BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — In September 2024, the Diocese of Buffalo announced that churches would be closed or merged as part of its "Road to Renewal" and its Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring process.
The diocese declared bankruptcy in 2020 as it faced hundreds of sex abuse lawsuits, and in April, the diocese announced it reached a $150 million settlement with more than 800 survivors of sexual abuse. The diocese said the settlement would be paid through unrestricted funds of the diocese and individual parishes, as well as contributions from members of Catholic affiliates.
In June, parishes learned how much they're being asked to pay towards the settlement. The contribution percentages range from 10 to 80 percent of each parish’s unrestricted cash and investments, with the highest percentage applied to parishes scheduled to be closed or merged.
Now, in addition to fighting for their churches to stay open, some parishioners are calling on the diocese to return funds provided toward the proposed $150 million settlement.
WATCH: Parishioners continue to fight against Diocese of Buffalo to keep churches open
“It's very distressing when they received a direct order from the Vatican, and then they disobeyed it,” said Craig Speers, a parishioner at St. Michael’s Church in Buffalo.
Speers won't give up his fight to keep St. Michael’s open.
Earlier this year, the Vatican suspended the closure and merger of St. Michael's with St. Louis Church, saying it would review his appeal.
Now, Speers sent a lengthy letter to Bishop Fisher demanding he return $2.4 million the parish sent to the diocese as its contribution toward the proposed settlement that he said was removed “without permission from parishioners.”
"This money is restricted funds given to the Jesuit mission by families since 1850 when the Jesuit mission was first established here under the order from Bishop John Timon,” Speers explained.
“So, you're saying those should have never been touched?" I asked.
“They should never have been touched,” responded Speers.
But the diocese told me those funds, self-reported by St. Michael’s, are “unrestricted” and issued this statement:
"The funds that St. Michael's parish self-reported as unrestricted, subject to an allocation percentage, were transferred into an investment vehicle in their name to allow the parish to meet its CVA obligation and obtain a release through a Catholic Family wide 'channeling injunction' whereby they are granted relief from current claims and certain protections against future litigation related to claims under the Child Victims' Act. We expect this release to be obtained in early 2026."
Speers also told me the diocese is violating a suspension order by the Vatican by not printing a bulletin and letting the faithful know that it can still conduct marriages and baptisms.
“It is egregious because they've deliberately removed the fact that marriages and baptisms are available here at St. Michael’s,” Speers said.
The closing of St. Jude in North Tonawanda, which already shut down in May and merged with St. Christopher's, has also been suspended.
"We were sitting in Mass, my husband and I, in April, and just looked at each other like, this isn't right,” said Victoria Vanill, a parishioner at St. Jude’s.
Vanill sent the appeal well past the allotted time for recourse, but last week received letters from the Vatican accepting her appeal for review.
"I received a letter last week," Vanill said. "There were two letters in my package from the Vatican. The first one saying — they've accepted and they're going to look at my request. The second – that they accepted my request to look at it, and they've suspended the closing. All things are possible with God, and the diocese wants young people. They want young people in the church, and guess what? I’m 25. You want young people, that's fine. I’ll appeal your decree, that's fine.”
It is unclear if the diocese will reopen the church.
"The Diocese will respond in due course after further consultation with leadership within the Renewal office, parish leaders, as well as the Dicastery for the Clergy that is reviewing this matter," stated the Buffalo Diocese.
