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Final Masses planned for two Buffalo Catholic parishes set to close

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The bankrupt Catholic Diocese of Buffalo continues to have various properties appraised as it faces nearly 900 claims of child sexual abuse.

In total, 22 properties could be sold as assets to raise badly needed cash.

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St. Lawrence Church in Buffalo.

7 News senior reporter Eileen Buckley has been following this story and has news from the diocese.

“And it’s not going to be easy. This is going to be painful,” said Archbishop Michael Fisher.

When I interviewed Buffalo Catholic Bishop Michael Fisher last month, he told me that even if the church was not bankrupt, it would still be forced to close some churches and schools due to the lack of priests and the drop in school enrollments.

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“And we are in the process of developing a process for how parishes can access their properties, their resources,” Bishop Fisher noted. “I’m trying to stay focused on our exit from Chapter 11.”

I contacted the diocese to find out the closing dates for two churches that the diocese said would close once the properties were sold. The diocese tells me that All Saints Church in Riverside will hold its last mass in July but will not provide any information on a potential buyer.

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St. Lawrence Church in Buffalo is expected to close its doors.

The diocese also indicates that the Saint-Laurent church, east of the city, will close its doors on August 10. But again, no information on a potential buyer.

In February, I broke the news that St. Andrew’s Church and St. Andrew’s Country Day School in the Town of Tonawanda would be closing in June.

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The diocese says the property is being appraised and once the value is determined, which could be within a few weeks, it will be put up for sale.

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“St. Andrew Church and School set to close”.

I contacted Tonawanda Supervisor Joe Emminger after rumors surfaced that the town might be an interested buyer.

In a text message, Emminger told me when the property would be ready to sell, “the city might” be interested, but he emphasized the word “might.”

The diocese is also selling the Buffalo State Newman Center on Elmwood Avenue. A final mass will be celebrated on May 19th. Newman Ministry will move to neighboring Assumption Parish on Amherst Street, part of the North Buffalo Catholic Community of Parishes.

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St. Aloysius Parish on Cleveland Drive in Cheektowaga.

In early March, the diocese put the Catholic Center on Main Street in downtown Buffalo up for sale for $9.8 million. Sources say the diocese is considering moving its central offices to St. Aloysius Parish on Cleveland Drive in Cheektowaga.

The diocese tells me it is looking at St Al’s, in addition to a number of other properties for its Catholic center staff, but has not yet decided on a new site.