BUFFALO, N.Y., May 29, 2012 - Bishop Richard J. Malone, whose appointment as the 14th Bishop of the Diocese of Buffalo was announced by the Vatican this morning, put Catholic Charities Montante Administrative Center on his short list of stops during a brief first visit to Buffalo.
Following a morning press conference and visit with the staff of the Catholic Center, a visit to St. Joseph Cathedral and a stop for lunch, Bishop Malone, currently bishop of the Diocese of Portland, Maine, visited Catholic Charities’ Delaware Avenue office early in the afternoon.
Dennis Walczyk, Catholic Charities chief executive officer, and Sister Mary McCarrick, OSF, Catholic Charities diocesan director, greeted Bishop Malone at the front entrance.
Bishop Edward U. Kmiec, who submitted his retirement to the Vatican just about a year ago upon reaching the age of 75, introduced the newly appointed Bishop to staff gathered on the first floor to meet the new leader.
“I told Bishop Malone that he will like it here in Buffalo. I will be prophetic in stating that.”
Bishop Kmiec was appointed Bishop of Buffalo in 2004, the same year Bishop Malone was appointed Bishop of the Portland Diocese.
Bishop Edward U. Kmiec introduces newly appointed Bishop Richard J. Malone, far left.
Several members of the Board of Trustees, as well as senior managers and staff all met the new Bishop.
Following Bishop Kmiec’s introduction of the newly appointed Bishop, Bishop Malone talked about the extent of Catholic Charities’ services here.
“It is an amazing array of social and human services kind of outreach,” said Bishop Malone. “I knew I would be impressed when I saw all that you are doing and I look forward to my association with you and getting to know you folks over time.”
Bishop Richard J. Malone addresses Catholic Charities staff.
He said, “I am happy to be here. He added that when we received the call asking him to serve Buffalo, “I accepted immediately. Even though I wasn’t expecting a move, I felt in my heart it is what God wants for me, and I hope for you.”
Sr. Mary McCarrick said of her first introduction to the new Bishop, “It was a pleasure to meet Bishop Malone today and I appreciate that he took the time to visit us.”
“We welcome Bishop Malone to our community and to our agency,” said Dennis Walczyk, “and I look forward to working with him.”
Bishop Malone comes to Buffalo with a Catholic population about triple the size of Portland. There are 633,123 registered Catholics in Western New York, versus 187,306 Catholics in Maine, and about 179 active priests and 164 total parishes in the Buffalo Diocese. In the Diocese of Portland, there are 69 active priests and 57 parishes.
Catholic Charities of Maine served 40,000 individuals in 2011, versus nearly 140,000 served by Catholic Charities of Buffalo.
Bishop Malone will be installed as bishop on Aug. 10.
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