WASHINGTON (DC)
Catholic News Service
Sept. 4, 2019
Bishop Richard J. Malone of Buffalo said the majority of priests and parishioners in the diocese supported him and he would not resign over his handling of a situation involving two priests’ relationship with a seminarian.
“I’m here because I feel an obligation as the one who was sent here to lead this diocese, to carry on, and once again, if I thought the majority of Catholic people in particular were calling for my resignation, that would be a different story,” Malone said during Sept. 4 news conference in Buffalo.
“But I don’t feel that. I go out to parishes and schools all the time for visits. I am always well received when I go … I do feel enough support, honestly to continue on,” he told reporters gathered at the rectory of St. Joseph’s Cathedral.
Malone called the news conference to discuss a letter from Fr. Ryszard Biernat to a seminarian, Matthew Bojanowski, and allegations by Bojanowski that another priest, Fr. Jeffrey Nowak, harassed him.
Fr. Biernat began a leave of absence from his position as the bishop’s priest secretary Aug. 14. He had been in his position since 2013.
In a recording obtained from Fr. Biernat by WKBW-TV, Malone is heard saying that he feared having to resign over what he called a “love triangle” involving priests and a seminarian.
Malone also expressed concern to Biernat that “this could be the end for me as bishop” if the news media learned about the situation involving the three men and called the situation he was facing “a true crisis.”
The television station posted a transcript of the recording on its website.
The beleaguered bishop has faced questions about how he has handled allegations of abuse against diocesan priests for more than a year.
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