With the activation of the 26 parishes in the pilot stage of the Road to Renewal, transitional leaders were named on Jan. 19 as the pilot families were activated. The transitional leader is the point person for communication to the Diocesan Renewal Team. There is one transition leader per family.

• Msgr. Richard Siepka leads Family #9 that includes Sacred Heart of Jesus, Bowmansville; St. Mary of the Assumption, Lancaster; Our Lady of Pompeii, Lancaster; St. Philip the Apostle, Cheektowaga; Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Depew; and St. Martha, Depew.
• Family #10 is led by Father Andrew Lauricella that includes St. John the Baptist, Lockport; All Saints, Lockport; Immaculate Conception, Ransomville; and St. Brendan on the Lake, Newfane.
• Father Michael LaMarca is the transitional leader of Family #14 composed of St. Michael, Warsaw; Mary Immaculate, East Bethany; and St. Isidore, Perry. 
• Family #20 is led by Father Bryan Zielenieski and includes Assumption, Holy Spirit, St. Margaret, St. Mark, St. Rose of Lima and All Saints all in Buffalo.
• Father F. Patrick Melfi is transitional leader in Family #25 which includes Holy Name of Mary, Ellicottville; St. Philomena, Franklinville; and Our Lady of Peace, Salamanca.
• Family #31 is headed by Father Steve Jekielek and includes Buffalo parishes St. Martin of Tours, St. Teresa, St. Thomas Aquinas and Our Lady of Charity. 

All transition teams have met to date. The team, comprised of two lay leaders from every parish in the pilot family, assists in the major evaluation, assessment and drafting of the family’s pastoral plan. Their primary goal is to develop the pastoral plan.