Diocese of Buffalo Bishop Michael Fisher has wrapped up his weeklong visit to the Vatican for his first meeting with Pope Leo XIV and a number of other Vatican office leaders for a discussion centering around a number of issues.
The two leaders talked about the progress made and work still underway on the Diocese’s filing of Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the settlement for survivors of clergy sexual abuse and the Diocese’s “Road to Renewal” program.
The program comes complete with several parish closures and mergers, which have been met with some pushback from parishioners. Several parish leaders have taken their appeal of the bishop’s decision all the way to the Vatican. Leaders there have reviewed quite a few appeals, with several more on the docket.
Fisher says the pope was understanding of the many issues the Buffalo Diocese is facing.
Overall, though, he says the message to the upstate Catholic faithful, who are frustrated and untrusting as the holiday season approaches, is to rest assured the Diocese looks to remain focused and consistent in what they’re doing as leaders are hearing what the people are saying.
“The churches and the schools, our charities, it’s about bringing people to Christ and to faith, so are we doing that? I hope so,” said Fisher. “It’s having that focus on that. We’re so focused sometimes on the material things that we forget that there’s the Spirit.”
In addition to Pope Leo, Fisher and other senior Diocese leaders met with the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors and also toured the four major basilicas of Rome.
Fisher also presented Pope Leo with his very own Buffalo Bills jersey.
(Photo courtesy of Vatican Media)