“My first and most significant task is to raise awareness of the financial needs and many options available to help support the mission of the Church.” That’s the goal of Getzville businessman Richard Suchan who was recently named executive director of the Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo and director of development for the diocese. He assumed his new duties on Aug. 8.

As Suchan explains it, his main duties are to “help increase awareness and use of the Foundation as the centralized and most comprehensive resources available to assist individuals and organizations interested in financially supporting any aspect of the ministry of the diocese or any one of its affiliated organizations.”

Bishop Edward U. Kmiec said Suchan will be a major asset to the diocese. “Under Rick’s leadership, I am confident the Foundation will continue to grow as it does some very important work for the diocese, helping to support our education, religious and charitable needs. His financial knowledge and keen understanding of the non-profit sector will serve us well as we continue to be present to the myriad organizations in the Diocese of Buffalo that rely on the success of the Foundation’s work.” 

Father Fred R. Voorhes, senior parochial vicar at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Buffalo, will be the principal celebrant at the annual Labor Day Mass on Monday, Sept. 5, at 9 a.m. at the church’s St. Joseph the Worker Shrine, 450 Abbott Road., Buffalo. The Mass will be moved into the church if it is raining.

Dozens of pilgrims from Catholic parishes in Western New York will be in Madrid, Spain Aug. 16-21 for World Youth Day 2011. 

Heather Wolcott , diocesan program coordinator for the Department of Youth & Young Adult Ministry, is leading our social media efforts.  She is already in Europe and is posting on Facebook and Twitter.

LACKAWANNA — Our Lady of Victory Parish and Homes of Charity will celebrate “Father Baker Day” on Sunday, July 31, at noon Mass at Our Lady of Victory Basilica. This year’s event will mark the 75th anniversary of the saintly priest’s death. In January, the Vatican confirmed by official decree that Father Nelson Baker led a life of “heroic virtue” and promoted him to Venerable, officially completing the first step of the three-step canonization process.

The main celebrant and homilist of the Father Baker Day Mass will be Msgr. Paul J.E. Burkard, pastor of Our Lady of Victory and vice-postulator for Father Baker’s Cause for Canonization. He will be joined by priests assigned to the parish and OLV Institutions, as well as special guests, including Father Richard Gribble, CSC, author of the just-released authoritative biography of Venerable Nelson Baker, "Father of the Fatherless."

Members of St. Barnabas and Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament parishes in Depew will come together Sunday morning at 11:30 for the first time to celebrate Mass as members of the newly formed St. Martha Parish Community.

The process of merging the two parishes began in 2007 as a follow-up to the Diocese of Buffalo’s Journey in Faith & Grace, the parish revitalization and reorganization program. At that time representatives from both parishes began a study to explore the viability of maintaining two separate parishes located one mile down the road from one another.

For the third year in a row, runners in this Sunday’s Buffalo Marathon will be on the receiving end of ringing bells, cheers and prayers from members of St. Clare Parish Community in Buffalo’s historic Valley Neighborhood.

At mile marker nine (193 Elk Street), the first competitors are expected to run by the church at about 8:15 a.m., with the bulk of the runners following from 8:30 to 9 a.m.

Father Michael Putich, OFM, pastor of St. Clare Parish, said parishioners will gather in front of the church to cheer on the runners. They’ll also have signs posted along the route, reminiscent of the old Burma Shave signs. “The first series reads, ‘Can’t Stay, Got to Pray,’ ‘In a rush, remember us. Welcome, St. Clare,’” Father Putich said. “The second series reads, ‘Can’t Rest, Be Blessed,’ ‘We Can Pray, On the Way. Welcome, St. Clare.’”
 

The annual Diocesan Marian Tribute will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 22, at St. Joseph Cathedral, 50 Franklin St., Buffalo. This special prayer service is to honor Mary, the Mother of Jesus.

Bishop Edward U. Kmiec, bishop of Buffalo, will preside at the service and Father Michael H. Burzynski, Ph.D., newly named pastor of St. John Gualbert Parish, Cheektowaga, will serve as the homilist.

As part of the Diocese of Buffalo’s Novena for Life, a Morning for Life has been planned for Saturday, May 21, at St. Rose of Lima Parish, Parkside and Parker avenues, Buffalo.

The program begins with Mass at 8 a.m. with Father Scott Daniels of the Priests for Life, followed by a prayerful procession down Main Street. Once outside the local abortion clinic, the group will pray the rosary for mothers, fathers, their unborn children and the ultimate end to abortion. At 10:20 a.m., the group will process back to St. Rose of Lima where a reception will follow. 

Father Charles Amico, Ph.D., professor emeritus at Christ the King Seminary, 711 Knox Rd., East Aurora, will present a video and deliver a lecture on “Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman - His Life and Spirituality: Pathways to Holiness and Happiness” on Wednesday, June 22 at 7 p.m. in the seminary’s main dining room.

The National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) honored several Western New Yorkers at the 2011 Annual NCEA Conference and Expo in New Orleans on April 26.

The NCEA recognized the DeSales Catholic School Board of Trustees as one of this year’s seven recipients of the NCEA Outstanding Board Award presented to boards, councils and commissions of Catholic education whose work is outstanding, encourages excellence and provides models for other governance groups. There are more than 7,000 Catholic schools in the United States.