Tag: whistleblower

Bishop Richard Malone celebrates Mass with Father Ryszard Biernat
Bishop Accountability

Jesus to whistleblowers: Be “deeply disturbed” by wicked behavior and act upon it.

Jennifer Kane

Arrested for possession of material depicting the sexual abuse of children, Father Jeffrey Nowak would likely still be an active priest today in the Diocese of Buffalo had it not been for Father Ryszard Biernat being "deeply disturbed" about his behavior--just like the fellow servants were in Jesus' parable. In yesterday's Gospel (Matthew 18: 21-35), Jesus tells the parable about a king who magnanimously forgives a large debt a servant owes him. Part Two of the parable shockingly reveals the same exonerated servant putting a fellow servant in prison for not paying a smaller debt owed to him. Oh, wait. There isn't a Part Two to this parable until the whistleblowers (fellow servants) inform the king.

Bishop Accountability

Fr. Ryszard Biernat is still banned from ministry 6 years after whistleblowing on Diocese of Buffalo officials; the officials should face accountability as well

Jennifer Kane

The Diocese of Buffalo, currently led by Bishop Michael Fisher, has sadistically isolated one of its priests for six long years for daring to publicly expose its secret system of operations which protected sexual predator priests. Those operations relied on the complicity of several diocesan officials still leading us TODAY who have never faced accountability. Some have even received diocesan honors. This is terrifying. If Fr. Biernat has to face accountability for his decisions, these officials should too. Read to see names and faces of these officials.

Bishop Accountability, Disturbing actions of the Bishop of Buffalo, Evidence, Rev. Ryszard Biernat, whistleblowers

Sworn testimonies reveal cruel vein of inhumanity in Buffalo bishops

Jennifer Kane

Laity can now read sworn testimony by two Diocese of Buffalo bishops who painted a chilling picture of dereliction of duty in how they handled reports of clergy sexual abuse the past 20 years. A deep dive into documentary evidence and testimonies arguably reveals a cruel vein of inhumanity, a sociopathic trait most disturbing in the way they handled the case of Rev. Art Smith. Whistleblowers Father Ryszard Biernat and Siobhan O’Connor weigh in.

Bishop Accountability, Disturbing actions of the Bishop of Buffalo, fictional remedies to clergy sex abuse crisis, Rev. Ryszard Biernat, whistleblowers, You can't make this up

Shocking details in new TV documentary series further vindicate Diocese of Buffalo whistleblowers

Jennifer Kane

News surfaced on the international front that further vindicated the heroic efforts of Buffalo whistleblowers. Within a week of the publication of The Buffalo News‘ front-page photo of Rev. Ryszard Biernat,former diocesan vice chancellor, in blue coveralls carrying a ladder in his current job as building maintenance manager... a multi-part documentary series in Poland finished up its television run revealing in one of its episodes shocking new details about the way officials in the Diocese of Buffalo allegedly handled physical reports of clergy sexual abuse.It is a shameful reflection not just of diocesan officials including our bishop, but of we laity 60 years after Vatican II. By not bothering to address even this single case, we laity collectively join our bishop in tacitly enforcing a universal gag order on all diocesan employees (especially clergy) who witness corruption or criminal/abusive behavior. The bishop's retaliation is just too damn severe. [Click title to read article]

Buffalo Survivors Group, whistleblowers

Revisiting Good Samaritan parable: Heartless reaction among diocese’s clergy to survivors of clergy sexual abuse

Jennifer Kane

In a stunning set of recent communications to clergy sexual abuse survivors, a Diocese of Buffalo priest reveals a disturbing culture Jesus warned us about in his parable of the Good Samaritan. Diocesan whistleblower, Siobhan O’Connor, weighs in.

Disturbing actions of the Bishop of Buffalo, Lay Advisory Groups, Rev. Ryszard Biernat

Survivors group rebukes Bishop Fisher for treating whistleblower as “enemy” in mass mailing to every cleric and most nuns and lay advisors in Diocese of Buffalo

Jennifer Kane

Two years after whistleblower Rev. Ryszard Biernat’s removal from active ministry, survivors of clergy sexual abuse in the Diocese of Buffalo sent a stern message to every single bishop, priest, deacon, and most lay advisors and nuns in the diocese: “Renewal” is a farce if diocesan officials who covered up clergy sexual abuse reports are not held accountable while they hold Father Biernat accountable for exposing such “foul deeds.”

Accountability IS mercy

My message to Papal Nuncio: As a corroborating witness to Msgr LiPuma’s participation in clergy sexual abuse coverup, I object to his candidacy to any office or title in the Roman Catholic Church

Jennifer Kane

In 2004, a 23-year-old seminarian wrote to vice chancellor Monsignor David LiPuma asking for help concerning sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of a diocesan priest--help he never received. So, I have written a letter.

fictional remedies to clergy sex abuse crisis

FICTION: Women in diocesan leadership can help prevent clergy sex abuse

Jennifer Kane

We look at three women who held influential positions in diocesan chanceries--two in Buffalo. They are living proof that women are not the silver bullet to keeping us safe. Reduced to two choices in their positions, they can play the game and stay, or they can act on their moral conscience and leave. A bishop is not necessarily going to be persuaded by whatever they bring to the table. It sure didn't work in Buffalo. (Click title above to read more...)

Disturbing actions of the Bishop of Buffalo, Rev. Ryszard Biernat

Rev. Ryszard Biernat speaks to national audience: Disrupting the dioceses’ sexual predatory culture will get you banned from ministry

Jennifer Kane

“Our founder, Jesus Christ, taught us ‘the Truth will set you free.’ Why are we hiding? Why are we lying about the truth?” He projected the harrowing reaction that overcame him when he finally realized, “It’s simply to protect predators like McCarrick, monsters like other predators around. We hide them and shelter them, and that’s the reason for the lie. And it’s so contrary to what we are about in the Church," he said. "If the bishops, the shepherds, are going to such an extent to lie about such horrible things, how do you expect them to care for the faithful, for their souls to be nourished, for salvation, if they lie about and hide and protect child rapists? We need to sometimes wake up and realize, they’re not just lying about McCarrick; they have been lying the last 30 to 40 years about what’s been going on.” (Click title to read more...)

Accountability IS mercy

“An act of spite” keeps heroic whistleblower priest sidelined—one year later

Jennifer Kane

"... if you try to groom a child for sex, Malone will stick up for you, but if you try to stop that behavior, he’ll fire you and call you a traitor." That pretty much sums up what happened to a Diocese of Buffalo priest who acted on his moral conscience. Wait. It's actually worse than that.… Continue reading “An act of spite” keeps heroic whistleblower priest sidelined—one year later