Current News

WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNA/EWTN News) - The final plans are set for the public's chance to watch Pope Francis' Sept. 24 address to Congress live at the U.S. Capitol.

NEW YORK CITY (CNA/EWTN News) - For Cardinal Dolan, the "virulent strain" of American nativism is not a thing of the past - it's alive, well and seeded in presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks on the topic of immigration.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNA/EWTN News) - Hundreds of women - along with scores of men - gathered in front of the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday to protest what they see as betrayal of the nation's women at the hands of Planned Parenthood.

WASHINGTON - Cardinal Seán O'Malley, OFM Cap., archbishop of Boston and chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), responded, July 29, to recent videos showing leaders from Planned Parenthood discussing the provision of fetal organs, tissues, and body parts from their abortion clinics.

Over the past few years, there's been a lot of excitement over the new economic developments and community revivals in Buffalo. Canalside, the nearby HarborCenter, Larkinville and the Buffalo medical corridor have seen lots of new construction, businesses and people come to the city.

Over more than a half century of ministry, Venerable Msgr. Nelson Baker made a profound impact in the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, helping thousands of orphans, founding the various Our Lady of Victory Institutions and now as a candidate for sainthood. As we celebrate the anniversary of his death on this day in 1936, take a look back at his life and ministry in our photo gallery.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNA) - A bill in Congress that brands itself as fighting discrimination might end up doing the exact opposite, said legal experts last week.

Msgr. Paul J. Whitney, a retired diocesan priest, died July 27, 2015, at Rosa Coplon Jewish Home and Infirmary in Getzville. He was 82.

On June 10, the Bishops of the United States gathered in St. Louis for their Spring General Assembly.

We stopped by Our Lady of Charity Parish (which combined the St. Ambrose, Holy Family and St. Agatha communities) in Buffalo for their annual Summerfest Thursday through Saturday. Relive the party with our new photo gallery by clicking here.

The diocesan bulletin announcements for the week of July 27, 2015.

SOUTH BEND, IND. (CNA/EWTN News) - Most Americans have a favorable view of Pope Francis, but an apparent decline in their numbers may be due to his implicit challenge to American culture, one observer has said.

Bishop Richard Malone shares some characteristics that make a good parish in a new episode of his weekly YouTube show, "Consider This."

OMAHA, NEB. (CNA/EWTN News) - With the hope of providing authentic and ethical health care for women, Dr. Thomas Hilgers, creator of Natural Procreative Technology, has worked for decades to establish a medical network that studies, understands, and treats the female fertility cycle.

Agriculture has been a thread woven throughout the history of St. Mary Parish in Pavilion from its earliest years to the present. The small country parish had its roots in the Irish immigrants who were escaping the trials of the Potato Famine in Ireland. Many settled in the area because they were assured work at the Brooks Farm.

Sister Norma Terese Wind, a Religious Sister of Mercy, died July 13, 2015, in the Mercy Center Health Care Unit in Buffalo. She was 82 years old.

Last year, part of Buffalo history made its way to St. Pacificus Oratory in Humphrey.

Father Richard "Duke" Zajac has authored another volume of his "Life Injections" series. Like the first three, "Life Injections IV" collects sermons that Father Zajac has preached through his 39 years in the priesthood.

VATICAN CITY (CNA) - Pope Francis' recent trip to Latin America has rekindled questions about whether he endorses socialism, or even communism.

With the STREAM initiative flowing along nicely at area Catholic schools, the diocesan Department of Catholic Education will add an engineering-focused element into the mix.

CHICAGO, ILL. (CNA/EWTN News) - A Bible publisher based in Illinois has won its lawsuit against the federal contraception mandate, with a final ruling delivered July 15 by a federal district court.

Is your parish growing? But more importantly, should growing just be looked at as numbers?

The Our Lady of Charity Parish Summerfest will take place on Thu., July 23 through Sat., July 25 at St. Ambrose Church, located at 65 Ridgewood Road, Buffalo. The annual event benefits the entire parish, which includes the former parishes of St. Ambrose, Holy Family and St. Agatha's.

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Archbishop George J. Lucas of Omaha, Nebraska, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on Catholic Education, applauded recent action by the Senate and the House to reauthorize the Elementary Secondary and Education Act (ESEA). The Senate passed the Every Child Achieves Act (S. 1177), July 16. The House of Representatives passed the Student Success Act (HR 5), July 8. Both bills contain significant improvements for providing equitable services for students and teachers in religious, private and independent schools.

It was seeing people dying of starvation in garbage pails during a trip to São Paulo, Brazil that put a face on hunger for Sister Helen Buscarino. "It broke my heart to see the extreme poverty," she says.

LONDON, ENGLAND (CNA/EWTN News) - George Weidenfeld was barely eighteen when Nazi forces occupied his homeland of Austria in 1938. He may not have lived to see his 95th birthday - celebrated this year - if not for the selflessness and generosity of Christians during World War II.

CHATTANOOGA, TENN. (CNA/EWTN News) - Bishop Richard Stika of Knoxville is calling the faith community to prayer after Thursday's fatal shooting at a military recruiting center in Chattanooga, on the southern end of his diocese.

Cheektowaga celebrated the annual Pulaski Day Parade Sunday, July 20. Check out the sights from the Harlem Road party in our new photo gallery.

Bishop Richard J. Malone remembers, and reminds us of, the contributions of St. John Paul II in a new episode of "Consider This." In his encyclical on the environment, "Laudato Si," Pope Francis mentions St. John Paul II's first encyclical, which also emphasized care for the environment.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The bishops chairing two committees of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) renewed the bishops' opposition to the death penalty in a message, July 16. The message commemorated the 10th anniversary of the bishops' Catholic Campaign to End the Use of the Death Penalty and their accompanying message, "A Culture of Life and the Penalty of Death."

WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNA) - An undercover video report on Planned Parenthood providing fetal body parts for harvesting and research should shock the conscience of the country, pro-life members of Congress insisted Wednesday.

VATICAN CITY (CNA/EWTN News) - An upcoming conference being held at the Vatican examining the link between climate change and human trafficking is a reflection of the importance that ending modern slavery holds for Pope Francis, according to one of its organizers.

The annual Pulaski Day Parade is one of local Polonia's most celebrated days on the calendar. Organizors are happy with this year's parade, set for Sunday, as it features special guest of honor Loretta Swit, star of TV's "M*A*S*H*" and an American stage and television actress of Polish descent. Bishop Edward M. Grosz of the Diocese of Buffalo will bless the parade at 1:15 p.m. in the Thruway Plaza parking lot in Cheektowaga, and also serve as an honorary grand marshal.

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

DENVER, COLO. (CNA/EWTN News) - A few months ago, Erin McCroy was walking the streets of Denver with Murphy, a 20-something missionary with Christ in the City, an outreach for people who are homeless.

DENVER, COLO. (CNA/EWTN News) - The Little Sisters of the Poor have reiterated their commitment to following their conscience as they care for the poor and dying, following a federal appeals court ruling that they must obey the federal contraception mandate.

This month, St. Mary Parish in Swormville will continue a long-standing tradition that dates back to the 19th century, as well as a newer one that will keep Western New Yorkers on their toes. At 7 p.m., on Friday, July 17, the parish is hosting its Chowder Chase annual 5K Run/3K Walk, There will be an outdoor Mass at 6 p.m., Saturday, July 18, and the 166th annual parish picnic from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m., Sunday, July 19.

Judging by these pictures, people had a lot of fun at the St. John Paul II Church lawn fete in Lake View July 10-12. Check out our photo gallery here.

Since his installation to Buffalo in August 2012, Bishop Richard J. Malone has ordained a half-dozen men to the priesthood. See where they are now in our new photo gallery.