By Jeddy Johnson SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Embattled Bishop Richard Malone says he will publicly address the issue of sexual misconduct by clergy in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo on Monday afternoon.
Despite being accused of excluding some priests from the list of problematic priests in March, Malone has refused to step down as bishop.
Malone says he’s never knowingly left a priest accused of harming a child in ministry.
Last Monday, Paul Dunn 53, of New York filled a lawsuit against a Brooklyn priest and the eight dioceses of the New York State Catholic Conference. Those include the Catholic Diocese of Syracuse.
The Diocese of Syracuse, unlike other Upstate dioceses has not confirmed that it will release the names of its problematic priests, but they have agreed to cooperate with local officials.
Officials have acknowledges that federal and state investigations are underway.
Here’s what the lawsuit alleges about the individual dioceses:
- The Diocese of Syracuse knows of 49 priests who have been accused of abuse and has withheld their names.
- The Archdiocese of New York knows of 45 priests who have been accused of abuse and has withheld their names.
- The Diocese of Albany knows of 67 priests who have been accused and has only released a partial list.
- The Diocese of Brooklyn knows of 73 priests who have been accused and has only released 13 names.
- The Diocese of Buffalo released a list of all 42 names it claimed to know of, but a reporter “obtained records” from the diocese’s archives which list more than 100 priests who have been accused of sexually abusing minors.
- The Diocese of Ogdensburg knows of 35 priests who have been accused of abuse and has withheld their names.
- The Diocese of Rochester knows of 36 priests who have been accused of abuse and has released only 23 names.
- The Diocese of Rockville Centre knows of 66 priests who have been accused of abuse and withheld their names.
