BUFFALO, NY-- Bishop Richard J.Malone is speaking out about the 60 Minutes interview in which a former employee came forward and said the bishop knew of sexual abuse allegations against priests and did not do anything about it.
Bishop Malone spoke on WBEN Radio Friday afternoon.
The former employee, Siobhan O'Connor, said in the 60 Minutes interview she found a binder in a closet that had more than 100 names of priests accused of sexual abuse. The Catholic Diocese of Buffalo released a list of priest names to the media earlier in the year that initially listed 42 priests' names.
MORE: Buffalo Catholic Diocese whistleblower: 'I was willing to do whatever it took to get this story out'
Bishop Malone said during the radio interview that he does not believe any laws were broken when O'Connor took the binder and leaked the documents to the press.
He says that it was a mistake to recommend Father Art Smith for a cruise ship job, but says the allegation about Father Smith and a minor came after he wrote his letter of recommendation. He says the incident involving Father Smith happened on Facebook and wasn't technically sexual abuse and that is why they decided to keep him in the ministry. He admits his failure there.
Another whistleblower who spoke on 60 Minutes, Father Robert Zilliox, said of that list, there are still some priests still practicing in the church. Bishop Malone says there are no priests that he knows of in the Buffalo Diocese that have allegations of abuse against a child.
The bishop said this has been a stressful time and that his mind feels weary these days trying to think this all through. He feels like his personal credibility is under attack.
Up until Friday, Bishop Malone has been mostly silent since the nation heard about an alleged coverup of abuse by priests in the Buffalo Diocese. 2 On Your Side has made repeated requests to speak with the Bishop since the 60 Minutes report aired last Sunday.
The Bishop is planning a press conference on Monday to address the media, as well as answer questions, regarding the allegations of sexual abuse in the Buffalo Catholic Diocese.
Despite calls to resign from parishioners in the Catholic community, Bishop Malone has said he will not resign. He said in the radio interview that he thinks he hasn't done anything to make him decide to resign.
"I do not believe so because my record, until these recent things that involved primarily misconduct with adults by priests, my record with handling misconduct allegations with children is good," said Bishop Malone.
He says he will not ask Pope Francis for an early retirement and that he has more he wants to accomplish in the Buffalo Diocese.
"I am angry. Let me make that perfectly clear. When I hear Catholic lay folks talk about how angry and dismayed and disappointed they are, I share in that. Believe me. I know some of that is directed against me, but we need to remember this crisis is global and in the Buffalo Diocese the problems go back decades before I was ever here," the Bishop said.
This week, a group of concerned members of the Diocese announced they've formed a their own panel aimed at rebuilding trust and confidence in the church. Bishop Malone had this to say when asked why it took him so long to address everything.
"Probably this is the best way, but I have sent a number of letters to the parishes to be read to the people to explain, first of all, to apologize, apologize to victims first of all," he said.
During the interview, the Bishop also revealed that he's embarrassed.
"There have been times through this whole horrible scenario where I have been embarrassed to be a bishop because clearly the leadership of the church has not responded, I don't want to say 100-percent, but the leadership of the church has often not responded adequately to this crisis," he said.
The Diocese has placed media restrictions on Monday's press conference. The Diocese says each television station will only be allowed to send one photographer and one reporter.