Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Each day this week, more parishes in the Buffalo Catholic Diocese are learning their assessment to go toward the $150 million clergy abuse settlement. The Diocese is seeking between 10% and 80% of parish cash reserves.
Northtowns churches, including St. Benedict's in Eggertsville, received their invoices Tuesday. Nandor Forgach is a parishioner at St. Benedict's.
"We found out our parish contribution and what each parish in our family's contribution will be at a meeting last night," he told WBEN on Wednesday.
Forgach, himself, did not attend the meeting, but was given the information afterward from family and friends.
"We were assessed at the 80% range. Our share of the payout is around $1.98 million," Forgach said. "Other parishes within our family, such as Christ the King, Saints Peter and Paul, were around $800,000-to-$900,000. But the real eye-opener was St. Leo's parish, which only has to pay $17,000. Why are they only paying out $17,000? There's no way that their unrestricted funds are that low."
In his opinion, Forgach thinks the Diocese is setting up the next round of closures, which includes churches that were set to merge, including St. Benedict's.
"It's clear. This is politics at play. If this doesn't show it, I don't know what else does," Forgach said.
He thinks the former pastor of St. Leo's, Msgr. Robert Zapfel, who is now a Vicar in the Diocese, knew this was coming and took steps to limit the amount of money that could be contributed to the settlement.
"Throughout the process, we were told that we're one family, and we're in this together. It's sad to see. It's created a lot of anger and angst within our families," Forgach noted.
He adds that parishioners are still processing this, but they are looking to fight it.
"We're working with a Canon lawyer, and we're planning to take it to the Vatican," Forgach said.
WBEN has reached out to the Buffalo Diocese for comment. A spokesman told us Forgach's allegations of politics at play are "patently false."
Leaders intend to speak with the media sometime next week.