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CV NEWS FEED // The Diocese of Buffalo will close a total of 78 churches after reviewing counter-proposals from the faithful.
Syracuse.com reports that the Diocese, which filed for bankruptcy in 2020, is closing these sites due to financial challenges. The Diocese also owes $100 million in lawsuit payouts to victims of sex abuse perpetrated by clergy and employees of the Diocese, as CatholicVote previously reported.
In a September 10 statement about the closures, Bishop Michael W. Fisher said that the Diocese “has had to deal with some harsh realities,” citing declining numbers in Mass attendees, the priest shortage crisis, and “the rise of secularism.”
He also said the Diocese was facing “the horrendous toll that the sexual abuse scandal by clergy and others has inflicted on parish life and the personal faith of so many.”
The Diocese announced a list of closures in July and set an appeal window until August 5 for parishes to propose alternative plans, as CatholicVote reported. The Diocese said that it would announce the closures on September 1.
Many faithful appealed to the diocese, presenting 52 counter-proposals, so the Diocese delayed announcing its final decision until September 10.
The September 10 press release from the Diocese reads:
In the meetings with the Vicarates held August 12th through 22nd, 52 counter proposals were presented from 30 Families of Parishes to a diocesan review team which resulted in changes to 26 of the 36 Families of Parishes’ initial recommendations proposed in June, while six of the Families of Parishes accepted the initial recommendations.
Syracuse.com also reports that the New York dioceses of Syracuse, Rochester, Albany, Ogdensburg, and Rockville Center on Long Island have all recently filed for bankruptcy.
