of the deeply flawed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, calling on the Senate to work toward legislation that fixes the problems with H.R.1. The full statement reads as follows:

WASHINGTON, DC (CNA/EWTN News) - The House of Representatives on Thursday passed a major tax reform bill, which had drawn caution from the U.S. bishops, who had warned that it could place additional burdens on the working poor.

WASHINGTON, DC (CNA/EWTN News) - Republican leaders have restored the adoption tax credit to their federal tax proposal, after a week of criticism over the credit's omission from the original House plan.

WASHINGTON, DC (CNA/EWTN News) - In response to mass shootings in Las Vegas, Nevada and the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Spring, Texas, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has encouraged public debate on gun control, suggesting specific policies that might quell gun violence.

WASHINGTON, DC (CNA/EWTN News) - With House lawmakers releasing their tax reform bill on November 1, one U.S. bishop has laid out moral principles encouraging Congress to care for the poor, families, and the common good.

The Diocesan Care for Creation Committee will hold a gathering of parish leaders to discuss best practices for educating the community about protecting the environment. Everyone is welcome to the meeting at Villa Maria Convent in Cheektowaga, Monday, Oct. 23.

For those who wish to advocate for the pro-life cause in a visual, humanitarian way, the diocesan Office of Pro-Life Activities supports training for so-called "sidewalk advocates," people who stand outside of abortion clinics holding anti-abortion signs and praying. These advocates stand in front of an abortion clinic on Main Street in Buffalo early on Saturday mornings, as they will do in the month of October.

WASHINGTON, DC (CNA/EWTN News) - In the wake of an executive order issued by the Trump administration halting federal assistance for certain insurance plans, the U.S. bishops reaffirmed that helping to protect low-income persons and the vulnerable is of the utmost importance.

WASHINGTON—On Sunday evening, the White House released Immigration Principles and Policies that are a proposed list of priorities to be considered when working on legislative protection for Dreamers. Bishop Joe S. Vásquez of Austin, Texas, Chairman of the Committee on Migration, issued the following statement urging Congress to "ensure true protection for Dreamers once and for all."

WASHINGTON, DC - (CNA/EWTN News).- The Trump administration announced broad new exemptions to the HHS contraceptive mandate on Friday, giving relief to religious non-profits and others with deeply held religious or moral convictions regarding contraception.

In a Mass that was celebrated in both Spanish and English, Bishop Richard J. Malone, bishop of Buffalo, confirmed 15 young people Monday evening at Holy Family Parish in Albion. All 15 are of Mexican descent and their parents are part of the migrant farming community in Orleans and Niagara Counties.

When the Communicators for Women Religious decided to hold their 2017 conference in Niagara Falls, Ont., a group in Erie, Pa., had a crazy idea.

WASHINGTON— Cardinal Timothy Dolan, chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities, urged the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (H.R. 36). It is expected to come to the House floor the first week of October. The bill, introduced by Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ), proposes a ban on abortions starting at 20 weeks after fertilization.

WASHINGTON—Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty, and Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski, bishop of Springfield, Massachusetts and chairman of the USCCB Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, urged Members of Congress to support passage of the Federal Disaster Assistance Nonprofit Fairness Act of 2017 (H.R. 2405 / S. 1823). An almost identical bill passed the House in 2013 with overwhelming bipartisan support.

Today, several dozen bishops across the United States are joining Pope Francis as he launched the two-year "Share the Journey" campaign, holding events and reaching out to support migrants and refugees in their own dioceses as the campaign aims to raise awareness about their plight worldwide.

Bishop Edward M. Grosz, Auxiliary Bishop of Buffalo, will be the main celebrant and homilist at the annual Respect Life Mass on Sunday, October 1, at 10:30 a.m., at St. Joseph Cathedral, 50 Franklin St., Buffalo.

On September 27, Pope Francis will launch the worldwide, two-year "Share the Journey" campaign calling on Catholics and the faithful to 'encounter' migrants and refugees in an effort to break down barriers of fear and suspicion and build bridges of understanding and hospitality. Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA), Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) are part of a global network of Caritas organizations participating in the campaign.

Bishop Richard J. Malone, bishop of Buffalo, is calling all creatures great and small for a blessing of animals on his front lawn. The blessing will take place at 77 Oakland Place at 9 a.m. on Saturday, September 30, to mark the upcoming Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.

Area judges, lawyers and public officials of all faiths gathered at St. Joseph Cathedral on Wednesday to take part in the annual Red Mass, celebrated by Bishop Richard J. Malone who urged all in attendance to look at their legal profession as a calling.

The Sisters of Mercy Many Faces of Mercy Giving Circle celebrated its 15th anniversary of awarding grants to non-profit agencies that serve women and young girls by distributing 10 grants totaling $17,100 during a ceremony at Mercy Center, Buffalo, on Sept. 14.

Parents will do just about anything for their children. Sacrifice is a quality that seems built into being a parent, and protecting your children from danger, suffering, or threats to their life and well-being is both natural and expected.

WASHINGTON—The President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has invited his brother bishops to take up an emergency collection the weekend of September 23-24 on behalf of those devastated in parts of the Caribbean and southeastern United States by Hurricane Irma. In the letter sent to bishops today, Cardinal DiNardo says the emergency collection is greatly needed to help victims of Hurricane Irma rebuild their lives and also help support reconstruction needs of churches destroyed or severely damaged in the U.S. and Caribbean.

Jesus was a refugee and friend of outcasts. What about you and me? Will we dare to follow in Jesus' footsteps?