Retired Catholic Bishop accused in a civil lawsuit of sexually assaulting a child in 1990; SNAP responds
If there was ever any doubt that New York's Child Victims Act would effectively expose perpetrators and the institutions that enabled them, those doubts surely continued to fade yesterday as a high-ranking Catholic official in the Diocese of Buffalo was accused in a lawsuit of sexually abusing a young boy. We were not surprised to learn that the abuse occurred during what is supposed to be a memorable time for a young Catholic, their confirmation.
The Diocese stated that Bishop Edward Grosz has agreed to voluntarily step aside from active ministry while the allegations are investigated. Although false allegations of child sexual abuse are extremely rare, the Bishop has denied the claims.
Bishop Michael W. Fisher of Buffalo has notified Cardinal Timothy Dolan and is in the process of alerting appropriate Congregations at the Vatican, as required under Vos Estis Lux Mundi, which governs investigations into abuse complaints against hierarchs. Bishop Fisher has also notified the Papal Nuncio in Washington, D.C. and instructed the Diocesan attorneys to notify the Erie County District Attorney.
We find it very concerning that for many years Bishop Grosz played a key role in handling sexual abuse complaints in the Diocese of Buffalo. We fear that it is possible that many cases may have been mishandled by the prelate.
We roundly applaud the victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, for coming forward and taking steps to lay the responsibility for the harm caused to him back where it belongs, at the feet of the accused and the Diocese responsible for monitoring its clergy.
While it is never a cause for celebration to learn of a survivor's abuse, we are very happy to know that states like New York stand with victims and not with perpetrators.
We encourage anyone who has experienced or witnessed abuse in the Diocese of Buffalo to report directly to law enforcement. We also urge survivors to reach out for help and support to family, friends, therapists, and support groups like ours.
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
Showing 1 comment