Catholics from across the Diocese of Buffalo will join the faithful nationwide in a two-week call to prayer for life, marriage and religious liberty during the second annual Fortnight for Freedom, a national effort to educate Americans on the challenges to religious liberty. This year, the fortnight will take place from June 21, the vigil of the feast of St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher, to July 4, Independence Day.

Bishop Richard J. Malone will begin the fortnight on Saturday, June 22, at 8 a.m., at St. Rose of Lima Church (corner of Parkside and Parker avenues) in North Buffalo, where he will be celebrating the Rosary Novena for Life Mass. Later that same day, Bishop Malone will celebrate the 4:30 p.m. Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral (50 Franklin St.). The bishop is inviting all from the diocese to join him at both Masses to pray for the intentions of the fortnight.

The fortnight will conclude on Wednesday, July 3, at 3 p.m. with a Holy Hour and Benediction at the Dominican Monastery, (335 Doat St., Buffalo).  Bishop Edward M. Grosz, auxiliary bishop of Buffalo, will be the celebrant.

Blessing the child in the womb

A call to action

Nine Western New York men will be ordained permanent deacons in the Catholic Church on Saturday, June 15. At the 10 a.m. Mass with Bishop Richard J. Malone, Paul L. Augustyn (of Elma), Thomas F. Friedman Jr. (of East Amherst), Mark D. Kehl (of Bliss), Francis J. Lagona (of Tonawanda), Marc R. Leaderstorf (of Alden), V. Gregory Moran (of Hamburg), David C. Rotterman (of Lancaster), Miguel Santos (of Lancaster), and John J. Wlos (of Eden) will become members of clergy, joining more than 120 other deacons in the Diocese of Buffalo. The Mass will be held at St. Joseph Cathedral, 50 Franklin St., Buffalo. All are welcome.

In the Catholic Church, deacons either move on to the priesthood or take on the ministry permanently. Following their ordination, these new permanent deacons will be assigned to a parish or other ministry. Permanent deacons’ main ministry is one of charity. Some are also involved in parish administration. Additionally, these men generally hold secular jobs.

All nine men completed five years of formation which included theological studies at Christ the King Seminary, East Aurora

 “God fulfills His promise - I will give you shepherds,” and with that greeting, Bishop Richard J. Malone began the ordination to the priesthood of Father John E Stanton, Jr. On a sun-filled Saturday morning (June 1) at St. Joseph Cathedral in downtown Buffalo, the ordination took place 64 years after his beloved uncle, the late Msgr. William Stanton, was ordained in the same cathedral.

The outdoor procession of more than 100 priests, deacons and seminarians slowly filed into the cathedral as the Buffalo Diocesan Festival Chorus and the St. Joseph Cathedral Choir, under the direction of Alan D. Lukas sang, “Look Kindly Now, O God, Our Shield.” The cathedral was filled to near capacity with more than 1,000 family, friends and colleagues of Father Stanton on hand to witness Bishop Malone’s first ordination of a diocesan priest since his installation in August 2012.