BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Catholic Diocese of Buffalo announced its final decisions Tuesday morning on which parishes and worship sites would be closed or merged.
The diocese says this decision was "Driven by a comprehensive and collaborative planning process involving clergy and laity."
Below you can watch the entire Buffalo Catholic Diocese news conference from Tuesday morning when they announced closures and took questions from reporters.
The diocese claims the move to resize and reshape comes as attendance has seen a big drop over recent years. In 2012, about 155,000 people were attending weekend mass in the Buffalo Diocese. But in 2021, that number fell to just 60,000.
You can find the entire list from the diocese directly below:
Rev. Ronald Sajdak, Vicar Forane
Parishes open:
- St. Mark, Buffalo
- Assumption, Buffalo
- SS. Columba Brigid, Buffalo
- Blessed Trinity, Buffalo
- St. Martin de Porres, Buffalo
- Blessed Sacrament, Buffalo
- St. Louis, Buffalo
- Our Lady of Hope, Buffalo
- St. Stanislaus, Buffalo
- St. Katharine Drexel, Buffalo
- Corpus Christi, Buffalo
- Our Lady of Charity, Buffalo
- St. Teresa, Buffalo
- St. Andrew, Sloan
- Our Lady of Czestochowa, Cheektowaga
- St. Joseph University, Buffalo
Parishes/sites merging and closing:
- St. Rose of Lima, Buffalo
- All Saints, Buffalo
- Holy Spirit, Buffalo
- Holy Cross, Buffalo
- St. Michael, Buffalo
- Coronation of the Bl. Virgin Mary, Buffalo
- St. John Kanty, Buffalo
- St. Thomas Aquinas, Buffalo
- St. Ambrose or St. Martin of Tours, Buffalo
- St. Bernard, Buffalo
Free standing church:
- St. Casimir, Buffalo
Secondary worship sites:
- St. Margaret, Buffalo
- St. Anthony of Padua, Buffalo (Oratory)
- St. John Gualbert, Cheektowaga
- St. Adalbert, Buffalo
- St. Ambrose or St. Martin of Tours, Buffalo
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Buffalo
- UB Newman Center, Amherst
Rev. Msgr. Robert E. Zapfel, Vicar Forane
Parishes open:
- St. Mary, Swormville
- Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Harris Hill
- St. Teresa of Avila, Akron
- SS. Peter and Paul, Williamsville
- Christ the King, Snyder
- St. Leo the Great, Amherst
- St. John the Baptist, Kenmore
- St. Stephen, Grand Island
- St. Paul, Kenmore
- St. Timothy, Tonawanda
- St. Amelia, Tonawanda
- St. Christopher, Tonawanda
- Our Lady of Czestochowa, North Tonawanda
- St. Gregory the Great, Williamsville
- Good Shepherd, Pendleton
Parishes/sites merging and closing:
- Good Shepherd, Clarence
- St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Cheektowaga
- Infant of Prague, Cheektowaga
- St. Andrew, Kenmore
- Blessed Sacrament, Tonawanda
- St. Francis of Assisi, Tonawanda
- St. Jude the Apostle, North Tonawanda
- St. Pius X, Getzville
Secondary worship sites:
- Our Lady of Peace, Clarence
- Sacred Heart, Bowmansville
- St. Benedict, Eggertsville
Rev. Sean DiMaria, Vicar Forane
Parishes open:
- Queen of Heaven, West Seneca
- St. Gabriel, Elma
- Resurrection, Cheektowaga
- Our Lady Help of Christians, Cheektowaga
- St. Mary of the Assumption, Lancaster
- St. Philip the Apostle, Cheektowaga
- St. John the Baptist, Alden
- Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Orchard Park
- Our Lady of Victory Basilica, Lackawanna
- SS. Peter and Paul, Hamburg
- Nativity of Our Lord, Orchard Park
- St. Mary of the Lake, Hamburg
- St. John Paul II, Lake View
- Most Precious Blood, Angola
Parishes/sites merging and closing:
- St. John Vianney, Orchard Park
- St. John XXIII, West Seneca
- St. Josaphat, Cheektowaga
- Queen of Martyrs, Cheektowaga
- St. Martha, Depew
- St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Depew
- St. Anthony, Lackawanna
- Our Mother of Good Counsel, Blasdell
- Our Lady of Bistrica, Lackawanna
- St. Francis of Assisi, Hamburg
- St. Anthony, Farnham
Secondary worship sites:
- 14 Holy Helpers, Gardenville
- Our Lady of Pompeii, Lancaster
- Queen of Angels, Lackawanna
- St. John the Baptist, Boston
- St. Mary, East Eden
- St. Bernadette, Orchard Park
Rev. Steven Jekielek, Vicar Forane
Parishes open:
- St. John the Baptist, Lockport
- St. Brendan on the Lake, Newfane
- Our Lady of the Lake, Barker
- Holy Trinity, Medina
- St. Mary, Holley
- Holy Family, Albion
- St. Peter, Lewiston
- Immaculate Conception, Ransomville
- St. Vincent de Paul, Niagara Falls
- Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Niagara Falls
Parishes/sites merging and closing:
- All Saints, St. Patrick site, Lockport
- All Saints, St. Joseph site, Lockport
- St. Brendan on the Lake, Wilson site
- Holy Trinity, Middleport site
- St. Mark, Kendall
- Former Lyndonville property, rectory
- St. Raphael, Niagara Falls
- St. John de LaSalle, Niagara Falls
- Divine Mercy, Niagara Falls
Secondary worship sites:
- St. Brendan on the Lake, Olcott
(seasonal worship site) - St. Peter, Youngstown site
- St. Mary of the Cataract, Niagara Falls
- St. Leo, Niagara Falls
Rev. Todd Remick, Vicar Forane
Parishes open:
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Silver Creek
- Holy Trinity, Dunkirk
- St. James, Jamestown
- Sacred Heart, Lakewood
- St. Patrick, Randolph
- St. Mary of Lourdes, Mayville
- St. Dominic, Westfield
- Christ Our Hope, French Creek
- St. Joseph, Gowanda
- Epiphany, Langford
- Immaculate Conception, Eden
Parishes/sites merging and closing:
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Forestville site
- St. Joseph, Fredonia
- St. Anthony, Fredonia (Feb. 15, 2026)
- Blessed Mary Angela, St. Hyacinth site, Dunkirk
(Feb. 15, 2026) - Blessed Mary Angela, St. Hedwig site, Dunkirk
- Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, SS. Peter and Paul
site, Jamestown - Sacred Heart, Panama site
- St. James, Frewsburg site
- Our Lady of Loretto, Falconer
- St. Dominic, Brocton site
- Christ Our Hope, Sherman site
- Holy Spirit, North Collins
- St. Mary, Cattaraugus
Secondary worship sites:
- St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Dunkirk
- St. Anthony, Fredonia (until Feb. 15, 2026)
- St. Hyacinth, Dunkirk (until Feb. 15, 2026)
- Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, St. John site,
Jamestown - St. Mary of Lourdes, Bemus Point
Rev. James Hartwell, Vicar Forane
Parishes open:
- Immaculate Conception, Wellsville
- St. Patrick, Belfast
- St. Mary of the Angels Basilica, Olean
- St. Bonaventure, Allegany
- Holy Name of Mary, Ellicottville
- St. Mary, Arcade
Parishes/sites merging and closing:
- St. Mary, Bolivar
- Blessed Sacrament, Andover
- St. Brendan, Almond
- St. Joseph Oratory, Scio
- St. Jude, Sardinia
- St. John the Baptist, West Valley
- St. Mary, East Arcade site
Secondary worship sites:
- Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Belmont
- St. Jude, Alfred
- Our Lady of the Angels, Cuba
- St. Patrick, Fillmore
- St. Mary, Canaseraga
- St. John the Evangelist, Olean
- Our Lady of Peace, Salamanca
- St. Philomena, Franklinville
- St. Aloysius, Springville
- St. Joseph, Holland
Rev. Bernard Nowak, Vicar Forane
Parishes open:
- Immaculate Conception, East Aurora
- St. Vincent de Paul, Springbrook
- Annunciation, Elma
- Resurrection, Batavia
- Our Lady of Mercy, LeRoy
- St. Michael, Warsaw
- St. John Neumann, Attica
Parishes/sites merging and closing:
- St. George, West Falls
- St. Padre Pio, Elba site
- St. Brigid, Bergen
- Ascension, Batavia
- St. Maximilian Kolbe, Corfu site
- Immaculate Heart of Mary, Darien Center
- Immaculate Heart of Mary, Bennington Center
- St. John Neumann, Strykersville site
- Mary Immaculate, East Bethany site
- St. Isidore, Perry site
- St. Isidore, Silver Springs site
Secondary worship sites:
- St. Padre Pio, Oakfield
- St. Maximilian Kolbe, East Pembroke
- Mary Immaculate, Pavilion
- St. John Neumann, Sheldon
- St. John Neumann, Varysburg
ROAD TO RENEWAL TIMELINE
FINAL DECISIONS FAQs
(The following questions and answers were provided in a media release sent to 7 News WKBW)
In all, how many parishes are merging? What is the total number of parishes and worship sites remaining as the result of today’s announcement?
The total number of worship sites will be 118 adjusted from the current 196 worship sites in our eight
counties.
What helped influence changes from the original recommendations?
When we first announced our initial recommendations in May, we welcomed parish families to present alternative plans to the diocese. We experienced open collaboration with parish families who presented variations from the initial proposals with the help of pastors, vicars, parish council leaders and parishioners. In all, 26 of 36 Families of Parishes realized changes from the initial recommendations to what we have presented today, with six of the Families of Parishes accepting the initial recommendations.
What is the timeline for the closures?
We are expecting that the mergers will be accomplished by June 2025.
What will happen to the parish properties?
Once canonical mergers are completed, church buildings no longer in use will go through the process to prepare them for sale
What becomes of the sacred objects/sacramental records?
Some sacred objects will be used within the parish family. Sacramental records will become the responsibility of the central office in the parish family.
Who will maintain parish properties that are not in use?
The Family of Parishes will provide for maintenance of the properties utilizing assets from the closed parish.
When a church building that is no longer in use is sold, what happens to the funds received through the sale?
Oversight of those funds becomes the responsibility of the pastor, trustees, and parish finance council in accordance with Diocesan financial guidelines.
Will there be any special Mass to commemorate the closing of these parishes?
Transition teams composed of members of the respective Families of Parishes will work with the diocese on closing Masses.
Are Catholic schools affected by the Road to Renewal?
A planning group is developing a Catholic Education Strategic plan, in concert with the Road to Renewal, that should be finalized in the fall as it relates to all schools in the diocese.
What about the outreach ministries within these closed parishes?
Parish outreach ministries are important to the vibrancy of our Diocese and the areas they serve. The outreach ministries will be accommodated in the Family of Parishes.
What can we expect next? Might we face more evaluations in the future?
The Diocese, our faithful, our priests, deacons and religious will greatly influence our future. All of us have a role to play. Parish viability depends on spiritual renewal including participation in sacraments, parishioner engagement, welcoming new members into the faith and the availability of priests.
