Diocese of Buffalo

Many students across Western New York are beginning school this week! Let us pray for them, their teachers and staff as they start the new school year. May you have a wonderful school year ahead!

God of wisdom and might, we praise you for the wonder of our being, for mind, body and spirit.
Be with our children as they begin a new school year.
Bless them and their teachers and staff.
Give the strength and grace as their bodies grow; wisdom and knowledge to their minds as they search for understanding; and peace and zeal to their hearts.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Today is the feast of Saint Gregory the Great, the patron saint of musicians, students, and scholars. He is celebrated as one of the four great Doctors of the Latin Church, alongside St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, and St. Jerome.

St. Gregory made significant contributions to theology, spirituality, pastoral care, and liturgy, most notably in the development of the Gregorian chant. His writings and reforms have had a lasting impact on the Church.

St. Gregory the Great, pray for us! 🙏

Join us in praying for Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of September.

We pray that each one of us will hear and take to heart the cry of the Earth and of victims of natural disasters and climactic change, and that all will undertake to personally care for the world in which we live.

The National Eucharistic Revival continues with renewed fervor. The Holy Spirit has ignited a passionate missionary spirit across our nation, calling every member of the Church to share the Good News.

And YOU are invited to be a part of it!

Discover how you can become a Eucharistic Missionary by visiting: eucharisticrevival.org/year-of-mission

I am pleased to report that productive meetings with families of parishes, which began more than two weeks ago, realized 52 family counter proposals made to a diocesan review committee. Following the counter proposal meetings, our diocesan review panel reviewed those counter proposals and then recommendations were presented for consultation with the Presbyteral Council which is an advisory body to me. The Diocese is now evaluating changes to our initial recommendation of mergers and closures in 26 of our 36 families of parishes.

Additional time is needed to work through these changes and final announcements will not be made on September 1, but will be coming later next week, or early the following week.

I appreciate the patience of our faithful as we work diligently to decide on the future number of parishes in the Diocese of Buffalo. As always, you remain in my prayers, and I ask for your prayers as well.

-Bishop Michael W. Fisher

The Greater East Buffalo Family of Parishes is offering a special opportunity to explore their former parish school buildings on September 14th. Visitors are invited to tour these sites including the former St. Adalbert School, now home to the Response to Love Center. Afterwards, there will be a rosary hour and Mass. Everyone is welcome!

Today, the Church commemorates the Memorial of the Passion of St. John the Baptist, who was martyred by beheading at the command of Herod. This tragic act was prompted by the request of Herod's step-daughter and mother, following John's courageous stance against Herod's marriage to his brother's wife.

St. John the Baptist, pray for us. 🙏

Dustin Bliss, a parishioner of St. Joseph in Holland, shared his insights on the challenges the faithful may face when trying to share their faith with others and how Alpha helped him and his parish community overcome these struggles:

"No where in our history of the Catholic Church in the United States has there ever been a revival where we actually went out into the community and spread the faith and brought people that had no connection with Christ or the Church into the pews. That is really why Alpha is so instrumental. My evangelization efforts at our parish... Catholics don’t even feel comfortable asking their own children to come to Mass and if you can’t ask your own child to come to Mass how are you going to ask a stranger to do it? That’s what’s so great about Alpha, because you basically have this great framework already created and all you have to do is get someone to come and let someone like myself to do the Evangelization."

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Augustine of Hippo, a Doctor of the Church whose wisdom help shape Christian thought for centuries. He is revered as one of the most important Church Fathers of the Latin Church authored important works such as Confessions and The City of God.

St. Augustine, the son of St. Monica (whose feast day was yesterday), is also the patron saint of brewers, printers and theologians. St. Augustine, pray for us. 🙏

Today, we honor Saint Monica, the devoted mother of Saint Augustine and patron saint of alcoholics and mothers facing family difficulties.

Saint Monica is remembered for her deep prayer life and relentless dedication to her son's conversion. Her story reminds us of the power of hope and the importance of never giving up, even when the journey is long and challenging.

May St. Monica's example inspire us to nurture our faith and trust in the power of prayer. 🙏

"It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life."

| John 6:60-69

Today the Church commemorates the feast of Saint Batholomew, one of the Twelve Apostles and patron saint of dermatology and those suffering neurological diseases.

Saint Bartholomew, pray for us that we may live a life of holiness and be faithful servants of our Lord. 🙏

Today the Church commemorates the feast of St. Rose of Lima, the patroness of Latin America, sewing and for the resolution of family quarrels.

Member of the Third Order of St. Dominic, she was the first person born in the Americas to be canonized. She consecrated her life to God at a young age, engaging in very intense prayer and penance daily, often fasting and sacrificing sleep. St. Rose of Lima, pray for us. 🙏

The Diocese of Buffalo Lay Pension Plan (“the Plan”) will be offering a limited-time lump sum buyout to eligible active, former, and retired employees who were enrolled in the legacy defined benefit pension plan previously provided by parishes, Catholic schools, and other Catholic family affiliates throughout the Diocese of Buffalo to their employees.

Eligible participants are soon expected to receive direct mailed notifications and election kits with detailed information of the Plan’s lump sum buyout program. Included in the kit is contact information to discuss buyout options with administrators of the lump sum buyout program. This is the third such lump sum buyout program provided by the Plan since 2017. Accrual of benefits under the Plan ended at the end of 2015 and it was formally replaced by the Diocese of Buffalo 403(b) Defined Contribution Plan in 2016. The lump sum buyout is an option that each eligible participant may voluntarily elect and is not a requirement.

The lump sum buyout program does not affect or alter employee’s eligibility or benefits in any existing retirement plans administered by the Diocese of Buffalo or its affiliates.

Find peace in His Presence and let your soul be renewed in the quiet of Eucharistic Adoration. Discover a listing of Eucharistic Adoration across the Diocese which can be found here: www.buffalodiocese.org/adoration

Today we celebrate the Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us. 🙏

"The Blessed Virgin Mary should be called Queen, not only because of her Divine Motherhood, but also because God has willed her to have an exceptional role in the work of our eternal salvation." - Pope Pius XII

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Abbot, Doctor of the Church, and co-founder of the Knights Templar. He was a prominent theologian and mystic, renowned for his deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux, pray for us. 🙏

"The measure of love is love without measure." - St. Bernard

The deacon class of 2004 gathered for the 20th anniversary of their ordination. The five men come from varied backgrounds, but share a common belief that they learned in their ministries – be open.

Read more at: wnycatholic.org/deacon-class-of-2004-remain-close-stay-open

Join us this Sunday, August 25th, for the 4th Annual Renewal Mass at St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr Church / Diocesan Shrine of Saint John II!

📍 389 Peckham Street, Buffalo, NY 14206
⌚ Mass begins at 5:00 pm
🙏 Rosary prayer at 4:30pm

All are welcome to attend with a reception afterward! Let's come together in faith and community. We will undo the third knot after praying the rosary at 4:30 pm. Family of Parishes participating in the Alpha program will be commissioned at this Mass.

"I am the living bread that came down from heaven, whoever eats this bread will live forever, and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world."

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time | John 6:51-58

Today the Church celebrates the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, when our Lady's body and soul ascended into Heaven. While this belief has been held for centuries, it was formally defined as a dogma by Pope Pius XII in 1950 through the Apostolic Constitution Munificentissimus Deus."

Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for us! 🙏

🗓Reminder: Tomorrow is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a Holy Day of Obligation! Please check with your parish Mass times.

On Holy Days of Obligations, Catholics are required to attend Mass. While these days vary slightly by country, here in the U.S., there are four more holy days of obligations left in 2024 (including Assumption):
- August 15: the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Bl. Virgin Mary
- November 1: the Solemnity of All Saints
- December 8: the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
- December 25: the Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ

On this day, we remember St. Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish Conventual Franciscan Friar who sacrificed his life to save another prisoner at Auschwitz.

Before his arrest, he sheltered refugees, including 1,500 Jews whom he hid from N**i persecution in his friary in Niepokalanów. Kolbe was also dedicated to promoting the veneration of the Immaculate Virgin Mary and even operated an amateur radio station. Fittingly, he is now the patron saint of amateur radio operators.

St. Maximilian Kolbe, pray for us. 🙏

Beautiful! Fr. Rob submitted this wonderful artwork of the Blessed Mary at the Erie County Fair and won third place in the Stitch Competition. If you are planning on going to the Fair be sure to stop by and check it out!

Congratulations Fr. Rob on your Third Place 🥉 stitch submission of our Blessed Mother for the Erie County Fair

Sharon and Robert Coutch first encountered Alpha while living and worshipping in Pennsylvania. As parishioners of SS. Peter & Paul in Hamburg, Robert shared his experiences with us about his involvement in the program:

“I liked it a lot. If anybody asked me why, or what’s the most significant reason to like the program, it’s we’re called to share the Good News, spread the Gospel, make disciples. We’re not all wired and just jump out on the street, Bible in hand, trying to call people into the church. So Alpha is kind of the easy way to be evangelical, you know, without those extra special social skills, you need to be a street corner preacher.

It’s also good for people that have been going to church for years, but they really don’t know why they’re there. Maybe they’re not feeling that connection. They’re having doubts. (Alpha’s) a great starting place for that.”

As part of its 175th anniversary, St. Mary's in Swormville is having a 4-day Rosary Revival! Fr. Knab, OMI, will lead a spiritual journey through the decades of the Holy Rosary, leading up to the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on August 15.

Tonight at 7:00 p.m., the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary will be prayed using the living rosary format.

Everyone is invited. For more details, visit stmaryswormville.org

Today, Monday, August 12 - ROSARY REVIVAL SCHEDULE

9:00 a.m., Church - Fr. Knab presides and preaches at Mass, followed by Fr. Knab's talk: A Little Nothing - Mary according to St. Luke

7:00 p.m., Chapel - Seat of Wisdom - The Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary are prayed using the living rosary format. With burning candles Christ is honored as the light of the world and people renew their baptismal promises to walk as sons and daughters of the light.

Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Dominic, the founder of the Dominican Order and the patron saint of astronomers. He had a deep devotion to Mary and the rosary, and it is widely believed that Saint Dominic and his order played a significant role in popularizing the use of the rosary as a form of prayer.

St. Dominic, pray for us. 🙏

The St. Gianna Molla Pregnancy Outreach Centers connect mothers and families in need with essential services that they may not be unaware of.

Learn more about the work of St. Gianna Molla Pregnancy Outreach Center and discover how you can help at: buffalodiocese.org/st-gianna/

St. Gianna Molla Pregnancy Outreach Center Event Video

Today the Church celebrates the feast day of St. John Vianney, also known as the Holy Curé de Ars, he is the patron saint of parish priests.

St. Vianney, pray for our priests and for us. May we be inspired by your example.