Buffalo Catholic Diocese

"Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Richard J. Malone from the pastoral governance of the Diocese of Buffalo and has appointed Most Reverend Edward B. Scharfenberger, Bishop of Albany, as the Apostolic Administrator of Buffalo to serve until the installation of a new bishop," announced the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops early Wednesday morning.

A mix of caution and anticipation is how many are reacting to a report suggesting Bishop Richard Malone will resign Wednesday as the leader of the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo. Malone has come under intense criticism for his handling of a clergy sex abuse scandal and a new chapter appears near.

The Diocese of Buffalo has announced the sale of the former Niagara Catholic High School. Niagara Catholic, located at 540 66th Street in Niagara Falls, was the only Catholic high school in Niagara County until its closure in August 2018.

The Buffalo Catholic Diocese has created "a new protocol for dealing with credible allegations of sexual abuse against adults by bishops, priests, deacons, religious, lay ministers and seminarians." In a video message Tuesday, Bishop Richard Malone outlined the "Adult Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedures," alongside an updated "Code of Pastoral Conduct for Clergy," which are both effective immediately.

The Erie County District Attorney’s Office has confirmed it has opened a criminal investigation based on allegations made by a former seminarian in the Buffalo Catholic Diocese.

The prominent lawyer leading a sex abuse case against a dead priest is continuing his efforts to get the name of the alleged abuser taken off a Buffalo Catholic Diocese parish hall.

A small group of church whistleblowers held a demonstration in front of Bishop Richard Malone's residence Sunday to call attention to what they call the "sickly dysfunctional environment" at the Buffalo Catholic Diocese's Christ the King Seminary.

Two more priests have been put on administrative leave. The move comes after the priests were publicly named in sexual abuse lawsuits filed Wednesday, the first day of the one-year Child Victims Act window.

Three Catholic priests who were placed on leave after making inappropriate remarks during a party with seminarians in April are being reinstated.

The Buffalo Catholic Diocese has appointed a new Controller and three new lay members to its Finance Council. Bishop Richard Malone said the appointments are a "positive" result of the Movement to Restore Trust asserting financial transparency by the diocese, as well as the laity’s rightful role in the church.

About 200 people came out for the first listening session of area Catholics held by Buffalo Bishop Richard Malone. The sessions came about through the recommendation of the Movement to Restore Trust for the diocese to be more transparent and responsive to parishioners' needs.

The Catholic Diocese of Buffalo and the Movement to Restore Trust have formed a Joint Implementation Team, facilitated by Leadership Roundtable, to address the clergy sex abuse scandal. Among the first orders of business was to agree to changes in how the diocese handles abuse cases.

The Diocese of Buffalo, its Review Board and Bishop Richard Malone have determined the immediate fates of three priests accused of sexual abuse.

After three months of work by hundreds of Catholic lay volunteers, the Movement to Restore Trust has presented its recommendations to Bishop Richard Malone.

Abortion opponents who run the St. Gianna Molla Pregnancy Outreach Center were networking and raising money Tuesday night at Cheektowaga's Millennium Hotel with New York State's new Reproductive Health Act, signed into law in January, inspiring pro-life advocates.

Buffalo Catholic Diocese Bishop Richard Malone says he is praying the Vatican's global summit will result in "greater steps" to assist victims of clergy sexual abuse "on their journey to healing" and to "restore and rebuild faith, hope and trust" in the church itself.

The Catholic Diocese of Buffalo has found a buyer for a former rectory, with the buyer turning the building into a mixed-use space.