'I came here to be their shepherd': A call to remove Buffalo's Bishop Michael Fisher

[@gregorymikula4249]

It's not the bishop who has caused the crisis in the Roman Catholic Church, but the "new" man-centered religion and its adherents. To see parishoners approaching their bishop and receiving Holy Communion in the hand as if it was a potato chip tell the whole story. You have all gone down the wrong road.

[@110665]

It’s not a potato chip! It’s the body of Christ.

[@markgrunzweig6377]

p.s. Also the quiet time when one kneels in silence for a few minutes, allowed the "experience", to be absorbed by mediation.

[@keymaker2112]

This is outrageous. If there were overwhelming moral or dogmatic concerns I could see writing to the Vatican, after pursuing other avenues such as the USCCB, but complaints as banal as, "I don't like the way he's handling finances and administration," or, "He just seems out of touch or anti-social, etc," are simply part of dealing with a superior. He has to make such decisions, and the task has fallen to him, not to us. God gives us the princes who rule over us, including the princes of the Church, among whom the Bishop's are counted. I don't claim to have knowledge of how he is managing the Diocese, despite being a member of his flock, but unless there is more to complain about I find this ridiculous. I am ashamed of this behavior.

[@JL-jc2wb]

Weak bishops are not what the Church needs in these difficult times… Sadly, the vast majority of them are nothing like the Apostles from whom they succeeded… God, please give your remnant flock HOLY and STRONG men to lead us!

[@keymaker2112]

Every nation and age has the priests it deserves.

[@110665]

So with greedy lawyers going after the church and running it into bankruptcy tell me, where does the Bishop find the money to keep these schools and churches open? Who pays the teachers, the utilities? Maybe the flock of Buffalo needs to look at themselves first answers.

[@dianeanderson9460]

Trusting In Jesus to do the right thing

[@markgrunzweig6377]

they threw the baby out with the bath water.

[@ayandadlamini9266]

If he doesn't go there himself but delegates, shows clearly he doenst smell his flock at all. A Bishop is always on Parishes for conformations and progress in Faith from institutions essentially schools, hospitals and orphanages. If he enclose himself then its clear he is not a pastoral worker but office admin.

[@markgrunzweig6377]

Until the Roman Catholic Church, brings back the tridentine mass (in Lantin, with the priest facing the altar), it will not attract the numbers it needs to survive. Of all the things which Vatican II did, getting rid of that mass was the one thing the Catholic churches had. Which a true religion requires. That being the "mystical" dimension. The wonder and awe of the tremendous mystery of being. Life is an experience, as was the mass. The ritual language is key to the experience. How many great homilies can one give? Even then it's an intellectual aspect. With the ritual language (Most people, even in Italy do not know Latin.) one is at home anywhere in the world. One can look up in their missalette (?), the English or German etc., if they want the translation. One is transformed by the whole experience of the mass in it's ritual language. In Greek orthodox, it's the same and at least they still address the "mystery", by facing the altar. Facing the altar is addressing the "mystery". we pitch ourselves out of small individual world to the transcendent. We should come out of the mass, transformed, from the the total experience of the ritual language, the getting up and down, crossing ourselves etc.. In a cathedral, it's dream motif, the present moment. Sadly, Pope Francis rejects the return to the Tritendine mass, because he doesn't want the negative. The mass in Latin with the priest turned around, is the positive, radiant, affirmative experience of the mystery of God. When Vatican II got ride of the Tritidine mass

[@jeannehall6546]

If you want Latin: LEARN IT!

[@MrJacksuper]

my goodness bishop your statement isnt for mature minded! stop reasoning out. just simply listen to your people! and what they were telling you is absolutely true! There's no need for the pope to send someone to replace your part in there. all you need to (as per parishioners wants) do is take a positive action! closing down and selling assets isnt sustainable! its actually damaging! all you have to do is appeal to the public, talk to people and parishioners for help!!!

[@keymaker2112]

I'm a member of this Diocese, and the fault lies with US, the laity of the Diocese of Buffalo, not the Bishop. Stop blaming the man for being handed problems and making decisions about how to handle them. He was given this office, by the will of God no less, not you or I, or any other member of the laity. The empty pews are the fault of the People of God failing to live well and communicate their faith to their children. Every nation and age as the priests it deserves.

[@MrJacksuper]

@@keymaker2112 The prime responsibility of bishops and priests is to reach out and evangelized-Mission commanded by the Lord Jesus. Office/chair(formal/physical office-where bishops and priest are hiding) only came in this modern age. in those(time of apostles) they have no office and they were always out and about to reach out and shepherding people- their flocks! do you get that? if they were sick and cannot get up, that's the only time they would sent a trusted person to speak on his behalf. but not like this! and no single bishop in his right thinking should sell any church or property that was accomplished by his predecessor and thos who have worked hard for that mission! a bishop must act vigorously for God's mission and just being lazy and hide inside his physical office! Maybe you are correct that members of church must be blamed here but to me that's only a domino effect. when members dont see a father figure around, they tend to feel cold and lethurgic. and that's the result! im just trying to be objective here. i dont have any biases in my veins and i want the truth to come out. This is why Jesus spoke to apostles particularly peter to feed and take care of His lambs because Jesus knew that people are vulnerable and can easily be deceived and swayed away! we are living in an era where everyone should be accountable to his calling and action. Bishops and priests must know why they are there! they should turn over administrative works to the laity! They have important work to do- The mission! that means they need to be with people physically administering the seven sacraments- making it available to God's people untill the end of their lives!!! i dont know why they dont get that? they should resign if they cannot function properly to their calling and mission!!! They are not managers or office employees or like CEO just making decisions! NO!!!! its more than that!!! goodness me! you also need to understand this! so that you dont need to take sides next time around...

[@keymaker2112]

@@MrJacksuper To clarify, by, "Office," I simply mean his position as Bishop, not the physical office space. I don't disagree with most of what you're saying, in particular the focus on the mission our Lord laid before us, but I firmly believe that the Church is presently arranged to accommodate a much larger, more active and more consciously Catholic Church than the rapidly dwindling population of geriatric Brothers and Sisters presently occupying the pews. Most of these parishes and schools and properties were acquired when virtually all Catholics regularly attended mass and had 5-7 children. That is no longer the case, and has not been for 3 generations. Holding such properties open, at financial loss, does nothing but assuage the consciences and ego's of the older generation of the Church at the expense of mortgaging the financial reality facing the younger generation of the Church. If these school's were viable, do you really think the Diocese would be closing them? The Church's external and financial forms must accommodate the reality of the people in the pews and the future of the Catholic Church is simple: "It must shrink before it grows again." In fact, it already has, the properties and finances held by the Diocese are just finally catching up to the human and spiritual reality that was inaugurated 3-4 generations ago.

[@MrJacksuper]

@@keymaker2112 again, another domino effect is financial problem. and it shouldn't be. you see, this is why the presence of a bishop to the people has tremendous effect because it means life for everything! the community is vibrant and alive and therefore minimises problem like financial because church member will help source solution, young generations can see and will see a father figure they can trust and therefore encouraged. communication is flawless because whatever issue there is, it can be addressed instantaneously. This is the essence of being around! Being there always. This reminds me when apostles no longer have seen the Lord after His death... they scattered. even if they've been together with the Lord and experienced first hand the miracles He have done. That's why the Lord appeared again and strengthen them with a promise that He will be there for them forever! The same mission that the Lord Jesus gave to all bishops and priests! They shouldn't be busy doing admin jobs! They should stop staying in the office building! They should go! as Jesus commanded them to "GO" and make disciples!!! Make disciples should be their main focus! that's mission!!! the details that you've mentioned above is nothing compared to the real mission of the Church! MAKE DISCIPLES... and that responsibility is on the shoulders of all bishops and priests!