Sister Carleen Marie Stengel, OSF, a lifelong teacher and Franciscan Sister of the Neumann Communities embraced death in the early hours of Sunday, Aug. 28, 2022. She was 83 years old and had been a Sister of St. Francis for almost 65 years. Born Anna Stengel June 30, 1938, in Buffalo, the youngest and only […]
SWORMVILLE —The horse drawn carriages are long gone but St. Mary Parish in Swormville has held a summer picnic for the community since its inception in 1849. St. Mary’s 173rd annual parish picnic is now a picnic weekend. The fun begins with the 11th annual Chowder Chase 5K Run/3K Walk at 7 p.m. on Saturday, […]
SWORMVILLE — St. Mary Church hosted a Corpus Christi procession on Sunday June 19 in collaboration with their Northtowns Family of Parishes which includes St. Teresa of Avila in Akron, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Harris Hill, Our Lady of Peace in Clarence, and St. Mary’s. Father Luke Uebler, parochial vicar at St. […]
LANCASTER — Glenn Olejniczak has been named principal of St. Mary’s Elementary School. Olejniczak has 15 years of experience in education. He has taught many subjects including English, religion, social studies and Spanish. He also brings experience as an assistant principal and principal. Olejniczak has been serving as interim principal at St. Mary’s Elementary since […]
Father Gary R. Kibler, who had served throughout the Diocese of Buffalo, died Dec. 9, 2021, at the age of 76. Born Aug. 16, 1945, in Buffalo to Roy and Lorraine Kibler, Father Kibler attended Blessed Trinity School in Buffalo, Mother of Divine Grace School in Cheektowaga, and the Diocesan Preparatory Seminary in Buffalo. He […]
Educator, administrator and advocate for justice and the poor, Sister Beatrice Leising passed away Nov. 18, 2021. Sister Beatrice, also known in religious life as Sister Jean Elizabeth, entered the Sisters of St. Francis on Sept. 8, 1963, and made final profession on July 3, 1971. Sister Bea and her twin sister, Elizabeth, were born […]
LANCASTER — Kaitlin Scirri of Depew has been named Communications and Faith Formation coordinator at St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, effective Dec. 1. Scirri has been working as an administrative assistant in the parish’s Faith Formation office since fall 2020. In this role, she works behind the scenes to keep multiple faith formation and […]
Father Ryan Keating receives an honorary chalice from John Stockman, faithful navigator of the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus. (Photo courtesy of St. Mary Parish, Swormville) SWORMVILLE — Father Ryan Keating, newly ordained in June and assigned to St. Mary Parish in July, received an honorary chalice by the Fourth Degree Assembly of the Knights […]
LANCASTER — Becky Hoag of Bowmansville has been named director of Faith Formation at St. Mary of the Assumption Parish. Her appointment was effective July 1. Hoag is also director of Faith Formation at Our Lady of Pompeii Parish, Lancaster. She has been middle school religion teacher, campus minister and coordinator of the STREAM (science, […]
Father Richard J. Cilano, who came to the priesthood after 30 years of marriage, died June 30, 2021. He was 75 years old. Born Sept. 26, 1945, to Alphonse and Louise (Gombetto) Cilano in Rochester. He attended St. Andrew School and St. Bernard Seminary & College in Rochester where he earned a bachelor’s in Philosophy […]
