New York State Justice announced on Tuesday an unprecedented legal agreement with the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, located in the State.

This will allow the surveillance of priests suspected of sexual abuse.

The Catholic Church in the United States is often shaken by revelations of sexual crimes committed by priests, especially against children.

In December 2019, Pope Francis announced the resignation of Bishop Richard Malone, Bishop of Buffalo, the second city in New York State, implicated for his handling of a child crime scandal.

Two years of investigation

After investigations in all eight dioceses in the state and the complaint by New York Attorney General Letitia James in November 2020, it was determined that the priests of the Diocese of Buffalo were "credibly" suspected of sexual abuse or of complicity.

They will now submit to the control of judicial and police officials.

The audits will be overseen by Kathleen McChesney, a former FBI executive and specialist in sex scandals within the American Catholic Church.

"The Diocese of Buffalo and its leaders have, for far too long, failed in their primary mission to guide and protect our children," Letitia James said in a statement.

Another scandal in Albany

"By choosing to defend the perpetrators of sexual abuse rather than the most fragile, the Diocese of Buffalo and its leaders have damaged the confidence of the faithful and caused a crisis of beliefs in many," added the prosecutor.

“No one is above the law and those who violate it in New York State will always be held accountable.

»



The two former bishops of Buffalo, Richard Malone and Edward Grosz, will never again be able to exercise in religious or secular charities in New York.

Besides the diocese of Buffalo, the former bishop of Albany (the state capital), Mrg Howard Hubbard, admitted in court in 2021 to having been aware for twenty-five years, from 1977 to 2002, of sexual abuse of minors without ever taking action.

His testimony was not made public until last March.

Justice

Pedocrime in the Church: The quantification of the damages for the victims is debated

Company

Sexual abuse in the Church: The diocese and the Dijon prosecutor's office sign an agreement

  • Church

  • Sexual violence

  • UNITED STATES

  • Child

  • Priest

  • Investigation

  • Justice