From Father Michael's Desk
FROM POPE LEO XIV:
May our means of communication heal you and not trouble you
Wednesday saw the conclusion of Pope Leo XIV's catechetical series on the public life of Jesus, which he described as being marked by encounters, parables, and healings.
Addressing the faithful gathered in St Peter's Square for his weekly General Audience, the Pope brought everyone's attention to the present, noting that “this time we are living through also needs healing".
Pope Leo described today's world as being marked by “a climate of violence and hatred” that deeply wounds human dignity. Our society, he said, is growing ill, not from isolation, but from a kind of overload. “We are hyperconnected,” he said, “bombarded by images, sometimes false or distorted.” Social media, he warned, has produced a kind of emotional 'bulimia', where too much input leaves us exhausted and confused.
In the midst of this, many feel tempted to shut down, continued the Pope. “We might even prefer to feel nothing at all,” he said, noting that words themselves are increasingly fragile.
The Church, accompanying others
With this in mind, Pope Leo reflected the reading, taken from the Gospel of Mark, which recounts the healing of a man who was deaf and mute. The man does not seek healing for himself; he is brought to Jesus by others. These figures, said the Pope, can be seen as an image of the Church - those who accompany others, especially when they have lost their voice or ability to listen.
After meeting Jesus, the man begins to speak again; and this detail, Pope Leo said, reveals a deeper truth. Perhaps he had been silent because he didn’t know how to speak, or didn’t feel adequate. How often, asked the Pope, do we stop speaking because we feel misunderstood?
Bringing his address to a close, the Pope reminded us that true communication is not only about being effective but rather it is about healing, about not hurting others with our words. “Speaking correctly is the beginning of a journey,” he said. And this journey leads us to Jesus Himself, through His Passion and Cross.
“Let us ask the Lord,” concluded the Pope, “to heal our way of communicating, and to help the Church remain a place where every person can hear His Word, be healed, and become a messenger of His salvation.”
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Welcome to St. John the Baptist Parish!

Our Mission
St. John the Baptist is a Roman Catholic parish founded by St. John Neumann where God is loved and present in the liturgy, the sacraments and the community, faith is enriched through our teaching and experiencing the gospel, all are welcome in the spirit openness, and generosity and charity is extended through our ministry to all.
St. John Neumann Museum
The St. John Neumann Shrine Museum is open to the public. Anyone wishing to see our recently renovated Chapel or the St. John Neumann Archives Room can call the Rectory at 716-873-1122 to schedule a tour.
Our Parish Staff
- Rev. Michael Parker, Pastor
- Rev. Peter Ekanem, Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Andrew Mical, Permanent Deacon
- Sr. Jolene Ellis, OSF, Pastoral Associate
- Susan Koprucki, Business Manager
- Anita Stockton, Parish Administrator
- Bryan Mertz, Maintenance Manager
- Michelle Fisher, Dir. of Religious Education - Grades 1 - 8
Contact Us
St. John the Baptist R.C. Church
1085 Englewood Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14223
Phone: 716-873-1122
Fax: 716-873-3305
E-mail: saintjohnsrec@gmail.com
Make Your Donation to St. John's Online
You can manage your giving to St. John the Baptist Parish ONLINE using a credit/debit card. It is easy and allows you to set up automatic recurring contributions. This will help your weekly offerings to continue on an uninterrupted basis when travel, illness, or other circumstances prevent you from attending Mass.
PLEASE NOTE:
If you sign up for a recurring donation, your weekly envelope mailing will be canceled (saving us the cost of these mailings is one of the many benefits of joining this program.) However, this change process submitted to our Envelope Supplier may take up to two to four months to take place. Therefore, you may still receive envelopes sent to your home for several months until the mailing cancellation has been processed.
If you are planning to use this program periodically to select Non-Recurring, Special Collections, or Specific Donations, you will still receive parish envelope packets mailed to your home. If you no longer wish to receive the Envelope Packet Mailing to your home, please call the Rectory Office at 716-873-1122 to cancel your envelopes.
To get started, click here, then select Create Profile to the right.
Simply follow the on-screen instructions to create a profile and to schedule your contributions. Any questions, please contact the parish at stjohnsfinance2017@gmail.com
Thank you for your generous support!
Streamed Mass
Click HERE for St John the Baptist's YouTube Channel
Weekly Mass will "Go Live" Saturday at 4:00 p.m., on our YouTube Channel
Mass Times
12 Noon
Saturday Vigil:
4:00 p.m.
Sunday:
8:00 a.m., 11:00am
Confessions:
Tuesdays at 4:00 p.m.
Adoration in the Chapel:
Monday - Friday, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Sunday Holy Hour in the Chapel:
3 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Rectory Office Hours
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
(Rectory is closed for lunch between 12:00-12:30 p.m.)
Saturday:
Closed
Sunday:
Closed
We Are Called to Share of Ourselves
If you're looking to get involved in the parish, there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer within our wonderful community. Perhaps you'd like to join one of our many ministries and parish organizations? Or would you prefer to participate in the Mass? Helping hands are always needed.
Please click here for information regarding altar serving, Eucharistic ministry, choir, and ushering.
You may also navigate the above tab labeled Ministries/Volunteer for Parish Ministry Information.