Bishop Michael W. Fisher has returned from a week-long visit to the Vatican, where he met with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV and several Dicasteries (administrative offices) of the Holy See to detail the progress of bringing together diocesan parishes, known as the “Road to Renewal,” as well as emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, among other topics.

“We were deeply touched by the Holy Father’s warm and heartfelt welcome and by the keen interest of His Holiness in our progress to define a new and more hopeful chapter for the Diocese of Buffalo and Catholic faith and ministry across Western New York,” said Bishop Fisher. “In my personal time with Pope Leo, I detailed the long and difficult process entailed with Chapter 11 over the past five years and our determined efforts to finally complete our reorganization in the coming months. The Holy Father expressed his support for the work underway and still ahead in order for the Diocese to emerge from Chapter 11, as well as for our efforts to bring about a true spirit of renewal. He further relayed his empathy and understanding for how difficult the experience of closing and merging parishes can be for many. The Holy Father encouraged us to continue in this important effort and assured me that the Catholic faithful of the Diocese will be remembered in his personal prayers.  I assured His Holiness that we, too, would keep him constantly in prayer. It was a special delight to present the gift of a personalized Buffalo Bills jersey to our first American pontiff, and he expressed his gratitude for this symbol of hometown pride.”

Also during his personal discussion with the Holy Father, Bishop Fisher presented the Holy Father with a book on the life of Fr. Nelson Baker, founder of Our Lady of Victory Basilica in Lackawanna, NY who was declared “venerable” by Pope Benedict XVI in 2011.

In addition to meeting with the Dicastery for the Clergy to detail the context and process for organizing parishes into the “families of parishes” model, Bishop Fisher—along with three senior leaders of the Diocese (Rev. Peter Santandreu, Vice Chancellor/Adjutant Judicial Vicar; Rev. Bryan Zielenieski, Vicar for the Renewal; and Mr. Rick Suchan, Chief Operating Officer of the Diocese)—engaged in dicsussions about the work of evangelization across Western New York with the Dicastery for Evangelization, and the need to engage all communities of the Diocese to make clear their role and responsibility for spreading the Gospel and ministering to those in need.  

The delegation also met with the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors to detail the Diocese’s extensive protocols and procedures to ensure the protection of young people and other vulnerable people. Members of the Commission encouraged the Diocese to maintain audit compliance with its Safe Environment policies and protocols, in line with the Commission’s own guidelines, as well as promote continuing education and training among diocesan clergy, employees and volunteers.  Special emphasis was given to outreach and care for victims of abuse. 

Finally, Bishop Fisher and diocesan leaders visited each of the four major basilicas of Rome—also called “Papal Basilicas”—which are considered the most important churches in the Catholic world.  Each is steeped in history, spiritual significance, and architectural beauty, and all are central destinations for pilgrims who journey to the “Eternal City.”  During specific Masses celebrated by Bishop Fisher, the intentions of victim-survivors were offered, as well as the intentions of educators and directors of religious education, the intentions of those discerning a religious vocation, and also the intentions of the Catholic faithful of the Diocese in general. 

Bishop Michael W. Fisher has removed the Reverend Patrick T. O’Keefe from active ministry and suspended his priestly faculties due to allegations of sexual harassment of adults, as well as inappropriate workplace and ministerial conduct.

Fr. O’Keefe, ordained in 1996, has most recently served as Parochial Vicar of Ascension Parish (Batavia); St. Brigid Parish (Bergen); Resurrection Parish (Batavia); and Our Lady of Mercy Parish (LeRoy).

Reverend Scottston Brentwood, O. de M. serves as pastor of the Family of Parishes No. 12, and Reverend Eugene Costa, O. de M. and Reverend Matthew Zirnheld serve as the Family’s other parochial vicars.

A canonical judicial review will be conducted to examine all allegations against Fr. O’Keefe.

The Diocese of Buffalo has developed rigorous protocols for dealing with any allegation of in appropriate conduct—sexual or otherwise— for bishops, members of the clergy, deacons, employees and volunteers. All members of the clergy, pastoral ministers, employees, and volunteers of the Diocese agree to adhere to the Code of Conduct detailed HERE.

Details for reporting abuse and misconduct can be found at the diocesan website linked HERE.

The Diocese of Buffalo has today filed its Chapter 11 reorganization plan with the Federal Bankruptcy Court, as it committed to doing when reaching a settlement with the Creditors Committee last April. The plan aims primarily to provide for financial restitution to survivor-victims of past sexual abuse by members of the clergy and other employees and volunteers of the Diocese and affiliated Catholic entities. It also outlines the financial restructuring of the Diocese, enabling it to continue the essential Catholic ministries carried out across Western New York.

“Since becoming Bishop nearly five years ago, I have continued to assert that we have no higher priority than to work toward the healing of those who have been harmed spiritually, mentally and physically by the crime of sexual abuse, and to provide some semblance of justice and closure,” said Bishop Michael W. Fisher. “This plan represents our best effort to deliver on that priority, as we also work to define a new, more hopeful era of Catholic faith and impact across our region.”

This reorganization plan provides for the financial restructuring of the Diocese and the settlement of all, or substantially all, claims against the Diocese, including the settlement of all abuse claims against the Diocese and participating parties, as allowed for under New York’s Child Victims’ Act.

The plan stipulates that funding for a settlement trust and the Abuse Claims Settlement Fund will be provided from—among other potential sources of recovery—a monetary contribution by the Diocese and other Participating Parties in the amount of $150,000,000. Participating Parties include all parishes of the Diocese, as well as affiliate Catholic organizations. The Plan also provides for other potential sources of funding for the Abuse Claims Settlement Fund. As indicated in the reorganization plan, this includes contributions by several of the largest diocesan insurers—CNA, Wausau, and AIG—which have committed a combined additional contribution of $123.9 million to the Settlement Fund. Diocesan attorneys continue their negotiations with other insurers with the aim of increasing the total amount of insurer contributions provided for under prevailing coverages.

The Diocese filed for Chapter 11 reorganization on February 28, 2020, during which time Bishop Edward Scharfenberger served as Apostolic Administrator. The primary purpose for doing so, as stated at the time and reiterated by Bishop Fisher following his appointment in January 2021, was to ensure financial restitution for the largest number of victim-survivors, while enabling the Diocese to continue to carry-out its spiritual and social services ministries throughout Western New York. The Diocese’s full Reorganization Plan can be accessed HERE.

The Diocese of Buffalo will continue to communicate developments as it continues through the process to emerge from Chapter 11.

Dear Friends in Christ, 

There is no more essential requirement of our Christian discipleship than to make known the Gospel of Jesus Christ in both our words and deeds. This obligation to share the Good News that we have received in our baptism was given to the Disciples, according to Mark’s Gospel, by none other than Christ Himself as a final instruction before ascending into Heaven. 

The Church has rightly designated this third Sunday of September to emphasize the invaluable role that our catechists, in particular, play in our parish families as they nurture and guide our young people, and also adults, in a deeper understanding and appreciation for our Catholic faith.  We are deeply grateful to them for sharing so generously their time and commitment, and we pledge to them our support and prayers that God will bless them abundantly as they carry out this essential ministry. 

The theme of this year’s celebration is inspired by the Letter of 1 Peter 3:15  — “Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you…”  In these days especially, when there is so much acrimony, division and violence in our communities and across our land, we as Christians must not hesitate in asserting the basis for our hope, as we work even more fiercely to bring about understanding, acceptance, forgiveness and peace.  

Let us together recommit to spreading Christ’s Gospel of hope and to demonstrating in our words and countless acts of kindness and charity that we are who we say we are: true followers of Jesus who have come to know His boundless gift of love, forgiveness and, indeed, hope.  The faith we have received is a gift that we can never keep to ourselves, but is one we must share constantly, and in the same full measure that it has been given to us.  

May the Lord, who is the Giver of Peace and source of all hope, bring to fulfillment the good work he has begun in us and through us! 

Sincerely in Christ,
Most Reverend Michael W. Fisher
Bishop of Buffalo

Buffalo, NY, July 3, 2025 – The Diocese of Buffalo received communication this week from the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Clergy that a decision had been reached in the hierarchical recourse against the merger decree involving St. Michael Parish and St. Louis Parish, both in Buffalo.

The Dicastery decided in favor of the bishop and issued a decree upholding his decision to merge St. Michael into St. Louis. The individual who made recourse against the October 9, 2024, decree has made his intention known to seek further recourse.  The case will likely now go before the highest administrative court of the Holy See, the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura.

As Bishop Michael Fisher and the Diocesan Renewal Office have previously communicated, any decree of merger or closure that is challenged, will be suspended until those contesting the decision have exhausted all opportunities for recourse.

The Diocese of Buffalo appreciates the work of the Dicastery for the Clergy and looks forward to receiving the remaining decisions on pending recourse matters in the near future.

Buffalo, New York, June 16, 2025 – The Diocese of Buffalo has completed a week-long series of Vicariate meetings during which details on the Chapter 11 settlement allocation methodology were shared with parish leadership, including clergy, trustees, business managers and chairpersons of the finance and parish councils.

At those meetings, parish leaders were provided an overview of the $150 million settlement, which has been agreed to in principle by the Creditors’ Committee. Each parish received a detailed statement of their expected contribution to the settlement fund. The Diocesan Internal Audit Department is assisting to ensure the accuracy of the funds that were self-reported by each parish and used to determine the expected contribution. The contribution is based upon a progressive percentage applied to the parishes’ self-reported and unrestricted cash and investments held as of August 31, 2024, the end of the Diocesan fiscal year. Unrestricted cash and investments exclude any prepaid tuition held, Mass offerings and donor-restricted gifts.

“We recognize that some parishes will see the disparity of settlement contribution levels as somehow unfair,” said Richard Suchan, Diocesan Chief Operating Officer. “What is important to understand is that the unrestricted cash position of parishes varies greatly, as well the fact that parishes identified for closure and merger with other parish families are naturally assessed at a higher level. This has been discussed extensively with our priests and parish leaders as an essential approach for fulfilling our obligation to the Creditors’ Committee, and to bring healing to survivors and enable the Church in Western New York to finally close this long and difficult chapter of our Diocese and move forward.”

The diocese continues to address any questions raised by parishes on their contributions, including St. Leo the Great in Amherst, and if any adjustments are warranted, those will be addressed. Contribution percentages range from 10 percent to 80 percent of each parish’s unrestricted cash and investments with the highest percentage being applied to parishes scheduled to be closed or merged as part of the Road to Renewal program, aimed at better sharing resources and bringing together unsustainable parishes with stronger parish communities.

The contribution allocation formula based upon unrestricted cash and investments are as follows:

Parishes appealing their closure to the Vatican are assessed at 80 percent of unrestricted cash and investments. If the appeal is successful and the merger decision overturned, the parish will be returned the difference between the 80 percent assessment and the rate that would have applied had the parish not been designated for merger.

All parish contributions will be held in their respective names in the St. Joseph Investment Fund where all parishes in the Diocese of Buffalo have investment accounts. Transfers affecting these contributions are to be done by July 15, 2025, and will be held in reserve until the settlement is confirmed by the federal bankruptcy court. Parish contributions from this process total $80 million of the $150 million settlement proposed by the Diocese to the Creditors’ Committee and accepted in principle. Additional sources of contributions to the settlement are expected from the Diocese, affiliate Catholic organizations, as well as from proceeds of real estate sales. Proceeds that may be provided through coverages by diocesan and parish insurance carriers would be in addition to this settlement amount.

Buffalo, NY, June 6, 2025 – For a second consecutive year, an independent auditor has concluded — after a comprehensive and transparent audit of the Diocese of Buffalo — that the Diocese is compliant with each of the 29 Commitments which memorialize child-protection policies in the Diocese. The Diocese agreed to these Commitments with the New York Office of the Attorney General, as part of the settlement of a lawsuit in October 2022.

These Commitments confirm that the Diocese’s rigorous policies and protocols that it has put in place over the past several years are working to keep all children and vulnerable adults safe. These policies are published on the Diocese’s website, Diocese’s Policy and Procedures for the Protection of Young People and Vulnerable Adults and have been developed by the Diocese since the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops mandated the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, in 2002.

The Compliance Audit Report, posted on the diocesan website, was drafted by the Independent Auditor Kinsale Management Consulting. Kathleen McChesney, Ph.D., who led the independent audit team, is a former Executive Director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ national Office of Child and Youth Protection, as well as a former high-ranking FBI official and head of FBI offices in Chicago and Portland, Oregon. The independent auditor included in the report a series of tables to detail the Diocese’s compliance with the Commitments. This detail confirms that the Diocese’s child-protection policies have been successful.

While the Independent Auditor’s Compliance Audit Report confirms the Diocese’s ongoing commitment to accountability and transparency in addressing allegations of past misconduct, the Diocese also continues to look forward to ensuring that the mistakes of the past will not be repeated.

“The Auditor’s conclusion that the Diocese has, for the second year in this process, remained in compliance with each of the child-protection policies and procedures embodied in the settlement agreement’s 29 Commitments is another important step in the Diocese’s ongoing efforts to ensure that the mistakes of the past will not be repeated,” noted Bishop Michael Fisher. “We will continue to pray for the healing of those who have been harmed and for forgiveness for what they have endured.”

The full Compliance Audit Report by the independent auditor, dated May 27, 2025, is available here, and Bishop Fisher’s letter is available here.