The new May Edition of the Western New York Catholic newspaper is now available online. In addition, check out the regular monthly photo gallery showing the sights of the Diocese of Buffalo

The beatification of Pope John Paul II has brought back a flood of memories for several people in the Diocese of Buffalo who have met the man credited with toppling communism in Eastern Europe, improving relationships with the Jewish community and standing firm in Church teaching amid a changing culture.

Those simple words, “be not afraid,” launched the papacy of Blessed John Paul II, beatified at the Vatican on May 1 by his successor, Pope Benedict XVI.

Pope John Paul II’s humor, as I experienced it, tended toward the ironic: not in the post-modern sense, in which irony is the short road to cynicism, but in the more venerable sense of irony as a recognition that we’re not in charge of our own lives, and that we play the fool if we try to control everything.

Personal stories of the newly Blessed John Paul II are the focus of May’s “Matters of Faith,” as host Kevin A. Keenan welcomes guests who knew the previous pontiff personally, as well as those whose lives he has impacted from afar.

As mental illness is a condition that impacts one out of four families, addressing those issues is a growing concern in the United States. It’s one in which a special fellowship at St. Joseph University Church in Buffalo hopes to address with an event at 7 p.m. Monday, May 16.

With these words Pope John Paul II acknowledged that the circle of life in today’s society is in disruption, and in order to care for creation in the way God intended, people must concentrate on environmental sustainability. Pope John Paul II said that the conversion of lifestyles is what the Catholic Church wants.
 

Many people are making their way to the beatification of Pope John Paul II on May 1. Pope John Paul II was a true missionary. During his pontifical years, he made over 100 trips around the world to meet and reach out to people of all cultures, languages and nations. He knew how to approach each person regardless of age, social condition or religion. It did not matter if they were poor or rich, he reached out to all with so much love and affection.

On a rainy day in March a van full of students from the Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart set out to put some sunshine into the lives of a family that has weathered its share of storms. As part of a schoolwide effort, the girls furnished an apartment for a family of Burmese refugees.

Looking back at 50 years of ministry, Brother Joseph Radice, FSC, has found being a part of the religious life has opened up a world of experiences for him.  From entering high school to meeting the president of the United States, his faith and relationship with the Christian Brothers proved to be door openers. In his autobiography, “Ticket to Heaven,” Brother Joseph recalls some of the ups and downs he has experienced in his 68 years.