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‘It’s heartbreaking’: St. Florian statue moved to Assumption Church

Theo

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Buffalo firefighters from Engine 36 came to All Saints Church on Chadduck Avenue Sunday morning to transport the statue of St. Florian to the Church of the Assumption after All Saints Day ended.

A difficult and changing day for the parishioners who once lived at All Saints Church on Chadduck Avenue.

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They recently celebrated a final mass there before closing, as part of the diocese’s journey towards renewal.

Saint Florian is a symbolic gesture because he is the patron saint of firefighters.

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“This statue is significant because a former pastor was a chaplain for a fire department and when the statue came to All Saints it came from a fire truck and he loved firefighters,” said Diane Colby, a longtime member of the church.

Diane says it was a difficult transition.

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“It’s very sad that I won’t see my family from All Saints Parish again unless they go to the church where we are going to register,” she said.

And so many generational memories that took place on All Saints’ Day.

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“My son is the fourth generation to administer the sacraments here, to go to school here,” Diane adds. “It’s devastating. It’s heartbreaking and very hard.”

Father Joseph Tokasz talks about transformation.

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“But we are still here and this is not a time to give up, this is a time to change and reconfigure ourselves,” he said. “This is a time of change. It is an end, but not the end, which is a blessing.”

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