BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo's Catholic Bishop has grown ever-elusive in the months following sex abuse scandals that rocked the Buffalo Diocese.
2 On Your Side has continuously attempted to contact Bishop Richard Malone without success, but now, the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo has confirmed the Bishop has a meeting scheduled for November 5.
“The bishop will be discussing the current situation with the priests, as he has done on several occasions in recent months," said Diocesan spokeswoman Kathy Spangler.
Spangler says the Diocese has no comment on the revelations that former executive assistant to Bishop, Siobhan O'Connor, and Deacon Paul Snyder III, are appearing in a Sunday "60 Minutes" story on the diocese's handling of instances and/or accusations of sexual abuse and misconducts by priests.
The Bishop also released the statement sent to "60 Minutes" on the Diocese's website saying in part, "I appreciate the invitation to interview with '60 Minutes.' Regrettably, I must decline."
He notes the Diocese is focused on "protecting the children and reconciling with the victims," and that the roster of interviews for the program "did not include those who are aware of the full extent of the efforts of our Diocese to combat child abuse."