BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — Parishioners fighting to keep St. Michael’s Church open in Downtown Buffalo are celebrating a victory after the Vatican answered their prayers, suspending the church’s closure – at least for now.
“It’s a tremendous victory,” said Craig Speers, a parishioner of St. Michael’s Church.
“We are overjoyed,” Mary Pruski from Save Our Buffalo Churches said.
The battle to keep St. Michael’s open is part of a larger fight as nearly 100 churches across Western New York are facing closure or merger as the Buffalo Diocese works to resolve its financial struggles in the wake of bankruptcy.
St. Michael’s was on the chopping block, but parishioners refused to give up and filed an appeal with the Vatican.
The Vatican’s decision to intervene and suspend the closure is a significant moment for St. Michael’s and other churches in the region.
Breakthrough for St. Michael's Church
Parishioners and community advocates are calling the Vatican's suspension of St. Michael’s closure a breakthrough.
“It’s a tremendous victory for every parish that’s under threat here in the diocese,” said Speers.
St. Michael’s was one of the first churches in the diocese to appeal to the Vatican, arguing that the Buffalo Diocese was violating Canon Law.
Speers, who has been leading the campaign, received a letter from Dicastry of the Clergy at the Vatican on Monday
“They basically said they accepted our appeal and are conducting an investigation into the evidence we presented opposing the closure of St. Michael’s,” explained Speers.
The Battle for St. Michael’s
Originally slated to close last November, the decision was delayed after Bishop Michael Fisher denied the parish's formal request. Then, Speers took the next step — appealing directly to the Vatican in Rome.
“What does that mean for this church as of right now?” I asked.
“The Vatican investigation is underway into what we see as the senseless and unjust closure of this parish without a valid reason,” Speers replied.
Pruski is part of a larger effort to preserve approximately 35 other churches facing similar closures, assisting them in appealing to the Vatican.
“This has broken the glass ceiling,” Pruski said. “Rome quickly saw there was something here that needed investigation, and we’re welcoming that review.”
Pruski noted St. Michael’s was the first to issue an appeal to Rome and now the first to hear back from the Vatican.
Save Our Buffalo Churches says it has received its “first win” with its Canon Law appeals. The leader of the appeal for St. Michael Church in downtown Buffalo tells me he received official notification Monday that Bishop Fisher's decree of merger is suspended. @WKBW pic.twitter.com/arYp84nFDW
— Eileen Buckley (@eileenwkbw) February 26, 2025
“By having them push back, as the first parish, we've been waiting to hear, and it was a 50/50 chance if they would take the appeal or not, and they overwhelmingly have embraced it,” Pruski said.
The Diocese’s Plans for St. Michael’s
Under the diocese’s “Road to Renewal” plan, St. Michael’s was slated to merge with St. Louis Church and a prime piece of downtown property where St. Michael’s sits would be sold.
“That’s their whole game plan: to sell these properties for commercial purposes,” said Speers. “They don’t care about the faith communities. They’re being broken up as we speak.”
The diocese’s spokesman confirmed that the bishop's decree for St. Michael’s remains suspended as the Vatican carries out its review. The spokesperson emphasized that the diocese will cooperate fully with the Vatican and provide any additional information that may be needed.
Looking Ahead
For now, the fate of St. Michael’s Church is uncertain, but the Vatican’s intervention has given parishioners a glimmer of hope.
“The diocese has just pushed, tried to push people apart and trying to dominate us, and that's just not the people of the year 2025. We are fighting for our home, our spiritual home, and we need that hard connection,” said Pruski.
Speers speculated that the Vatican review could consider the historical aspect of St. Michael’s Church, which was founded and has continued to operate under the Jesuit mission of caring for the poor and needy in the city’s community.
“150 plus years of service here in Downtown Buffalo, and I think the Vatican really honors that and really values that type of service – that they want that type of service, that type of evangelical activity to continue. I think that's why they've accepted our appeal,” commented Speers.
