22nd annual Diocesan Art Show
4/23/2012 8:43:46 AM by Kevin Keenan

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Disciples called to witness: the new evangelization
4/16/2012 2:22:55 PM by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

WASHINGTON—The U.S. bishops want to provide an opportunity for all Catholics to deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ, according to a new document from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Disciples Called to Witness: The New Evangelization focuses on reaching out to Catholics, practicing or not, who have lost a sense of the faith in an effort to re-energize them.

“Every Catholic has a role in the Church, and every Catholic is called to spread the Gospel,” said Bishop David L. Ricken of Green Bay, Wisconsin, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis. “But in order to evangelize, a person must first be evangelized. This is really the heart of the New Evangelization.”

The document examines what the New Evangelization is, its focus, its importance for the Church and how dioceses and parishes can promote it.

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"This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad!"
4/8/2012 12:00:00 AM by Bishop Edward U. Kmiec

My Dear Friends in Christ,

With our Lenten journey near its conclusion, we turn our focus from fasting, abstinence and almsgiving, to Christ’s suffering on the cross for us, His resurrection and the promise of eternal life.

During Holy Week, as we trace Christ’s steps in His painful passion, we give thanks for the selfless sacrifice He made for all of us. Christ’s words on the cross, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit,” serve as a reminder that God’s only son gave His life so we could live.

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Catholic Charities appeal reaches 70 percent of $10.6 million goal
3/27/2012 12:34:46 PM by Rose Caldwell

Volunteers and supporters gathered today with Bishop Edward U. Kmiec, bishop of the Diocese of Buffalo, and the Catholic Charities of Buffalo Appeal leadership team to hear the progress of the Appeal to date and celebrate Appeal Week 2012. At the same time, Catholic Charities officials surprised Bishop Kmiec by announcing the re-naming of the former South Buffalo Food Pantry and Outreach, the site of the morning event, in honor of the bishop.

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Rallying for religious freedom
3/23/2012 2:26:12 PM by Kevin Keenan

With the U.S. Constitution as a backdrop, more than 1,000 people converged in front of the United States Courthouse in downtown Buffalo to stand up for religious freedom and oppose the federal government's HHS mandate which would force religious organizations, including the Catholic Church, to pay for employee insurance coverage that includes abortion-incuding drugs, contraception and sterilization.

The constitution is etched on the glass of the new courthouse, which served as the backdrop for the Friday afternoon rally.

Cheryl Claire, director of Pro-Life Activities for the diocese, read a statement on behalf of Bishop Edward U. Kmiec.  "This debate is about religious freedom, not access to contraception," the statement said. "It is nog government's role to determine if Catholic or any othe faith-based ministries are 'religious enough' to qualify for religious freedom protection.

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Bishops vow continued vigorous efforts against HHS mandate
3/14/2012 5:03:19 PM by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

WASHINGTON—The U.S. bishops are strongly united in their ongoing and determined efforts to protect religious freedom, the Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops(USCCB) said in a March 14 statement.

The Administrative Committee, chaired by Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, president of the USCCB, is the highest authority of the bishops’ conference outside the semi-annual sessions of the full body of bishops. The Committee’s membership consists of the elected chairmen of all the USCCB permanent committees and an elected bishop representative from each of the geographic regions of the USCCB. 

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Bishop Kmiec, other NY bishops, to meet with Governor Cuomo
3/9/2012 12:57:57 PM by New York State Catholic Conference

Timothy Cardinal Dolan, archbishop of New York, Bishop Edward U. Kmiec and their brother bishops of New York state will meet with Governor Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders at the state Capitol in Albany on Monday, March 12. It will be Cardinal Dolan’s first visit to Albany since the February 18 consistory in Rome at which he was elevated to the College of Cardinals by Pope Benedict XVI.

The meeting with Governor Cuomo will be at 11 a.m. in the Red Room on the second floor of the Capitol. At noon, Cardinal Dolan will hold a media availability in the press room on the third floor of the Capitol off of the Senate Lobby. He and the Bishops will meet with Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos at 12:45 p.m. and Speaker Sheldon Silver at 1:45 p.m. 

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Cardinal Dolan voices dismay as religious freedom talks stall
3/3/2012 7:39:06 AM by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

WASHINGTON—Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York voiced dismay in the Administration’s handling of the church as the White House and the church seek to work out religious freedom problems found in a mandate in the new health care reform bill.

The mandate drew church ire when it required that all employers, including religious ones, pay for contraceptives – including abortifacients – and sterilization for employees despite church teaching against them.

He also promised to provide educational materials to parishes and to pursue legislative and judicial efforts to restore respect for religious freedom in the nation.

The letter can be found at http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/upload/Dolan-to-all-bishops-HHS.pdf 
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"40 days to reflect on our lives"
2/22/2012 1:38:29 PM by Kevin Keenan

Using the analagy of building a house, Bishop Edward U. Kmiec posed a series of questions to a filled St. Joseph Cathedral on Ash Wednesday, as the church goers prepared to embark on their Lenten journey.

"What are we doing with the materials God has sent us?  Are we using them as He intended?  Or are we trading them off for some cheap substitute?"

Bishop Kmiec continued, "These days give us a time to look over what we have done, to repair what is broken and to resolve to do a better  job going forward."

Listen to Bishop Kmiec's Ash Wednesday homily

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Journey to the foot of the Cross
2/21/2012 4:35:51 PM by Bishop David L. Ricken

Bishop David L. Ricken of Green Bay, Wisconsin, chairman of the Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), offers “10 Things to Remember for Lent” as the Church prepares to begin the season with Ash Wednesday on February 22:

1. Remember the formula. The Church does a good job capturing certain truths with easy-to-remember lists and formulas: 10 Commandments, 7 sacraments, 3 persons in the Trinity. For Lent, the Church gives us almost a slogan—Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving—as the three things we need to work on during the season.

2. It’s a time of prayer. Lent is essentially an act of prayer spread out over 40 days. As we pray, we go on a journey, one that hopefully brings us closer to Christ and leaves us changed by the encounter with him. 

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