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Diocese recommends more church closures south of Buffalo

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The Catholic Diocese of Buffalo is recommending the merger and closure of five additional parishes in southern and southern Erie County.

Diocese officials presented the recommendations Tuesday evening at Blessed Mary Angela Parish, at the Saint-Hyacinthe site in Dunkirk, as part of the diocese’s initiative to reduce the number of buildings to be supported by a Catholic population in decrease.







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St. Joseph Church in Fredonia would close its doors in accordance with recommendations from the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo.


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The recommendations for the closure of the South West Level Vicariate are as follows:

• St. Anthony, Fredonia.

• St. Joseph, Fredonia.

• Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Dunkirk.

• Sainte-Marie, Cattaraugus.

• Holy Spirit, North Collins.

According to the plan, Saint Anthony, Saint Joseph, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton and Blessed Mary Angela would merge with the Holy Trinity at Dunkirk. The Sainte-Hedwige and Saint-Hyacinthe campuses in Dunkirk would be sold.

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Northern Chautauqua Regional School would remain open and continue at the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton site with ministry provided by Holy Trinity.


Preservation group will seek historic status for Buffalo churches slated for closure

Bernice Radle, executive director of Preservation Buffalo Niagara, said Tuesday that achieving historic status for several city churches designated for closure under recommendations announced last week will be crucial to saving the churches — many of which are historic and architecturally significant – from the wrecking ball.

Saint Mary in Cattaraugus would merge with Saint Joseph, and the Holy Spirit in North Collins would merge with the Immaculate Conception in Eden.

Additionally, some church satellite sites would be closed, including the St. Rose of Lima in Forestville location of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

Our Lady of Loreto would merge with St. James in Jamestown, while the Our Lady of Victory site in St. James would close.

The Sacred Heart of Panama location in Lakewood would close, as would the Holy Apostles of St. John location in Jamestown.

Christ Our Hope’s Sherman location in Clymer and St. Dominic’s Brockton location in Westfield would close.

Parish groups called families have the opportunity to present alternative proposals before July 15.

Final plans are to be announced by September 1, with mergers and closures to be completed by 2025.

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