From Father Cole Webster (Pastor of Greater East Buffalo Family of Parishes) on Facebook:<\/p>\n
DIOCESAN RECOMMENDATIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n The following are the RECOMMENDATIONS for the Greater East Buffalo Family of Parishes.<\/p>\n 1) Projected number of active priests for this family by 2030 are 2 (One being a Pauline from Corpus Christi)<\/p>\n 2) Based upon scoring and metrics, it is recommended that the family rightsize and reshape by following these recommendations:<\/p>\n a) St. John Saint John Gualbert Catholic Church & Diocesan Shrine is recommended to merge with St. Stanislaus.<\/p>\n b) The entire property of Saint John Gualbert Catholic Church & Diocesan Shrine is to be sold.<\/p>\n c) St. John Kanty is recommended to merge with St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr Church \/ Diocesan Shrine of Saint John II.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n e) The Parish Community of St. Katharine Drexel will go on a one-year watch list for viability and stability.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n JUSTIFICATION<\/strong><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n