Vatican Revokes Parish Payment Orders in Buffalo Diocese Abuse Settlement Dispute

Vatican overturns Buffalo parish payment orders in abuse settlement dispute, citing canon law violations; diocese says plan remains intact.

Newsroom (01/05/2026 Gaudium Press) Multiple parishes in the Diocese of Buffalo are celebrating after the Vatican ruled they would not have to contribute disputed funds toward the diocese’s abuse settlement plan, marking the latest development in an ongoing conflict over parish closures and financial obligations.

In an April 30 press release, the advocacy group Save Our Buffalo Churches said the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Clergy revoked several “assessment allocation decrees” issued by Bishop Michael Fisher. The decrees had required certain parishes—particularly those facing closure or merger under the diocese’s “Road to Renewal” plan—to contribute significant sums to a diocesan fund established for abuse settlements.

The “Road to Renewal” initiative, launched in 2024, proposed closing or merging roughly one-third of the diocese’s parishes, citing priest shortages and declining attendance. The plan has faced sustained opposition from parish groups, which have appealed both closures and financial assessments to the Vatican.

According to Save Our Buffalo Churches, eight parish groups have now received confirmation that the Vatican overturned the financial assessments. Additional parishes are still awaiting decisions, though the group said it expects similar outcomes.

The Vatican’s decrees, the group said, cited violations of canon law, specifically regarding how funds were solicited and the scale of the contributions. “The amounts assessed, as well as the allocation procedures themselves, are wholly unsupported by canon law,” the organization stated, also alleging broader noncompliance with nonprofit religious corporation law.

The Diocese of Buffalo, however, emphasized that the rulings apply only to parishes that formally appealed their assigned contribution levels. In a statement issued the same day, the diocese said the overall abuse settlement plan remains unchanged.

Diocesan officials also rejected claims that funds would be returned to parishes, stating that no money had yet been transferred. “Parish funds designated for the settlement have been segregated into a separate account administered by the parish until which time they will be turned over,” the statement said.

The diocese pointed to a March decision by Bishop Fisher to contribute an additional $10 million to the settlement fund while reducing some parish obligations. It also denied that contributions exceeding $15,000 require Vatican approval.

“The bishop has every intention to abide by the rulings of the offices of the Holy See,” the diocese said, noting that Fisher has previously accepted Vatican decisions reversing parish closures or mergers. It added that affected parishes will continue to be monitored for long-term viability.

The dispute has also played out in civil courts. In September 2025, the New York Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit brought by parish advocates, citing a longstanding prohibition on court involvement in the governance of hierarchical churches.

It remains unclear whether the Vatican’s latest rulings will influence any ongoing legal matters. Save Our Buffalo Churches signaled it may pursue further civil action, stating: “The victims must receive their settlement, but from legal sources.”

• Raju Hasmukh with files from CNA

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