By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – The Buffalo Catholic Diocese has announced the first phase of parish restructuring. Ten parishes and one mission will merge into five parishes as part of the Diocese's "Journey in Faith and Grace" strategic plan.
Bishop Edward Kmiec met with reporters late Sunday afternoon surrounded by several pastors who will be affected by these changes.
St. Elizabeth in Buffalo will merge with Assumption in Black Rock. St. Elizabeth's building on Grant Street in Buffalo will close. The church, which for years served Hungarians living nearby, was still offering Masses in Hungarian.
In Tonawanda, St. Edmund will merge with St. Christopher. Father Rob Wozniak, pastor of St. Edmund, says he was pleased with the process and is ready to merge with St. Christopher.
In Chautauqua County, St. John the Evangelist of Sinclairville will merge with Immaculate Conception in Cassadaga.
St. Mary of East Arcade and Blessed Sacrament in Delevan will merge into Saints Peter and Paul of Arcade and will be called St. Mary.
The diocese also announced that the Mission of St. Patrick in Crittenden will merge with St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Corfu.
More closings and merges will be announced this year. But Bishop Kmiec says an earlier timetable will no longer be followed. Kmiec says when they feel the churches are ready for specific changes, they will be announced.
The Bishop says while these changes are difficult, they are necessary steps for the Catholic Diocese.
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