Bishop Fisher revokes decree to merge St. Benedict Parish in Eggertsville

Diocese of Buffalo press release

Following a detailed review and further discussions with parish leaders, the Most Rev. Michael W. Fisher has decided to revoke his decree requiring the merger of St. Benedict Parish in Eggertsville, with St. Leo the Great Parish in Amherst. The result of the revocation is that St. Benedict will remain an independent parish as part of Family of Parishes No. 16. A key consideration in Bishop Fisher’s decision is the fact that St. Benedict continues to operate a pre-K to eighth grade elementary school (established in 1921), which operates at near-capacity.

Fisher's decision to revoke the merger is being communicated to the Dicastery for the Clergy of the Holy See. Currently, this merger decree from December 2024 is being studied by the dicastery, following the decision of certain parishioners to exercise their right to pursue recourse. This revocation will bring that recourse to an end.

As part of the “Road to Renewal” process, which aims to bring together unsustainable parishes with more financially viable parishes that have greater resources, as well as consistently higher levels of attendance, the diocese will continue to closely monitor each parish included in Family of Parishes No. 16 to determine if further consolidation of parishes is necessary.

“As we continue to work through the detailed process of mergers and closures of parishes on the road to creating a more responsive and sustainable Catholic family throughout Western New York, there is naturally an opportunity to consider additional information that may lead to a reconsideration of announced decisions,” said the Rev. Bryan Zielenieski, vicar for the renewal. “A number of parishes have pursued recourse with the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Clergy and a few have prevailed in having the bishop’s decree reversed. In this instance, Bishop Fisher determined that there was sufficient reason to reverse his own decree to ensure the stability of the elementary school, among other factors. We will continue to follow this process of dialogue and discernment as we work to define a new and more hopeful future for Catholic faith and ministry across our region.”