Buffalo Diocese Announces More Parish Closings Across WNY

[On the fence]

The dying one wrote:

<quoted text>
Ain't that the truth -- At St Teresa's there a new guy -- Septmbr 8th -- that isn't even here yet and there are all sorts of changes -- the diocese gave us a year form the time of the merger to close St/John's -- we only can hace one Mass there for a year and then it's good bye -- it's like a disease -- or better yet a soap opera -- we're being written out of the script -- we're being swallowed up by 'the Mother Church' as those at St. Teresa see themselves...well at least we get to be a continuing part of the Church -- be it at St. Ts or elsewhere -- when the new guy comes on board this week (the 8th) we'll at least find out what's up and where we are going from here. We can make our last year a great one and go out with glory!!!!

Our parish will be closed and merged with another and then renamed. Then our priest has been reassigned and we will be getting a new priest in a few weeks. This has been happening over the last two years. Unfortunately we didn't go out with a bang, it was more like a drizzle. Our Christmas mass didn't exist, so many parishoners were robbed of one last memory, and the final mass will not be said by our beloved priests who are bidding us farewell. It is a slap in the face. Not that we do not welcome the new priest, but it seems at every turn the JF&G has continued to throw a wrench into every turn. The only hope for the new parish is that the new priest will be welcoming and wonderful and make a great impression on those parishoners who are sitting on the fence. WE have all been sent a new form to fill out and reapply to the new parish, many I have spoken to have not sent it in. The due date was 8/31/08. Not a good sign.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

<quoted text>
We were also "written out of the script" in Niagara Falls. These past 2 years have been a soap opera. We too have been swallowed up by the new merged church. The only difference is our church was the MOTHER CHURCH. The Mother Church closed and we were swallowed up by a smaller neighboring church. Only problem -- people are

Only problem - people are not signing up to the new merged parish. People are 1) not going to Mass 2) roaming (Roamin Catholics) from parish to parish .

[Anonymous]

On the fence wrote:

<quoted text>
Our parish will be closed and merged with another and then renamed. Then our priest has been reassigned and we will be getting a new priest in a few weeks. This has been happening over the last two years. Unfortunately we didn't go out with a bang, it was more like a drizzle. Our Christmas mass didn't exist, so many parishoners were robbed of one last memory, and the final mass will not be said by our beloved priests who are bidding us farewell. It is a slap in the face. Not that we do not welcome the new priest, but it seems at every turn the JF&G has continued to throw a wrench into every turn. The only hope for the new parish is that the new priest will be welcoming and wonderful and make a great impression on those parishoners who are sitting on the fence. WE have all been sent a new form to fill out and reapply to the new parish, many I have spoken to have not sent it in. The due date was 8/31/08. Not a good sign.

At least you have been sent a new form to reapply. We have been totally written off. No welcome, no new form, NOTHING. It's like we never existed. No wonder no one is going to the new merged parish.

[Eumin]

Who is going against a name change. Why not have St. Teresa/St. John like Rita and Patrick had it.
I wonder who is causing all the commotion about it.

[The dying one]

I think the majority from St John's have given in and would gladly go to be a part of St/Teresa's IF they were willing to accept us and the prorams that have been going on at St. T's with the help of St J people -- as someone else just said -- a new outreach was formed and seemed to be working --generations was for EVERYNODY and anybody -- ALL were wlcome to come to the program -- some 'boycotte4d' but that's if their loss -- it's a great program that if people oopened up to it it could be GREAT for the parish EVERYBODY is MORE than welcomed and the program fits all ages--le't hope the new pastor follows through and works with all the 'ministerial' staff and continues to improve the parish --South Buffal and in particular Seneca Strett NEED iur religion to flourish NOT dye -- can we be resusitated??? will the new pastor be open to the suggestions of ALL and just just a chosen few??? that seems to be the problem -- a few ---not the whole!!!

[Jerry]

Anonymous wrote:

<quoted text>
I'd like to see him continue with the Generations of Faith program (because it was intergenerational and supported families no matter the size), continue to support the youth of the parish, and also support the outreach committee which has done great work this past year. I would like to see a name change, since we are merging and trying to become a new parish. Also, St. Teresa is not the 'Mother Church' of South Buffalo, according to historical records St. Stephen's on Elk St. is the 'Mother Church' of South Buffalo. Therefore if St. Stephen's can change to St. Clare's, so can the merged parish of St. John and Teresa

I always thought that St. Stephen's was in the First Ward. Traditionally, Saint Stephen's area isn't what most people consider South Buffalo. My cousins are from the First Ward and they don't consider themselves South Buffalo.

[Eumin]

That's true the First Ward people do not say they are from South Buffalo

[Eumin]

actually St. Stephen's is not in the First Ward it is in The Valley

[Kellae]

Why the rush wrote:

<quoted text>
Then why the rush to close these parishes so quickly?
Because the priest shortage was an excuse for Regina and the back-benchers, who have waited for yeas to do their dirty work, to act quickly while the diocese had a weak bishop who wouldn't buck them.
What a miserable, evil, nasty, careless, unholy legacy Kmiec, Murphy, Keenan, et al will leave.
Like Judas, their names will be cursed.

Infinitus est numerus stultorum.

Iniqua nunquam regna perpetuo manent.

[long live the Kmiec]

Kellae wrote:

<quoted text>
Iniqua nunquam regna perpetuo manent.

Then Kmiec shall have long reign!

[Monsognori]

Infinitus est numerus stultorum.

*they are clad in vesture stained by purple rain

[Anonymous]

The Dunkirk Connection wrote:

<quoted text>
Well then, forget Poblocki. We need a lavender there to do some interior decorating.

Speaking of Poblocki, what's with all these young girls getting shot in Schiller Park? Innocent bystanders, and not in the middle of the night either. And the diocese thinks the elderly people around here (yes, there are plenty of them) are going to walk a mile to go to mass in Cheektowaga? Yeah, right. I'll bet most of them just stopped going.

[Anonymous]

I can almost hear my Latin teacher reciting the Pledge of Allegiance....what will we do next in here, decline verbs?

[Anonymous]

Lovely photo of Sr. Destructo aka Regina Masculina in this month's WNY Catholic. It may be time for a recitation of The Litany.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

<quoted text>
We were also "written out of the script" in Niagara Falls. These past 2 years have been a soap opera. We too have been swallowed up by the new merged church. The only difference is our church was the MOTHER CHURCH. The Mother Church closed and we were swallowed up by a smaller neighboring church. Only problem -- people are

What they did in Niagara Falls was an absolute travesty. Made no sense whatsoever. Regina Masculina messed this decision up big time!!!

[Anonymous]

Eumin wrote:

actually St. Stephen's is not in the First Ward it is in The Valley

St. Stephen's is not considered South Buffalo!

Get real!!!

[Kellae]

Anonymous wrote:

<quoted text>
What they did in Niagara Falls was an absolute travesty. Made no sense whatsoever. Regina Masculina messed this decision up big time!!!

Qualem muleirculam!

[Kelly forsitan]

Gammy est a bestia tergum. Sit iratus , acerbus quod sinful.

Deus beatus!

[Anonymous]

The dying one wrote:

<quoted text>
Ain't that the truth -- At St Teresa's there a new guy -- Septmbr 8th -- that isn't even here yet and there are all sorts of changes -- the diocese gave us a year form the time of the merger to close St/John's -- we only can hace one Mass there for a year and then it's good bye -- it's like a disease -- or better yet a soap opera -- we're being written out of the script -- we're being swallowed up by 'the Mother Church' as those at St. Teresa see themselves...well at least we get to be a continuing part of the Church -- be it at St. Ts or elsewhere -- when the new guy comes on board this week (the 8th) we'll at least find out what's up and where we are going from here. We can make our last year a great one and go out with glory!!!!

The diocesan website states Father Bartnik is appointed effective September 1, 2008. Also, the diocesan announcement did not mandate that Saint John's stay open a year. Baker Victory Services has taken over more of the property since the announcement, so alternate uses seem to be taking place.

The parish is closing on November 23rd according to the announcement made at Mass today. You're not being "swallowed up" by "the Mother Church", but you're merging into that parish. The Mother Church did not close your parish, but received the directive from the Bishop that you would be merging into their parish.

I don't know if you are aware, but the entire diocese is going through this restructure. St. Teresa's didn't just make the decision to pick on your parish. They just happen to be a larger parish that was the closest to yours. Don't blame them!

[Kellae]

Kelly forsitan wrote:

Gammy est a bestia tergum. Sit iratus , acerbus quod sinful.
Deus beatus!

In alio pediculum, in te ricinum non vides!