Fr. Joseph A. Schuster

Accused at 3:00 pm on 3/30/18, Good Friday, outside the cathedral in Buffalo, of sexually assaulting a boy age 13 in 1968. The survivor stated he understands he was the ‘first of many victims.’ He met Schuster at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Niagara Falls, where Schuster helped out. In 1968 Schuster was assigned to Holy Name of Jesus in Buffalo and then as faculty at the Preparatory Seminary in Buffalo. After an event relating to the Vietnam War, Schuster pressed the boy to stay overnight at the priest’s apartment, rather than bike home in the dark. The boy told his mother about the abuse the next day. The diocese stated Schuster was not on its 3/20/19 list of ‘diocesan priests who were removed from ministry, were retired, or left ministry after allegations of sexual abuse of a minor’ because the list only included deceased priests with 2 or more allegations. Schuster was granted a leave of absence in 1991; it is not known whether he was ever laicized. He died on 7/23/07. Accused along with Rev. Fred Ingalls in a lawsuit filed under the NY Child Victims Act in 9/19 of abusing a boy, ages 7-10, in 1976-79, at St. Joseph’s in Niagara Falls.