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Buffalo Diocese announces new merger recommendations for Niagara & Orleans Co. parishes

Buffalo Diocese is recommending that 7 of the 16 parishes in the Niagara Orleans vicariate.

RANSOMVILLE, N.Y. — Adding to the growing list of mergers, the Buffalo Diocese is recommending 7 parishes in the Niagara Orleans vicariate to merge or close. 

The Diocese made the announcement during a meeting of the Niagara Orleans vicariate at Immaculate Conception's in Ransomville. 

The new recommendations come as the Diocese is working to reduce the number of parishes by 34%. 

Only clergy and parish trustees were allowed in the meeting Monday night. Trustees will not take the recommendations back to their respective parishes and either accept the proposal or make a counteroffer by July 15. 

"Nothing gets set in stone until September 1," said Father Bryan Zielenieski, Vicar for Renewal and Development at the Buffalo Diocese.

Zielenieski says the Diocese uses a variety of metrics to make their merger/closure recommendations. 

"Registered households versus the number of sacraments that are being made," Zielenieski said. "We looked at the conditions of buildings, we looked at their infrastructure, can they house larger congregations?'

Given the rural demographics of the Niagara Orleans vicariate, many of the parishes outside of the city of Niagara Falls have significant distances between them. 

Zielenieski says they have a metric for that as well. 

"So for example, we used how far will people travel for groceries," Zielenieski said. "We tried to use that as a general guideline as to mileage that we would expect people to drive for church

Several parishioners tried to attend the closed-door meeting between the Diocese and parish trustees. 

"I just feel it should be open to everybody," said Albert Hornung. "To shield us out of that in a way and say 'Oh, it's just for trustees,' I don't feel that's right."

The Buffalo Diocese has three additional recommendation meetings scheduled for this week--Southern Tier West on Tuesday, Genesee/Wyoming on Wednesday, and Southern Erie on Thursday. 

The following parishes in the Niagara Orleans vicariate have been recommended for merging or closure:

Family #10

St. John the Baptist, Lockport

All Saints, Lockport – merge with St. John – close St. Joseph campus

Immaculate Conception, Ransomville – move to Family #34

St. Patrick, Barker – move to Family #10

Family #11

St. Stephen, Middleport – merge with Holy Trinity, Medina

St. Mark, Kendall – merge with St. Mary’s, Holley

Family #34

St. Raphael, Niagara Falls – merge with St. Peter, Lewiston

St. Peter, Lewiston

Accept Immaculate Conception, Ransomville, into Family #34

Family #35

Divine Mercy, Niagara Falls – merge with St. Mary of the Cataract

St. John de LaSalle, Niagara Falls – merge with St. Vincent de Paul

Holy Family of Jesus Mary and Joseph, Niagara Falls – Our Lady of Mount Carmel site to close

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