Law Firm Renews Call for Catholic Diocese to Release Information on Accused Priests

By Marissa Perlman
WIVB
April 18, 2018

http://www.wivb.com/news/local-news/law-firm-renews-call-for-catholic-diocese-to-release-information-on-accused-priests/1127640596

The Buffalo Catholic Diocese has come up with a way to help pay settlements to victims who were sexually abused by priests.

The Buffalo Diocese says it's going to put the Bishop's mansion on Oakland Place on the market.

This has been the Bishop of Buffalo's home since 1952.

And Bishop Malone is the sixth out of 14 to have lived there. But faced with this sex abuse scandal,

The Bishop says the Diocese needs all of the resources it can get.

The Bishop will move into the rectory of Saint Stanislaus church on Buffalo's East Side.

Proceeds from the sale of the Bishop's home will go towards the independent reconciliation and compensation program.

The program announced in March helps victims who have previously come forward with accusations of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of clergy.

This comes on the same day a law firm that represents sexual abuse victims released new details about 42 accused former Buffalo priests.

Mike Reck with Anderson and Associates referenced a report that came out in 2004 that points to 53 clerics accused of abuse.

Now, the remaining 11 names released. Reck says church leaders had a choice on whether to set aside the secrets of the past but instead protected the reputations of these alleged abusers.

He said, "We have no idea who these individuals are, we have no idea where they are housed, or what protocols are in place to prevent them from accessing children. This presents a public safety nightmare and could and should be disclosed to the public."

James Faluszczak, a victim of sex abuse in Buffalo said, "I can say as a victim, that not knowing and not having the acknowledgement that the Diocese knew that there were other victims of my perpetrator. It just seems like one of the worst injustices."

Buffalo Bishop Malone responded to this report saying he would never release the name of a priest who was only accused, without a full investigation by the Diocese.