Catholic Diocese proposes mergers, closures

It seems impersonal and tragic but the closure and merging of Catholic Churches is horrible news, in my family, where St. Mark in North Buffalo is closing, as well as Clarence where Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Our Lady of Peace will be forced to get along.

There is a lot of hand wringing, indignation and self-righteous pontification but there is no denying the decline of male-only Priesthood, Mass attendance and the fiscal impact of bankruptcy caused by covering up, rather than addressing sex abuse.

Meanwhile in Niagara Falls, where I don’t have much history as a lapsed Catholic, St. Raphael’s parishioners are being asked to go to Lewiston and Our Lady of Mount Carmel is being closed. 

I also notice no mention of any changes at Catholic Academy.

Here is the reorganization as announced by the Diocese:

Family No. 34

• St. Raphael (Niagara Falls): merge with St. Peter (Lewiston)

Family No. 35

• Divine Mercy (Niagara Falls): merge with St. Mary of the Cataract
• St. John de LaSalle (Niagara Falls): merge with St. Vincent de Paul
• Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph (Niagara Falls): Our Lady of Mount Carmel site to close

Here is the rest of the list.

Family No. 10

• All Saints (Lockport): merge with St. John. Close St. Joseph Campus.
• Our Lady of the Rosary worship site (Wilson)

Family No. 11

• St. Stephen (Middleport): merge with Holy Trinity (Medina)
• St. Mark (Kendall): merge with St. Mary’s (Holley)

Family No. 15

• Our Lady of Peace (Clarence): merge with Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Family No. 16

• St. Benedict (Eggertsville): merge with St. Leo the Great. School to remain open.
• St. Aloysius Gonzaga (Cheektowaga): merge with Christ the King
• Infant of Prague (Cheektowaga): merge with SS. Peter & Paul

Family No. 17

• Blessed Sacrament (Tonawanda): merge with St. Paul

Family No. 18

• St. Francis of Assisi (Tonawanda): merge with Our Lady of Czestochowa
• St. Andrew Kim RC Mission (Tonawanda): merge with St. Leo (Family No. 16)
• St. Jude the Apostle (North Tonawanda): merge with Our Lady of Czestochowa

Family No. 19

• St. Pius X (Getzville): merge with St. Gregory the Great
• Good Shepard (Pendleton): St. Augustine site to close

Family No. 20

• Holy Spirit (Dakota Street): merge with St. Margaret (Hertel Avenue)
• St. Mark (Woodward Avenue): merge with St. Margaret. School to remain.
• St. Rose of Lima (Parker Avenue): merge with St. Margaret
• All Saints (Chadduck Avenue): merge with Assumption (Amherst Street)

Family No. 21

• St. Lawrence (E. Delavan Avenue): merge with Blessed Trinity (Leroy Avenue)
• SS. Columba Brigid (Hickory Street): merge St. Stanislaus (Peckham Street)

Family No. 22

• St. Anthony of Padua (Court Street): merge with St. Louis (Edward Street)
• St. Michael (Washington Street): merge with St. Louis
• Our Lady of Perpetual Help (O’Connell Street): merge with St. Louis

Family No. 23

• Coronation of the BVM (Dewitt Street): merge with Assumption

Family No. 30

• St. John Kanty (Swinburne Street): merge with St. Stanislaus
• St. John Gualbert (Gualbert Avenue): merge with St. Stanislaus

Family No. 31

• St. Martin of Tours (Abbott Road): merge with Our Lady of Charity (South Park Avenue). School to remain.
• St. Thomas Aquinas (Abbott Road): merge with St. Teresa (Seneca Street)

Family No. 32

• St. Bernard (Clinton Street): merge with Our Lady of Czestochowa (Willowlawn Parkway)