Current News

Pointing to severe deterioration to the exterior of St. Ann Church in Buffalo, Bishop Edward U. Kmiec has ordered the suspension of all activities at the Broadway church.

WASHINGTON—Blog posts, YouTube videos, an online quiz and resources on Facebook are among the ways U.S. Catholics can learn about the Church's teaching on issues and involvement in the political process, as part of an initiative of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). These resources promote the document, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, the call to political responsibility issued by the U.S. bishops in 2007 and reissued last fall.

WASHINGTON—The U.S. bishops want to provide an opportunity for all Catholics to deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ, according to a new document from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Disciples Called to Witness: The New Evangelization focuses on reaching out to Catholics, practicing or not, who have lost a sense of the faith in an effort to re-energize them.

With our Lenten journey near its conclusion, we turn our focus from fasting, abstinence and almsgiving, to Christ's suffering on the cross for us, His resurrection and the promise of eternal life.

Volunteers and supporters gathered today with Bishop Edward U. Kmiec, bishop of the Diocese of Buffalo, and the Catholic Charities of Buffalo Appeal leadership team to hear the progress of the Appeal to date and celebrate Appeal Week 2012. At the same time, Catholic Charities officials surprised Bishop Kmiec by announcing the re-naming of the former South Buffalo Food Pantry and Outreach, the site of the morning event, in honor of the bishop.

Bishop Kmiec's statement for the Rally for Religious Freedom in downtown Buffalo:

WASHINGTON—The U.S. bishops are strongly united in their ongoing and determined efforts to protect religious freedom, the Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) said in a March 14 statement.

Timothy Cardinal Dolan, archbishop of New York, Bishop Edward U. Kmiec and their brother bishops of New York state will meet with Governor Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders at the state Capitol in Albany on Monday, March 12. It will be Cardinal Dolan's first visit to Albany since the February 18 consistory in Rome at which he was elevated to the College of Cardinals by Pope Benedict XVI.

WASHINGTON—Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York voiced dismay in the Administration's handling of the church as the White House and the church seek to work out religious freedom problems found in a mandate in the new health care reform bill.

Using the analogy of building a house, Bishop Edward U. Kmiec posed a series of questions to a filled St. Joseph Cathedral on Ash Wednesday, as the church goers prepared to embark on their Lenten journey.

Bishop David L. Ricken of Green Bay, Wisconsin, chairman of the Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), offers "10 Things to Remember for Lent" as the Church prepares to begin the season with Ash Wednesday on February 22:

The Office of Parish life is using video faith stories and a multitude of other resources on its new website, www.evangelizebuffalo.org, which went live earlier this month.

For many years, the U.S. bishops have supported access to life-affirming health care for all. During the health care reform debate in Congress you received a number of urgent USCCB memorandum calling for health care legislation that would advance the goal of truly universal, life-affirming health care: upholding longstanding federal policies against abortion funding , protecting rights of conscience, and not leaving immigrants worse off.

1. The rule that created the uproar has not changed at all, but was finalized as is. Friday evening, after a day of touting meaningful changes in the mandate, HHS issued a regulation finalizing the rule first issued in August 2011, "without change." So religious employers dedicated to serving people of other faiths are still not exempt as "religious employers." Indeed, the rule describes them as "non-exempt."

WASHINGTON - The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) have issued the following statement:

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued the following statement, responding to President Obama's announcement about religious freedom that was made at the White House on Feb. 10, 2012.

Cloistered nuns choose to live entirely removed from the world, having almost no contact with those outside the walls of the monastery. To some, this might seem daunting and even frightening, but to the communities of cloistered nuns in the Buffalo area, it allows them the space and silence to have a deeper, richer relationship with God.

Most Catholic voters oppose the federal rule requiring religious institutions to buy insurance that covers contraception and sterilization, according to new research published Feb. 7.

A tapestry in upstate NY may hold pieces of Saints. Plus, in the buildup to the Super Bowl, we'll visit a school that works as a team. And, a Dominican celebration has a home in Brooklyn.

The Catholic bishops of the United States called "literally unconscionable" a decision by the Obama Administration to continue to demand that sterilization, abortifacients and contraception be included in virtually all health plans. The Jan. 20 announcement means that this mandate and its very narrow exemption will not change at all; instead there will only be a delay in enforcement against some employers.

Today's announcement by the Holy Father that he has named Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York and Archbishop Thomas Collins of Toronto to the College of Cardinals has brought great joy to me and to the faithful of the Diocese of Buffalo.

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has announced that His Excellency the Most Reverend Timothy M. Dolan, Archbishop of New York, will be elevated to the dignity of Cardinal in a Consistory to be held on February 18, 2012.

In December of 1961, Elvis Presley's "Blue Hawaii" was number one on the album charts, President John F. Kennedy approved of the deployment of U.S. military crews and helicopters to Vietnam and young Edward U. Kmiec of Trenton, N.J. was preparing for his ordination to the priesthood.

Daybreak TV Productions of the Diocese of Buffalo was honored to produce the Christmas Midnight Mass that will air on ABC television stations nationwide on December 24 and 25.

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI has told New York's bishops not to be silenced by those who seek to muzzle Catholicism in public life.

Pope Benedict XVI has declared a "Year of Faith" which will begin in October 2012, the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council.

In the tweet, the Pope writes: "Dear Friends, I just launched http://news.va. Praised be our Lord Jesus Christ! With my prayers and blessings, Benedictus XVI." With a simple tap and that tweet, Pope Benedict XVI launched the beginning of a new adventure for the Vatican's media services. At the Apostolic Palace on Tuesday afternoon, Pope Benedict used a tablet to launch the new web portal featuring the latest news of the Vatican's media services.

The Roman Missal, Third Edition, the ritual text containing prayers and instructions for the celebration of the Mass, is now being prepared for publication. In the United States, seven publishers (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., Liturgical Press, Liturgy Training Publications, Magnificat, Midwest Theological Forum, USCCB Communications, and World Library Publications) will publish ritual editions and are now advertising their plans and will soon accept pre-orders. The Roman Missal will be implemented in the United States of America on the First Sunday of Advent, November 27, 2011. The ritual editions should start arriving in parishes around October 1.

The Diocese of Buffalo has unveiled its new vision for Catholic elementary schools. Titled "Faith in Tomorrow," the strategic plan provides a detailed course of action to strengthen Catholic education and help secure the future success and viability of elementary schools located throughout the eight counties of Western New York.

Father David Bialkowski, former pastor of St. John Gualbert Parish in Cheektowaga, has been placed on administrative leave by Bishop Edward U. Kmiec, following an allegation of inappropriate conduct.

Appearing before a Joint Legislative Budget hearing in Albany on Feb. 15, Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan, archbishop of New York, urged members of the state Senate and Assembly to give parents of Catholic and independent school students some tax relief.

The music of the St. Vincent School (Elma) Bell Choir and four flautists from St. Christopher School (Tonawanda) filled the Catholic Center cafeteria on Jan. 31, marking the start of the weeklong Catholic Schools Week celebration.

The Diocese of Buffalo has announced that St. Barbara Church, 551 Ridge Rd., Lackawanna, will be demolished.

The Vatican Congregation for the Clergy has upheld the decision to merge St. Adalbert Parish into St. John Kanty Parish. Both parishes are in Buffalo.

At the Vatican today (Jan. 11, 2014), Pope Benedict XVI declared the heroic virtues of Father Nelson Baker, the diocesan priest who built Our Lady of Victory National Shrine and Basilica in Lackawanna and Our Lady of Victory Institutions, which continue Father Baker's compassionate legacy of caring begun more than a century ago. The declaration by the Holy Father is the next step on Father Baker's path to sainthood.

On the date of his ordination to the priesthood, Dec. 21, 1935, Bernard J. McLaughlin was about to embark on a journey of faithful service that has continued for more than three quarters of a century. From student in Rome to his ordination in the Eternal City, from assistant pastor at St. Joseph New Cathedral to the founding pastor of Coronation Parish, from his appointment as auxiliary bishop of Buffalo to his episcopal ordination at the hands of Pope Paul VI, Bishop McLaughlin's service to the Church has been hallmarked by grace and a special devotion to our Blessed Mother.

As members of Congress prepare to take a final vote on health care reform legislation, it is important to reiterate my position, and that of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.