Biernat said when he reported the abuse to diocese officials in 2004, Grosz blamed him.

“He says to me, ‘Well, it’s your fault. You didn’t lock the door,’ ” said Biernat.

Biernat alleged Grosz then told him he would not be ordained if he continued to discuss the abuse accusation.

Grosz, 74, has been auxiliary bishop in the Buffalo Diocese since 1990.

Biernat said he immediately turned to the Rev. Richard Siepka for help. Siepka was president and rector of Christ the King seminary at the time.

“A few minutes after I told Father Siepka, Bishop Grosz calls me back to remind me, ‘Ryszard, if you don’t stop talking about this you will not become a priest,' ” said Biernat.

Implicit in the threat, said Biernat, was that he would have to return to Poland because his visa was only good if he was studying to be a priest or doing priestly ministry in the U.S.

Biernat also alleged that Grosz made a joke about the Rev. Donald Becker, who had multiple complaints of child sex abuse against him, while Biernat and Grosz were reviewing priest personnel files that included victims’ accounts of abuse.