Since the arrival of the first women religious in 1848, thousands of women religious from various congregations have served the men, women, and children of the Diocese of Buffalo. Often unnoticed and unacknowledged, they gave their lives in service to others.

The approach of the new millennium seemed an appropriate time to inaugurate an event that recognized the extraordinary service of these women.

To make the reality of their service more visible, an event entitled, "Women Religious to Remember – Diocese of Buffalo" has been initiated. In 1999 a special event recognizing the extraordinary service of women religious in the Diocese of Buffalo was inaugurated. At that time members of each religious community now serving in Western New York were remembered publicly by the permanent placement of photographs and brief biographies on a memorial wall located on the second floor of the Catholic Center.

It was decided that every three years four more sisters will be added to this exhibit at the Catholic Center. The sisters belonging to these religious families, through a process of communal discernment, will chose religious to be remembered because "they were women who listened to the spirit and caught the excitement of a fresher vision that projected creatively beyond their own generation." May their stories continue to inspire, not only members of their own orders, but also the wider community of Western New York.

The following women have been identified by their congregations for their unique and outstanding service to the Church of Buffalo in the years following the time of their arrival in the 19^th century: