{"id":82547,"date":"2026-04-30T17:19:30","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T21:19:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spiritdaily.org\/blog\/?p=82547"},"modified":"2026-04-30T17:19:57","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T21:19:57","slug":"mailbag-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spiritdaily.org\/blog\/mailbag-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Mailbag: The Monsters On Main Street"},"content":{"rendered":"

[The following is from a victim; caution, upsetting alleged content]:<\/em><\/p>\n

By Denis G. Riley<\/span><\/p>\n

Late in 2025, Honorable Carl L. Bucki, Chief Judge of the US Bankruptcy Court, Western District of NY, who is presiding over the seven-year long Diocese of Buffalo bankruptcy case, announced that he would hold hearings during which he would allow victim\/survivors of sexual abuse by diocesan priests to address the court. There were six such hearings in January, February and March of 2026.<\/p>\n

As a survivor of abuse by Msgr. Edward J. Walker, pastor of St. Joseph Church in Fredonia from 1954\u20131965, I took the opportunity to speak to the court on February 26th. The following is a summary of my remarks before the court. (Attached at the end of this summary is a full copy of my remarks along with a chart that I submitted to the court before my statement).<\/p>\n

The following is the story of how I became enmeshed in the decades old Diocese of Buffalo\u2019s sex abuse scandal that continues unabated to this day:<\/p>\n

\u201cFr. Edward J. Walker came to St. Joseph Church on Main Street in Fredonia, NY in 1954. He was a builder. He fix[ed] the church roof and paint[ed] the interior. He revitalized the [parish\u2019s sodalities and societies]. Mass attendance increased\u2026 He talked up a better school. The money came pouring in. He added four new, modern classrooms\u2026 He was promoted to Monsignor\u2026 [became] Dean of the Clergy for Northern Chautauqua County. The Pope named him a Prelate of Honor.<\/p>\n

He was all these things and\u2026 something more\u2026 a man filled with evil. He was a destroyer of souls. He assaulted, sodomized and raped his way through his altar boy corps. He shattered their lives while he dined in their parents\u2019 homes.<\/p>\n

\u2026 [this went on] \u2026 for a dozen years. He was safe. He was shielded by the mute, traumatized boys. He was protected from above. Not by the Angels of the Lord but by the Dark Lords of the Chancery in Buffalo.<\/p>\n

How do I know all of this? Because I was one of those boys\u2026 Msgr. Walker was not the only Monster on Main Street. The Chancery [in Buffalo] is on Main St.<\/p>\n

From 1961 when I graduated from St. Joe\u2019s until this very day, I have wrestled with the consequences of Walker\u2019s vile intrusion into my life:<\/p>\n

1999<\/p>\n

[after years of anguish] \u2026 I told my story to Bishop Henry Mansell. He assured me that there had never been a complaint about Walker before mine\u2026 [which] \u2026 I made on behalf of my older brother Don and me\u2026 [I naively believed him] \u2026<\/p>\n

2007<\/p>\n

In 2007, I read the story of Fr. Thomas Doyle\u2026 [who] \u2026 served as secretary to Apostolic Nuncio Pio Lagi from 1981-1986. At Lagi\u2019s direction, he researched and wrote the first major expose on the [Church\u2019s] burgeoning sex abuse scandal… He pressed Lagi\u2026 [and] \u2026 all the U.S. Bishops… to take action. For his efforts, he was fired and became an Air Force chaplain stationed in Iceland \u2013 a literal example of being put on ice.<\/p>\n

I contacted Fr. Doyle. By the time we spoke, he had already testified in 18 sex abuse lawsuits\u2026 [on behalf of the plaintiffs] \u2026 I told him about my meeting with Bishop Mansell. He said\u2026 [Mansell] \u2026 had lied to me. I asked how he could say that… Because, he replied, \u201cthey always lie. That\u2019s the first thing they do.\u201d I believed him and\u2026 [realized that Mansell had lied to me]…<\/p>\n

2011<\/p>\n

Between 2007 and 2011, I searched for victims who had reported abuse by Msgr. Walker to the bishop before I did. I was advised by\u2026 lawyers\u2026 that if I could prove that Bishop Mansell lied, it might be possible to circumvent the statute of limitations.<\/p>\n

Finding none who were willing to go on record, \u2026 I [then] wrote to Bishop Mansell\u2019s successor, Bishop Edward Kmiec asking for access to\u2026 Walker\u2019s files to\u2026 [find out if] \u2026 there had been any complaints made\u2026 prior to mine. He replied that there were\u2026 [none].<\/p>\n

I responded by\u2026 asking if he had reviewed the records in the diocese\u2019s Secret Archives. He replied\u2026 that there was no such thing. I\u2026 [responded] \u2026 quoting from the Vatican\u2019s own website, the rules requiring every bishop to maintain such an archive. He replied, once again, saying that there was no\u2026 [complaint] \u2026 about Walker in the Secret Archives, effectively admitting that he had lied about its existence.<\/p>\n

2018<\/p>\n

In 2018, I filed a complaint with the Diocese of Buffalo about\u2026 Walker under the Diocese\u2019s Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program (IRCP). Prior to that, I had followed\u2026 the NY legislature\u2019s repeated failure to pass a Child Victims Act to suspend the statute of limitations… The strong opposition\u2026 by the NY State\u2019s bishops\u2026 made its passage seem doubtful. I was offered a settlement by the Diocese\u2019s IRCP which I accepted.<\/p>\n

2026<\/p>\n

All the foregoing is a necessary prelude to asking:<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat kind of men assault, sodomize and rape little children?\u201d \u201cWhat kind of men cover-up such depravity?\u201d \u201cHow many of the perpetrators and how many of the men who covered up their crimes have been punished?\u201d<\/p>\n

To answer these questions, it would make sense to review the history of each of the 210 priests\u2026 accused of abuse and their bishops but time\u2026 will not allow for that, so let the actions of a few illustrate the actions of the many:<\/p>\n

The Priests<\/p>\n

Fr. James P. Hayes, a priest at All Saints Church in Riverside took an 8-year-old girl to his office, molested her and forced her to perform oral sex on him.<\/p>\n

Rev. William White, assigned to Annunciation Church abused twin boys for\u2026 10 years by plying them with drugs and alcohol, raping both of\u2026 [them] \u2026 then making them rape each other as he watched…<\/p>\n

Msgr. Edward J. Walker, who was one of the longest tenured priests of the diocese serving at [five parishes]. [He] \u2026 was pastor of St. Joseph Church in Fredonia for 12 years [where] \u2026 he assaulted my older brother Don, me and\u2026 [almost all of our altar boy classmates] …. he was persistent [assaulting each of us as often as he could] \u2026 . but also vicious… A lawsuit filed against Walker as pastor of Holy Name of Jesus states, \u2026 \u201cWalker sodomized Plaintiff \u2026 forced Plaintiff to perform oral sex \u2026 and ejaculated in Plaintiff\u2019s mouth.\u201d<\/p>\n

But we must also examine the records of the superiors of men like those just described.<\/p>\n

The Bishops<\/p>\n

The men who covered-up for the sexually abusive priests of the diocese:<\/p>\n

Henry Mansell, deceased, former Bishop of Buffalo and Archbishop of Hartford, CT. His lie to me about Msgr. Walker has been proven by a lawsuit filed by Plaintiff \u201cW.D.\u201d against Walker and his then parish Holy Name, which states that in his prior parish, St. Joe\u2019s, Walker assaulted an altar boy whose father reported the incident to the Diocese \u2026 34 years before my complaint.<\/p>\n

Edward Kmiec, deceased, former Bishop of Buffalo. Not only did he lie to me about the existence of the Secret Archives, he also lied\u2026 by [writing] \u2026 that he could not open Walker\u2019s files\u2026 because it was against policy to do so. But he was the bishop\u2026 so, of course, he could change it.<\/p>\n

Richard Malone, former Bishop of Buffalo. He didn\u2019t lie to me\u2026 but\u2026 he lied to everyone in WNY when he understated the number of priests credibly accused of sexual abuse. His lies were exposed by Siobhan O\u2019Connor, his personal secretary.<\/p>\n

Michael Fisher, Bishop of Buffalo. He has followed in the footsteps of his predecessors by keep[ing] the files secret, spending millions of dollars\u2026 to keep the truth of \u201cwhat they knew, and when they knew it,\u201d as a part of his\u2026 strategy to reduce the size of the reparations for the victims.<\/p>\n

To open the files to public scrutiny might reveal\u2026 an ongoing criminal conspiracy carried out by his predecessors and continued by him. The conspiracy\u2026 is, to shield the perpetrators and, thereby, the diocese\u2019s money to the greatest extent possible. Ongoing criminal conspiracies are not subject to the statute of limitations.<\/p>\n

Evidence of such activity on the part of the living bishops could potentially expose them and their predator priests to criminal charges since the [crimes listed] \u2026 under the RICO statue include assault (sex abuse), human trafficking (transferring abusive priests from one parish to another) and obstruction of justice (covering-up sexual assault).<\/p>\n

\u2026 only a thorough review of the files would prove or disprove\u2026 possibility of [a prosecution under RICO].<\/p>\n

All this begs the question, \u201cwhy would Bishop Fisher choose to participate in the ongoing enterprise of his predecessors, criminal or otherwise? An examination of Michael Fisher\u2019s Ecclesiastical Family Tree provides some clues. As in any large organization, you only get promoted by carrying water for your boss. So, who mentored Michael Fisher:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \n

    Cardinal Theodore McCarrick: a. who appointed Michael Fisher as Vicar General of the Apostolates of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. in 2005. b. \u2026 McCarrick was defrocked by Pope Francis for his serial, sexual abuse of seminarians.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  2. \n

    Cardinal Donald Wuerl, McCarrick\u2019s successor as Archbishop of Washington, D.C.: a. who appointed Michael Fisher as Vicar for Clergy Leadership in 2006. b. Wuerl was\u2026 [targeted] \u2026 in the Attorney General of Pennsylvania\u2019s report for\u2026 transferring [abusive priests] from one parish to another. Wuerl was forced to resign as Archbishop of Washington, D.C. due to that and his handling of similar matters.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Michael Fisher was consecrated as an Auxiliary Bishop of Washington, D.C. in 2018 by Cardinal Wuerl who was assisted as co-consecrators by Mario Dorsonville, Bishop of Houma-Thibodaux, LA and Barry Knestout, Bishop of Richmond, VA.<\/p>\n

    Mario Dorsonville was\u2026 consecrated as an Auxiliary Bishop of Washington, D.C. by Cardinal Wuerl in 2015.<\/p>\n

    Barry Knestout was installed as Bishop of Richmond, Va. in 2018 by Archbishop William Lori. His installation was presided over by Cardinal McCarrick and Cardinal Wuerl. Bishop Knestout has been accused of covering up for abusive priests in his diocese.<\/p>\n

    Archbishop Lori has also been credibly accused of covering-up for abusive priests in the Archdiocese of Baltimore.<\/p>\n

    McCarrick, Wuerl, Dorsonville, Knestout and Lori comprise a Bodyguard of Lies.<\/p>\n

    What I have just described does not constitute an accusation against Bishop Fisher of \u201cguilt by association\u201d but, rather, an accurate description of \u201cguilt by participation.\u201d Bishop Fisher learned well from his mentors\u2026 [and] \u2026 earned his place in the Bodyguard of Lies. A Bodyguard of Lies to conceal the evil that these men do.<\/p>\n

    These men\u2026 have laid waste to the church in WNY. They have debauched our children\u2026 protected their persecutors driving thousands of families from the parishes resulting in the collapse of many. They have brought this bankruptcy upon this diocese.<\/p>\n

    The heir and current leader of their conspiracy, Michael Fisher, has\u2026 the gall to call the final strip mining of the parishes\u2019 coffers and the sale of their property as \u201cRenewal\u201d of the diocese. The only thing that this so-called renewal resembles is the Urban Renewal of the 50s and 60s that left our cities in shambles…<\/p>\n

    I believe that all of the foregoing answers my rhetorical questions posed earlier in these remarks, that were:<\/p>\n

    \u201cWhat kind of men assault, sodomize and rape little children?\u201d \u201cWhat kind of men cover-up such depravity?\u201d The answer is: perverted criminals.<\/p>\n

    \u201cHow many of the perpetrators and how many of the bishops who covered up their crimes have been punished?\u201d The answer is: none.<\/p>\n

    What should be done?<\/p>\n

    The proposed settlement is not justice. True justice requires atonement as well as reparation. There has been no atonement by the men who caused this cataclysm. The bishops and priests who are responsible for all of this have yet to be brought before the bar of justice \u2013 and likely never will be because of the statute of limitations… Their conspiracy may not be a conspiracy de jure but it has been, and continues to be, a de facto one.<\/p>\n

    The bishops and priests must personally contribute as much as possible to the settlement fund even if only a small amount.<\/p>\n

    The Bishop of Buffalo, \u2026 [along] \u2026with all the Bishops of NY State must modify the rules governing the $3.9 billion Mother Cabrini Health Foundation to include the suffering of the victims of sexual abuse as a mental health issue eligible for the foundation\u2019s financial support.<\/p>\n

    Some experts have\u2026 [said] \u2026 this cannot be done\u2026 others say it can. What I know\u2026 is that if the bishops wish it to be done it can be done. They wrote the rules of the foundation, they can modify them.<\/p>\n

    The parishioners of the diocese must not bear the entire financial burden of the settlement alone.<\/p>\n

    \u2026 also no final settlement agreement can be called just if it does not require all the files of the priests and bishops\u2026 be opened to the public. All the bishop has to do is say yes.<\/p>\n

    Finally, Venerable Bishop Fulton J. Sheen once asked and answered the\u2026 question\u2026 \u201cWho is going to save our Church? Not our bishops, not our priests and religious… It is up to you, the people\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

    Now, we the people of the Diocese of Buffalo must follow Bishop Sheen\u2019s lead and act to drive these venal men from Our Lord\u2019s Holy Church. Join me in this effort\u2026<\/p>\n

    Sign PTC2\u2019s petition entitled \u201cReal Justice for Sex Abuse Victims & Parishioners of the Diocese of Buffalo, New York\u201d that can be found at: https:\/\/www.change.org\/p\/real-justice-for-sex-abuse-victims-parishioners-of-the-diocese-of-buffalo-new-york\/<\/a><\/p>\n

    PTC2 stands for Protect the Children\/Purify the Church. You can reach me via email at dlriley1@aol.com.<\/p>\n

    Thank you, Your Honor, for the opportunity to address to the court.<\/p>\n

    Submitted by: PTC2 Protect the Children\/Purify the Church, LLC Denis G. Riley<\/p>\n

    <\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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