When I was involved in church stuff in nearby Rochester, we didn’t hear much from the Diocese of Buffalo. Today I noticed an apostolic visitation is coming. With the allegations of covering up sex abuse and intimidation, a Vos Estis archbishop-to-bishop procedure was supposedly in the works with Archbishop Dolan. But a different bishop is being sent, and on behalf of the Vatican. That likely means something more serious than covering up abuse is afoot.
Brooklyn’s Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio:
This is a difficult period in the life of the Church in Buffalo. I pledge I will keep an open mind throughout the process and do my best to learn the facts and gain a thorough understanding of the situation in order to fulfill the mandate of this Apostolic Visitation.
Buffalo’s bishop, Richard Malone, issued a statement welcoming the visitation and promising cooperation. Polling in the western New York see has been reported at 86 to 3 in favor of resignation, with the remainder undecided. That’s a catastrophic lack of confidence in a leader.
While Vos Estis hasn’t kicked in anywhere that we know of, apostolic visitations happen here and there in the world every year or so. Memphis, Kansas City-St Joseph, St Paul-Minneapolis to name the recent ones in the US.
Catholic Sensibility 