ParishWatch: Tracking Parish Closings in North America
Here is the information we have about parish reconfigurations in this state. Please send your parish consolidation/reconfiguration news to parishrights@futurechurch.org and we will update our information.
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NEW YORK
Diocese of Albany
Diocese of Buffalo
Archdiocese of New York
Diocese of Rochester
Diocese of Syracuse
Diocese of Albany
Taxman, church at Odds 10/22/2010
TROY -- Six saints are at the center of a property-tax dispute in Troy.
The city has added four closed Catholic churches -- St. Paul the Apostle, St. William's, St. Peter's and St. Francis de Sales -- to the local tax rolls this year. And two more shuttered sites -- St. Mary's and St. Patrick's -- could soon join the list.
http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Taxman-church-at-odds-717830.php
More churches closing in county 8/11/08 http://capitalnews9.com/content/top_stories/121791/more-churchesclosingincounty/Default.aspx
Nostalgia, pain for parishes 6/22/08 TROY -- The Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany would close or merge at least 19 parishes throughout the Capital Region's urban core in a vast downsizing expected to be proposed this month, according to church officials. http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=697965&category
Diocese weighs parish closure 5/23/08 Plan could leave St. Mary's Church in Schenectady open only for special occasions http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=690752&category
Church closure decisions coming next year 2/21/08
http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2008/feb/21/0221_diocese/
Church members react to proposal 1/30/08 http://www.poststar.com/articles/2008/01/30/news/local/13300280.txt
Diocese of Buffalo
After long, valiant fight, St. Mary Church is closing 9/28/2011
Monica Pullano was thankful to be part of St. Mary Parish even if it was for just one more day, after parishioners heard the stunning announcement on Oct. 13, 2007, that the church would soon be closed.
http://www.buffalonews.com/city/communities/lockport/article536854.ece
Parishoners push to keep St. Bernard open 2/23/2011
Parishioners from St. Bernard Church are organizing a campaign to keep the church open, arguing that the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo’s plan to close the church is based on inaccurate data.
http://www.buffalonews.com/city/communities/buffalo/article349270.ece
CHURCHES: Two become one New York City 7/28/08 http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080803/NEWS/
Lockport parishioners of St. Mary's continue protest against church closing: Billboard poses a big question 06/25/08 http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/377803.html
No pastor yet for merged parish 6/20/08 7:19 PM EDT http://www.oleantimesherald.com/articles/2008/06/20/news/doc485c19d
Parishioners in Buffalo diocese deal with impact of church closings 6/02/08 http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/360526.html
Diocese announces mergers for 25 more parishes 06/01/08 http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/359761.html
Vatican high court upholds closing of St. Adalbert Church 2/28/08 http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/287023.html
Buffalo's Bishop Edward U. Kmiec: A shepherd wielding a scythe 05/03/08 Bishop’s downsizing of diocese leaves some of his flock, even priests, feeling disillusioned http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/333711.html
Closing parish seeks landmark status, preservation 04/20/08 http://www.buffalonews.com/lifearts/religion/story/327716.html
Newfane, Olcott, Wilson churches merging 2/26/08
http://www.lockportjournal.com/local/local_story_055221449.html
Closed churches pose a community dilemma 2/24/08
http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/283573.html
Group to Discuss Saving Churches 2/22/08
http://publicbroadcasting.net/wned/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE
Fighting church closings a tough task 2/20/08 http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/280529.html
HOLY TRINITY: Diocese offers ‘blessing’ 2/17/08
http://www.niagara-gazette.com/local/local_story_048010954.html
Churches may become museum 2/11/08 http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/273496.html
Diocese announces closing of 5 churches 2/10/08 http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/272764.html
CHURCH MERGERS: Five area priests receive pastor assignments 1/26/08
http://www.lockportjournal.com/local/local_story_026013859.html
West Side Church Fights Closing 1/11/08 http://www.wgrz.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=54190
Perhaps new parish will be a melting pot (1/6/08) http://www.buffalonews.com/149/story/243990.html
LOCKPORT: Four churches to hold merger meeting (1/3/08) http://www.lockportjournal.com/local/local_story_003010814.html
Church closings test faith (12/29/97) http://www.niagara-gazette.com/local/local_story_363015607.html
Parishioners at St. Adalbert Appeal Closing 12/27/07
http://www.wgrz.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=53892&provider=gnews
Diocese of Buffalo Announces More Parish Closings & Mergers 12/5/07
http://www.wgrz.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=52509&provider=gnews
Two More Catholic Churches to Close 12/4/07 http://publicbroadcasting.net/wned/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE
Buffalo Bishop Edward Kmiec is expected to announce the first of three waves of church closings, mergers and other actions to deal with a shortage of priests and demographic shifts in the Buffalo diocese. Some members of the diocese's Strategic Planning Commission believe as many as 100 parishes could be merged or closed. With retirements, deaths and new ordinations, 142 diocesan priests will be available to staff 259 parishes in 2015. (Spring 07)
http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20070218/1025795.asp?PFVer=Story
Archdiocese of New York
Chautauqua Catholic Community Hosting Seminars This Week 8/12/08 http://post-journal.com/page/content.detail/id/508669.html?nav=5004
Sagging Spirits 8/10/08 http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longislandlife/ny-lfcov0810,0,160088.story
Recently in the Archdiocese of New York, the people of Our Lady of Vilnius Parish have filed a lawsuit aimed at blocking Cardinal Egan from closing their ...7/23/08
http://www.bloggernews.net/116870
Fate of 2 Newburgh churches undecided 8/03/08 http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080803/NEWS/
Tears, laughter highlight closing of 2 schools in Rockland 6/21/08 http://lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080621/NEWS03/806210383
Cardinal Egan Locks Out Pastor, Parishioners Sue. On Feb. 26, while meeting with St. Vilnius’ pastor Fr. Eugene Zawicki, Cardinal Egan stunned parishioners when he secretly dispatched security guards to lock the Church while the meeting was in process. This occurred right before a scheduled meeting with Lithuania's consul general, who was set to make a plea to save the ethnic church. Parishioners have appealed to the Vatican as well as begun a civil suit. Parishioners at Our Lady Queen of Angels, who were forcibly removed from their Church in February, have also begun a canonical appeal and civil suit. FutureChurch has written a letter of support and supplied resources to Our Lady Queen of Angels parishioners. (Spring 07) NY Post Article http://www.commonwealmagazine.org/blog/post/index/777/The-vigil-ends-badly#cmt
New York City Archdiocese Plans to Close Ten parishes and Merge Eleven Others. In mid February, six parishioners at Our Lady Queen of Angels parish were arrested after diocesan security agents called the police because parishioners began a 24 hour prayer vigil to keep their 400 members East Harlem parish open. Previously parishioners tried to present a financial plan for keeping their parish open, but were rebuffed by a diocesan official who bluntly informed them that their parish was destined to close. An apparent factor in the decision to close the parish was that the Capuchin fathers can no longer staff it. Diocesan policy is that every parish must have a priest. FutureChurch supplied consultation and discernment resources to New York members of Voice of the Faithful and parishioners at Our Lady Queen of Angels. Two parishioners were also arrested for vigiling in a Yonkers parish. (Winter 07)
http://www.commonwealmagazine.org/blog/post/index/777/The-vigil-ends-badly#cmt http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/am-church0120,0,7622932.story?coll=ny-nycnews-headlines
Diocese of Rochester
Two city parishes to close this fall 8/01/08 http://catholiccourier.com/tmp1.cfm?nid=78&articleid=102714
Two Southern Tier churches to close Catatonk, Van Etten parishes part of Diocese of Rochester 7/14/08 http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080714/
Southern Tier churches face configuration changes 7/07/08 http://catholiccourier.com/tmp1.cfm?nid=78&articleid=102290
Parents, students mourn closing of 13 Monroe County Catholic schools 6/20/08
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200806
Leicester church slates closing Mass 6/17/08 http://catholiccourier.com/tmp1.cfm?nid=78&articleid=101874
Saying goodbye to ‘a place of memories’ 6/5/08
(13 Catholic Schools Close)
http://www.mpnnow.com/news/x142951028/Saying-good-bye-to-a-place-of-memories
St. Anthony in Elmira, Holy Family in Rochester set closing Masses 6/2/08
http://catholiccourier.com/tmp1.cfm?nid=78&articleid=101598
Churchgoers commiserate over impending loss of 13 area Catholic schools 1/20/08 http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/
article?AID=/20080120/NEWS01/801200342/1002/NEWS
Rochester Shares Pastoral Leadership, The Rochester Diocese has more than 60 parishes in cluster relationships in which parishes share a pastoral leader with up to five other parishes. The number of parishes has dropped from 160 in 1996 to 139. It has closed nine churches or missions since 2001, and believes most anticipated changes through 2015 have been announced. (Spring 07) http://www.syracuse.com/printer/printer.ssf?/base/news-3/1177146726130610.xml&coll=1
Diocese of Syracuse
What happens next in the fight to reopen St. Mary Church in Jamesville is up to the bishop 5/27/11
The future of St. Mary Roman Catholic Church in Jamesville after a ruling by the Vatican’s highest court over its closing is unclear, but most experts agree what happens next rests in the hands of the local bishop, Robert J. Cunningham.
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2011/05/post_428.html
St. Mary's appeal to be heard in Vatican in February 12/24/2010
Since the Syracuse Diocese decided in 2007 to close St. Mary Roman Catholic Church in Jamesville, parishioners have been told over and over they have little chance of a successful appeal.
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2010/12/post_340.html
Two Catholic churches to close 6/12/08 http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080612/
He lost his church -- but gained a new parish family 5/31/08 http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080531/
OPINION/805310340/1005/OPINION
Two Endwell parishes to become one 2/18/08 http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080218
Syracuse Closing 40 Parishes, Priest Shortage Remains. The Syracuse diocese will close about 40 of its 170 parishes over the next three years. However by 2010 the diocese will still have only 100 priests to serve the remaining 130 parishes, and 40 of those priests will be 75 or over. “The saddest thing,” said Bob Dugan of Syracuse, “is that many of these parishes will only stay open until the pastor retires. This puts a lot of pressure on these guys who will have to work until they drop.” (Spring 07)
http://www.syracuse.com/articles/news/index.ssf?/base/news-10/1179133314240290.xml&coll=1