BUFFALO, N.Y. — Right across the street from the Buffalo Convention Center where one of the highest-ranking members of the Catholic Church, Archbishop Christophe Pierre, was the keynote speaker at the Catholic Charities National Convention, a handful of protestors carried signs calling for the head of the Buffalo Diocese Bishop Richard Malone to step down.

"We're here to reiterate our message that Bishop Malone has to go and that Archbishop Pierre has to petition the Vatican to assign leadership that will lead the people and not simple continue the cover-up that has gone on here for decades,” said Robert Hoatson of Road to Recovery.

 

 

His organization helps the victims and survivors of sexual abuse. He believes Malone participated in the cover-up of clergy sexual abuse of children, teenagers and vulnerable adults.

James Faluszczak is one of those survivors.

"If they have any shred of shame for what's gone on. If they have any awareness of how this looks to the average Catholic, let alone Bishop Malone's credibility, he needs to just move on," Faluszczak said.

Several people said off camera after the convention that Archbishop Pierre made no mention of the church’s priest sex abuse scandal in his remarks.

Earlier this month, Malone read a statement saying although he fell short in handling allegations of sexual abuse, he will not resign.

"The more he claims that this will pass over, and that this will end, and we'll go back to normal; no that's not going to happen,” Hoatson said. “Because courageous victims are coming forward, and courageous politicians are calling for resignation, courageous church people are calling for his resignation. So, as the pressure mounts I think Bishop Malone with have second thoughts.”