x
Breaking News
More () »

Bishop Malone speaks with 2 On Your Side

2 On Your Side's Claudine Ewing spoke with Buffalo Bishop Richard Malone Wednesday about several on-going issues related to sexual abuse claims made against over three dozen priests.

BUFFALO, NY - 2 On Your Side’s Claudine Ewing spoke Wednesday morning with Buffalo Bishop Richard Malone on several issues related to the on-going sexual abuse claims involving Diocesan priests.

While acknowledging that these are challenging times for the Diocese, Bishop Malone said the recent release of more names of priests allegedly involved in abuse cases, “brings to light what has been in darkness for too long.” Bishop Malone says releasing the names was the right thing to do and encourages more victims that may be out there to come forward.

Bishop Malone also expressed concern that the attention the cases continue to attract could negatively affect the Diocese annual Catholic Charities campaign, currently under way. “I understand why people are angry,” said the Bishop. “I’m angry too. But I hope not to discourage people from contributing to Catholic Charities. Catholic Charities served 150,000 people last year, including some victims of sexual abuse.”

Claudine also asked the Bishop about his trip to Albany Tuesday to lobby against the Child Victims Act, which, among other things, would give a one-year window for alleged child abuse victims to sue for damages dating back decades-often referred to as the ‘look back’ option. The Bishop told Claudine he makes the trip to Albany every year and was there to talk about five or six different matters before the Legislature. Bishop Malone said he actually supports giving victims a longer time to make their claims going forward, but is opposed to the so-called ‘look-back’ aspect of the proposed legislation.

On the matter of why the public is not being given the names of religious order priests who serve in the Diocese who may also have sexual assault claims against them, the Bishop said it’s because, although they are allowed to serve in the Diocese, those clergy members are under the authority of the “Provincial Superior” and therefore the Diocese is not directly responsible for them.

Finally, when asked how the Bishop can assure the faithful that these types of incidents are not still going on he said, “I hope and pray that they are not, but who knows what’s going on?”

He stressed that the Diocese has so many programs going on, he’s convinced now, despite the problems of the past, that Catholic institutions are probably the safest places for children and young people because of what they’ve learned from the transgressions of the past.”

Before You Leave, Check This Out