The Vatican’s Dicastery for Clergy has overturned several parish closure orders issued by Bishop Michael Fisher in the Diocese of Buffalo, New York. Save Our Buffalo Churches announced the Vatican revoked the closures of Our Lady of Peace Parish and Holy Apostles Parish, and will examine the diocese's appropriation of their assets for the bankruptcy settlement. The bishop also revoked the merger of Our Lady of Bistrica Parish due to a discovered 'procedural error' in the original decree. These favorable rulings follow over a year of advocacy by parish groups attempting to stop the closures outlined in the diocese's 'Road to Renewal' plan. New York Supreme Court previously halted parish payments toward the abuse settlement fund but later allowed them to proceed, citing limitations on court involvement in church governance.
6 days ago
The Vatican's Dicastery for Clergy has overturned closures for several parishes in the Diocese of Buffalo, New York, countering Bishop Michael Fisher's orders under the "Road to Renewal" plan.1 2
Advocacy group Save Our Buffalo Churches announced on December 8 that three parishes have had their closures revoked since November, with a fourth receiving a temporary diocesan reprieve.1 2
Closures and mergers for Our Lady of Peace Parish and Holy Apostles Parish were revoked by the dicastery.1 2
The Vatican will also review asset appropriations imposed by the diocese on these parishes, intended to fund the ongoing bankruptcy settlement for clergy abuse victims.1 2
Bishop Fisher directly revoked the merger of Our Lady of Bistrica Parish due to a procedural error in the decree, promising a new one soon.1 2
In November, the Holy See similarly allowed Saint Bernadette Church in Orchard Park to remain open, blocking its merger with Saints Peter & Paul Church in Hamburg.1 2
These rulings follow over a year of persistent advocacy by parishioners to prevent closures and mergers.1 2
In November, Save Our Buffalo Churches petitioned the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, alongside other groups, for financial support in preservation and pension efforts.1 2
Group leader Mary Pruski stated the initiative would foster "peace and healing" across New York state.1 2
The dispute escalated to the New York Supreme Court, which halted parish payments to the abuse settlement fund in July amid objections, but allowed them to proceed in September.1 2
The court cited a prohibition on judicial interference in hierarchical church governance.1 2
In November, Bishop Fisher revoked a 2024 decree banning parishioners from using church spaces to organize against mergers, following October meetings with Vatican officials.1 2
Fisher acknowledged the policy overly restricted the faithful's rights.1 2
Such Vatican interventions echo successful appeals in other U.S. dioceses, including Maryland, Missouri, and Wisconsin.1 2
Bishops nationwide pursue closures and mergers due to declining attendance and high maintenance costs for aging structures.1 2
Advocates continue pushing back, highlighting tensions between local renewal plans and canonical rights.1 2
Reevaluate parish closure authority under Catholic canon law
The authority to close or suppress a parish under Catholic canon law rests exclusively with the diocesan bishop, who must act in service of the pastoral care of souls while adhering to strict procedural and substantive requirements. This process, often termed "suppression" rather than "closure," involves the dissolution of a parish's juridic personality and may include decisions about associated church buildings. Drawing from the Code of Canon Law and related Vatican instructions, the bishop's discretion is balanced by mandatory consultations, just causes, and safeguards to ensure no detriment to the faithful. This reevaluation highlights that suppression is not arbitrary but tied to specific, non-generalized reasons, emphasizing the parish as a stable community essential to the Church's mission.
A parish is defined as a stable community of the Christian faithful within a particular church, entrusted to a pastor under the diocesan bishop's authority. This foundational structure underscores that parishes are not merely administrative units but vital for sacramental life and evangelization. Canon law vests the power to erect, suppress, or alter parishes solely in the diocesan bishop, who must consult the presbyteral council before making notable changes. This consultation ensures collaborative governance, preventing unilateral decisions that could disrupt ecclesiastical communion.
Historically, this authority aligns with the Council of Trent's emphasis on adapting parish structures to the needs of the faithful. In cases where a single rector proves insufficient for a large population or where geographic challenges hinder access to sacraments, bishops were empowered—even against a rector's will—to establish new parishes, drawing from the mother church's resources. Conversely, suppression follows a similar pastoral logic: it is justified when the existing structure no longer serves souls effectively, as reaffirmed by Vatican II's Christus Dominus, which calls for determining or reconsidering parish suppressions based on "concern for souls." This concern must guide the bishop, ensuring changes promote rather than hinder the Church's mission.
Suppression of a parish occurs through mechanisms like extinctive union (one parish absorbed into another), fusion (multiple parishes merged into a new one), or division (creating new autonomous parishes). These acts extinguish the suppressed parish's juridic personality, but they require causes "directly and organically connected to the interested Parish community," not broader diocesan issues. Insufficient reasons include clergy shortages, general financial strains, or reversible conditions like temporary population declines or urban planning shifts. For instance, a diocese facing a priest shortage cannot justify suppressing parishes on that basis alone; the decision must address specific failings within the parish itself.
The bishop's decree must explicitly articulate these just causes, going beyond vague references to the "good of souls." It must also address the disposition of temporal goods in accordance with canon law and ensure that the suppressed parish's church remains open to the faithful unless grave reasons—consulted with the presbyteral council—dictate otherwise. Upon suppression or vacancy, governance transitions smoothly: if a parochial vicar exists, they assume temporary leadership and notify the bishop; otherwise, the bishop appoints a parochial administrator promptly. This prevents pastoral voids, with the new pastor taking possession within a prescribed time or risking the parish being declared vacant.
In cases of pastor removal—often a precursor to suppression—causes include grave detriment to communion, ineptitude, loss of reputation, neglect of duties, or mismanagement of goods. If a pastor resists transfer, the bishop may decree the parish vacant after a set period. These provisions protect the parish's stability while allowing necessary reforms.
Parish suppression must be distinguished from the reduction of a church building to profane (but not sordid) use, which addresses physical structures rather than the community. A bishop may relegate a church to secular purposes if it cannot be used for worship due to irreparable damage, after hearing the presbyteral council and obtaining consent from rights-holders, provided souls suffer no harm. The 2020 Instruction from the Congregation for the Clergy clarifies that such reductions are not justified by clergy shortages, demographic declines, or diocesan finances; only structural unusability permits this step. Even then, alternatives like repairs must be exhausted.
This nuance is critical: suppressing a parish does not automatically close its church. The Instruction stresses that suppressed parishes' churches should remain accessible, fostering continuity in worship. In historical context, Trent's reforms on vacancies emphasized immediate vicar appointments to maintain sacramental access during transitions, reflecting the Church's enduring commitment to souls over property.
Canon law's framework reevaluated here prioritizes the faithful's spiritual needs, with the bishop as shepherd acting in persona Christi. Consultations with the presbyteral council and explicit justifications prevent abuse, while provisions for administrators and goods ensure seamless transitions. Divergences in interpretation—such as between Trent's proactive erections and modern suppressions amid secularization—are resolved by prioritizing recent sources like the 2020 Instruction, which refines procedures without contradicting foundational canons.
Where sources like the 2021 General Decree on associations touch indirectly on ecclesial groupings, they do not alter core parish authority. Overall, this authority is not a tool for downsizing but for revitalizing the Church's evangelizing mission, as outlined in the Instruction's call for pastoral conversion.
In conclusion, reevaluating parish closure authority reveals a balanced system: the diocesan bishop holds decisive power under Canon 515, guided by just causes and consultations to serve souls effectively. This ensures parishes remain stable communities, adaptable yet protected from hasty dissolution. For specific diocesan applications, consulting the local ordinary is advisable to align with particular law.