BATAVIA, NY (WKBW) — The Diocese of Buffalo suspended Father Patrick O'Keefe following allegations of sexual harassment of adults and other misconduct issues, affecting parishioners across Genesee County churches where he served.
Father O'Keefe had been serving as a parochial vicar at Ascension Parish, Resurrection Parish, both in Batavia, Saint Brigid Parish in Bergen and Our Lady of Mercy Parish in LeRoy.
Nancy and Bill Brach have attended Ascension Church for more than a decade. They described their reaction to learning about the suspension.
"Word travels quickly in this community, and so most people are aware of it," said Nancy Brach.
"It was unexpected, but I don't know if I'd say it's a surprise -- you know, because he hasn't been real warm with the parish," said Bill Brach.
"It was stunning," Nancy said. "I think we all feel bad for his mom, they're so close -- you know, and we feel bad for him...That's a really hard position, despite how it happened."
WATCH: Parishioners respond to suspension of priest due to sexual harassment allegations
This marks the second time Father O'Keefe has faced similar allegations. In April 2019, O’Keefe was one of three priests placed on temporary leave of absence following an incident at Saints Peter & Paul Parish Rectory in Hamburg. According to the diocese, "unsuitable, inappropriate and insensitive conversations" took place during a social gathering of seminarians and priests that some seminarians found to be offensive. In June 2019, O'Keefe and the two other priests were restored to ministry.
The suspension comes as Ascension Parish fights to stay open. The diocese ordered the church to close last year, but after an appeal, the Vatican put the closing on hold.
"I do wonder if they'll make some type of an announcement about it, or if they'll have a handout or something like that," Nancy said.
Parishioners expressed disappointment as the church works to emerge from a massive clergy abuse scandal.
"It's management from the top down, you know," Bill said. "And so now I'm looking at my pastor, saying, What are you doing? What's going on? Don't you know what's going on here? That this gets to this point and now the bishop suspends somebody. So, I'm just disappointed in the management."
Nancy acknowledged the diocese's quick response.
"I think they did turn it around pretty quickly, though I have to give them credit for that," she said.
The diocese says it will conduct a review to examine the allegations against Father O'Keefe.
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