BUFFALO (NY)
WGRZ-TV
February 5, 2019
By Claudine Ewing
A well known local Catholic priest in Buffalo, who is suspended for allegations of sexual abuse, is now accused by a family member of abuse. For the first time that family member is sharing his story.
Reverend Arthur Smith, known by many in Buffalo, inside and outside the Catholic Church, as Father Art, is accused by his nephew of sexual abuse. Three members of the family tell 2 On Your Side that Father Smith abused someone in his own family.
Ryan Cooley, now 33, says he was 9 years old when he was abused by his uncle. Cooley recalls it happened in a family member’s North Buffalo home in a bedroom. Cooley could not hold back tears while telling a story that has bothered him for nearly his entire life.
“I wanted to crawl under the bed,” Cooley said.
During the one and only encounter, Cooley said his uncle Father Smith sat him on the bed and said, ” ‘You’re growing up so fast.’ He just started like rubbing my back, stuck his hand up my shorts and just kept touching me. He knew that I didn’t want that, and from that moment on he disrespected me.”
Cooley never told anyone about the abuse until a couple of years ago. He was raised in a Catholic family in South Buffalo.
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