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Parishioners hold vigil as Western New York churches face closure

Parishioners hold vigil as Western New York churches face closure
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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — As churches across Western New York face potential closure or consolidation, some parishioners are taking their concerns to the Vatican.

More than a dozen churches have written letters appealing for intervention.

Save Our Buffalo Churches held a prayer vigil Friday night outside St. Stanislaus Church in Buffalo. The vigil focused on praying for the Diocese of Buffalo and urging leaders to reconsider the "Road to Renewal."

"We feel that the church has been operating in too corporate a vein for too many decades," Liz Zilbauer, president of Save Our Buffalo Churches, said. "They're going out of a corporate playbook here with the Road to Renewal. Because we're a church, it has to follow Canon Law, so we want there to be a closer adherence to Canon Law."

Zilbauer said that even if your parish has already closed through the "Road to Renewal" process, and you want to get involved in their mission, those interested can do so by going to SaveOurBuffaloChurches.com.