Diocese places Fr. Michael Juran on administrative leave

The Diocese of Buffalo has suspended another priest after an allegation of abuse.

Fr. Michael P. Juran was placed on administrative leave Wednesday evening, the diocese announced on its website.

Neither a spokeswoman for Bishop Richard J. Malone nor Fr. Juran responded to messages left for comment.

Juran was listed in the 2018 Buffalo Diocese directory under a Florida address, but Juran is not your average Buffalo priest.

In news articles, he claims to be a stuntman for Burt Reynolds and was known as the "Flying Padre." In this video posted to YouTube, he says he is from Hamburg. 

Juran is the sixteenth Buffalo Diocese priest suspended by Bishop Malone for an abuse complaint. All were suspended after the diocese announced in March that no abusers were in active ministry.

He is the 89th member of the Buffalo Catholic clergy to be publicly accused of sexual misconduct.

KEY LINKS IN THE BUFFALO DIOCESE SEX ABUSE SCANDAL:

Part 1of the 7 Eyewitness News I-Team investigation revealed that Malone returned Fr. Art Smith to ministry despite allegations of inappropriate contact with a child. Malone returned the accused priests to ministry after a previous bishop suspended him, documents obtained by the 7 Eyewitness News I-Team show.

Part 2 revealed that Malone allowed Fr. Robert Yetter to remain pastor of St. Mary's in Swormville despite multiple sexual harassment allegations by young men. 

Part 3 cited church records that showed more than 100 priests in the diocese were accused of sexual abuse or misconduct. Malone in March released a list of only 42 priests "who were removed from ministry, were retired, or left ministry after allegations of sexual abuse of a minor." 

The investigative series sparked Buffalo civic leaders to call for Malone's resignation and Catholics have mounted weekly protests in front of the Diocese of Buffalo Chancery. Malone in August held a news conference and refused to resign as Buffalo bishop.

In September, the State Attorney General launched a statewide investigation into sexual abuse in the Catholic Church and last week, it was revealed the FBI has launched its own criminal investigation into the diocese.

In October, "60 Minutes" aired a national investigative story on Bishop Malone and the Diocese of Buffalo. 

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