Saint Benedict rejects the decision to merge the Diocese of Buffalo

EGGERTSVILLE, N.Y. — The Diocese of Buffalo touted its “Road to Renewal” plan as a way to save the church, but its own parishes now say it’s that road that puts it in danger.

Saint Benedict sent this letter to his parishioners on Sunday, saying they were working on a counterproposal to the diocese’s recommendation, a little more than a week after the parish learned it would be among 80 parishes suggested for merge under the new program of the diocese.

RELATED: Here’s the full list of parish merger recommendations in the Diocese of Buffalo

The Diocese of Buffalo alleged that St. Benedict had spiritual and financial shortcomings, making it a strong candidate to merge with two other parishes in hopes of helping all Catholic churches in Western New State. York to recover from a bankruptcy filing.

But the community of Saint-Benoît contests this decision.

“They say the sacraments are here,” said Leonard Swiat, president of St. Benedict’s ushers. ” It’s wrong. They say we live day by day. This is totally false.

The plan also includes closing St. Benedict Parish, but not its school — a major concern for parents like Laura Smith, who moved her family to Buffalo during the pandemic and chose St. Benedict because of the relationship between school and church.

“We have the fastest growing Catholic school in Buffalo, so it’s hard to imagine why we were chosen,” she said. “I think it’s vital to connect communities. Our children attend church and fill the church every week.

“Students need exposure to their faith,” Swiat said. “That’s the goal of the Catholic school. It’s not just a private school.

Members of St. Benedict also fear that the values ​​of their faith will be called into question because of the method used by the diocese to challenge the recommendations. Swiat said the diocese requires parishes to recommend the closure of another community in order to keep their own doors open.

“I don’t want to go to Christ the King or St. Peter and Paul and say you have to close so we can stay open,” he said. “That’s not Christian.”