All of us have had the most unusual Lent and Easter that perhaps we will ever experience.

Christ's resurrection ushers in a new world - one of peace, love and fraternity, Pope Francis said on Easter Sunday, as he prayed for the many people who are suffering throughout the world.

First-graders at St. John the Baptist School recently participated in a service project to help them understand the Lenten goal of giving alms. Organized by their teachers Jill Parrino and Melissa Richey, the students were asked to do chores and other odd jobs around their homes to earn some extra money.

Eggs weren't the only things St. Teresa's parishioners had to color this Easter. The Buffalo parish has produced coloring books, with drawings of the 122-year-old church and its artwork, as a gift to its parishioners.

On June 16, 2017, the Vatican raised the liturgical memorial of St. Mary Magdalene to the rank of a liturgical feast and published a new preface for her, characterizing her as "the apostle of the apostles."

The Diocese of Buffalo is celebrating the Holy Week Triduum of the Roman Catholic Church during this sacred time leading up to Easter Sunday.

At the annual Chrism Mass, clergy renewed their priestly promises, oils were blessed, chrism was consecrated and Bishop Richard J. Malone reaffirmed his commitment to safe environments within the Diocese of Buffalo. The Mass drew diocesan clergy and congregants to St. Joseph Cathedral in downtown Buffalo Tuesday, April 16.

We've compiled a list of 10 things you should know about Holy Week, what happens during Holy Week, what are the names of the days of Holy Week, and a few more nuggets of knowledge even the most faithful Catholics may have missed.

St. Thomas Aquinas Parish put a modern spin on an old tradition.

As Catholic Charities prepares for another Appeal Week, in which the social service organization attempts to raise the bulk of its $11 million fundraising goal, their work throughout the Diocese of Buffalo would not be possible without another kind of donation: time.

You are invited to explore Lent with three dynamic ladies on three Wednesday nights at Immaculate Conception. Eileen Warner, Ann Marie Eckert and Kathleen Heffern will explore the topics of Almsgiving, Fasting and Prayer respectively.

If you asked the average Christian if he or she is a disciple of Jesus, I think the answer would be "of course I am." But how many of us really know what that means? Or what it entails?

Next to Advent and Christmas, Lent is one of the most celebrated and revered seasons in the year of the Catholic Church. Almost everybody knows the basics about Lent: that it begins on Ash Wednesday, lasts several weeks in which people routinely "give up" something, and concludes on Easter Sunday with a celebration of the Risen Christ.

On Ash Wednesday, March 6, Bishop Richard J. Malone will distribute ashes at St. Joseph Cathedral during the 12:05 p.m. Mass. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, the most holy time of the year for Catholics.

Each liturgical season has its own sacred landscape traversed by prayer, ritual and tradition. The Church stands at the threshold of a new season with challenging terrain, the desert of Lent.

Getting excited about God is a good way to spend the Lenten season. As the years go by, our faith can grow dull. We may need a new infusion of grace.

Happy Easter Week! Relive some of our favorite moments of Holy Week 2018 as Bishop Richard J. Malone blessed baskets, visited the Broadway Market and celebrated several Masses and liturgies. View our new photo gallery here.

Inside a darkened St. Joseph Cathedral, a paschal candle was lit from a blessed fire. The candle was carried by Deacon Paul Cygan proclaiming "The Light of Christ" in the procession, as one candle lit another, then two, then a hundred. As the cathedral became dimly lit by candlelight, Bishop Richard J. Malone began the annual celebration of the Easter Vigil that heralds the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Passion of Jesus Christ was solemnly celebrated by Bishop Richard J. Malone and a congregation at St. Joseph Cathedral in Buffalo, as people attended a special liturgy to mark Good Friday 2018 on March 30.

At the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday, Bishop Richard Malone urged the faithful gathered at St. Joseph Cathedral to recommit themselves to look for every opportunity to be present to one another in love and in care and compassion, especially those who need it most.

The Triduum is the time of the Church year when we celebrate the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This three-day celebration begins with the Holy Thursday Mass and continues on Good Friday with the Liturgy of the Lord's Passion. At the end of this liturgy, we leave the church in silence, waiting to celebrate the glory of our Lord's resurrection. Then, on Saturday at sundown, the Church re-gathers to celebrate the final, and most grand moment of the Triduum: the Resurrection of our Lord.

"Hosanna to the son of David" sang the choir as the celebration of Palm Sunday began. "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest." Those words come from the Gospel of Mark and describe Jesus coming into Jerusalem for what would be His crucifixion.

Grey Nuns and Friends will offer a day of spiritual deepening that will help your Season of Lent end on a high note. Called Young at Heart, the day will provide a variety of spiritual activities that will bring new life and energy to your walk with Jesus. There will be talks, quiet prayer and reflection, journaling, physical movement, and sharing with others.

A chance to visit with the Easter Bunny and various Easter-inspired activities are planned for a children's party on Sunday, March 25 at 2-4 p.m. in Hilbert College's Hafner Recreation Center.

The following liturgies are scheduled for Holy Week at St. Joseph Cathedral.

A contemporary Catholic author and speaker gave the following advice: "Don't give up chocolate for Lent. Instead do something life-changing. Have the best Lent ever!" The wisdom of this simple statement is that there is something deeper and greater that the Lord invites us to during Lent. As we enter into the heart of Lent this month, our Lord calls us to conversion and he invites us to transformation in Christ.

St. Leo the Great's traditional Lenten Friday night fish fry will be extra special in March when Bob Halligan and members of the Celtic band Ceili Rain come to the Amherst church for a night of music and talk. This special event will take place Friday, March 9, with fish being served from 5-7 p.m. Stations of the Cross take place at 7 p.m. Halligan will give a talk about his experiences being adopted and adopting a child himself.

Since the Fourth century, the last Sunday in Lent has been recognized as Palm Sunday, commemorating Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. The tradition of waving palms remains in the American Church. At St. Casmir Church in Kaisertown, Father Czeslaw M. Krysa takes his palms seriously, by keeping the tradition of decorative palm weaving alive.

Four neighboring Depew and Lancaster parishes are joining together to offer a two-part Lenten retreat, entitled "A Heart for God," on Monday, Feb. 26, and Wednesday, Feb. 28, from 7 to 8:15 p.m. This is the third consecutive year St. Mary of the Assumption, Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Our Lady of Pompeii and St. Martha parishes have collaborated on presenting a faith enrichment Lenten program.

Hundreds of people spent their lunch hour at St. Joseph Cathedral Feb. 14 to celebrate Mass and receive ashes from Bishop Richard J. Malone on Ash Wednesday.

WASHINGTON, DC (CNA/EWTN News) - "Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return."

As you are likely aware, St. Valentine's Day falls on Ash Wednesday this year. This is the first time these two occasions have overlapped since 1945. As a result, some people have inquired as to whether a dispensation from the Ash Wednesday fast and abstinence will be granted.

FREDONIA — To help the Newman Center at the State University of New York at Fredonia participate in the Upon This Rock campaign, the center will be hosting a benefit concert, featuring the work of student performers, at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 9, at St. Anthony Church, 42 Orchard St.

Bishop Richard J. Malone, bishop of Buffalo, will distribute ashes at the 12:05 p.m. Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral, 50 Franklin St., Buffalo, on Wednesday, February 14, Ash Wednesday.

STELLA NIAGARA — The Center of Renewal is pleased to announce a special Thursday through Sunday weekend retreat during Lent, "Les Misérables: A Lenten Retreat," from Feb. 22-25. This unique, reflective and interactive Lenten retreat will run from Thursday dinner through Sunday lunch.

VATICAN CITY (CNA/EWTN News) - Pope Francis reminded Christians on Easter Sunday that the Resurrection is the cornerstone of our faith - and that even in the face of unexplainable tragedy and suffering in the world, we can declare, "Christ is risen!"

Holy Week at St. Joseph Cathedral is one of the busiest times of the year, with several Masses and liturgies marking the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Here are some of our favorite images of the week in a new photo gallery.

The path to the Resurrection was illuminated at St. Joseph Cathedral, as Bishop Richard J. Malone celebrated the Easter Vigil Saturday night.

Hundreds of people flocked to St. Joseph Cathedral in downtown Buffalo on Good Friday, April 14 to hear Bishop Richard J. Malone lead the Solemn Celebration of the Lord's Passion. Good Friday liturgies have three parts: Liturgy of the Word, Adoration of the Holy Cross, and Holy Communion.

At the evening Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday, Bishop Richard J. Malone washed the feet of twelve men, women and young people in front of the altar at St Joseph Cathedral.