Current News

St. John Kanty Parish celebrated a new beginning as it prepares to commemorate the past. Bishop Richard J. Malone installed Father Michael H. Burzynski as administrator of the Buffalo church, which will hold its 125th anniversary later this year.

Catholic Charities of Buffalo's In-School Social Work Program was the recent recipient of a $411,000 grant from Fidelis Care, the New York State Catholic Health Plan.

ORCHARD PARK — A 5K race, food truck rally, classic car show and entertainment by Hit n Run and Eric Van Houten are among the highlights of the 25th annual St. John Vianney Lawn Fete, taking place July 20-23.

Teams of Our Lady invites married couples to an indoor-outdoor picnic, preceded by the 4:30 p.m. Mass, on Saturday, July 22, at SS. Peter & Paul Church, Williamsville. The north and south sectors for the region invite children to this event, to be held in the school cafeteria, with access to the gym. Look in the parish activity book for more information on Teams of Our Lady.

LEWISTON — Thanks to the funds provided by a donation from Catherine DiMino of Niagara Falls, Mount St. Mary's Hospital has acquired the latest vein visualization technology to assist in the placement of IVs and blood draws. The newly acquired system was unveiled in May at a luncheon as part of the hospital's celebration of National Nurses Week.

KENMORE — The Briana Talty Memorial Scholarship was recently awarded at St. John the Baptist School in honor of Briana Talty, the school's Spanish teacher, who passed away earlier this year. Families and friends of both St. John's and Talty established a memorial scholarship to honor the beloved teacher. Talty's parents and members of her family joined St. John the Baptist's principal, Cynthia Jacobs, at the ceremony to present the scholarship awards to the recipients, eighth-grader Alyssa Barnum and seventh-grader Colin Richey.

A Mass in honor of divine mercy and Hymn to St. Michael the Archangel, composed by David Butler, were premiered at the noon Mass on Pentecost Sunday at St. Michael Church in Buffalo. Butler, a well known Western New York musician and teacher, arranged and conducted the scores of his original works for voice, strings, piano and congregation. He was assisted by Jim McNeill, Colleen Mazella and the Burnett String Ensemble. Father Benjamin Fiore, SJ, pastor, presided and preached at the Mass.

WASHINGTON—Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), along with Bishop Oscar Cantú, of Las Cruces, Chair of the Committee on International Justice and Peace, and Bishop Mitchell Rozanski, of Springfield, Chair of the Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, have issued the following statement on today's attack in the Old City of Jerusalem. The deadly attack took place early this morning by the Lions' Gate in the Old City walls, next to what Muslims call the Noble Sanctuary and Jews call the Temple Mount.

WASHINGTON—Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida, Chairman of the U.S. Bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, reacted strongly to the revised Senate health reform bill, the "Better Care Reconciliation Act" (BCRA).

"Jesus knows how hard life can be," Pope Francis said.

On Independence Day weekend, Bishop Richard Malone, along with 18 other representatives from the Diocese of Buffalo, participated in the Convocation of Catholic Leaders in Orlando, Florida. The four-day event brought together a diverse group of over 3,000 Catholics who joined more than 150 bishops from across the United States to respond to Pope Francis's call, in Evangelii Guadium, "to embark upon a new chapter of evangelization marked by the Joy of the Gospel, to become ever more, and to form others as missionary disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ."

PERRY - Catholic Charities of Buffalo began a new chapter on June 12 as the agency celebrated the grand opening of its Wyoming County office on the campus of Community Action for Wyoming County in Building #1, 6470 State Rt. 20A, Perry. About 25 guests attended the event, including Sister Mary McCarrick, OSF, Catholic Charities' diocesan director, and Father Richard Blazejewski of St. Isidore Parish in Perry, who blessed the office.

Reverend Monsignor David S. Slubecky, vicar general and moderator of the curia of the Diocese of Buffalo, announced this morning the 2017 Appeal in support of Catholic Charities of Buffalo met and exceeded its $11 million goal. After a very challenging Appeal, officials expressed gratitude for the incredible parish, community and corporate support, especially last-minute gifts, which brought the campaign total to $11,069,168.36.

WASHINGTON—Pope Francis has named Bishop Nelson Perez, up until now Auxiliary Bishop of Rockville Centre, as the new bishop of Cleveland. Pope Francis has also named Father Andrew Bellisario as the new bishop of Juneau, Alaska.

The parishioners of St. Bernadette's have put their money where their mouths are. To support the Orchard Park parish's youth ministry, parishioners bought $1,300 worth of the luncheon meat at the May 20 Baloneyfest. The fundraising idea came from Father Paul Seil, pastor and friend of the Wardynski family of Wardynski Meats fame, who donated 16 logs of baloney to the parish.

Several diocesan priests, including the four men who were ordained in June, have received new assignments from Bishop Richard J. Malone.

The Catholic League for Religious Assistance to the Church in Poland continues the good work envisioned 74 years ago and continues to reflect, develoop and expand its present needs. Much has changed in the last seven decades, but love and fidelity to our faith, the mission of the Church and heritage remain steadfast. "For on the shoulders of the giants of the past (clergy and laity), we stand to build the present and influence the future," is a phrase I have heard, and it describes that spirit well.

The need for blood doesn't end with a particular season. By contributing to the community blood supply donors can show their commitment to a better quality of life. While one unit may not seem important at this moment, it could mean the difference between life and death to the patient who needs a particular blood type.

Two priests walk into a kitchen. One has a mallet, and one has a cutting board. No, this is not the beginning of a joke. It's a description of this month's encore episode of "Our Daily Bread."

Sister Patricia Burkard, OSF updates us on happenings with the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities in Williamsville and Cindy Munschauer gives the details of this year's Burgers, Brews & Blues event.

WASHINGTON, DC - A joint declaration issued today by U.S. and European Catholic bishops calls for all nations to work together to develop a "credible, verifiable and enforceable strategy for the total elimination of nuclear weapons."

In commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, the Diocese of Buffalo has been collaborating with the Upstate New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America throughout the calendar year. Although the Reformation began after Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses in 1517, the goal in 2017 is to foster unity. On May 19, they joined for an ecumenical study day at Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora, with Sister Susan K. Wood, SCL, Ph.D. as keynote speaker.

The Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities in Williamsville have now entered Phase II of their property study and are pursuing a senior care provider owner/operator for the community living center and region house at 201 Reist St. for the 62 sisters currently in residence as well as for any additional future sisters currently residing in local mission houses in Western New York.

The theme for the National Black Catholic Congress, which will be taking place from July 7-9 in the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Fla., is "The Spirit of the Lord is Upon Me: Act Justly, Love Goodness, and Walk Humbly with Your God."

For 70 years, Mary Queen of Angels Regional Catholic School served Cheektowaga and surrounding municipalities of Western New York, most of this time under its former name, Queen of Martyrs School. However, as the 2016-17 school year came to a close, the MQA community recognized the end of its era with a special field day of activities on June 2 and a Mass celebrating the school's history on June 21.

For the past seven years, Theresa Zielinski has watched her parish teens grow into leaders of the Wyoming County Association of Catholic Youth. They learn how to grab the reins of a problem and steer it into a positive outcome by attending the Christian Leadership Institute, a program that teachers young people to be servant leaders in the mold of Jesus Christ.

Do you sometimes wonder, though, why so many people, maybe even beloved relatives or friends, can't seem to find that joy that comes from knowing Jesus? Do you worry that they may perhaps have never truly encountered Him?

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA - The doctors at the Children's Hospital in San Miguel, Argentina, find no explanation for the quick recovery of Martin Chain - a three-year-old boy who fell from the ninth floor when he was playing on the balcony of his apartment.

VATICAN CITY (CNA/EWTN News) - Stepping into a tumultuous legal battle involving a UK couple's push for a say in the treatment and death of their terminally ill son, Pope Francis has offered his prayers for the child, and asked that the parents' wishes be respected.

Niagara University has announced that it will participate in New York State's Enhanced Tuition Award (ETA) program, the tuition assistance program for private colleges and university students available under the state's Excelsior Scholarship legislation.

Father Ronald W. Sams, pastor emeritus of St. Michael Parish in Buffalo, died June 27, 2017, in Kenmore Mercy Hospital. He was 88.

Members of an already beautiful and vibrant Catholic church in Olean took things to a whole new level on Thursday evening. With help from a string quartet, brass ensemble and an angelic choir, the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels welcomed a couple new symbols that could only be displayed in a basilica. The church's new tintinnabulum bell rang for the first time as part of the opening procession and the ombrellino was placed behind the presider's chair.

VATICAN CITY (CNA/EWTN News) - After Australian police announced that they have charged him on multiple counts of sexual abuse, Cardinal George Pell has maintained his innocence, saying he will take leave from his responsibilities in the Vatican to clear his name.

When her husband passed away after nearly 50 years of marriage, Bernie Mussen found it difficult to say goodbye. She thought keeping Charlie's ashes on the family mantle would make her feel they were still together. She later found the best way to take care of him was to give him a permanent final resting place.

In the Dec. 20, 2016 issue of Commonweal magazine, this sentence appeared in an article entitled, "Abortion and Social Justice": "Nothing would do more to energize social-justice movements than a broad-based coalition that was able to break through the impasse of abortion politics in the United States."

WASHINGTON— The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) today has released its score on the Senate health care bill. The score could impact how the Senate votes on the Republican plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. As he is analyzing the full report and expects to release further comment tomorrow, Bishop Frank Dewane of Venice, Chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Domestic Justice and Humane Development Committee, has issued the following initial statement:

Father Vincent Cooke, SJ, the 23rd president of Canisius College from 1993-2010 who transformed the small college into a prestigious institution and expanded it with new buildings and academic programs, died June 22, 2017, in Murray-Weigel Hall at Fordham University in New York City. He was 81.

WASHINGTON— Today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on the Administration's Executive Order 13870 announcing an emergency stay partially overturning preliminary injunctions that were put in place by federal courts in Maryland and Hawaii and upheld by the Fourth Circuit and the Ninth Circuit. The Supreme Court decision narrows refugee resettlement and travel from six Muslim-majority countries to individuals who can prove a "bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States," until the Supreme Court can rule on the legality of the ban.

WASHINGTON- Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in the case of Trinity Lutheran Church v. Comer, in which the Court held that the exclusion of churches from an otherwise available public benefit violates the Free Exercise Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Trinity Lutheran's preschool sought to participate in the State of Missouri's scrap tire program, which would have allowed it to repave its playground with recycled tire pieces in order to provide a softer and safer playground surface for children.

As part of its participation in the diocesan STREAM initiative at local Catholic schools, St. Mary School in Swormville recently opted to take STREAM, usually an acronym standing for science, technology, religion, engineering, art and mathematics, literally. Polly Lougen's third-, fourth- and fifth-grade science classes hatched and raised brown trout eggs and fry (baby fish) in the school's science lab, which the Department of Environmental Conservation later released in Glen Park's Ellicott Creek in Williamsville.