In the past few years, there has been increasing legal activity concerning the Roman Catholic Church and sexual abuse claims against its dioceses. The sexual abuse victims that came forward are from all around the world and the US. Specifically, in the Diocese of Buffalo in New York, at least 175 of its priests are facing credible allegations of sexual abuse.
Child sex abuse survivors have been able to speak up throughout New York due to the passage of the Child Victims Act that extended the statute of limitations for them to initiate lawsuits. Lawmakers extended the deadline for filing a claim even further due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new cutoff is now 5 p.m. on August 14, 2021, meaning that if you suffered sexual abuse as a child within the Diocese of Buffalo, you can potentially bring a claim no matter how old you are or how long ago the abuse happened.
Due to one child sex abuse survivor’s lawsuit, three priests are now on leave because of claims they sexually abused a boy during the 1990s. They all denied the accusations but are on leave pending the results of an investigation. The three clergies named in the lawsuit include Father Adolph Kowalczyk, pastor of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church in Orchard Park; Father Mieczyslaw “Matt” Nycz, pastor of SS. Peter and Paul in Williamsville; and Father Gregory Dobson. Dobson is retired but assists in different parishes throughout the diocese.
In the lawsuit, a man who was a student at Sacred Heart School when the alleged abuse took place claims the three clergymen “coerced him to engage in sexual contact with other underage female students” while the priests filmed them. The lawsuit states the alleged abuse happened on school property and in “the confessional rooms.”
In addition to the actual acts of sexual abuse, institutions have tried to cover up incidents of abuse and protect those clergy members who committed such heinous crimes. For example, in a November 2020 lawsuit, an investigation found that the Diocese of Buffalo and its two former leaders, Bishop Richard J. Malone and Auxiliary Bishop Edward M. Grosz, covered for more than two dozen priests accused of sexual abuse against children. The lawsuit claimed that Malone and Grosz classified the priests as “unassignable,” which allowed them to retire or take medical leave rather than referring them to a Vatican investigation, likely resulting in their removal from the priesthood.
That same lawsuit from November 2020 also blasted the diocese for its careless handling of priests found to have molested children. As a result, the diocese asked eighteen priests to participate in a monitoring program that includes meeting monthly with a mental health caseworker, refraining from any type of ministry, counseling, participating in support groups, and supervision at family events involving children. Unfortunately, even after removal from ministry due to credible allegations, some priests have yet to sign on to the monitoring program.
The Diocese of Buffalo’s bankruptcy filing on February 28, 2020, made it nearly impossible to reveal details about these cases publicly, mainly because bankruptcy court isn’t subject to the same rules of discovery and disclosure that exist for civil cases. Nevertheless, diocese officials asserted that bankruptcy was necessary to keep the diocese from dissolving while working to address the sex abuse cases in a way that would be equitable.
The website for the Diocese of Buffalo includes a page called Abuse Response. There, you can find “Ways to Report Concerns,” and there are multiple contacts, including www.ReportBishopAbuse.org, or you can call 1-(800)-276-1562.
If you or someone you know suffered child sexual abuse by a clergy member at the Diocese of Buffalo, please contact Herman Law today for a free consultation.
Speaking up is never easy—but you’re not alone. If you’re ready to explore your legal options, our compassionate team at Herman Law is here to listen, support, and guide you forward. Reach out today in complete confidence.
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