Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - "This is devastating to this community. Our Lady of Perpetual Help is the heart of the Old First Ward. It is the pulse of the neighborhood," said Roxanne Casey, a parishioner and former employee of the church, who is fighting to save her parish on O'Connell Street in South Buffalo.
Casey joined WBEN on Friday to express her frustration and anger over the plan by the Buffalo Diocese to close her church among about 80 others.
"This is the lowest of the lows," she said.
She, and others in the parish, believe the Diocesan leaders got it wrong.
"They have false information. They said we had zero sacraments," Casey said.
Casey has records showing nearly 50 sacraments were performed in 2022. In 2023, that number was nearly 30. In the first six months of this year, there have been 14 sacraments.
"We were lied to," Casey insisted. "The Diocese knew that parishioners were
raising funds starting in 2014 for restoration of the stained glass windows and painting of the church. Over $400,000 was raised. And now they're putting it on the market to sell? This isn't fair. They should have been honest with us."
Casey remains optimistic that she and others can save the church from the
chopping black, but they need help.
"We need legal counsel. We need someone to speak for us professionally," she said.
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Casey acknowledged that it will be tough to fight the Diocese, but she is hoping church leaders will come to the table and discuss it.
Is there a chance that OLPH could break away from the diocese and form a church on their own?
"It's a very good question. I feel as though we could do it, but is it reality? I don't know and this is why we really need legal counsel," Casey said.
Under the diocese's plan, OLPH would merge with St. Louis Church downtown.
