19 hours ago
‘I was shocked': Parishioners left shaken as parishes pay millions toward sexual abuse settlement
BATAVIA, N.Y. (WIVB) — People's faith in the Diocese of Buffalo is shaken after finding out their parishes will have to pay millions of dollars toward $150 million total to settle over 800 claims of sexual abuse.
Ascension Parish in Batavia is being asked to pay more than $1 million. Parishioners Bill and Nancy Brach said they're upset and that this isn't the solution.
Diocese of Buffalo asks parishes to pay $80M toward $150M settlement
'These were every spaghetti dinner, and the chicken BBQ and special donations that we've had over the years and it was all donated to maintain this parish,' Bill said.
The Brachs, along with members of Save Our Buffalo Churches, have been fighting to keep their church open after the Diocese announced it was slated to close. The couple is still holding out hope. Their faith in the Diocese's leadership is being tested.
'It's a mess, even if they were doing the bankruptcy and settlement and all that and then down the road we'll look at the road to renewal, but when they're closing churches and merging churches and chasing people away and then taking all the money. Wow,' Bill said.
'We're wondering if they're going to have anyone left to go to church,' Nancy said.
Contributions from parishes range from 10% to 80%, based on each parish's self-reported and unrestricted assets as of August 2024.
Sally Tanner, who attends Queen of Heaven Church in West Seneca, said her church is expected to pay $3.4 million in the settlement.
'I was shocked,' Tanner said.
She has been donating to her church for years and is heartbroken that there is a chance those donations are going toward the settlement.
'I've already paid for it, so I can't say I'm not paying a dime, which I would like to do, but I've already paid,' she said. 'I've paid for sins I didn't commit.'
Tanner said despite all this, she's not going to turn her back on her church or her faith.
'I can't not support my church,' she said. 'I'm not going to leave the Catholic faith. I'm not going to leave my church.'
The Brachs worry other Catholics won't be as forgiving.
Parishes in Buffalo to contribute millions of dollars to sexual abuse settlement
'There are those that stay home and watch it on TV,' Bill said. 'There are people who switched to other denominations in town and worst of all, there are people who just stopped going all together.'
'I think they feel betrayed,' Nancy said.
'It's sad, the money is one thing, but when you lose trust in the church leadership, that's the hard thing for a lot of people,' Bill said.
Sarah Minkewicz is an Emmy-nominated reporter and Buffalo native who has been a part of the News 4 team since 2019. Follow Sarah on Twitter @SarahMinkewicz and click here to see more of her work.
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