ROCHESTER (NY)
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

September 2, 2019

By Justin Murphy

Matthew Clark, bishop emeritus of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, has been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, according to the diocese.

It said in a statement: “We ask that the faithful pray for Bishop Clark and for all those who suffer with Alzheimer’s, for their caregivers and for all those medical professionals and organizations working to enhance care and treatment. Bishop Clark hopes to continue his ministry in the Diocese.”

Clark, 82, led the diocese from 1979 to 2012. His name has surfaced repeatedly in the dozens of lawsuits filed this month regarding sex abuse in Rochester-area Catholic churches, alleging he was slow to discipline offending priests and helped conceal the scope of the crisis.