Buffalo Diocese Sexual Abuse

Diocese of Buffalo Files for Bankruptcy — What Does It Mean?:  On February 28, 2020, the Diocese filed for bankruptcy.  We represent dozens of people who were sexually abused by priests or others associated with the Diocese of Buffalo, and we filed some of the first lawsuits against the Diocese under the Child Victims Act.  That means our clients are some of the first “creditors” in the Diocese’s bankruptcy.  You can read the Diocese’s formal bankruptcy petition by clicking here, which lists our law firms as legal counsel for a number of the creditors.

A “bankruptcy” does not mean the Diocese has no assets or insurance, or that abuse survivors will get nothing. To the contrary, the goal of a bankruptcy is to allow a bankruptcy judge to marshal the Diocese’s cash, other assets, and insurance, and then ensure that abuse survivors are compensated in a way that is fair to everyone.  However, in order to be compensated, abuse survivors must file a claim in the bankruptcy court by a deadline, which could be as short as a few months from now, or they will forever forfeit their right to pursue a claim or compensation from the Diocese.  If you may have a claim the time to act is now.

We have put together a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) based on our experiences in prior Catholic bankruptcies, but please know we cannot guarantee what will happen with the Diocese of Buffalo’s bankruptcy.  You can read the FAQ by clicking here.

Please contact us to learn your options and to timely file a claim by the deadline.  The deadline usually applies to everyone, including people who later claim they were not aware of the deadline. The time to act is now.  Contact us.

First Lawsuit Filed Against the Diocese of Buffalo:  On August 14, 2019, thirteen of our clients filed one of the first lawsuits against the Diocese of Buffalo under the Child Victims Act.  You can read our clients’ lawsuit by clicking this link:  Heldwein et al. v. Diocese of Buffalo et al.  You can also read one of our client’s stories by clicking this link:  Child Victims Act Lawsuits to Peel Open Decades of Secrecy in Clergy Sex Abuse.

We represent many people who were sexually abused by priests who worked in the Diocese of Buffalo.  More than 60 priests who served in the Diocese have been accused of sexual abuse, but many of the allegations were not investigated because of New York’s outdated statute of limitations for abuse survivors.

The following list of priests who have faced abuse allegations was compiled from different sources, including news reports.  Please know some of the allegations are disputed by the individuals listed below.  Where possible we have provided a summary of the allegations and a list of the individual’s known assignments.

By default the list below is sorted by the priest’s last name.  You can also sort the list by first name.

Please know the list is not intended to be exhaustive — there are likely priests and others in the Diocese of Buffalo who abused children but who are not listed below.

If you or someone you love was sexually abused by a priest within the Diocese of Buffalo, please contact us for a free, confidential consultation to learn your legal options.