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St. Benedict’s Church has had an impact in my life from growing up in the church, getting married and now raising my 2 boys in the catholic faith. Both of my boys attend St. Benedict School as did I. The church remaining open plays an integral part in their Catholic upbringing. I treasure the moments of the drummer boy mass when all of the students are participating, To my boys receiving the sacraments in the church. My oldest has received first penance and first communion, and I would love for my youngest to also do that. We are a huge community with the church and school together. I pray that it remains that way.
My wife and I both grew up in WNY but were out of town in Philadelphia and Denver when our kids were born. We wanted to move home to raise them in Buffalo with our family and friends. Our time away gave us the perspective of how unique the generational roots of Buffalo are. Today I get to walk to Church and School with my kids. I see friends that I grew up with attending Church with their families and dropping their kids off at school. I am so thankful of starting my days this way – even when it’s freezing in the middle of winter. There are so few places in America that still have this. We need to preserve the important link between our Church and School.
My sister and her family are parishioners at St. Ben’s, where their boys attend school. Just over one month ago, we traveled from Virginia to Amherst to witness my nephew’s reception of his First Eucharist. When I heard about the Diocese’s plan, my first reaction was sadness at the thought that the beautiful church in which my nephew had received his sacraments would no longer be available to him. My second thought was that it just doesn’t make sense to close a church that boasts a thriving school. Keep St. Benedict Parish- church and school together- open!
My son has attended St. Bens since Pre-K, and he is now going into 7th grade. My youngest just finished his first year of Pre-K there. The parish is a huge part of why I trust the intellectual and moral development of my two boys to St. Bens. The church is synonymous with the school and I find it disheartening that the diocese does not recognize that the dramatic success of our school is directly tied to efforts and work of our parish. At a time when most metrics of the church are falling, the youth of St. Ben’s school and parish are the growth, now and for years to come!
After a year in Spain we moved to Buffalo and St. Benedict’s Chruch made Buffalo feel like home. Our youngest was baptized there and our 2nd grader made his first confession this year, he also participates in Children’s Choir and the Christmas Pageant. We live in Williamsville and have access to a great public elementary school but we picked SBS specifically because of the connection to St. Benedict’s Church. It was fundamentally important to us that our children receive a complete Catholic Education. The relationship between the church and school is of great significance. I pray that the church stays open and our children continue to grow up in this amazing church community.
When we moved here it was the beautiful church that led us to the school because of the welcoming community. We hope to have the same wonderful experience for our second child (who just finished PK3) and believe that it’s essential to integrate all generations together.
I welcome the opportunity to hear from Father David on Sunday and hope he responds to my concerns about the local process that he has started. I have repeatedly reached out to Father, Trustees and committee members on my issues with the internal process without getting answers.
The fine work and many hours of our Parishioners who have and continue to work on these committees could be for naught – I hope I am wrong.
Father David has tasked the study group with ONLY recommending back to the Diocese that four Parishes stay open. That result makes it far too easy for the Diocese to say – “we said three are closing so therefore, the original recommendation stands – close Saint Benedict”.
If Father David insists on sending a response with four Parishes, they should be ranked in order of staying open and Saint Benedict should be clearly identified as number one to stay open.
As the administrative assistant at St. Ben’s, I have first hand experience with the many dedicated parishioners, teachers, and just random people who visit the rectory. Along with helping to facilitate the money matters, I can tell you this is a very vibrant parish and school – filled with MANY who are very concerned with the future of St. Benedict Parish. I have registered multiple new families this year with 5 more on my desk. There are also couples that would love to get married here next year but are reluctant to schedule a date. I also believe this church is an anchor to keeping this corner of Amherst alive, safe and well!
The commitment to building a solid education for the children and helping to mold a value system can’t have a monetary value placed upon it. To even entertain a possible closing or sale of the property discounts all the passion and commitment everyone has made to make St. Benedict’s the experience it is today for inspiring young minds.
I was born and raised in Buffalo, growing up in the city I attended Saint Elizabeth’s of Hungary. Being an alter boy and going to church every Sunday, while attending catholic grades schools was a corner stone of my formation. The few times I attended mass at St. Benedicts in my youth I was always enamored at all the families and welcoming nature of the parish. Many of my best friends went to grade school there and now all over our children attend together.
I moved back to Buffalo NY in 2013 and looked for a parish to join. Joining Saint Benedict’s seemed natural. It was a vibrant parish and growing school. I have not regretted my decision. The community at the church and school have been welcoming and warm and gives us the faith community we were always looking for.
My oldest daughter just finished first grade and my youngest finished Pre K 3. There is not a morning that goes by where they are not excited to go to school, see their friends and their teachers. I could have very easily sent both to Smallwood, but I saw sending my kids here as not only an investment into their intellectual formation but also their faith and moral formation. Seeing my kids grow spiritually and intellectually has been incredible and this could not have happened without our Parish and School.
Saint Benedict’s Parish, together with its school should be one of corner stones in rebuilding the Catholic faith in Buffalo. By closing the Parish I fear that you are pushing away future generations that will be key to the restoration and rebuilding of our faith community in Western New York.
My children attend public school so it was of great importance to me that we had a church where it was more than just attending mass on Sunday. We have found that and so much more through St. Benedict Church. We have been to many Catholic Churches both locally and out of state and none of them have the same feeling of home as St. Bens. Without St. Bens there will be a huge hole left in the community, not only spiritually, but socially as well.
Closing a church tied to a school that is thriving will only hurt the school in the long run. Parents want a Catholic education chose and choose St Ben’s for that reason. Closing the church can and will change those views and ultimately lead to parents not choosing or leaving St Ben’s and therefore not getting the private Catholic high expectation education that St Ben’s strives for. We want more people attending mass and belonging to church to the fullest but how can we do that if we take it away? I grew up at Our Lady of Victory school and therefore church, prior to I went to Holy Family; they closed we did not go to the church we went full force to OLV. Holy Family is no longer, it’s a combination of multiple churches. OLV is still flourishing in both areas because both are open. I do not want what happened to Holy Family to happen to St Ben’s no matter how far in the future it would take to happen. Catholic Schools-Catholic Churches are a partnership to a Catholic upbringing for the future
My twenty plus years of experience in Catholic Education, thirteen of them in administration, has provided me first-hand knowledge of school and parish dynamics. The partnership between school and parish is an essential building block for community engagement. St. Benedict School and parish have a symbiotic relationship, mutually beneficial to each other. Taking away the parish is a determent to the school and vice versa. The school and parish share volunteers, resources, and community support. The school children enrich the life of the parish. The congregation deepens the church’s mission through their partnership with the school. As past principal of St. Benedict School, I made it my mission for St. Benedict School to increase the enrollment and to thrive during and after the pandemic. The school continues this trajectory with 450 students enrolled for the upcoming school year. The amazing benefits of a parish-school partnership make it imperative to keep St. Benedict Church open!
Hi, my name is Jacob Lanning. I’m a an usher at 8 AM mass at Saint Benedict from the day. I started going to Saint Benedict and that was right after. decan Dan passed away. He was a role model to me and for the product, but Andrew Pitsi brought me under his wing this church to share my faith and love and bring and got my Hope back up sharing with the community and be the best person I can be become a better person since entering Saint Benedict family and having a disability is hard, but Jesus led me here for a reason to bring the love and clarity to the world that Saint Benedict is amazing we are family and this is one of the most welcoming places I’ve ever been in. It’s called My Home and many others too. I’ve seen friends get married. I’ve seen people get baptized but my biggest thing is a diversity that we have at Saint Benedict‘s, strives to be the best in United States in my opinion the world I don’t know about the world, but I know for this alone we are the best smiles. Everyone brings sept me for who I am what I am give me the strength hope and love for this community I will fight with Love and I will protest with love to keep this home. Open the only way we can keep this open to bring the love of the community together another bring a friend bring a coworker that’s suffering from depression or anxiety bring a family member who is not part of this church , but we welcome them. We welcome everyone young and old. With heaven and earth, Jesus is with us he is the Lamb of God He will bring his people closer than ever most of all, though the children that are in Saint Benedict school and faith formation is a huge number for the spices and if you take out everyone spiritually these children that go to mass at school, gonna be losing a lot more than just a couple parishioner so you’re gonna lose generation of life The cycle of life, but we have to stay together be one united as like the holy Trinity what Jesus did was the whole name the father, the son the Holy Spirit we say it every mass every prayer. we strive to be the best who we can be in Saint Benedix is my home. It’s my sanctuary a place where I feel safe a place of diversity and a place that equals the world to a Better Pl., Jesus is our leader and we are his disciples, brothers and sisters, strive to overcome the challenge put your mind where love and peace can bring to this earth and let’s bring Saint bandit higher up. our church has been open for over 100 some years the amount of people that I’ve seen over just my years being here is a success of life, and we strive to be the best that we can be, and Jesus will guide us with the Holy Spirit upon us believe in his name let’s come together as a family and preach with each other. The sign of love sincerely Jacob, Lanning, and usher at 8 AM mass a parishioner of Saint Benedict.
My husband and I visited a few parishes in Snyder, and chose St. Ben’s because of the vibrancy of the parish, welcoming family atmosphere, and younger families that attend mass. Our daughters started in PreK3 at St. Ben’s and are now in 5th and 1st grade. The connection between the school and its parish is critical for the success of both. It’s impossible for me to understand how anyone can recommend a financially strong church, which supports educating the future of our church and has been serving the community for over 100 years, is recommended to close.
St. Benedict Parish, & it’s beautiful, historic church, should remain open. There are many supporters & alumni, who think it makes no sense to close this beautiful church. The church & school go hand-in-hand in forming the Catholic faith community.This decision tears that apart. Why would the diocese choose this?!? You are asking families to split living their faith by sending their children to a school without a parish, and going to a parish without a school. The whole faith community is meant to guide and teach our children in the faith so that they may lead the charge in the future and maintain their faith community. That is what St. Benedict Parish has done for many, many years. It should continue as it is, with both school and parish intact. Merge St. Leo’s into St. Benedict. You already closed their school, tore it down, and sold that property. St. Benedict Parish would warmly welcome them.
I was a student at St. Benedict many years ago when Monsignor Tobin was Pastor. I know how important the Church was as part of my Catholic education and how important it was to my family as parishioners. The school needs the Church for the students to have a well rounded Catholic education!.
My brother and I went to school at St. Benedict’s from kindergarten to 8th grade back in the 1950s. I sang in the choir when the Mass was still in Latin. Our family was involved in many programs in the church. I got married at St. Benedict’s in 1965. This church was, and is, an integral part of the community and always will be.
As a graduate of St Benedict’s school, I can say that the Influence of St Benedict parish in my life has been immeasurable. Yet even beginning as a child, I was puzzled that Roman Catholic priests or nuns couldn’t marry, and why women were barred from serving in the same capacity as men.
There’s an old saying in industry that most people waste a lot of time solving results, rather than causes. Fixing low attendance and contributions by consolidating is solving a result, and will only further degrade the position of the diocese. It’s been clear for a long time that allowing priests to marry and allowing women to serve as priests would revitalize the church and bring more parishioners. This should be done as quickly as possible. Maybe the diocese of Buffalo could petition the Vatican to serve as a test site for this concept, and prove the impact of these changes. It’s time to get moving.
Our children have been attending St. Benedict’s since pre-k. They are now entering 1st and 3rd grades. Coming from Kenmore, we had a handful of Catholic schools closer to our home. But after touring St. Benedict’s we knew we wanted to be part of this amazing parish and catholic community. The church and school are a thriving entity. Removing the parish church from the school is not a means to rebuilding the faith community. Please keep St. Benedicts church open. Let our children continue to grow and deepen their faith, receive their sacraments, attend school man and be part of a thriving community. It’s critical for the success of both.
I personally knew Monsignor Tobin and attended St. Benedict’s from K to 8th grade (65′-75′).
I received every sacrament from Baptism to Marriage (1987).
St. Benedict’s is a great part of the Eggertsville community. Catholic education brings many great qualities to the area. It is a beautiful landmark that should be preserved.