Newsletter April 25, 2026

• SOBC News – Three Assessment Appeals have received Dicastery responses in the past several days.  In each case the Dicastery issued a decree revoking the assessment decree issued by the Bishop and ordered the return to the Parish of any money already transferred.  The SOBC organization and the St. Joseph Foundation take these as very positive moves by the Dicastery and for all Parishes that appealed their assessment, since all appeals were done with similar language.  We have not received a reply from the Dicastery, but expect one any day.   The locations and amounts are:

  • Infant of Prague, Cheektowaga - $599,000

  • Ascension, Batavia - $1,000,000+

  • St. Timothy, Tonawanda - $5,200,000

The assessment decrees from the Dicastery will likely have a major impact on the Bankruptcy Settlement since approximately $80,000,000 dollars of the settlement was to come from Parish assessments.

• Our Watchlist meeting was held at St. John’s on April 15^th.   Attendees from the Diocese were Father Bryan Zielenieski (Road to Renewal  leader), Father Dennis Mancuso (Vicar Forane).  St. John’s/EMCC  was represented by Father David, Father John, Kim Palmer (EMCC Finance Director), Katie Barber (EMCC Office Manager), Dan Butler (St. John’s Trustee), John Whelpley (St. John’s Parish Finance Council), Dennis Pezzimenti (St. John’s Parish Finance Council), John Baglione (St. John’s Parish Council), Dan Hinz (Procurator).  The meeting was for information sharing and was begun by our team stating St. John’s remains a Parish and not a Secondary Worship Site as we continue through the recourse process.  It was said that since the return of Father David and Father John, the process of the family unit has greatly improved.  Outreach programs such as our Bereavement Committee (now back operating and available), Hospitality, Eucharistic Ministry to the homebound/hospitals/care facilities, Young Adult, Family Rosary, etc were listed. Financial information was shared (the same information has been provided at the entrances to the Church), Envelope provider Cathedral Press was discussed as they have failed here and throughout the Diocese and country.  Father David and the EMCC team are working on a solution.  Sacramental activity was shared, Our support for Southern Tier Catholic was shared (a separate document was provided showing the positive growth at the school), the return of our Festival was discussed, Mass attendance was discussed although actual Mass attendance data was not available as it was disclosed that the counts submitted weekly haven’t been located.  Overall, the meeting was business-like and provided Father Bryan updates on the status of our Parish.  Father Bryan did not discuss closing, focusing on our health now and if we are to be a Secondary Worship Site (no longer a Parish) should the merger go forward.  Father Bryan received firm, professional feedback regarding the past comments from diocesan leadership regarding the intent to close St. John’s.  

• CRCF – The fund advisors (Mike Kelley and Larry Pavlock) have approved the first grant from our new fund.  It is to cover the cost of printing our Festa raffle tickets ($312).  The plan for the proceeds from Festa this year is to restrict the use of the money for St. John’s properties only.  This allows the CRCF funds to be used within the guidelines of the account.  The account as of this Newsletter has a balance of $17,662.  April has seen the highest number of donors and the most money contributed in any month since the fund was started.

• Please continue to pray for the abuse victims in our Diocese.  They have endured over 6 years of this case going through bankruptcy, and there is no clear end in sight.  Please also continue to pray for Father David and Father John as they lead us and unite us as a family.

Thanks – Happy Spring