Richard Joseph Malone (born March 19, 1946) is an American
prelate
A prelate () is a high-ranking member of the Christian clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin , the past participle of , which means 'carry before', 'be set above or over' or 'pref ...
of the
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
who served as bishop of the
Diocese of Buffalo in New York, from 2012 to 2019. He previously served as bishop of the
Diocese of Portland
The Diocese of Portland is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States comprising the entire state of Maine. It is led by a bishop, and its cathedral, or mother church, is the Cat ...
in Maine from 2004 to 2012 and as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston in Massachusetts from 2000 to 2004.
Malone resigned as bishop of Buffalo in 2019 following a Vatican investigation into his handling of sexual abuse cases in the diocese.
Early life
Richard Malone was born in
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem ( ) is a historic coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, located on the North Shore of Greater Boston. Continuous settlement by Europeans began in 1626 with English colonists. Salem would become one of the most significant seaports tr ...
, and raised in
Hamilton Hamilton may refer to:
People
* Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname
** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland
** Lord Hamilt ...
and
Beverly, Massachusetts: he has one sister. He graduated from St. John's Prep in 1964, and then attended
Cardinal O'Connell Seminary
Saint John's Seminary, located in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, is a Catholic major seminary sponsored by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston.
Founded in 1884, the seminary has 114 seminarians and approximately 60 l ...
and
St. John's Seminary, both in Boston, where he obtained his
Bachelor of Philosophy
Bachelor of Philosophy (BPhil, BPh, or PhB; la, Baccalaureus Philosophiae or ) is the title of an academic degree that usually involves considerable research, either through a thesis or supervised research projects. Unlike many other bachelor's ...
, Master of Divinity, and
Master of Theology
Master of Theology ( la, Theologiae Magister, abbreviated MTh, ThM, or MTheol) is a post-graduate degree offered by universities, divinity schools, and seminaries. It can serve as a transition degree for entrance into a PhD program or as a stand ...
degrees.
Priesthood
Malone was
ordained
Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform va ...
to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Boston by Archbishop
Humberto Medeiros
Humberto Sousa Medeiros, GCIH (October 6, 1915 – September 17, 1983) was a Portuguese-American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Boston from 1970 until his death in 1983, and was created a cardinal in 1973 ...
on May 20, 1972. After his ordination, Malone served as associate
pastor
A pastor (abbreviated as "Pr" or "Ptr" , or "Ps" ) is the leader of a Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutheranism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and ...
of St. Patrick Parish in
Stoneham, Massachusetts
Stoneham ( ) is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, nine miles (14.5 km) north of downtown Boston. Its population was 23,244 at the 2020 census. Its proximity to major highways and public transportation offer convenient access to Bos ...
, until 1974.
Malone taught at
St. Clement High School in Medford, Massachusetts, (1974–1976) and at
Xaverian Brothers High School
, motto_translation = To bear witness to the truth in brotherhood
, accreditation = New England Association of Schools and Colleges
, rival = St. John's Prep
, mascot = Hawk
, mascot image =
, sports ...
in Westwood, Massachusetts (1976–1979), where he also served as a
chaplain
A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a Minister (Christianity), minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, purohit, or imam), or a laity, lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secularity, secular institution (such as a hosp ...
. In 1979, Malone joined the faculty of St. John Seminary, teaching religious and
theological
Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
studies and serving as registrar and dean until 1990. In addition to his duties at the seminary, Malone also worked as a part-time chaplain at
Wellesley College
Wellesley College is a private women's liberal arts college in Wellesley, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1870 by Henry and Pauline Durant as a female seminary, it is a member of the original Seven Sisters Colleges, an unofficial g ...
and
Regis College, and as a teacher at
Emmanuel College. Malone obtained his
Doctor of Theology degree from
Boston University
Boston University (BU) is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university is nonsectarian, but has a historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1839 by Methodists with its original campu ...
in 1981, and his Licentiate of Sacred Theology from the
Weston Jesuit School of Theology
The Boston College School of Theology and Ministry (STM) is a Jesuit school of graduate theology at Boston College. It is an ecclesiastical faculty of theology that trains men and women, both lay and religious, for scholarship and service, espe ...
in Weston in 1990.
Malone was assigned to the Harvard-Radcliffe Catholic Student Center in 1990 as well as chaplain of St. Paul Parish in
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As part of the Boston metropolitan area, the cities population of the 2020 U.S. census was 118,403, making it the fourth most populous city in the state, behind Boston, ...
. Within the archdiocese, he was appointed
director
Director may refer to:
Literature
* ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine
* ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker
* ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty
Music
* Director (band), an Irish rock band
* ''D ...
of the Office of Religious Education in 1993 and secretary for education in 1995. He is a Fourth Degree member of the
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus (K of C) is a global Catholic fraternal service order founded by Michael J. McGivney on March 29, 1882. Membership is limited to practicing Catholic men. It is led by Patrick E. Kelly, the order's 14th Supreme Knight. ...
, and a knight commander with Star of the
Order of the Holy Sepulchre
The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem ( la, Ordo Equestris Sancti Sepulcri Hierosolymitani, links=yes, OESSH), also called Order of the Holy Sepulchre or Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, is a Catholic Church, Catholic order of ...
.
Episcopal career
Auxiliary Bishop of Boston
On January 27, 2000, Malone was appointed as an
auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston and
titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.
By definition, a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop, the tradition of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox an ...
of
Aptuca
file:Tunisie carte archéologique.PNG, Archaeology map of Tunisia
Aptuca (Africa) or Henchir Oudeka, also known as Aptucca/Aptuca, Henchir-Oudeka/Henchir-Semmech. or Udeka is a village and archaeological site in Tunisia, North Africa located at 36. ...
by
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
. He received his
episcopal consecration
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
on March 1, 2001, from Cardinal
Bernard Law, with Bishops
William Murphy and
John Boles as
co-consecrators.
Bishop of Portland
John Paul II appointed Malone as the eleventh bishop of the Diocese of Portland on February 10, 2004, he was installed on March 31, 2004. In September 2011, Malone was named as chairman of the Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis of the
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) and United States Catholic Conference (US ...
(USCCB). He also produced and hosted programs for
CatholicTV
The CatholicTV Network, commonly known as CatholicTV, is a Catholic television network based in Watertown, Massachusetts. CatholicTV first launched locally in Boston in 1955, making it the oldest Catholic television network in the United States ...
.
Bishop of Buffalo
On May 29, 2012,
Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the sovereign ...
appointed Malone as bishop of the Diocese of Buffalo. He was installed at
St. Joseph Cathedral in Buffalo on August 10, 2012. After his installation, Malone was appointed as
apostolic administrator
An Apostolic administration in the Catholic Church is administrated by a prelate appointed by the pope to serve as the ordinary for a specific area. Either the area is not yet a diocese (a stable 'pre-diocesan', usually missionary apostolic admi ...
of the Diocese of Portland, continuing to run that diocese also until Bishop
Robert P. Deeley was installed there on February 14, 2014
In January 2014, Malone was appointed chairman of the USCCB Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth. On February 4, 2015, he issued a letter condemning the film
''Fifty Shades of Grey'' on the eve of its release in theaters. In his statement, Malone spoke of "...the beauty of the Church's teaching on the gift of sexual intimacy in marriage, the great dignity of women, and the moral reprehensibility of all domestic violence and sexual exploitation."
On September 12, 2018, leaked church records showed that there were 106 clergy in the Diocese of Buffalo who had been credibly accused of sexually abusing children, far more than a list of 42 which had been released by the diocese in March 2018.
On September 20, 2019, leaked audio recordings of Malone revealed that he diverted 40 percent of donations sent to Catholic charities in the diocese to a foundation known as "The Bishop's Fund for the Faith."
The foundation was included in the diocese's budget as a separate corporate entity, which would protect the money from lawsuits and bankruptcy.
On September 24, 2019, following the start of a criminal investigation against diocese priest Jeffrey Novak,
Malone published an Adult Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedures and a new Code of Pastoral Conduct for Clergy.
On October 3, 2019, the
Congregation for Bishops in Rome assigned Bishop
Nicholas DiMarzio
Nicholas Anthony DiMarzio (born June 16, 1944) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church[Entry](_blank)
at www ...
to investigate Malone's handling of the Diocese of Buffalo.
Resignation
Pope Francis
Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013. ...
accepted Malone's resignation as bishop of the Diocese of Buffalo on December 4, 2019.
60 Minutes Overtime reported that Malone's resignation was linked to leaked sex abuse documents which were reported by
60 Minutes
''60 Minutes'' is an American television news magazine broadcast on the CBS television network. Debuting in 1968, the program was created by Don Hewitt and Bill Leonard, who chose to set it apart from other news programs by using a unique styl ...
journalist
Bill Whitaker in 2018. On December 10, 2019, Malone said he submitted his resignation early so the diocese could "move forward" and added: "It's just the right thing to do, and I'll still be living in the Buffalo area because I'm still a Bishop in good standing, so you'll see me around."
On November 23, 2020, New York Attorney General
Letitia James filed a lawsuit against Malone, the Diocese of Buffalo and Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus
Edward M. Grosz. The lawsuit claimed that the defendants misused diocese funds to cover up alleged sex abuse of over two dozen priests.
At the same time, the attorney general released a 218-page report detailing a two-year investigation of all the defendants.
Sexual abuse cases
Smith case
In August 2018,
WKBW-TV
WKBW-TV (channel 7) is a television station in Buffalo, New York, United States, affiliated with ABC. Owned by the E. W. Scripps Company, the station maintains studios at 7 Broadcast Plaza in downtown Buffalo and a transmitter on Center Stree ...
reported that Malone had returned at least priest accused of sexual abuse of minors to active ministry. A teacher at Mary of the Lake school in
Hamburg, New York
Hamburg is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 56,936. It is named after the city of Hamburg, Germany. The town is on the western border of the county and is south of Buffalo. Ham ...
, Smith had allegedly gained a reputation for inappropriate behavior with its students; some students called him the "creeper". The final straw was in 2011 when Smith sent the message "I love you" to a boy on Facebook. After a parent complaint and comments from other staff members, principal Kristine Hider complained about Smith to the diocese, calling him a "predator". Malone's predecessor, Bishop
Edward Kmiec
Edward Urban Kmiec (, ; June 4, 1936 – July 11, 2020) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the 13th bishop of the Diocese of Buffalo in New York from 2004 to 2012.
Kmiec previously served as an auxiliary b ...
, removed Smith from active ministry and sent him away for treatment.
Malone returned Smith to ministry in November 2012. Malone allowed Smith to serve at a church nursing home, but asked him informally not to wear clerical attire, offer
sacrament
A sacrament is a Christianity, Christian Rite (Christianity), rite that is recognized as being particularly important and significant. There are various views on the existence and meaning of such rites. Many Christians consider the sacraments ...
s, or say
mass
Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different elementar ...
publicly. In 2013, the nursing home terminated Smith, due to allegations of inappropriately touching two young male employees. In 2015, Malone restored Smith's ability to offer sacraments publicly and wrote concerning him, "I am unaware of anything in his background which would render him unsuitable to work with minor children." He wrote a similar letter the following year. Smith was sent to live in a parish rectory. In 2017, the diocese suspended Smith, pending investigation of a new substantiated allegation of sexual abuse of minors.
A few clergy on the list who were still active in ministry have been suspended. On September 28, Malone named Steven L. Halter, a former agent in the FBI's Buffalo Division, director of the Diocese's newly created Office of Personal Responsibility, which handles sex abuse complaints in the Diocese.
"Buffalo Catholic Diocese hires ex-FBI agent / BISHOP: Former federal agent will oversee new Office of Professional Responsibility"
''Lockport (NY) Union-Sun & Journal'', September 28, 2018.
Yetter case
In 2017, CNN reported on Malone's handling of sexual misconduct accusations against Robert Yetter, pastor of Saint Mary's Parish . One alleged victim said that Yetter began grooming him in second grade. The diocese sent Yetter to counseling and then dispatched him on an overseas mission trip. After returning to Buffalo, Yetter wrote to the diocese, cautioning it against removing him from St. Mary's. He argued that doing so would have a negative impact on diocesan finances, as the St. Mary's was one of the largest contributing parishes in the diocese. In January 2018, Malone responded to Yetter, thanking him for his "faithful and effective ministry", and permitted him to continue with priestly activities. After another allegation of sexual misconduct, Yetter was forced to resign in August 2018 and placed on administrative leave.
Malone stated that he had handled accusations of misconduct against adults differently than those against minors. "Let me be clear. My handling of recent claims from some of our parishioners concerning sexual misconduct with adults unquestionably has fallen short of the standard to which you hold us, and to which we hold ourselves," he said. "We can do better. We will do better." Communications director Kath Sprangler stated that the reason Yetter was not on the list of 42 allegedly abusive priests was because that list pertained exclusively to those accused of perpetrating abuse against minors. Sprangler also said that while there was "stringent and effective protocol" for handling allegations of abuse against minors, there was not yet "a parallel protocol for the allegation of misconduct with adults. We are in the process of generating one at this time."
Salemi case
On May 6, 2020, months after his resignation as bishop of Buffalo, it was revealed that Malone "quietly put" accused priest Fr. Paul Salemi "on administrative leave in 2012," but then allowed the Diocese of Buffalo to keep Salemi "on the diocesan payroll" after Salemi moved to the South. After a night of drinking, Salemi had attempted to seduce a 21-year-old male parishioner. Salemi was never laicized, and he did not stop receiving payment from the Diocese of Buffalo until payment to 23 accused diocese clergy, including Salemi, ended the previous week.
See also
* Catholic Church hierarchy
The hierarchy of the Catholic Church consists of its bishop (Catholic Church), bishops, Priesthood (Catholic Church), priests, and deacons. In the Catholic ecclesiology, ecclesiological sense of the term, "hierarchy" strictly means the "holy or ...
* Catholic Church in the United States
With 23 percent of the United States' population , the Catholic Church is the country's second largest religious grouping, after Protestantism, and the country's largest single church or Christian denomination where Protestantism is divided i ...
* Historical list of the Catholic bishops of the United States
This is a historical list of all bishops of the Catholic Church whose sees were within the present-day boundaries of the United States, with links to the bishops who consecrated them. It includes only members of the United States Conference of Cat ...
* List of Catholic bishops of the United States
The following is a list of bishops of the Catholic Church in the United States, including its five inhabited territories.
The U.S. Catholic Church comprises:
* 176 Latin Church dioceses led by bishops
* 18 Eastern Catholic eparchies led by ...
* Lists of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops
This is a directory of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops across various Christian denominations. To find an individual who was a bishop, see the most relevant article linked below or :Bishops.
Lists
Catholic
* Bishop in the Catholic Chur ...
References
External links
Diocese of Buffalo
{{DEFAULTSORT:Malone, Richard Joseph
1946 births
Living people
Saint John's Seminary (Massachusetts) alumni
People from Salem, Massachusetts
Roman Catholic bishops of Portland
Roman Catholic bishops of Buffalo
21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States
Religious leaders from New York (state)
Catholics from Massachusetts
Ecclesiastical passivity to Catholic sexual abuse cases
Boston University School of Theology alumni