Bishop Richard Malone Must Go
A just-unearthed recording of Buffalo’s top Catholic official has confirmed that he knew about allegations of sexual harassment against a priest in his diocese and did nothing. This inaction combined with the months of scandal and lies from church officials in Buffalo should compel church officials in the Vatican to step in and discipline him.
In a recording obtained by WKBW in Buffalo, Bishop Richard Malone referred to an accused priest, Fr. Jeff Nowak as “a sick puppy” who he acknowledged was harassing a seminarian. Yet despite this determination, Bishop Robert Malone chose to do nothing for five months before sending Fr. Nowak to a church-run “treatment center.” And only last week, ten months after the first complaint was made, did Bishop Malone finally put Fr. Nowak on administrative leave.
This inaction is enough to cause dissension in Bishop Malone’s staff and should be enough for church officials in the Vatican to discipline Bishop Malone’s flaunting of the Dallas Charter and defiance of the church’s oft-touted “zero-tolerance policy.” This case represents the third time that Bishop Malone has left an accused abuser in ministry – in just the past year.
Bishop Malone’s record on abuse and transparency is abysmal and his credibility is near zero. His own words indict him as in these recordings he continues to show more concern for his career than he does for the safety of children and vulnerable adults. Catholics in Buffalo deserve a bishop who will do the right thing by them, not lie to them repeatedly.
If the Vatican really wants to show they are taking these issues seriously, they will step in and discipline Bishop Malone today.
CONTACT: Zach Hiner, Executive Director (517-974-9009, [email protected])
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director