Landmark Settlement with Catholic Diocese of Buffalo for Mishandling Child Sexual Abuse Cases
New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced a landmark settlement with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo (Buffalo Diocese, the Diocese), resolving a lawsuit filed in November 2020 that alleged the Buffalo Diocese persistently failed to address the child sexual abuse crisis and systematically evaded the very reforms it publicly adopted nearly 20 years ago for investigating, reviewing, and responding to abuse complaints. Instead, the Buffalo Diocese protected accused priests from facing the potential consequences of abuse accusations by quietly removing them from ministry.
“For far too long, the Buffalo Diocese and its leaders failed their most basic duty to guide and protect our children,” said Attorney General James. “In choosing to defend the perpetrators of sexual abuse instead of defending the most vulnerable, the Buffalo Diocese and its leaders breached parishioners’ trust and caused many a crisis of faith. As a result of this action, the Buffalo Diocese will now begin a much-needed era of independent oversight and accountability, and my office will continue to do everything in its power to restore trust and transparency for the future. No individual or entity is above the law, and those who violate it in New York state will always be held accountable.”
In November 2020, following a two-year investigation, Attorney General James filed a lawsuit against the Buffalo Diocese, Bishop Emeritus Malone, and former Auxiliary Bishop Grosz for mishandling child sexual abuse claims and failing to uphold their responsibilities to victims of abuse, parishioners, and the public. In the complaint, OAG alleged that the defendants violated their legal and fiduciary obligations by failing to conduct proper investigations into child sexual abuse accusations and not monitoring numerous credibly accused priests.
https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2022/att...se-buffalo
New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced a landmark settlement with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo (Buffalo Diocese, the Diocese), resolving a lawsuit filed in November 2020 that alleged the Buffalo Diocese persistently failed to address the child sexual abuse crisis and systematically evaded the very reforms it publicly adopted nearly 20 years ago for investigating, reviewing, and responding to abuse complaints. Instead, the Buffalo Diocese protected accused priests from facing the potential consequences of abuse accusations by quietly removing them from ministry.
“For far too long, the Buffalo Diocese and its leaders failed their most basic duty to guide and protect our children,” said Attorney General James. “In choosing to defend the perpetrators of sexual abuse instead of defending the most vulnerable, the Buffalo Diocese and its leaders breached parishioners’ trust and caused many a crisis of faith. As a result of this action, the Buffalo Diocese will now begin a much-needed era of independent oversight and accountability, and my office will continue to do everything in its power to restore trust and transparency for the future. No individual or entity is above the law, and those who violate it in New York state will always be held accountable.”
In November 2020, following a two-year investigation, Attorney General James filed a lawsuit against the Buffalo Diocese, Bishop Emeritus Malone, and former Auxiliary Bishop Grosz for mishandling child sexual abuse claims and failing to uphold their responsibilities to victims of abuse, parishioners, and the public. In the complaint, OAG alleged that the defendants violated their legal and fiduciary obligations by failing to conduct proper investigations into child sexual abuse accusations and not monitoring numerous credibly accused priests.
https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2022/att...se-buffalo
teachings of the Bible are so muddled and self-contradictory that it was possible for Christians to happily burn heretics alive for five long centuries. It was even possible for the most venerated patriarchs of the Church, like St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, to conclude that heretics should be tortured (Augustine) or killed outright (Aquinas). Martin Luther and John Calvin advocated the wholesale murder of heretics, apostates, Jews, and witches. - Sam Harris, "Letter To A Christian Nation"
