Sexual abuse survivor group says Pope Francis should have fired Buffalo bishop who resigned
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The diocese of Buffalo has now felt the full effect of the Catholic Church’s roiling child sexual abuse scandal.
Buffalo Bishop Richard J. Malone, who was beset by public criticism, internal leaks and outside investigations, is leaving his post early, the Vatican announced early Wednesday.
Malone’s departure, coming just three weeks after a meeting with Pope Francis, was widely seen as a rebuke of his handling of abuse allegations.
He becomes the the sixth American bishop or cardinal in four years to leave office under the cloud of the church's ongoing child sexual abuse scandal.
The degree of controversy in Buffalo was unique in New York state, and there was no immediate indication that any of New York's six other bishops or Archbishop Timothy Dolan were in jeopardy.
Malone, 73, had led New York’s fourth-largest Catholic diocese since August 2012. He had resisted demands for his resignation, saying he wanted to stay in office until he reached the church’s mandatory retirement age of 75.
His role will be filled temporarily by Albany Bishop Edward Scharfenberger. The leadership shuffle was first reported Monday by the Buffalo News.
In a statement released by the diocese Wednesday morning, Malone defended his response to abuse allegations but said he had asked Pope Francis to accept his resignation.
"Despite the measurable progress we have achieved together, I have concluded after much prayer and discernment that the spiritual welfare of the people of the Diocese of Buffalo will be better served by a new bishop who perhaps is better able to bring about the reconciliation, healing and renewal that is so needed," Malone’s statement said.
SNAP, an established advocacy group that supports survivors of child sexual abuse, said it welcomed Malone's departure – though executive director Zach Hiner said thought it would have sent a strong signal to other bishops if Francis had fired Malone rather than allo...
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