Category: You can’t make this up

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]

Bishop Accountability, Disturbing actions of the Bishop of Buffalo, Lay Advisory Groups, You can't make this up

Complicit laypeople in the clergy sexual abuse crisis are for real

Jennifer Kane

"Are lay people still so blindly accepting of anything told them by a bishop, even when it is manifestly extremely suspicious if not patently false?" Answer: Yes. An example revealed in a recent article will blow your mind. [Click title link above to read all about it]

Bishop Accountability, Disturbing actions of the Bishop of Buffalo, Rev. Ryszard Biernat, whistleblowers, You can't make this up

A call for accountability: Bishop Grosz faces another Vos estis report under 3rd-party bishop reporting system

Jennifer Kane

As a corroborating witness to allegations of Bishop Grosz's interference with the investigation of a clergy sexual abuse report, I recently filed a report to the Vatican using an official online reporting system in place. Allegations of his abuse of authority, punctuated by blackmailing the victim, grabbed national and international media attention. While our Buffalo bishop appears numb to this case, a particular arm of the Vatican is mandated by the pope to investigate such “Vos estis” reports. I'll walk you through the reporting process. [Click title to read more]

Accountability IS mercy, Disturbing actions of the Bishop of Buffalo, Rev. Ryszard Biernat, You can't make this up

Clericalism: when laity are held accountable and clergy are not

Jennifer Kane

The NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks recently fired top-tier officials for ignoring a rookie hockey player’s report of sexual assault by a coach years ago. This man’s heartbreaking story is no different from Rev. Ryszard Biernat’s in the Diocese of Buffalo, where STILL no official has been held accountable for ignoring his 2004 report of sexual assault by a priest. Bishop Michael Fisher maintains this particular expression of clericalism by refusing to hold his officials accountable for botching clergy sexual abuse reports.