BUFFALO (NY)
WKBW TV
August 6, 2019
By Charlie Specht
The mother of a seminarian wants to know why Bishop Richard J. Malone is allowing a Cheektowaga pastor to remain in ministry despite allegations of inappropriate contact with children, harassment of a seminarian and perhaps the greatest Catholic sin of all: violating the seal of confession.
Those were the allegations brought months ago against the Rev. Jeffrey Nowak, pastor of Our Lady Help of Christians Church, by Marie Bojanowski, the mother of a Buffalo Diocese seminarian whom Nowak allegedly sexually harassed.
“I would say it’s a cover-up,” Bojanowski said. “Bishop Malone has done absolutely nothing.”
Despite putting the complaints in writing and submitting them to the diocese — and pushing the bishop’s staff for answers — Bojanowski said Bishop Malone has never responded to her, and the bishop has allowed Nowak to remain pastor of the Cheektowaga parish.
Additionally, 7 Eyewitness News has learned from Buffalo Diocese sources that Malone — without any notice to parishioners — is secretly planning to send Nowak for psychiatric evaluation at one of the Catholic Church’s “treatment centers,” which for decades were unsuccessful in treating priests who engaged in abusive sexual behavior with parishioners.
“That’s why I’m here now,” Bojanowski said in an interview with the 7 Eyewitness News I-Team. “I’m forcing the bishop’s hand and I want the people of Buffalo to know there is no transparency. He’s been covering this up for nine months. And he has not done a thing to Father Nowak.”
Reached by phone Tuesday afternoon, Father Nowak said, “Right now I’m unaware of that and I’d just ask you to talk to my legal counsel. That’s all I have to comment.” He then hung up.
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