Diocese News - Archive
Bishop Kmiec Marks 39th Anniversary of Supreme Court Decision
1/11/2012 5:19:13 PM by Office of Communications

A Mass marking the observance of the 39th anniversary of the United States Supreme Court decision of Roe v. Wade legalizing abortion will take place on Saturday, Jan. 21, at 4:30 p.m. at St. Amelia Church, 2999 Eggert Road, Tonawanda.

The Mass is sponsored by the Office of Pro-Life Activities of the Diocese of Buffalo and St. Amelia Parish. Bishop Edward U. Kmiec, bishop of Buffalo, will be the main celebrant at the Mass which will be signed for the hearing impaired.

As part of the Mass, the annual Pro-Vita Awards will be presented. These awards are intended to recognize people who have labored tirelessly for the pro-life cause and to give them strength, encouragement and support.

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Resources from Parish Vitality Projects
12/30/2011 12:00:00 AM by Mary Beth Coates

Parish leaders are encouraged to take advantage of the many innovations and programming ideas that are being shared as a result of the Pathways to Parish Vitality Project.  There is a dedicated website organized by populations containing best practices and other resources.  Visit OFTEN as there are frequent updates thanks to Dennis Mahaney of the Office of Parish Life.  Click on the image below:

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St. Joseph Cathedral’s Christmas Schedule
11/30/2011 6:15:00 PM by Office of Communications

St. Joseph Cathedral, 50 Franklin St., Buffalo, has scheduled a number of celebrations for the Advent and Christmas seasons.

Sunday, Dec. 4

10:30 a.m. – Family Life Mass, Bishop Edward U. Kmiec, celebrant

 8 p.m. – "The Messiah," Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus

Sunday, Dec. 11

2 p.m. – Christmas Concert, Buffalo Choral Arts Society

Sunday, Dec. 18

3 p.m. – 150th Anniversary Mass of Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities, Bishop Kmiec, celebrant

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Curriculum Guidelines for Adolescent Catechesis
11/17/2011 9:12:00 AM by Mary Beth Coates
The Department of Lifelong Faith Formation has recently posted the revisions to the Diocesan Curriulum Guidelines for Adolescent Catechesis to its website.  These revisions bring the diocesan guidelines (originally written in 2004) into alignment with the Doctrinal Elements of a Curricular Framework for the Development of Catechetical Materials for Young People of High School Age (USCCB, 2008) and its companion document,  Adaptation for Use in Parish and Youth Ministry Programs (USCCB, 2010).  Please contact Elaine Dankowski for more information or for assistance with their implementation. 

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Three area men to be ordained transitional deacons by Bishop Kmiec
11/4/2011 10:49:00 AM by Office of Communications

What do two alumni from St. Francis High School in Athol Springs and an alumnus of Cardinal O’Hara High School, Tonawanda, have in common besides being graduates of Catholic high schools in the Diocese of Buffalo? All three men are studying to be priests and will be ordained transitional deacons on Friday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m. at their school, Christ the King Seminary, 711 Knox Road., East Aurora, in the St. John Vianney Chapel. In addition, the men are probably the last seminarians to be ordained by Bishop Edward U. Kmiec as bishop of Buffalo.

The candidates for ordination are Seán Paul Fleming, Andrew R. Lauricella and Jeffrey L. Nowak.

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Making a Difference Dinner is Jan. 27, 2011

The future of Catholic education will be the focal point of an address scheduled for Jan. 26, 2012, as Fordham University president Father Joseph M. McShane, SJ, delivers the keynote to the “Making a Difference Dinner – A Celebration of Catholic Schools.”Known for his knowledge of Catholic education, Father McShane has written about the qualities of a Jesuit education:  “We have a great emphasis on care for the individual student.  We have a great desire to introduce excellence and rigor into the classroom and every subject we teach, and we believe that students have to be invited to wrestle with the great ethical issues of their time. We want them to be bothered by the realization that they don’t know everything and bothered by injustice.”

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Bishop Kmiec dedicates Holy Family Senior Apartments
9/27/2011 1:19:00 PM by Office of Communications

Little more than one year after the groundbreaking, the first residents will soon move into the new Holy Family Senior Apartments in South Buffalo. Bishop Edward U. Kmiec presided over the dedication ceremonies Tuesday, Sept. 27 at the former Holy Family Catholic Elementary School on Tifft Street near South Park.

Bishop Kmiec thanked those involved for their wonderful work. "It’s such a great collaboration with such a wonderful group," he said. "There’s a great heritage here, so much unity, and that will continue." The bishop also acknowledged the importance of offering affordable housing and the continuation of the community food pantry.

Sponsored by the Diocese of Buffalo and developed by Delta Development of Western New York Inc. and Living Communities LLC, the three-story, nearly 50,000-square-foot building features 35 units of affordable low and moderate income senior rental housing for individuals 55 and older.

The property has 30 one-bedroom and five two-bedroom apartments. Six of the units have been designated for the frail elderly. The accessible units include enhancement equipment for both the hearing and visually impaired resident.

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 Bishop Edward M. GroszOn Wednesday, Oct. 5, the board of trustees of Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora will honor Bishop Edward M. Grosz, auxiliary bishop of Buffalo and the Vincent and Harriet Palisano Foundation at the Curé of Ars Awards Dinner. The annual dinner will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Buffalo at 5:30 p.m.

Bishop Grosz, who celebrated the 40th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood earlier this year, is being honored for his dedicated service with a genuine priestly heart to God and His people.

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Blessed John Paul II Parish to celebrate inaugural events
9/13/2011 2:52:00 PM by Office of Communications

The parish is among the first in the world to be named in honor of Blessed John Paul IIBlessed John Paul II Parish, which was officially formed by Bishop Edward U. Kmiec, on Sept. 1, will celebrate a series of events to mark the establishment of the Lake View faith community. The parish was formed by the merger of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Lake View, and St. Vincent de Paul Parish, North Evans. The new parish will utilize the Lake View site for all parish activity.

Wednesday, Sept. 14: The parish will offer a unique evening prayer service, with the altar stone from St. Vincent’s Church processed into Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church and placed in the altar. The Eucharist, Easter Candle and significant symbolic and meaningful items will be put into place for use during parish celebrations. Throughout the service, scripture readings will be proclaimed along with excerpts of the writings of Blessed John Paul II. Father Peter J. Karalus, pastor of Blessed John Paul II Parish, will preach with a combined music ministry of all parish musicians providing music.

 

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Crusade for world peace scheduled for September 25
9/7/2011 5:25:00 PM by Office of Communications

On Sunday, Sept. 25, from 2-3:30 p.m., Our Lady of Fatima Shrine, 1023 Swann Road, Lewiston, will be the site of the 31st annual Rosary Crusade for World Peace sponsored by the Niagara Council of Catholic Women of the Diocese of Buffalo. “Mary Queen of the Holy Rosary intercedes for all humanity” is this year’s theme.

Father Bernard Confer, OP, of Our Lady of Rosary Monastery, Buffalo, will be the homilist and the long-time moderator will be Msgr. J. Thomas Moran, pastor of St. Bernard Parish in Youngstown.

The crusade, which is open to the public, will include an outdoor rosary procession, coronation of the statue of Mary, blessing of children and benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Pope Benedict XVI has bestowed his apostolic blessing upon all participants in this year’s event.

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