New Report Raises Questions Surrounding Bishop Malone’s Future & Brooklyn Bishop’s Recent Apostolic Visitation

By Marlee Tuskes
WIVB
November 13, 2019

https://www.wivb.com/news/new-report-raises-uncertainty-surrounding-bishop-malones-future-a-brooklyn-bishops-recent-apostolic-visitation/

The Buffalo Diocese has denied a report coming out of Rome that Bishop Richard Malone’s resignation is “imminent.”

A correspondent for The Tablet – a Catholic news organization – tweeted the news Wednesday morning

Lamb tells News 4 this comes after Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio’s “damning report” on the Buffalo Diocese to the Holy See.

“The inquiry with the Vatican has been filed, has been looked at, and is – as far as I understand it – quite a damning assessment,” Lamb said. “Then the question is, how can the Vatican retain – how can the Pope retain – confidence in the Bishop?”

But Bishop DiMarzio has now found himself in a scandal of his own, accused of sexually abusing an altar boy in the 70s while he was a priest in New Jersey.

Attorney Mitchell Garabedian is representing the victim. He plans to file the lawsuit as soon as the Child Victims Act takes effect in New Jersey on Dec. 1. He said his client decided to come forward after hearing Bishop DiMarzio headed the recent investigation into the Buffalo Diocese’s sexual abuse scandal.

“You have reportedly the most moral institution in the world acting the most immorally. There’s no excuse for it,” Garabedian said to News 4 Wednesday.

He also said this accusation now taints Bishop DiMarzio’s Apostolic Visitation.

“The sexual abuse is just so rampant, and the complicity with regard to the supervisors is just so broad that the only way to stop it is to have an independent – a truly independent – investigation into the Catholic Church,” Garabedian said.

But Bishop DiMarzio vehemently denies this allegation. In a statement, he said he is confident he will be “fully exonerated.”

As for Bishop Richard Malone, a spokesperson with the Buffalo Diocese has refuted reports of his resignation.

Bishop Malone continues to serve as the leader of the Diocese of Buffalo. He is currently engaged with the other bishops of New York State in their Ad Limina visit, discussing with officials of the Holy See and with Pope Francis the areas of challenge and progress of the Catholic Church in New York State and the scope of the vibrant ministries serving the needs of New Yorkers, both Catholic and non-Catholic alike. When Bishop Malone returns to Buffalo he will be communicating further about his meeting with the Holy Father and the other participating bishops.”

DIOCESE OF BUFFALO SPOKESPERSON KATHY SPANGLER

According to Lamb, Bishop Malone is expected to meet with Pope Francis on Friday. He said it is now in the hands of the Pope to decide whether to accept the reported resignation.