Diocese of Buffalo plans to merge a third of its parishes

Just after the Archdiocese of Baltimore announced a restructuring plan that will see 61 of its parishes merge into 30 sites of worship and ministry, the Diocese of Buffalo is preparing to follow suit. Bishop Michael W. Fisher, who leads the eight-county diocese, announced plans to reduce the number of his parishes by about 34 percent.

The May 28 announcement was made on the Diocese of Buffalo website, in which they explain that many factors led to the decision to merge the parishes. Bishop Fisher cited priest shortages, declining Mass attendance, aging congregations and ongoing “financial pressures” due to the diocese’s recent bankruptcy filing.:

“This plan results from lessons learned when we brought parishes together into the parish family model and determined fairly quickly that reducing the number of parishes would best allow us to use our limited resources to help reinvigorate a spiritual renewal in the diocese,” said the bishop. Fisher wrote in the announcement.

The announcement goes on to point out that no decisions have yet been made as to which individual parishes will close their doors. It does, however, explain the process by which the diocese will identify parishes that will close. Buffalo’s 160 Catholic parishes will be divided into 36 families of parishes.

Once grouped, parish leaders will work together closely to internally review the diocese’s recommendations for their group. They will have the opportunity to present alternative parish accommodation options if they do not agree with the initial plan.

The road to renewal

The proposed mergers will be overseen by the Diocese of Buffalo’s Road to Renewal division, which seeks to consolidate the diocese to better allocate its limited resources and revitalize parish life. Road to Renewal will provide parish families with detailed data and materials that will help these families conduct internal consultations and determine the best ways to merge.

Even if the bishop was not mistaken about the low attendance at Mass, the dwindling resources – both financial and human – of the diocese are most likely the main factor in the decision to reduce its size. According to Orleans Hub, 59% of Buffalo parishes are in deficit59% reported a decline in the annual number of baptisms and a 24% decrease in Catholic marriages between 2020 and 2023. Additionally, the average age of priests in the diocese is 76, with approximately 2 in 3 priests aged 65 years. or older.

“These difficult changes associated with our renewal allow us to direct limited resources toward the greatest needs of our community,” added Bishop Fisher. “The work of the Holy Spirit within our diocese and the support of the Western New York community has been an incredible blessing.”

In an FAQ section below the announcement, the diocese notes that its schools will be evaluated in much the same way as its parishes, by the Catholic Schools Strategic Planning Group, which will work closely with Road to Renewal.

Read more answers to frequently asked questions on the Diocese of Buffalo website.