"The attorney general’s office said investigations into the other seven Catholic dioceses in the state remain ongoing." The Catholic Church is the world's largest child abuse organization. The Catholics who feed these child abusers belong in prison.

Wall Street Journal

U.S.

Buffalo Catholic Diocese Sued by New York Attorney General

Suit claims two bishops shielded priests who abused children, seeks new oversight of diocese.

By Ian Lovett and Deanna Paul

November 23, 2020

New York’s attorney general on Monday sued the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, accusing church officials of covering up decades of sexual abuse of children.

The lawsuit also names as defendants Bishop Emeritus Richard J. Malone and former Auxiliary Bishop Edward M. Grosz, who it accuses of using procedural maneuvers for years to shield priests accused of abusing minors from repercussions. Instead of reporting the allegations to law enforcement or church officials, the suit says the bishops classified dozens of accused priests as “unassignable,” permitting them to retire or take medical leave while staying on the diocese’s payroll.

Such steps would violate the Dallas Charter, a document signed in 2002 by Catholic bishops, including Bishops Malone and Grosz. The protocols were designed to prevent coverups of sexual abuse in the church.

“The Diocese of Buffalo and its leadership failed to protect children from sexual abuse,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a recorded statement. “Instead, they chose to protect the very priests who were credibly accused of these atrocious acts.”

Bishop Malone resigned last year, following a church investigation into his handling of sexual abuse claims. Bishop Grosz retired earlier this year.

Greg Tucker, a spokesman for the Diocese of Buffalo, said in a statement on Monday that the diocese was reviewing the lawsuit and has cooperated with civil authorities. “The Diocese has put in place rigorous policies and protocols governing required behavior as well as a code of conduct which all clergy are expected to abide by,” he said.

The lawsuit follows a two-year investigation by the attorney general’s office into the diocese and is New York’s latest attempt to crack down on sexual abuse within the Catholic church.

Last year, following a report that detailed decades of abuse in the church in Pennsylvania, New York passed the Child Victims Act, opening a one-year window during which people who say they were abused as children could sue their abusers. The law also increased the maximum age to file civil suits alleging childhood abuse to 55 from 23. In August, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo extended the window for another year, giving accusers until August 2021 to file lawsuits.

In its first year, more than 4,000 lawsuits were filed under the Act, including hundreds against the Roman Catholic Church. Three Catholic dioceses in the state, including Buffalo, have filed for bankruptcy because of the cost of settling the claims.

The civil complaint filed Monday employs a novel use of civil law to address the alleged systemic failures, creating an independent review of the diocese’s responses to allegations of sexual abuse and a five-year period during which it must report to the attorney general’s office. It also would bar Bishops Malone and Grosz from future management roles at any New York charitable organization.

The attorney general’s office said investigations into the other seven Catholic dioceses in the state remain ongoing.

Appeared in the November 24, 2020, print edition as 'Buffalo Diocese Is Accused Of Coverup.'