How a Bishop Made Parishioners Pay for the Sale of Their Church
“Our Bishop didn’t just close and sell our church. He swindled parishioners into paying for what turned out to be capital improvements to make the sale more lucrative,” wrote Kevin DiCamillo on CrisisMagazine.com on December 31.
DiCamillo recounts the closure and sale of St. Raphael’s Parish in Niagara Falls, New York, describing what he believes was a serious breach of trust by Bishop Michael Fisher of the Diocese of Buffalo.
In October 2023, Bishop Fisher visited the parish for a well-attended Eucharist and Confirmation. Shortly afterward, parishioners were informed that the bishop had ordered the church interior to be repainted. Families were asked to contribute roughly $250 each toward the project. They did so in good faith, believing the work was necessary for the parish’s continued life.
Soon after the renovation was completed, however, rumors began circulating that the church would be closed. Those rumors proved true.
In early 2024, St. Raphael’s was shuttered and later sold—…More
To be expected by an atheistic bishop (trust me, most of them are). Those of you who have seen my occasional comments know that I have extensive experience in the inner workings of the hierarchy, and that most of these bishops are atheists.
Probably more than half of the diocese of Buffalo's churches have been closed. Many of them were gorgeous buildings which honored God for many years. Unfortunately, the Moslems have bought several of the properties. This is NOT the sign of a growing church, but of one that is on its deathbed.