BUFFALO (NY)
WGRZ-TV [Buffalo NY]
February 26, 2026
By WGRZ Staff
A group petitions the Pope to investigate alleged abuse mismanagement, challenging Bishop Fisher’s leadership the Buffalo Catholic Diocese.
Thursday wraps up the final round of impact statements in the bankruptcy case against the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo.
The third session started Wednesday, where survivors shared how clergy sexual abuse has affected their lives.
This comes seven years after the Buffalo Diocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
The group ‘Save Our Buffalo Churches‘ on Thursday says they are sending a petition to the Pope, requesting he investigate Bishop Michael Fisher, and his executive team, about how the sexual abuse cases and crisis settlements were handled. They say they’re specifically concerned about possible mismanagement and misrepresentation.
In a statement, the group says in-part,
“Save Our Buffalo Churches (SOBC) has made the decision to pursue a Papal petition requesting the Holy See to investigate Bishop Fisher and his executive team. The result of this type of audit can include corrective action up to and including program changes to removal from their positions. Bishop Fisher’s ministry has become increasingly ineffective and harmful. He has lost his good reputation among Catholics, and his actions have harmed the reputation of the Catholic Church to both Catholics and non-Catholics. This situation has reached the point of necessity for intervention by the Holy See.
SOBC seeks investigation principally into mismanagement of the sexual abuse and crisis settlement process, including fallout such as misrepresentation of information to the Vatican Dicastery for Clergy and the malevolence toward the spiritual health of our clergy and all Catholics in Western New York. The St. Joseph Foundation is providing support in this effort.”
The group has posted more information on their website, https://saveourbuffalochurches.com/, and Facebook page.
The Buffalo Diocese issued a statement in response to the petition:
“While the Diocese respects the right of various individuals and groups to appeal to the Holy See on matters involving the merging and closure of parishes as part of the “Road to Renewal,” — an initiative aimed at bringing together resources and merging unsustainable parishes with stronger, more viable parishes—the Diocese categorically rejects any assertion of “mismanagement” or “misrepresentation” in efforts to settle its bankruptcy status with the Creditors Committee or with any information provided to the Dicastery for the Clergy.
“Since becoming Bishop of Buffalo in January 2021, Bishop Michael W. Fisher has worked arduously to address the clergy sex abuse crisis, implementing robust and effective protocols and procedures for the protection of children and other vulnerable individuals, while also engaging in good faith with the Creditors Committee to arrive at a financial settlement pool to enable a sense of justice and restitution for victim-survivors.
“Bishop Fisher and his leadership team continue to work constructively with the Dicastery for the Clergy to provide all relevant information and detail as required to address questions about individual parish mergers and closures, and to also address the objections of individual parishes that have appealed specific decrees, as is their right. The Diocese fully complies with all judgments rendered by the Dicastery for the Clergy and has not appealed any revocation of merger or closure decrees issued by the Dicastery.
“The Diocese of Buffalo is committed to emerging from its Chapter 11 bankruptcy status at the earliest opportunity, achieving a fair and equitable settlement with the Creditors Committee, and defining a more hopeful and sustainable path for Catholic faith and ministry across Western New York.”