Father Bernard Mach (“Corky”)
Diocese of Buffalo
Ordained: 1964
Removed: 1993
Died: 2004
Assigned as follows:
- 1965 St. Mary’s (East Arcade, NY)
- 1966 Holy Cross (Buffalo, NY)
- 1967-1968 St. Vincent (North Evans, NY)
- 1969-1977 St. Gerard (Buffalo, NY)
- 1978-1979 St. John Vianney (Orchard Park, NY)
- 1980 St. Vincent de Paul (Buffalo, NY)
- 1981 Sacred Heart (Niagara Falls, NY)
- 1982-1989 Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Buffalo, NY)
- 1990 Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Buffalo, NY) St. Catherine of Siena Church (West Seneca, NY)
- 1991-1993 St. Mary (Lockport, NY)
- 1994 Absent on leave
- 1995-1998 Unknown
Summary of Abuse Allegations against Father Bernard Mach “Corky”:
According to media reports, in the fall of 1991, Father Bernard Mach (“Corky”) was accused of fondling a 12-year-old boy in the rectory of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Lockport. In January 1993, his parents met with Father Mach and two months later they met with the chancellor. They filed a $2.9 million lawsuit when the Diocese of Buffalo failed to pay for counseling.
The suit alleged that Father Mach showed the boy pornographic movies, fondled him and exposed himself before forcing himself on the boy during an overnight stay with the priest in late October or early November 1991. According to the suit, he told the victim that what had happened was “normal”, and also urged the boy not to tell anyone because it “could ruin” his reputation as a priest. Father Mach was placed on leave in December 1993. The suit was settled confidentially in 1998.
Publicity of the case prompted more accusations against Father Mach. In December 1993, he was also accused, along with Father John Aurelio, of sexually abusing three children together. Three men, all independently of each other, went to Niagara County officials, saying the two priests had sexually abused them in a house in East Aurora when they were children. Father Aurelio admitted to police that he and Father Mach had, in fact, sodomized the young boys in the 1970s, in a house the priests shared in East Aurora.
Father Mach retired to Florida without privileges in 1999. He died in February 2004. In March 2018, his name was included in the Diocese of Buffalo’s list of priests who “were removed from ministry, were retired, or left ministry after allegations of sexual abuse of a minor.” No information regarding the allegations was disclosed, however, the list includes deceased priests only if they have more than one allegation. In April 2019, he was named in another lawsuit alleging child sexual abuse. In August 2019, he was accused in a lawsuit filed under the NY Child Victims Act, of molesting a 7-year-old child at St. Gerard’s in Buffalo in 1974.
In 2020, Fr. Mach was named in another lawsuit against the Diocese of Buffalo. He was accused of sexually abusing a minor. The details of the sexual abuse allegations, including when and where the alleged abuse occurred, or the victim’s age/gender, are unknown.
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.