Western New York parishioners are rallying behind their beloved 160-year-old church, appealing to the Vatican to grant them permission to save the historic landmark from demolition. The St. John the Baptist Church in Lackawanna, a once-thriving Polish-American community, has been a staple of the area for generations. However, with declining attendance and financial struggles, the Diocese of Buffalo has deemed the church no longer sustainable and has proposed its demolition. Parishioners, determined to preserve their cultural heritage and spiritual home, are now seeking a special exemption from the Vatican to allow them to purchase the church and find a new purpose for the historic building.
Parishioners in western New York ask Vatican to let them save 160-year-old church EWTN News
