Two men will receive the sacrament of holy orders when Bishop Edward U. Kmiec ordains them to the priesthood on Saturday, Oct. 9.

 Rev. Mr. David Richards and Rev. Mr. Thomas Roman, who were ordained transitional deacons in February, will be surrounded by family, friends and brother priests at the special 10 a.m. Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral, 50 Franklin St., Buffalo.

At parishes throughout the Diocese of Buffalo, the Feast of St. Francis (Oct. 4) was observed with special blessings for pets.

In www.AmericanCathoic.org, Father Kevin Mackin, OFM, wrote, "This custom is conducted in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi’s love for all creatures."

The annual Making a Difference dinner highlights the leaders of Catholic education in the Diocese of Buffalo and reinforces the need for the continuation of support for programs such as the foundation’s needs-based tuition assistance program. The dinner will be held on Jan. 27, 2011, at the Adam’s Mark Hotel in Buffalo.

“Good leaders have a strong sense of self-awareness and strong values,” said Chris Lowney, main speaker for the 2011 Making a Difference dinner. “They believe in helping people develop their own self-awareness, which has always been important in Catholic schools.”

The Church Musicians’ Guild (CMG) of the Diocese of Buffalo will offer a concert of liturgical music, both contemporary and traditional, at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 15, at St. Amelia Church, 2999 Eggert Rd., Tonawanda.

Did you put on your armor today? That theme is likely to catch readers’ eyes.
The African American Commission of the Diocese of Buffalo will present a revival with this theme for three evenings beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 10, and concluding on Wednesday, Oct. 13. It will be held at St. Martin de Porres Church, 555 Northampton St., Buffalo.

Evangelist Richard L. Lane will be the revival’s special guest. Lane, a convert to Catholicism, is no stranger to the media. He is the producer and co-host of Covenant Radio Network’s Evangelizing St Louis, a weekly radio show, and he has been featured in several media outlets including Catholic Answers Live, Ave Maria Radio, Relevant Radio, Our Sunday Visitor, the National Catholic Reporter and Eternal Word Television Network’s Journey Home.  

Have you ever wondered what happened to your favorite teacher, best friend or the class clown from your elementary school? Well, here’s your chance to find out. The Catholic Alumni Partnership (CAP) is hosting The Spirit We Share All Catholic Elementary School Reunion 2010 on Sunday, October 31, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center. Former students from every Catholic elementary school, currently open, merged or closed throughout Western New York are welcome.

The Diocese of Buffalo is one of seven dioceses in New York and Connecticut participating in a groundbreaking initiative called the Catholic Alumni Partnership (CAP) whose goal is to help Catholic elementary schools reconnect with their alumni. The program, the first of its kind in the United States, is fully funded by a multimillion dollar grant from New York City philanthropist Robert Wilson.

The 30th Annual Rosary Crusade for World Peace will be held on Sunday, September 26, from 2-3:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Fatima Shrine, 1023 Swann Rd., Lewiston. Sponsored by the Niagara Council of Catholic Women of the Diocese of Buffalo, this year’s crusade theme is “Mary’s immaculate heart, our refuge in need.”

Msgr. J. Thomas Moran, pastor of St. Bernard Parish, Youngstown, is the moderator of the crusade and Dolores Laurrie of Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph Parish, Niagara Falls, is the chairperson. Father James C. Croglio from the Diocesan Counseling Center will be the homilist.
 

The presentation and veneration of the relics of St. Gianna Beretta Molla will take place the weekend of Sept. 11 and 12. St. Gianna is the patron of pro-life activities. This special event is sponsored by the diocesan Office of Pro-Life Activities and the St. Gianna Molla Pregnancy Outreach Center, Buffalo.

A Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, Sept. 11, at 9 a.m. at St. Louis Church, Edward and Main streets, Buffalo. Bishop Edward U. Kmiec, bishop of Buffalo, will be the celebrant. Later that day, there also will be a Mass at 4:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Pompeii Church, 158 Laverack Ave., Lancaster, as well as Masses on Sunday, Sept. 12, at 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m. and noon.
 

Christ the King Seminary will be piloting a Distance Learning program for two of its Continuing Education classes during the Fall 2010 semester. The new program is intended to provide more options to help students access the Seminary’s courses in the manner most convenient to their lifestyle and needs. Students who register to take either “Theology of God” (Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m. beginning September 14) or “The Gospels” (Thursdays, 7-9 p.m. beginning September 16) will be given the option of taking the class at the Seminary’s East Aurora campus or taking it via video-conferencing technology at Canisius College or St. Bonaventure University. Plans also include expanding the pilot program to include Niagara University for the Spring 2011 semester. No matter where the student takes the course, it will be a live and interactive experience, facilitated by two-way communication with the instructor.

Three dads will be ordained in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo on Saturday, May 29, at 10 a.m. in St. Joseph Cathedral, 50 Franklin St., Buffalo. Through the imposition of hands by Bishop Edward U. Kmiec, bishop of Buffalo, and the invocation of the Holy Spirit, these men will become permanent deacons, joining 125 other deacons in the diocese.

Michael T. Dulak (left), Donald C. Weigel Jr. (center), and  Samuel Pellerito (right) have diligently studied for years to reach this point. After five years of discernment, including supervised pastoral field ministry formation, they’ve reached their goal of being ordained to the diaconate and will be assigned to diaconal ministry in a parish, health care or educational setting, or prison ministry. In addition to their church responsibilities, these deacons will maintain their secular jobs.