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For those who wish to advocate for the pro-life cause in a visual, humanitarian way, the diocesan Office of Pro-Life Activities supports training for so-called "sidewalk advocates," people who stand outside of abortion clinics holding anti-abortion signs and praying. These advocates stand in front of an abortion clinic on Main Street in Buffalo early on Saturday mornings, as they will do in the month of October.

It has been 50 years since a group of students at Pittsburgh's Duquesne University experienced the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It was the first known case of a group of people receiving gifts at the same time. That experience spread to other college campuses, spawning the Charismatic Renewal movement in the United States. To mark the golden jubilee, Pope Francis called for a conference in Rome.

WASHINGTON, DC (CNA/EWTN News) - In the wake of an executive order issued by the Trump administration halting federal assistance for certain insurance plans, the U.S. bishops reaffirmed that helping to protect low-income persons and the vulnerable is of the utmost importance.

The Harmonia Chamber Singers, a professional vocal ensemble that performs across Western New York, will be performing at a special concert in Williamsville in October and a Latin Requiem Mass in downtown Buffalo in November.

If anyone can say that he has served God and his country it is Msgr. Dino J. Lorenzetti. The 96-year-old priest will be inducted to the Wall of Honor at the Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park on Friday, Nov. 10, at 10 a.m. The event falls almost 75 years to the day that Msgr. Lorenzetti enlisted to the United States Army during World War II.

On World Mission Sunday, October 22, our celebration leads us to hear of our Christian faith - leads us to mission, as Pope Francis explains in his message for this year's celebration.

FATIMA, PORTUGAL (CNA/EWTN News) - On "the day the sun danced," thousands of people bore witness to a miracle that not only proved the validity of the Fatima Marian apparitions, but also shattered the prevalent belief at the time that God was no longer relevant, according to one theologian.

This month, the linked parishes of St. Martin of Tours and St. Thomas Aquinas in South Buffalo will celebrate their Irish-American heritage with Father William Quinlivan. He has invited two Irish retreat ministers, Sister Briege McKenna, OSC, and Father Kevin Scallon, CM, from Oct. 16-19 for a special four-day parish mission retreat.

WASHINGTON-On Friday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a memorandum for all executive departments and agencies on the subject of "Federal Law Protections for Religious Liberty". Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), has offered the following statement in response:

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Fatima appearance, several local parishes will host special celebrations throughout the year beginning this month.

This month on "Our Daily Bread," host Father Paul D. Seil is out of his kitchen and traveling to 208 Stanislaus St., on Buffalo's East Side, to cook in and learn more about the Mother Teresa Home, which has been open for a little over a year now.

Since 1948, Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Bowmansville has been the home of one of the first-ever statues of Our Lady of Fatima, sculpted to depict the Virgin Mary as she appeared to the three shepherd children, Lúcia dos Santos and her cousins, Francisco and Jacinta Marto, in Portugal in 1917. As the parish was preparing for the centennial anniversary celebrations to end, Father Robert Zilliox, pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus, spoke about the history of the statue and how it came to Bowmansville.

The recent solar eclipse reminded me of another celestial event of a very unique and enduring nature. As you may know, the Church has been celebrating the centennial of the Fatima Apparitions from November 27th of 2016 through November 26th of this year. It was 100 years ago this October 13th that the "Miracle of the Sun" occurred in a field in rural Portugal. This was the last of six apparitions made by Our Lady to three shepherd children - Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta.

WASHINGTON, DC - (CNA/EWTN News).- The Trump administration announced broad new exemptions to the HHS contraceptive mandate on Friday, giving relief to religious non-profits and others with deeply held religious or moral convictions regarding contraception.

Our Lady of Fatima Shrine in Lewiston will hold special events to mark the 100th anniversary of the last apparition of Mary in Fatima, Portugal.

The third annual Blue Mass in the Diocese of Buffalo will take place on Sunday, Oct. 8 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph Cathedral, 50 Franklin St., Buffalo. The Mass will honor local EMS, fire and law enforcement departments of all faiths who live and work in the diocese. Bishop Richard J. Malone welcomes everyone, from all counties, paid and volunteer staff, families and friends, to attend this special commemorative Mass to honor and thank these men and women for their service to the common good. He will bestow blessings upon all who contribute to public health and safety in the Diocese of Buffalo.

On Sept. 17, Bishop Richard J. Malone made his first visit as bishop to Our Lady of Bistrica Parish in Lackawanna to celebrate the Croatian church's 100th anniversary. In honor of the rich heritage of the community, portions of the Mass were read in Croatian as well as English, and along with Father Christopher Coric, OFM Conv., parish pastor, several Croatian Catholic priests were in attendance.

Christ the King Seminary will host its annual Curé of Ars awards dinner on Thursday, Oct. 5, at The Atrium @ Rich's in Buffalo. This year's event will honor Msgr. Leo F. McCarthy and Father Mark J. Wolski.

In a Mass that was celebrated in both Spanish and English, Bishop Richard J. Malone, bishop of Buffalo, confirmed 15 young people Monday evening at Holy Family Parish in Albion. All 15 are of Mexican descent and their parents are part of the migrant farming community in Orleans and Niagara Counties.

When the Communicators for Women Religious decided to hold their 2017 conference in Niagara Falls, Ont., a group in Erie, Pa., had a crazy idea.

The United States woke up on Oct. 2 to the tragic news of yet another mass shooting, this time as a gunman killed at least 50 people and injured hundreds more during a country music concert in Las Vegas.

Back to school, "Give Back," and Masses, Masses, Masses. Look at some of our favorite memories of September 2017 in our new photo gallery.

D'Youville College celebrated its first inauguration in 38 years at Kleinhans Music Hall on Sept. 29, marking a 'passing of the torch' from former president, Sister Denise Roche, GNSH, to Lorrie Clemo, Ph.D. Clemo has been serving in the role of D'Youville's president since last December, with plans to make the college a leader in developing health professional leaders. "That is our goal going forward," Clemo said.

Little Portion Friary, the quiet house on Main Street just a little north of Buffalo's Medical Campus, serves people in need. But right now, the friary has a need of its own - volunteers.

It's fascinating to think that the first social service organization brought to Buffalo by its first bishop is still around, going stronger than ever 170 years later. The St. Vincent de Paul Society came to the Diocese of Buffalo in 1847, just after Bishop John Timon was named its first bishop. Bishop Timon had heard of the charitable organization while visiting Ireland and brought it first to St. Louis, where he served in the late 1830s.

Today, several dozen bishops across the United States are joining Pope Francis as he launched the two-year "Share the Journey" campaign, holding events and reaching out to support migrants and refugees in their own dioceses as the campaign aims to raise awareness about their plight worldwide.

The year 1967 is remembered as teeming with violence, milestones and setbacks in race relations, and the beginning of a youth culture. The year saw the Summer of Love and germ warfare, the first African-American justice on the Supreme Court and race riots on Buffalo's East Side. Bishop Karol Wojtyla is ordained a cardinal and abortion is legalized in the United Kingdom. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band issued a new progression of popular music, while a group of new priests in the Diocese of Buffalo became the first group to be trained and educated at St. John Vianney Seminary.

Bishop Edward M. Grosz, Auxiliary Bishop of Buffalo, will be the main celebrant and homilist at the annual Respect Life Mass on Sunday, October 1, at 10:30 a.m., at St. Joseph Cathedral, 50 Franklin St., Buffalo.

STREAM brings many elements into the classroom through partnerships with local cultural institutions. These partnerships allow students to both visit the wonderful institutions in the Western New York area and have them come into diocesan schools.

In October, the Diocesan Revival will be sponsored by the Office of Cultural Diversity's Diocesan African-American Commission. The theme of the Revival this year is "Shut Up and Just Listen, Jesus Has Something to Say."

NIAGARA FALLS — The week of Aug. 7-11 was a flurry of activity as the St. Vincent de Paul Parish Center was transformed into Snowflake Station. During Vacation Bible School Week, the program Operation Arctic Adventure was used, and over 35 children learned about the "coolest book on the planet," the Bible.

A hundred people gathered at Christ the King Seminary, in East Aurora, Friday to hear more about Buffalo's first bishop. Bishop John Timon established the Diocese of Buffalo in 1847 and over the next 20 years laid a groundwork for many of the hospitals, schools and missions which still serve the diocese to this day. To commemorate his legacy on the 150th anniversary of his death, Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora hosted a four-hour conference in the seminary's main dining room.

In the throes of addiction, not one facet of the victim's life is left unaffected. Everything from familial and personal relationships to daily tasks are impacted. Knowing that, the Chemical Dependency Treatment Program of Catholic Charities' Monsignor Carr Institute seeks to treat the whole person - both physically and mentally. Catholic Charities Chemical Dependency Treatment Program, housed at 76 W. Humboldt Parkway in Buffalo, is a New York state OASAS licensed outpatient program that provides services to adolescents, adults and families where substance use/abuse is an ongoing concern.

Bishop Richard J. Malone, bishop of Buffalo, is calling all creatures great and small for a blessing of animals on his front lawn. The blessing will take place at 77 Oakland Place at 9 a.m. on Saturday, September 30, to mark the upcoming Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.

Area judges, lawyers and public officials of all faiths gathered at St. Joseph Cathedral on Wednesday to take part in the annual Red Mass, celebrated by Bishop Richard J. Malone who urged all in attendance to look at their legal profession as a calling.

In October, the diocesan Holy Name Society, part of one of the oldest confraternities in the Catholic Church, will be holding its annual awards banquet to honor clergy, religious and laypeople in the community who have gone above and beyond in service and dedication to the Church, society and the diocesan community as a whole. It will take place Sunday, Oct. 15, at Kiebzak's Restaurant and Beginnings Banquet, 38 Crocker St. in Sloan, with refreshments beginning at 5 p.m. and family style dinner at 6 p.m.

After nearly 15 years at the helm of Catholic Health, Joe McDonald, the health system's longest tenured president & CEO, has announced plans to retire. While an exact timetable has not been set, McDonald plans to remain on to help transition his successor, which is expected during the first quarter of 2018. A committee, made up of representatives of Catholic Health's Corporate Members, Sponsors, Board of Directors and Medical Staff, is leading the search process for a new president & CEO.

Six Sisters of Mercy are celebrating their jubilees this year during a Mass on Sunday, Sept. 24 at 10 a.m. at the Mercy Center Chapel, 625 Abbott Road, Buffalo. The Rev. William Bigelow will celebrate and music will be provided by the Sisters of Mercy and Mercy Associate Choir.

Six men from varied backgrounds promised Bishop Richard J. Malone they would discharge the office of deacon with humble charity in order to assist the priestly order and to benefit the Christian people. Finding them worthy, Bishop Malone accepted them and ordained these men as deacons of the Catholic Church. Four men continue their formation to the priesthood, while two - Edward Birmingham and Kenneth Monaco - will remain members of the Permanent Diaconate.

Father Walter Grabowski was named pastor of St. Gabriel Parish, Elma, effective Sept. 1. The previous pastor, Father Daniel Palys, retired at the end of January 2017. Father Grabowski's new assignment is for a term of six years. He had been serving as pastor at Immaculate Conception Parish, Eden, and Holy Spirit Parish, North Collins.