Latest news with #BuffaloDiocese
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Residents mourn Pope Francis during mass at St. Joseph Cathedral
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — As people around the world continue to reflect on the life and legacy of Pope Francis, the Buffalo Diocese offered an opportunity for residents to mourn the late pontiff together. As the nine-day mourning period continues for Catholics everywhere, Wednesday night's service offered the Queen City a formal setting to pray for Pope Francis' soul at a mass at St. Joseph Cathedral. 'In the days to come, we will mourn the Holy Father,' said Bishop Michael Fisher. 'We will celebrate his life and we will celebrate the fact that the Lord has risen from the dead.' The cathedral on Franklin Street was filled with dozens as they sang and prayed for the late pope. 'He was really a pastor, a father, not some high-ranking somebody who just looks above their heads,' Buffalo resident Agnes Pataki said. 'I don't think there's anybody who is more cognizant with the faith he lived, what the faith is,' Buffalo resident Marianne Daugua said. 'Some people wear a little cross and think that's the faith, but he lived the faith.' Many reflected on Pope Francis as an inspirational leader to those with and without faith, using his status with humility, all while being a fierce advocate for social justice and efforts to reform the church. 'He had a lot of amazing things to say, and I like the fact that he was for the marginalized and wanted to invite people that he felt were outcast,' said Buffalo resident Cathy Bergen. The mass was presided over by Fisher, who said the pope's death happening during Easter season allowed for people to reflect event deeper on the resurrection of Jesus. 'For someone to pass away during this time to die is in many ways a great blessing because you can really reflect on the meaning of a person's life and also the meaning of their death,' Fisher said. 'Death doesn't end here, we believe that it continues.' The pope's funeral will take place at 4 a.m. Saturday in the Vatican. Residents said they will wake up to pray and watch. Dillon Morello is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has been part of the News 4 team since September of 2023. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
St. Michael's won't merge for now after Vatican suspension
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — St. Michael's in downtown Buffalo will not close for now following a suspension from the Vatican, it was announced on Wednesday. The church, located on Washington Street, was set to merge with St. Louis on Edward Street when the Buffalo Diocese announced its closures and mergers last summer. Full list: Buffalo Diocese closures, mergers A formal petition to Bishop Michael Fisher was denied, which led to the the church appealing the decision to the Vatican. Save Our Buffalo Churches, a volunteer group that is working to reverse decisions from the Diocese, was informed of the Vatican's decision on Monday. 'A response from the Dicastery has been eagerly anticipated for months, and we hope this will be the first of many appeals to be examined and decrees suspended,' Save Our Buffalo Churches said in a statement on Wednesday. This is now the second church in the area that will remain open at least temporarily after the Diocese said it would close. Last week, it was announced that Holy Cross, located on Buffalo's West Side, would remain open. Nearly 100 Western New York parishes and churches have been affected as the Diocese attempts to pay $100 million to settle hundreds of sexual abuse claims filed under the Adult Survivors Act. The Diocese confirmed that the net sale proceeds will go into funding the settlements. Aidan Joly joined the News 4 staff in 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. You can see more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
WNY Catholics respond to hospitalization of Pope Francis
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — As Pope Francis approaches nearly two weeks in the hospital battling heath concerns, Western New York Catholics are responding with their support and prayers. WIVB News 4 spoke with Mike Taheri and Patrick Gorman, parishioners who have been vocal in the fight to keep churches open during the Buffalo Diocese's 'road to renewal.'Gorman said if the pope were to die, he would go down as one who led through the hardest time of being a Catholic, losing the amount of faithful with many going through what the Buffalo Diocese has the last year. Gorman added that the next pope will have to bear that cross if Pope Francis does die. 'You and I both know what we're going through here in Buffalo,' Gorman said. 'So, I think that the priests and the Buffalo Diocese and our bishop, they're still going to be our bishop, they're still going to be our priest. We need a pope that's going to help bring us all back together again.' News 4 asked the question of what legacy the pope has left over the years. 'I think the pope will go down as just a great, great pope for teaching us about the role of Jesus and his teachings and concern,' Taheri said. 'One of his sayings was, you know, you want the church to be a field hospital for those who are most wounded, those who are most broken and most in need, and frankly, I think he's really taken some great steps to achieve that.' Gorman also said if the pope were to die, it would leave a big hole in the world as the pope, among politicians and world leaders, is the one who so many people know and respect. 'How this illness impacts on his ministry and his capacity to perform, we don't know, but what we do know is God is working through him and God is going to continue to work through him and through the Catholic faith, so it's up to us as the Catholic faithful to pray for the pope, but to help the pope in any way, he asks us to help him,' Taheri said. The pope's official X account acknowledges the outpouring of support and thanked everyone for the prayers. Dillon Morello is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has been part of the News 4 team since September of 2023. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
