VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis sought the intercession of the first Indigenous saint of the Americas as COVID-19 continued to devastate many Latin American countries. While greeting Spanish-speaking faithful during his weekly general audience Dec. 9, the pope marked the feast day of St. Juan Diego, “whom Our Lady of Guadalupe chose as her […]
Sister Mary Presentia Stawicki died peacefully on Nov. 25, 2020, in the 89th year of life and the 71st year of religious life. Sophia Stawicki was born on May 16, 1931, in Medina to Felix and Hedwig (nee Ciosek) Stawicki. On Jan. 5, 1948, she entered the convent as a postulant and professed her final […]
Sister Anne Lehner, who fled communist attacks in her native Hungary and later rose to general moderator of her order, died Nov. 19, 2020. Sister Anne was born to Elizabeth Schandl and Alajos Lehner in Romand, a village in Hungary on Jan. 14, 1924. Her mother died in 1927, leaving Anne and her sisters half-orphaned. […]
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Marking the 150th anniversary of St. Joseph being declared patron of the universal church, Pope Francis proclaimed a yearlong celebration dedicated to the foster father of Jesus. In a Dec. 8 apostolic letter, “Patris Corde” (“With a father’s heart”), the pope said Christians can discover in St. Joseph, who often goes […]
Pope Francis started feast of the Immaculate Conception early this morning with outing that began with praying at a Marian statue at the Spanish Steps. Followed by Mass in the Chapel of the Nativity Scene at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome and praying in front of the Marian icon “Salus Populi Romani” […]
On Sunday, Dec. 6, the family of Michael Mombrea gathered for their patriarch’s 100th birthday. The Buffalo resident can best be described as a man of faith, whose only goal is to make people happy. He credits a very spiritual experience he had in 1973 for making him that way. It’s a long story, so […]
Bishop Edward Scharfenberger, apostolic administrator for the Diocese of Buffalo, has made the following appointments. Father Lawrence Damian has retired as pastor of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish effective Dec. 5. Father David I. Richards, pastor of Our Lady of Pompeii Parish in Lancaster, has accepted the additional responsibility of serving as temporary parish […]
Mercy Hospital announced that it has become the first acute care hospital in the Buffalo region to join a nationwide movement, called the Age-Friendly Health Systems (AFHS) initiative, to improve health care for older adults. As part of the AFHS initiative, the John A. Hartford Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, in partnership with the American […]
Bishop Michael W. Fisher has six weeks before his installation as the 15th bishop of Buffalo, and he can’t wait to get here. Already he is making calls to get to know the people he will work with and get a feel for his new home. The first call went to Father Peter Karalus, vicar […]
Sister Mary Michele Mazur, 92, a Felician Sister for 70 years, died in Harris Hill Nursing Facility, Williamsville, Nov. 28, 2020. The former Adele Mazur was born on July 29, 1928, in Rochester. She entered the Buffalo Province of the Felician Sisters on Sept. 15, 1950, and professed perpetual vows on Aug. 14, 1958. She […]
