Current News

ST. BONAVENTURE - As the chair of 270Catholic, a prominent organization for young Catholics just outside the D.C. Beltway, Jasmine Jaysingh was thrilled just to be asked to be among the throng to greet Pope Francis at Andrews Air Force Base when he arrived in the United States yesterday.

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (CNA/EWTN News) - Speaking to journalists aboard Tuesday's flight from Cuba to Joint Base Andrews, outside Washington, D.C., Pope Francis discussed his time in Cuba; the Church's social teaching, and personal freedoms in Cuba, as well as Cuba-United States relations.

BUFFALO - 101.7 FM WLOF Catholic Radio will provide listeners with exclusive live radio coverage of Pope Francis' historic visit to Cuba (Sept. 20-22) and the United States (Sept. 23-27), in conjunction with the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) Radio.

WASHINGTON, DC (CNA/EWTN News) - Pope Francis Wednesday reminded U.S. president Barack Obama that religious freedom is one of America's most "precious possessions," while lauding the nation's Catholics their work toward a society marked by tolerance and inclusivity.

WASHINGTON, DC (CNA/EWTN News) - On the papal flight from Cuba to Washington, D.C., where Pope Francis held the customary press conference with journalists on board, an Italian reporter posed a particularly tough question.

A delegation of about 20 people from the Diocese of Buffalo will attend the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia. The mixed group of parents, grandparents, educators, clergy and vowed religious will attend keynote addresses and breakout sessions dealing with parents as catechists, concerns of the urban family, marriage and vocations.

Chancery bulletin announcements for the week of Sept. 22, 2015.

HAVANA, CUBA (CNA/EWTN News) - Pope Francis on Sunday spoke from the heart about the importance of spiritual poverty, the danger of worldly wealth, and the universal need for mercy. He made his impromptu remarks to Cuban priests, consecrated religious and seminarians at Havana's cathedral.

ST. BONAVENTURE - Nine St. Bonaventure University students, in association with Franciscan Action Network, will be traveling to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Sept. 22, to watch Pope Francis' address to Congress on a big screen at the National Mall.

HAVANA, CUBA (CNA/EWTN News) - In an intense Sunday, Pope Francis on Sept. 20 said a Mass attended by 200,000 people in Havana's Revolution Square, visited Fidel Castro, improvised two speeches, and was welcomed with affection by the Cuban people. Here are some details you might have missed while he was in "the Rome of the Caribbean."

Pope Francis arrives today for his first visit to the United States. He will do many significant things in his six days with us. He will visit the White House, address Congress and the United Nations, and participate in a multi-religious service at New York's 9/11 Memorial and Museum, World Trade Center site.

HAVANA, CUBA (CNA/EWTN News) - Pope Francis set aside his prepared remarks to respond to the dreams and hopes of young people who spoke to him in Cuba on Sunday evening.

Msgr. Robert E. Zapfel, pastor of St. Leo the Great Church in Amherst, is especially eager for the pope's visit. The parish will debut its new technology on Sunday, Sept. 27, at 4 p.m., featuring Pope Francis celebrating Mass live from Philadelphia for the conclusion of the World Meeting of Families.

A native of Nigeria and a father of two are among the four men who were ordained transitional deacons on Saturday, Sept. 19, at St. Joseph Cathedral, 50 Franklin St., Buffalo. Through the imposition of hands and the invocation of the Holy Spirit, Bishop Richard J. Malone will ordain Venatius Ifeyichukwu Agbasiere, Michael K. Brown, Samuel T. Giangreco Jr. and Michael LaMarca at a special 10 a.m. Mass as the seminarians move one step closer to becoming priests.

When Pope Francis visits the United States at the end of this month, he will have just come from Cuba, the first papal visit since the United States and Cuba mended their decades-long hostile relationship.

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.

The Mary Queen of Angels Regional Catholic School Sports Boosters will host their third annual meat raffle on Friday, Sept. 25, at St. Andrew's Church, 34 Francis Ave., Sloan. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., with the raffle beginning at 7 p.m.

Sister Mary Charlene Nowak, former formation director and vicar for religious in the Catholic Center of the Diocese of Buffalo, died Sept. 15, 2015, in the Blessed Mary Angela Care Center in Buffalo.

During the World Meeting of Families, taking place Sept. 22-27, families get together to share their thoughts on various themes on family life. They dialogue on the role of the Christian family in Church and in society. The talks and workshops are led by distinguished speakers from around the world. There is a group from the Diocese of Buffalo that is preparing themselves for the meeting. For many it will be the first time attending this international gathering.

As part of the World Meeting of Families, Pope Francis will make a whirlwind visit to three U.S. cities this month. During the week of Sept. 22-27 the pope will visit Washington, D.C., New York City and Philadelphia.

In a new episode of "Consider This," Bishop Richard J. Malone brings our attention to the Kevin Guest House, a house where outpatients, and families of patients can stay while their loved ones are being treated in Buffalo area hospitals.

WASHINGTON DC - Leadership of the Catholic Church in the United States has introduced its first mobile app: USA Catholic Church. Designed to draw Catholics closer to their faith by providing access to Church information on all screens and devices, this is the only app that brings together information from all Catholic sources: parishes, dioceses, the U.S. bishops and even the Vatican. Not only will the app include religious news, daily Scripture readings and local parish content, it will feature exclusive, in-depth coverage of Pope Francis' September visit to the United States.

NEW YORK - SiriusXM announced today that it will launch a special channel entitled "Pope Radio" that will be entirely dedicated to Pope Francis's first visit to the United States next week.

VATICAN CITY (CNA/EWTN News) - In a new, wide-ranging interview Pope Francis touched on a variety of serious and lighthearted topics, such as the current refugee crisis, youth unemployment and how often the he goes to confession.

About 100 Respect Life coordinators received a civics lesson on Sept. 12, as they learned how they can help make a bill into a law. During the annual in-service sponsored by the Office of Pro-Life Activities, guest speaker Loretta Fleming spoke about the impact people have on the legislative process.

VATICAN CITY (CNA/EWTN News) - While Pope Francis is in Cuba next week chances are high that he will meet with former president Fidel Castro, though no specific time has been set, Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi has announced.

Sister Arthur Wingerter died Sept. 10, 2015, in the Stella Niagara Health Center, at age 87.

Sister Mary Veronica DelVecchio died Sept. 8, 2015, at St. Mary of the Angels Regional House in Williamsville. She was 103.

Chancery bulletin announcements for the week of Sept. 14, 2015.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNA/EWTN News) - All official events for Pope Francis' upcoming visit to Washington, D.C. are ticketed, but there is a new opportunity for the public to see the Pope without needing a ticket.

When Pope Francis makes his first ever visit to the United States this month, he'll have a packed itinerary as he travels to Washington, D.C., New York City and Philadelphia. Bishop Richard J. Malone of Buffalo will also have a full schedule that includes several interactions with the pope.

A native of Nigeria and a father of two are among the four men who will be ordained transitional deacons on Saturday, Sept. 19, at St. Joseph Cathedral, 50 Franklin St., Buffalo. Through the imposition of hands and the invocation of the Holy Spirit, Bishop Richard J. Malone will ordain Venatius Ifeyichukwu Agbasiere, Michael K. Brown, Samuel T. Giangreco Jr. and Michael LaMarca at a special 10 a.m. Mass as the seminarians move one step closer to becoming priests.

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

With the upcoming World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia (Sept. 22-25), and in anticipation of the Jubilee Year of Mercy, which begins on Dec. 8, Bishop Richard Malone has decided to eliminate all fees associated with seeking a marriage annulment through the Diocese of Buffalo's Marriage Tribunal.

St. Mary of the Angels Parish has been a fixture of the Olean community since the current church was built in 1915. The parish will celebrate its 100th anniversary in September with a Mass and concert. Part of the parish's celebration includes a series of ongoing renovations that have been paid for by the parish's centennial capital campaign with funding from the donations of various benefactors.

VATICAN CITY (CNA/EWTN News) - Pope Francis told couples to defend God's design for the family as the union of a man and woman for the procreation of children, and urged them to be merciful to those whose marriages have failed.

A glance through the Catholic school directory recently brought a startling revelation: Catholic schools have been in the Diocese of Buffalo since before there was a Diocese of Buffalo. Two schools, St. Aloysius Regional School in Springville, and SS. Peter & Paul School in Williamsville, have been in operation since 1836, and that's 11 years before the Diocese of Buffalo was established.

TONAWANDA — Cardinal O'Hara High School is bragging about its 2015 graduation class, which garnered nearly $7 million in scholarships and acceptance to colleges and universities across the country and its growth in the new year.

The Annunciation Strong Start Early Learning Academy's new "Mommy and Me" program will host an open house from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, at 7580 Clinton St., Elma. The program takes place in Annunciation's former school building.

ROME, ITALY (CNA) - She has met the Beatles. She speaks fluent French. She has survived 12 U.S. Presidents and she even has a Facebook page. She served in WWII, driving a truck for the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service where she was known to change a flat tire or two.