As we approach the end of “Lost,” I can’t help but think about one of the show’s themes of destiny, and whether there is such a thing. “What They Died For,” the penultimate episode of the series, helps us answer the question.

The Church Musicians’ Guild of Buffalo will bring three well-known composers of liturgical music to the diocese this fall. The guild’s annual convocation will be held Oct. 14-16 at Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora, with guests Father Jan Michael Joncas, Marty Haugen and Tony Alonso. The 21st annual convocation, which bears the theme “Worship Ways,” will serve as an introduction to the future as the presenters speak on the new translations to the Roman Missal, expected in Advent of 2011.

This June marks the end of an era for Buffalo’s Canisius College, as longtime President Father Vincent M. Cooke, SJ, retires from the post he assumed in 1993. The articulate Jesuit has not only seen a generational shift at Canisius, but has also improved and expanded the city campus far beyond most people’s imaginations.

The recent passage of a health care reform bill by Congress has seen its share of controversy, as Americans have angrily debated the topics for a year now. Even the Catholic Church is not immune to the debate, as the pro-life and social justice wings of the faith have different perspectives on the matter.

“Across the Sea,” the eagerly awaited episode that would explain the back story of the enigmatic observer Jacob and menacing Man in Black (aka the Smoke Monster; aka UnLocke), did little to fill-in-the-blanks of the island’s history, or even give the latter a definitive name. Instead, we got a parable worthy of the Bible and open to much interpretation.

Fred Johnson, deacon at St. Joseph Church in Gowanda, has been a model deacon who has helped the village of Gowanda continuously with flood recovery beginning in August 2009, when the floods ravaged the area and threw the lives of hundreds of people into upheaval.

The Boys & Girls Club of the Northtowns has recognized Brandon Lyles, a junior at Cardinal O’Hara High School in Tonawanda, for his selflessness, intelligence and dedication. He received the 2010 Youth of the Year award from the local Boys & Girls Club.

Check out the sights of the Diocese of Buffalo, as the May edition of the Western New York Catholic photo gallery is now available

According to the Vatican website, “Holy Orders is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to His apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time: thus it is the sacrament of apostolic ministry.”

When it comes down to it, faith is a prime motivating factor in our lives and drives us to do the things we do. It doesn’t even have to be a religious faith, but it is faith in something. It is this faith that endures beyond the realm of rational thought, and even in the face of overwhelming odds.  “The Candidate” showed us all what we are willing to do to justify our faith.