Msgr. John M. Ryan – Diocese of Buffalo

| Nov 7, 2019 | Abuser Profiles, Catholic Church

Msgr. John Ryan

Diocese of Buffalo

Ordained: 1955

Retired: 2001

Suspended: 2018

Assigned as Follows:

  • Queen of Heaven Church (West Seneca, NY)
  • Superintendent of Catholic Schools
  • St. Benedict (Buffalo, NY)

Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Msgr. John Ryan:

Msgr. John Ryan was was ordained to the priesthood of the Diocese of Buffalo in 1955. He served as the Superintendent of Catholic Schools from 1975 until 1981. He retired in 2001, but has been named in two separate lawsuits filed under the Child Victims Act.

According to media reports, the first complaint surfaced in May 2018. A man alleged that Msgr. Ryan molested him beginning when he was an altar boy in the 1980’s. He was only 11 or 12-years-old at the time. Msgr. Ryan was suspended from celebrating mass and other priestly functions application when from the man applied to the Dioceses’ Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program (IRCP) program that compensates victims of clergy abuse.

In 2019, the second victim to come out with allegations against Msgr. Ryan was a Pennsylvania woman who claimed he had also repeatedly molested her, stemming all the way back to the 1950’s. At the time, she was a parishioner at Queen of Heaven Church in West Seneca and just 6-years-old. The abuse had continued on until she was 11, and only stopped when Msgr. Ryan was moved to another parish.

Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims of sexual abuse in the Diocese of Buffalo and throughout New York. The Diocese of Buffalo filed for federal bankruptcy protection in February 2020. Anyone sexually abused by a priest or employee of the Diocese of Buffalo may be entitled to file a claim against the Diocese in these bankruptcy proceedings, but very strict filing deadlines apply. Most victims of abuse in the Diocese of Buffalo will never be able to take action against the Diocese of Buffalo if they miss this bankruptcy filing deadline, so it is important that you contact us immediately to discuss your potential case.

Contact us at 888-283-9922 or [email protected] to discuss your legal options today.