Diocese of Buffalo – Rapid Prepackaged Bankruptcy

by Jeff | May 28, 2026 | Meeting Minutes

Dear Parish Family:  

As you know, the Diocese of Buffalo bankruptcy proceedings have been pending for more than six years. In furtherance of the efforts of all Parishes within the Diocese to achieve a fair and just resolution of abuse claims, and in an effort to bring the bankruptcy proceedings of the Diocese of Buffalo to a successful conclusion, a revised Chapter 11 plan that soon will be filed by the Diocese provides that all parishes in the Diocese of Buffalo will file “rapid prepackaged bankruptcy” cases immediately before a hearing on confirmation of the plan. This will happen if and only if sufficient votes are received for approval of the plan. This approach has the support of pastors and the Diocese.

The parish bankruptcy cases will not be commenced until later this year and will come at the very last minute before the “confirmation” hearing on approval of the Diocese’s plan. It is anticipated that parishes will emerge from bankruptcy within 48 hours. This approach has been discussed among all pastors and is the approach that was followed by parishes in the Diocese of Rockville Centre as well as in the Archdiocese of New Orleans which resulted in the successful resolution and emergence from their respective Chapter 11 cases.    

We will provide further updates as this process advances and are heartened at the possibility of at last providing victim survivors the possibility of closure and healing. With the prospect of finally achieving this goal, we look to the future with renewed commitment and focus on our mission and work in service to the Catholic faithful throughout Western New York and our broader community.

Statement from Bishop Michael W. Fisher

by Jeff | Aug 28, 2025 | Meeting Minutes

“Our hearts ache, and we are justly outraged by the unconscionable violence suffered by children and their families this morning at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis.  At a time that should be an occasion of joy and wonderful expectation in all that a new school year represents, an act of evil has marred the experience of these young souls and their educators, forever altering their sense of security.  We appeal to our loving God to comfort all who have been affected by this horrific violence, to heal their physical and emotional wounds, and to bring peace to that community.” 

~Bishop Michael W. Fisher

Welcoming Our New Superintendent and Strategic Vision

by Jeff | Jun 24, 2025 | Meeting Minutes

Dear Catholic Community,

As we celebrate the conclusion of another successful school year, we are filled with joy and anticipation as we welcome our new Superintendent, Mrs. Joleen Dimitroff. Her leadership brings renewed hope for the future of Catholic education in our community.

A Bold Vision for Catholic Education

Our recent strategic planning process has yielded a bold and inspiring vision: Forming Disciples in Catholic Schools. This vision challenges us to reimagine Catholic education in light of today’s social, demographic, and financial realities. It also outlines an ambitious timeline for implementation, one that Mrs. Dimitroff has thoughtfully reviewed with her team, outside advisors, and several parents.

From this consultation, two key insights have emerged:

1. Embracing Hope and Opportunity: We must be people of hope, embracing the opportunities for growth, innovation, and transformation before us.
2. Realistic and Discerning Implementation: We must also be realistic and discerning, ensuring we implement the plan on a timeline that supports lasting success.

Strategic Plan Timeline Update

In that spirit, we wish to communicate that while we are continuing to move forward with our aspirations stated in the strategic plan, the formal process related to NY State Education requirements and many other factors will push our timeline for full implementation out at least one year.

As our late Holy Father Francis and his successor, Pope Leo XIV, have reminded us, synodality is the call to journey together in a spirit of listening, dialogue, and prayer. This delay provides a grace-filled opportunity to move forward deliberately and faithfully, building a strong foundation for the future—not just quickly, but wisely.

Moving Forward with Collaboration

In the coming months, the Catholic Education Team will engage in meaningful conversations with key stakeholders to ensure the Strategic Plan is implemented with integrity and care. To support this ongoing work, we have engaged Avanti Advisors, who will assist us in nurturing the dialogue and preparation needed to plant the seeds for long-term success.

Learn More About Our Strategic Plan

Our new Strategic Plan can be found on our website: wnycatholicschools.org.

Thank you for your continued faith, partnership, and support.

Diocese of Buffalo Hosts Meetings Regarding Allocation of Settlement

by Jeff | May 15, 2025 | Meeting Minutes

The Diocese of Buffalo is hosting internal meetings with priests in the diocese to discuss the allocation strategy to be utilized to fund the $150 million settlement that will include contributions from the diocese, its parishes and Catholic affiliates.

On April 22, 2025, the Diocese of Buffalo and the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors announced the material terms of a settlement in principle in the Chapter 11 case filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Western District of New York on February 28, 2020. The settlement remains subject to Bankruptcy Court approval through a plan of reorganization to be filed by the Diocese.

The April settlement is an important step in bringing healing to survivors of sexual abuse, and in forming the basis for a plan of reorganization that will lead to the Diocese’s eventual exit from Chapter 11.

Meetings are underway with diocesan priest groups concerning how the settlement terms will be met once the settlement is finalized. The pool of settlement funds will be derived from available funds of the Diocese, from individual parishes from their available funds, and contributions from Catholic-affiliated entities.

In the next several weeks, meetings with lay leadership from all parishes will be held to discuss information on the progress made in reaching an agreement, and the expectations on parishes as we together work to fulfill our financial obligations to the claimants.

This settlement between the Committee and the Diocese, parishes, and other entities affiliated with the Diocese does not include contributions from any insurance companies that provided Diocesan or parish coverage. Settlement discussions with insurers are ongoing under the supervision of mediators appointed by the Bankruptcy Court.

For more information, please contact Joe Martone, Communications Director at [email protected], (716) 847-8743, (716) 361-1931.