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The Diocese of Buffalo has settled a two-year-old lawsuit with the New York attorney general’s office over charges that it covered up sexual abuse cases involving priests.
Under the agreement, the diocese is required to implement enhanced child protection measures.
It also prohibits two retired bishops alleged to have covered up clergy sexual abuse from holding any fiduciary roles within New York.
The deal doesn’t include any financial penalties but institutes structural reforms and appoints the state to exercise some oversight of the diocese.
“The settlement that the diocese and the New York attorney general have agreed to confirms that the rigorous policies and protocols the diocese has put in place over the past several years are the right ones to ensure that all young people and other vulnerable persons are safe and never at risk of abuse of any kind by a member of the clergy, diocesan employee, volunteer, or member of a religious order serving in the Diocese of Buffalo,” Buffalo Bishop Michael W Fisher said in a statement.
The diocese said most of the requirements outlined in the settlement are already in place as part of the diocese’s policies developed since the USCCB mandated the charter two decades ago.
While the diocese has contracted with an outside firm to conduct an annual audit to monitor compliance with the charter, the agreement calls for an additional “compliance audit”.
Kathleen McChesney, CEO of Kinsale Management Consulting and former executive director of the US Catholic Bishops’ Conference’s Office of Child and Youth Protection, has agreed to serve as compliance auditor and is awaiting court approval.
New York Attorney General Letitia James (pictured) said the settlement means that “the Buffalo Diocese will now begin a much-needed era of independent oversight and accountability.”
“We hope that these initiatives, along with our commitment to producing an additional detailed annual compliance audit by an independent auditor, will provide further evidence of our commitment to the level of accountability and transparency that all Catholic faithful and the broader public rightly deserve and require,” Bishop Fisher said.
A case filed by the attorney general’s office in November 2020 accused diocesan leaders of protecting more than two dozen priests accused of child sexual abuse.
The lawsuit accused retired Bishop Richard J Malone and retired Auxiliary Bishop Edward M Grosz of mishandling sexual abuse allegations as required under New York law and the “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People” adopted by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2002.
The suit also charged the diocese with failing to report the accused priests to the Vatican and misappropriating charitable donations to support their defence.
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