Going to the Dogs

In 2019, when we formed the partnership between the Dioceses of Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania, I said that we were headed off the map. I didn’t know then that, thanks to the Rev. Luke Fodor, we were also going to the dogs, but I couldn’t be happier about it.

In our dioceses, we are committed to collaborating with one another and with our communities to witness to God’s love, mercy, and justice. Through Father Bernard’s Blessed Biscuits, the people of St. Luke’s, Jamestown are doing just that. By leveraging the power of social enterprise, Father Bernard’s provides opportunities for people in recovery to connect, give back. and enjoy the dignity of work. What’s more, by selling biscuits at the Jamestown Public Market, and other community events, Father Bernard’s gives St. Luke’s a way to connect with people in Jamestown and the surrounding community. Father Bernard’s is the kind of faithful experiment we need to create the church of the future. I hope that more congregations will be inspired by the work of St. Luke’s and the Mental Health
Association of Chautauqua County.

And for her part, our dog Ruby hopes that the biscuits keep coming!

--Bishop Sean Rowe