BUFFALO – After months of pressure to step down, Bishop Richard Malone of Buffalo finally has.
Malone had been under intense criticism for his handling of sexual abuse in the Buffalo Catholic Church.
In his statement, Malone hoped a new bishop could bring about reconciliation and healing.
Normally a bishop retires when he reaches age 75, but Bishop Malone is 73.
According to the Buffalo News, both the FBI and New York’s Attorney General are investigating clergy abuse and cover ups in the Buffalo Diocese.
Malone kept a secret binder full of the names of accused priests in a closet in his office.
Many of those names were withheld when Malone issued a list of credibly accused priests, a whistleblower reported last year.
But according to a spokesperson, the list only included priests accused of abusing minors, not those accused of misconduct with adults.
The pope has appointed Bishop Edward Scharfenberger to take Bishop Malone’s place.
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