BUFFALO (NY)
WGRZ TV
November 29, 2018
By Steve Brown and Dave Harrington
That is the question for Buffalo’s Catholic Diocese these days. How much will it cost to resolve dozens upon dozens of claims of sexual abuse at the hands of priests?
“People ask me that all the time and we’re not sure,” said Buffalo Bishop Richard Malone in his interview with Maryalice Demler earlier this month.
The Bishop has said repeatedly it is the compassionate thing to do to address claims even if they date back decades and the legal statute of limitations has expired. But 2 On Your Side is told money was also a factor.
A source tells us there was an interested within the Diocese hierarchy in clearing as many of these cases as quickly possible “at Buffalo prices”, meaning, cheaper than potential civil lawsuits against the Diocese.
There are few clues about the financial picture of the Diocese in its annual financial statement. We asked the chairman of the Canisius College Accounting Department, Ian Redpath, to have a look.
Redpath notes the Diocese is unique among non-profits. Because of its status as a religious organization, it is not required to file with the IRS, the New York State Department of Taxation or the state Attorney General’s office.
The Diocese discloses what it chooses to disclose.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.