Current News

ST. BONAVENTURE — Dr. Kimberly Young has been looking deeply into Internet addiction since the days of AOL chatrooms. She was the first to identify Internet addiction and its impact on our children, families and culture.

Unlike some Christian churches which tend to be self-contained, self-sufficient and freestanding, our Catholic parishes are distinct faith communities within the larger Church community that we call the diocese. For us Catholics of Western New York, the "Diocese of Buffalo" is another way of speaking about the entire Roman Catholic community of our eight counties - all of the people (laity, religious, priests and deacons), as well as our parishes, schools, colleges and universities, health care and human service ministries, and so much more.

The weekly Chancery bulletin announcements for the week of Feb. 9, 2015.

Approximately 700 Catholic youth and adult chaperones will be in attendance at the 63rd annual Diocesan Youth Conference this weekend. This year's theme is "Restore."

BUFFALO, NY - The Canisius College departments of chemistry and biochemistry will welcome internationally-renowned organic chemist Phil S. Baran, PhD, to campus on Friday, March 13 at 1:00 p.m. in the Montante Cultural Center, located at the corner of Main Street and Eastwood Place. Presented under the auspices of the Paul G. Gassman Memorial Seminar at Canisius College, Baran's lecture is entitled "Studies in Natural Product Synthesis." The event is free and open to the public.

Bishop Richard J. Malone says the resistance to redefine marriage is not the only commitment to marriage. The Church supports the journey of the husband and wife as they live in a loving and holy way with a new website, For Your Marriage.

As Catholics, we are called to serve others, not through faith, but through service by way of our faith.

Bishop Richard J. Malone has named Kevin A. Keenan as diocesan representative to the New York State Public Policy Committee. In this role Keenan will serve as a voice for Bishop Malone and the Diocese of Buffalo to Albany legislators.

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 18, Ash Wednesday.

WASHINGTON—James L. Rogers has been named executive director of Public Affairs for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

As Valentine's Day approaches I try to reflect on my life and how I follow in Jesus' example in loving all people and especially God. The most important rule Jesus gave us was "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."

This month, the St. Gianna Molla Pregnancy Outreach Center will hold its fourth annual banquet to help benefit the center's ministry. The banquet will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 6 p.m., at Classics V Banquet and Conference Center on Niagara Falls Boulevard in Amherst. The event will feature a dinner and presentations from guest speakers.

Villa Maria College is getting back into the college sports game by relaunching their athletics program. Beginning in fall 2015, students will be able to compete in intercollegiate men's and women's soccer and basketball.

Our Lady of Charity Parish in Buffalo will host a program for young people 16-21 who would like to obtain their high school equivalency diploma. The program will be held at Maguire Hall at 51 Alamo Place and is free of charge.

WASHINGTON—Two recently enacted laws in the District of Columbia are "unprecedented assaults upon our organizations" and "violate the freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of association protected by the First Amendment and other federal law," said representatives of a number of national and local organizations, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), in a February 5 letter to Congress.

Originally published as an eBook, Fifty Shades of Grey has become a phenomenon, selling more than 100 million books worldwide, spawning two sequels and is now the subject of a film adaptation starring Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson set for release Feb. 13.

Bishop Richard J. Malone shares Pope Francis call for awareness, prayer, solidarity and action until slavery and human trafficking are no more.The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops have launched a website for people to learn more about the issue.

ST. BONAVENTURE — St. Bonaventure will welcome alumnus Thomas M. Marra, president and chief executive officer of Symetra Financial Corporation and a former university trustee, as the 2015 guest of the Building Extraordinary Leaders series.

WEST FALLS — St. George Parish is continuing its participation in "Living the Eucharist." This spiritual renewal experience from Paulist Evangelization Ministries welcomes all who are seeking to enrich their faith during the season of Lent.

Catholic Charities of Buffalo has announced several appointments to its leadership team in advance of the 2015 Appeal. The appointments were announced by the Most Reverend Richard J. Malone, bishop of Buffalo, and Sister Mary McCarrick, OSF, diocesan director of Catholic Charities of Buffalo.

The Catholic faith has a wonderful tradition of memorable saints. There are patron saints of nearly every profession.

ST. BONAVENTURE — The National Science Foundation has awarded St. Bonaventure University almost $600,000 to help recruit talented students interested in science, technology, engineering and math for fall 2015.

Catholic Charities of Buffalo's Immigration and Refugee Assistance Program recently received two grants totaling $200,000 to develop a Hospitality and Tourism Training Institute (HTTI), in partnership with Niagara University's (NU) College of Hospitality and Tourism Management Program.

St. Bonaventure's Family Business Club was recognized for its innovative and unique case solutions and delivery at the globally renowned Family Enterprise Case Competition (FECC). The event was held from Jan. 8 to 11 at the University of Vermont.

WASHINGTON-In a letter sent to all U.S. bishops on January 16, Bishop Richard J. Malone of Buffalo, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, hailed National Marriage Week USA (February 7-14) and World Marriage Day (Sunday, February 8) as opportunities "to celebrate the gift and blessing of marriage and to affirm and support engaged and married couples."

During February many parishes, schools and businesses will be celebrating National Black History Month. Feb. 1 is National Day of Prayer for the African-American and African Family. The theme chosen this year is Courage for the Step I'm On.

Vive, the Buffalo-based organization whose primary mission is to assist those seeking asylum in Canada and the United States, will host a recognition dinner for its supporters on Feb. 24 at Salvatore's Italian Gardens in Depew. The dinner will be held at 6 p.m. and the public is invited to attend.

Hundreds of people braved the cold, snowy weather, and the impending Super Bowl set to begin a few hours later, to attend a Mass of Thanksgiving for Auxiliary Bishop Edward M. Grosz's 25th anniversary of Episcopal ordination Sunday afternoon at St. Joseph Cathedral in downtown Buffalo.

Sunday's Mass of Thanksgiving for Bishop Edward M. Grosz's 25th anniversary of episcopal ordination brought a number of Catholic leaders into Buffalo for the occasion.

Bishop Edward M. Grosz, auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Buffalo, celebrates 25 years of episcopal leadership on Monday, Feb. 2. Take a look at his life in this exclusive photo gallery.

Bishop Richard J. Malone has announced the following clergy assignments:

The diocesan Catholic Directory team has been busy over the cold winter updating and overhauling the official book of diocesan information. The Directory was posted to the web on Feb. 1 and will continue to be updated on a monthly basis.

Bishop Edward M. Grosz, auxiliary bishop of Buffalo, will be the principal celebrant at a Mass of Thanksgiving, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2 p.m., at St. Joseph Cathedral in downtown Buffalo, as he celebrates the 25th anniversary of his ordination as bishop.

Bishop Malone will travel to Dallas, attend the St. Gianna Molla benefit and celebrate Mass at the annual Diocesan Youth Convention.

Catholic Academy of West Buffalo, 1069 Delaware Ave., has scheduled an open house for Tuesday, Feb. 3, from 9 a.m.- 2 p.m. and Thursday, Feb. 5, from 6:30 - 8 p.m.. The school invites prospective families interested in enrolling children for the 2015-2016 academic year to tour the school and meet faculty, administrators and parents.

Bishop Richard J. Malone explains why a diocese has auxiliary bishops in a new episode of "Consider This." He is thankful for Most Reverend Bernard J. McLaughlin, auxiliary bishop emeritus who died in Jan. 2015, and Most Reverend Edward M. Grosz, who has been serving as auxiliary bishop for 25 years.

St. Bonaventure University will host Tom Boney, vice president and general manager of Automotive Value Stream, Novelis North America, at 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, in the Dresser Auditorium of the John J. Murphy Professional Building.

Educators, administrators and no less than four bishops gathered to celebrate Catholic education on Jan. 29. Now called GALA 22:6, the 15th annual dinner to support Catholic education was held at the Buffalo/Niagara Convention Center.

The 15th annual Catholic Education dinner will be held tonight, Jan. 29, at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center. The 2015 dinner will mark Bishop Richard Malone's third year celebrating Catholic schools in the Diocese of Buffalo. Nearly 1,200 guests are expected to attend.

Catholic Schools Week is celebrated in the Diocese of Buffalo and nationally January 25 - January 31. Several Catholic bishops from throughout the United States recorded their thoughts on Catholic education.