St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Dunkirk will remain open as a secondary worship site.

By M.J. STAFFORD

mstafford@observertoday.com

The Buffalo Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church announced Tuesday it is closing 11 churches in Chautauqua County.

Ss. Peter and Paul in Jamestown, St. Hyacinth and St. Hedwig in Dunkirk, and St. Anthony and St. Joseph in Fredonia are among the churches closing, in the latest curve of the diocese’s “Road to Renewal.”

St. Anthony and St. Hyacinth are to remain open through Feb. 15, 2026. Closure dates for the other churches will occur sometime between October and June 2025.

The other churches closing are Our Lady of Lourdes in Falconer; the Forestville church of Silver Creek’s Our Lady of Mount Carmel; Sacred Heart of Lakewood’s worship site in Panama; St. James of Jamestown’s space in Frewsburg; St. Dominic of Westfield’s Brocton church; and the Sherman center of Christ Our Hope of French Creek.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton of Dunkirk was designated a secondary worship site. According to the diocese, that was a change from the initial recommendations made by diocesan officials. St. John’s in Jamestown is also a secondary worship site, as are St. Mary of Lourdes in Bemus Point, and St. Anthony and St. Hyacinth until they close.

A secondary worship site is not a fully functioning parish or church, but can be used on a limited basis by the local parish that does remain.

The following churches remain open: St. James, Holy Trinity in Dunkirk, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Sacred Heart, St. Dominic, St. Patrick of Randolph, Christ Our Hope and St. Joseph of Gowanda.

The Buffalo Diocese cut its total number of parishes by 51% on Tuesday. The amount of available sites for worship went down by 40%.

Some parishes will be on a “watch list” for future closures, it was noted at the diocese’s press conference Tuesday.

Bishop Michael Fisher opened his remarks with a prayer, and a promise that the closures would create a “stronger, more connected and mutually dependent Catholic community.”

Fisher attempted to curry favor with the people gathered to hear him, saying he was “Grateful for the considerable attention you, as the local news media, have devoted to this protracted and very difficult process, which began well before I arrived.” He called the “Road to Renewal” his “constant preoccupation” since taking over as the diocese bishop in 2021.

“Know that these (decisions) were not easy to make,” Fisher said. The dioceses had to “respond to realities that we face which require us to rely on one another and ultimately our source of faith, the Lord Himself.”

Fisher noted that other Catholic dioceses in the nation and world have had to deal with declines in church attendance and priests, and a rise in secularism. He pointed out the “horrendous toll” of the local, national and international scandal surrounding priests’ sexual abuse of children.

“To fulfill needs, we must face these realities squarely without any illusion or false expectations that we have some kind of divine rescue plan,” Fisher said.

At one point, Fisher referred to himself “as shepherd of this diocese” but quickly stopped himself and said “our diocese” twice, tapping his heart with his hand. “My personal goal has and continues to be renewal of the Catholic faith in this part of the world,” Fisher continued.

He added, “We propose… a new way of defining the Catholic Church in Western New York, a new way of defining parish boundaries, and a new way of considering how best to be that true family of faith, constantly seeking renewal, forming our youth to understand and have a zeal for our call to holiness, and better able to serve the lives and souls of all of those who depend on us.”

After a few more remarks, he concluded, “We’re in this together. God bless you.”

Churchgoers will get to hear from Fisher himself this weekend. He is recording a message about the closures, to be played at all Masses.

There is also a Sept. 17 meeting set in Buffalo where priests and local lay leaders are supposed to relay feedback and concerns to diocese officials.