Orchard Park Pastor Says It's Time for Malone to Step down

By Jenn Schanz
WIVB
October 30, 2018

https://www.wivb.com/news/local-news/orchard-park-pastor-says-it-s-time-for-malone-to-step-down/1562973042

Father Paul Seil told News 4 recent revelations about the Buffalo Diocese's handling of alleged clergy sex abuse is disturbing and sad.

He said he's heartbroken to say it, but believes Bishop Richard Malone should step down.

Seil is the pastor at Saint Bernadette's in Orchard Park.

He said the Church's handling of clergy sex abuse allegations has affected his own congregation; several families have left his parish over how Church leadership responded to abuse claims.

Following a 60 Minutes report on the Malone's alleged covering up of abuse, Seil called the Bishop's former executive assistant Siobhan O'Connor and fellow priest Father Robert Zilliox, both featured in the report, "heroes."

The two, along with Deacon Paul Snyder, spoke out against the Bishop in the report.

60 Minutes claims the Bishop knowingly tried to cover-up abuse allegations.

The Buffalo Diocese has said the report "was incomplete, out of context and in some cases plainly inaccurate."

"The revelations particularly in the last 8 months have been so disturbing that I don't think there's any turning back. In listening to the people of the parishes, and I've heard from hundreds of people, I think that the confidence in his ability to lead spiritually is truly lost," Seil told News 4.

Seil, along with all priests and transitional deacons, has been invited to an upcoming priests' meeting Nov. 5. The Bishop called for the meeting Oct. 25.

The pastor told News 4 he's on the fence about going, as are several other priests who Seil said "don't want to hear the same old thing."