COVID-19 Update: Mask Mandate Reinstated for All Counties December 13, 2021 On December 10, 2021, New York State announced a mask mandate for all indoor venues effective December 13, 2021 which will be reviewed January 15, 2022.
Mask Mandate
At this time, masks are mandated for all participants in liturgies held in Catholic churches and worship spaces located in the Diocese of Buffalo regardless of vaccination status. Parishes in the diocese are not authorized to screen for vaccinations, and so this mandate will apply to all who enter our worship spaces. As in the past, the only exception given to this will be for clergy and other liturgical ministers when they are fulfilling a significant speaking role. (They should maintain at least six feet of physical distance from others during these limited occasions.) This guidance will be revisited as the state reviews its policy on or about January 15, 2022 or if subsequent directives are issued by the diocese.
COVID-19 GUIDELINE UPDATE
Dear Parishioners,
You may have noticed that we have untied the ropes on the pews. Although the ropes are now down; we still have to follow the Buffalo Diocesan Covid-19 guidelines; which includes:
1. Physical distancing from those outside of your household.
2. We are still required to wear our masks, when we come and leave the Church; as well as when we process to receive Holy Communion.
3. You should also feel free to mask up in your seat, if you do not feel comfortable being without mask.
May the Good Lord who has been our security all the way, bring His Good work to a joyful end. In Jesus’s Most Holy Name, we pray! Amen!
Father Innocent
CRAFTING AND FUN GROUP
The Crafting and Fun Group will meet Saturdaym, December (date to be determined) from 9 AM - 12 PM in the church hall, for our first gathering in over a year!
All are welcome! We will follow all COVID guidelines at this gathering.
Visit our specially-created webpage on the diocesan website where you may access all of our communications and other resources related to the "Road to Renewal" initiative.
Appeal 2021 closes out at just over $9 million. The final tally is in! After a busy several months, Appeal 2021 officially closed on June 30, raising $9,037,185.95 in donations and pledges, and 90.3% of our goal. In truly unprecedented times, we are so grateful to have raised over $9 million! We are encouraged by the generosity of all of the faithful donors in the parishes, the corporate community, and the businesses.
You can read his full statement and our Appeal 2021 results press release here.
We look forward to working with you for Appeal 2022
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https://www.ccwny.org/
Here is the Link for Catholic Charity Services
St Mary's welcomes all to our humble country church with open arms and strong faith. Whether you are camping , hunting or out for a Sunday drive please stop by for Sunday Mass.
All Masses will be held this week end at St. Mary's and St. Joseph's Church. A number of things are in place for every ones safety. 50% of capacity is allowed. The pews , all surfaces and bathrooms are disinfected before the next mass. Hand sanitizer is located at the doors. All parishioners age 2 and above are to wear a face mask and social distance. The pews are roped off to help maintain social distancing and the floors are marked to direct traffic. Their will be no missalettes available.
Winter Escape/Snowbird Parishioners
Beloved Parishioners: For those who go on vacation; could you please use your parish envelopes so they could be sent to us? We really need your contributions here; we need them to pay our huge bills. Remember; even though our school is closed, we still pay bills on it because; it is still being used. We are also still paying the outstanding teachers’ and staff pensions. Our church is magnificent; it takes a lot of money to keep its doors open. Our Rectory is a beautiful edifice; it houses the parish office, where every parish business happens. It takes a lot of bills to keep the parish office running. Or do we have to talk about the funding of our elevator project? Please we need anything you could give to keep this lovely parish up and running. May I sincerely remind our vacationing/snowbird parishioners that the smallest parish in Florida for instance, is richer than our parish here! They have more than we do. Help your struggling home parish. Send your envelopes to her. Please think about this, and consider sending us your envelopes.
Thank you!
Father Innocent
Beginning in 2015, The Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, N.Y., Inc. (“Foundation”) began soliciting donations to its “Upon this Rock” (“UTR”) capital and endowment campaign. The UTR campaign raised funds for many purposes, including soliciting funds for making essential upgrades to classroom facilities and technology of Christ the King Seminary (“CKS”), expanding CKS’s role as a center of retreat and religious celebration, and establishing an endowment fund for CKS. Unfortunately, in early 2020, CKS’s Board of Trustees determined that CKS would close at the end of the 2020-2021 academic year. CKS’s closure will make it impossible for the Foundation to use the UTR funds raised for CKS for their original intended purposes. However, under New York law, when the original purposes for which funds are donated become impossible to achieve, those purposes can be modified in a manner consistent with original intent by the New York State courts. For many years, CKS provided education and formation for ordained and lay ecclesial ministers in the Diocese of Buffalo and beyond. Accordingly, the Foundation has asked the New York State Supreme Court for the County of Erie to approve a modification of the purposes of UTR funds raised for CKS so that those funds can be used to support the education and formation for ordained and lay ecclesial ministry in the Diocese of Buffalo, as determined in the discretion of the Foundation’s Board.
If you have donated to UTR and would like to be heard regarding this requested modification, you may send a letter to: The Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, N.Y., Inc., attention Executive Director, 795 Main Street, Buffalo, N.Y. 14203 or an email to [email protected]. Copies of letters or email received by the Foundation will be provided to the Court. You may also make a formal filing in the legal proceeding entitled Matter of the Modification of Endowment Funds of The Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo N.Y., Inc., Erie County Index No. 814747/2020. In order for your submission to be available for the Court’s consideration, please be sure to send any letter or email, or make any filing, no later than Friday, April 9, 2021.