Diocesan Proposals for Greater East Buffalo Family of Parishes

From Father Cole Webster (Pastor of Greater East Buffalo Family of Parishes) on Facebook:

DIOCESAN RECOMMENDATIONS

The following are the RECOMMENDATIONS for the Greater East Buffalo Family of Parishes.

1) Projected number of active priests for this family by 2030 are 2 (One being a Pauline from Corpus Christi)

2) Based upon scoring and metrics, it is recommended that the family rightsize and reshape by following these recommendations:

a) St. John Saint John Gualbert Catholic Church & Diocesan Shrine is recommended to merge with St. Stanislaus.

b) The entire property of Saint John Gualbert Catholic Church & Diocesan Shrine is to be sold.

c) St. John Kanty is recommended to merge with St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr Church / Diocesan Shrine of Saint John II.

d) The entire property of St. John Kanty will be sold and the Vatican will be petitioned to allow the sale of St. Saint Adalbert Basilica.

e) The Parish Community of St. Katharine Drexel will go on a one-year watch list for viability and stability.

f) With the potential merger of SS. Columba Brigid, Historic St. John Kanty Church Buffalo, and Saint John Gualbert Catholic Church & Diocesan Shrine the parish of St. Stanislaus would need to have all communities represented on the leadership bodies of the parish.

g) When the pastor assignments for Family #30 (Greater East Buffalo) and #32 (Kaisertown) are up for renewal, the families would merge with potential continued consolidation of more parishes.

JUSTIFICATION

1) St. John Gualbert has a negative net operating balance and has previously sold their convent and school. This does not allow the parish to host family activities as there is no place to gather.

2) St. John Gualbert is located in a first ring suburb and this recommendation is a strategic move to rightsize this area of the diocese for the number of participants.

3) St. John Kanty with its location and proximity to the other parishes is not strategically needed. The trends sacramentally and financially support this decision.

Click here to read more on the Diocesan Proposal for parishes—>