SCHENECTADY (NY)
Daily Gazette
Dec. 3, 2019
By Jeff Wilkin
Bishop Edward Scharfenberger, the spiritual leader of Albany’s Roman Catholic Diocese, may soon be tabbed to temporarily oversee the Buffalo diocese.
While there has been no official word, Vatican journalist Rocco Palmo wrote this week in his “Whispers in the Loggia” blog that his sources say Scharfenberger soon will be named apostolic administrator.
Albany’s bishop would take over for Bishop Richard Malone, who Palmo said is expected to resign the Buffalo diocese position in the wake of several scandals involving priests accused of sexual abuse.
According to the New York Times, the 73-year-old Malone, installed as the 14th bishop of Buffalo in 2012, has been criticized for the way he has handled incidents involving accused priests. Local Catholics told the newspaper that Malone promised transparency, but in several cases, appeared to be shielding priests accused of abuse.
Hundreds have filed sexual abuse claims against clergy with the Buffalo diocese, or lawsuits under New York’s new Child Victims Act, which allows lawsuits in old alleged incidents to be filed in state Supreme Court. Investigations by the FBI and state Attorney General’s Office are under way.
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