Genesee-Wyoming Lay Vicariate Mission Statement
In a spirit of unity, we seek to establish and maintain communication lines
between our parish communities and the Diocese of Buffalo.
Genesee-Wyoming Lay Vicariate Vision Statement
Prompted by the workings of the Holy Spirit and empowered by baptism, we, as a Catholic
community, call for the people of God to utilize their gifts for strengthening the Christian community of
the Genesee-Wyoming area through evangelization, education, preaching and reconciliation.
Genesee Wyoming Lay Vicariate
Meeting Minutes from Monday March 18, 2013
Mary Immaculate, Immaculate Conception site
Next Meeting: Monday May20, 2013 at the Flipside (Rt. 78 Strykersville, NY)
(Please RSVP to Heidi at 585-457-3222 if you are attending dinner.)
Attending:
Rev. Matt Zirnheld, Pastor St. John Neumann
Rev. Richard Cilano, Pastor Mary Immaculate
Denise Spadaccia, Our Lady of Mercy
April Stringham, Mary Immaculate
John Arent, Resurrection Parish
Kelly Dryja, St. Michael’s
Pat Becker, Ascension Parish
Deborah Gillen, St. Michael’s
Kathy Warren, St. Maximillian Kolbe
The opening prayer was led by our Vicar, Fr. Matt Zirnheld.
The minutes from the previous meeting were approved with no changes.
Youth Ministry
The pastors in the Genesee-Wyoming Vicariate have decided not to pursue hiring a Youth Ministry
Coordinator. They were not aware of what the Diocese has to offer. Every parish has different
needs. Who would be in charge of the person hired? It would create problems if that priest moved
on to another parish. Our Lady of Mercy Parish held a Lock-In for 6th- 8th graders in the Parish Center
Gym that included celebration of the Holy Thursday Liturgy with the parish. Fr. Cilano said he would
like to promote the event in his parish. Denise Spadaccia is the Youth Minister and said her group is
open to all parishes. Kathy Warren reported that St Maximillian Kolbe is remodeling the Holy Name
of Mary rectory into a youth center. The suggestion was made to have a Youth Page on the Vicariate
Website. We can use that to open events to all of the vicariate.
QR Codes
Denise Spadaccia reported that she has the ability to make QR codes that can be used with smart
phones to obtain information (using technology to reach our people.)
Normalcy Returns
As things start to stabilize after the upheaval of the Journey in Faith and Grace, we need to ask what
we need to do to help our priests. We have many new pastors adjusting to new parishes. The
pastors only hear the complaints. We need to enjoy what we have. Bishop Malone says we need to
concentrate on the positive; we are no longer a construction project. We need to be an Easter people
and emerge from the tomb and see the light. Keep being positive. Thank your priest. Look at things
with joy. People need to see us as a positive church. As we emerge from the rebuilding, more
people have become interested in becoming deacons. There will need to be more collaboration as
the priests will be doing more sacraments and Mass and less management. People need to see the
big picture; we are all in this together.
Parish Events
 WACY presented the Shadow Stations of the Cross on Good Friday in Sheldon.
 St. Maximillian Kolbe held a Chicken Barbecue May 5th.
 Mary Immaculate Parish has an auction June 22 and is selling Mystic Monk Coffee.
 Our Lady of Mercy held their Ten Trip Raffle and Dinner on April 27 th.
 St. Michael’s in Warsaw presented Tenebrae – the reenactment of the last hours of Christ on
Palm Sunday.
 Ascension Parish read “Rediscover Catholicism” By Matthew Kelly and held “Soup and
Scripture” every week during Lent with a free will offering to raise money for CRS Rice Bowl.
Meetings for 2013
Meetings are held in January, March, May, September and November. The remaining meetings are:
May 20, 2013 at the Flip Side Restaurant in Strykersville (6:30 p.m. dinner meeting) hosted by
Fr. Matt and St. John Neumann
August 11, 2013 Picnic at our Lady of Mercy in LeRoy 4:30 p.m. followed by a 7:00 p.m. Mass
(for anyone who wishes to attend)
September 16, 2013 at St. Isidore Parish at St. Joseph’s Site in Perry
November 18, 2013 at St. Brigid in Bergen
Please check with your Pastor to make sure your site is available if you volunteered to host a
meeting.
NEXT MEETING: Please RSVP to Heidi at 585-457-3222 if you are attending dinner May 20th at
the Flipside.
The meeting was closed with a prayer.
Respectfully submitted,
Pat Becker