Parish mergers and closures recommended within the Vicariate of Southern Erie

The Catholic community of Western New York lends its voice as the fate of its parishes remains uncertain.

For more than a week, the Diocese of Buffalo has met with seven regional vicariates to recommend which parishes should close and which should merge.

The final vicariate meeting was held for the southern Erie County region on Thursday evening.

It was another 90-minute closed-door meeting, open only to the diocese and area clergy.

A moving week for so many faithful Catholics.

7 News’ Pheben Kassahun spoke with the priest overseeing this Road to Renewal plan, to learn more about the next steps for these parishes, which so many call home.

The vicariate’s seventh and final meeting concluded Thursday at Lake View in St. John Paul II, the location chosen to discuss merger and closure recommendations for the South Erie Vicariate.

“We need to make sure that we are not just focused on maintaining the buildings, but that as congregations have become smaller, we are using resources wisely,” said Father Bryan Zielenieski, vicar of the renewal and development of the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo. “Where have we been? If we didn’t go to church last month and we’re shocked by that decision, we need to ask ourselves: Maybe I shouldn’t be so shocked because I’m not came here and we have to make real decisions based on people and data.”

Father Bryan added some encouragement to those who organize public assemblies like Wednesday’s, involving the parishioners of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

“Put the information out, get involved, let people know we’re looking for feedback,” Father Bryan added.

“Like Our Lady of Perpetual Help, if they say the sacrament numbers are wrong, share them with us, with their sacramental books in every parish, and if they can show us we have the wrong number , we will. We will gladly change that information in that data if there are miles that are maybe wrong, we look at a lot of data,” Father Bryan explained.

Next on the agenda, Father Bryan said the diocese ensures it has provided data to all parish families.

The process by which the diocese made these recommendations will be made public.

The diocese will then publish what it expects as a counter-proposal from parish families.

Here are some recommendations from the diocese:

On June 13, the Diocese of Buffalo held a meeting in Lake View and recommended mergers and closures of parishes within the Southern Vicariate of Erie.

Family #7

• Saint John XXIII, West Seneca – merges with Queen of Heaven and closes
• St. John Vianney, Orchard Park – merge with Queen of Heaven and close. St. John Vianney School remains open on the St. John Vianney campus, recognizing that a comprehensive strategic plan for Catholic education is forthcoming for the 2025-2026 school year.

Family #8

• St. Josaphat, Cheektowaga – merge with Queen of Martyrs and close.
• Resurrection, Cheektowaga – merge with Our Lady Help of Christians and close.

Family #9

• Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Depew – merge with Saint Mary of the Assumption and close.
• St. Martha, Depew – merge with St. Philip the Apostle and close. St. Martha’s School must continue, recognizing that a comprehensive strategic plan for Catholic education is coming for the 2025-2026 school year.

Family #26

• Queen of Angels, Lackawanna – merge with Our Lady of Victory and close
• Our Mother of Good Counsel, Blasdell – merge with Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and close
• Saint Anthony, Lackawanna – merges with Our Lady of Victory, which will have to celebrate a Spanish mass and close.
• Our Lady of Bistrica, Lackawanna – merge with Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and close

Family #28

• St. Bernadette, Orchard Park – merge with SS. Peter and Paul and close.

Family #29

• St. Anthony, Farnham – merge with the Most Precious Blood and close.
• Sainte Marie du Lac, Hamburg – merge with Saint Francis of Assisi and close.