BUFFALO, N.Y. — The future of All Saints Parish Center is up in the air — and they're asking the community for help.
Churchgoers were informed today that the school, rectory and church of All Saints will soon be placed on the market for sale. The parish will remain open in the meantime.
However, not all hope is lost. If enough money is raised to fix the roof on the school, insurance will step in to help fix the rest of the damage. If the parish can raise enough money, the sale will be reevaluated and the church doors could remain open.
"We're just trying everything we can to bring in more parishioners, more fundraisers and let people know that the church is alive and we're a loving family," Diane Colby, the All Saints fundraising committee chairperson, said.
The church hopes that putting the property up for sale will generate attention and donations.
"We're hoping by putting the property up for sale in the near future that we will get interest," David Mikulski said. He serves as the business manager of Catholic Community of Buffalo North. "This could be potentially marketing and selling it, could be getting developers that want to share in the building, getting sympathy from the community and getting donations."
Out of all of these options, donations are most important if the parish wants to remain open.
"Our perfect outcome is to get donations and we've been seeking donations in our community," Mikulski said.
If All Saints is able to fix the roof and the rest of the buildings, it plans to once again make the property a community center with rental space available.
Another motivation for All Saints members to save the parish is its deep-rooted family ties.
"Four generations [of my family] have made their first communion here. Four generations have been baptized here. Four generations have made their confirmation here. Four generations have been married here," Colby said.
This is true for many members of the church.
"It means a great deal not only to our family but to many families," Colby said. "I look in the pews and I see families that have been here just as long as our family has been here."
All Saints will be hosting its "Alumni Reunion" on September 23rd. The reunion will host a raffle for a 7-day vacation to Fort Myers, Florida — with 1,000 tickets sold at $50 each.
All Saints is asking anyone interested in donating to visit @AllSaintsChurchBuffalo on Facebook or donate online here.
