Reaction to Recommended Church Closures

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Catholic Diocese of Buffalo has recommended closing and merging 15 parishes in Buffalo and Cheektowaga as part of its “Rightizing and Reshaping” plan to address financial problems.

This is just the first round of recommended closures, and the priest in charge of the family of North Buffalo, Riverside and Black Rock parishes is now speaking to us about the impact this will have on people.

“Even parishes that are not closing are experiencing anxiety and everything that means for them,” Father Joseph Tokasz said.

2 On Your Side spoke with Father Tokasz Friday afternoon about what the recommended closure would mean for St. Mark in Parkside. Under the plan revealed last night, St. Mark Parish would close and merge with St. Margaret on Hertel. The school would remain open. Approximately 400 students in grades K-8 attend.

There would be adaptive reuse of the church and rectory for school purposes and these buildings would not be sold.

“The church won’t work, it wouldn’t have your normal Sunday masses per se, but we can still use it for school masses. We can use it as an oratory, as a chapel, potentially, we’re looking at all ideas . with that”, Father Tokasz.

He said the rectory could be used as a classroom, library or office.

The restructuring plan provides for the closure of at least two parishes in this family of churches, in addition to that of Toussaint which was already closing this summer. At this time, it is recommended that only Assomption and Sainte-Marguerite de la Famille 20 remain open.

Father Tokasz has this to say to people who may be frustrated by this announcement.

“There’s a lot of tension, much more than tension, you know, a breakdown in the relationship, in the trust, with everything that’s going on. The words I would say to them is we can’t let the actions terrible and horrible people of the past are ruining themselves and preventing us from living the faith,” said Father Tokasz.

There is a meeting Friday at 6:30 p.m. at St. Leo the Great to talk about the impact of this plan on parishes in the Northtowns.