BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Vatican suspended the closure of Buffalo’s St. John Kanty Church after parishioners petitioned to keep it open, parishioner Matthew Zawisky announced Monday.
The church on Swinburne Street was originally set to merge with St. Stanislaus when the Diocese of Buffalo announced its list of closures and mergers in June 2024 in an effort to pay $150 million to settle over 800 claims of sexual abuse. A declining number of priests and parishioners were also listed as reasons for the restructuring.
St. John Kanty Church, which was established by Polish immigrants in 1890, was officially designated as a landmark by the City of Buffalo, along with four other churches…