In recent years, the U.S. Catholic Church has been shaken by numerous accusations of child sexual abuse, with some cases relating to incidents occurring as far back as the first half of the 20th century, in which members of its clergy exploited their positions of trust and authority to victimize minors. The Archdiocese of Baltimore has not escaped this troubling trend.
To date, the Archdiocese of Baltimore has paid over $13.2 million to 301 victims of abuse since the 1980s, reflecting a long and troubling history of such cases within the institution. This sum includes $6.8 million in voluntary settlements to 105 individuals. These financial compensations, however, can never fully remedy the trauma of the survivors.
In April 2023, a pivotal moment occurred when the Maryland Attorney General’s Office released a comprehensive report detailing decades of sexual abuse within the Archdiocese of Baltimore. This report sheds light on the extent and nature of the abuse caused by some of its clergy.
Saunders & Walker, P.A., provides experienced legal counsel to individuals nationwide, including those in the Baltimore area, who have been subjected to sexual abuse by members of the Catholic clergy. Our team is committed to helping survivors navigate the complexities of the legal system to seek the justice and compensation they deserve.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of clergy sexual abuse, we are here to help. Call 1-800-748-7115 for a free, confidential case evaluation.
Maryland Law on Sexual Abuse
Signed into law by Governor Wes Moore on April 11, 2023, the Maryland Child Victims Act of 2023 is a significant legal reform designed to aid survivors of child sexual abuse. It removes the legal time limits previously imposed on filing civil lawsuits against institutions in cases of child sexual abuse. Prior to this law, Maryland’s legal system barred adult survivors of such abuse from filing suit once they turned 38 years old. The law officially went into effect on October 1, 2023.
Other significant consequences of the passage of the new law:
- The law allows lawsuits to be filed even by persons who were previously barred from filing a civil suit due to the statute of limitations.
- There is no limit on economic damages (e.g., medical bills) when a suit is filed against a private institution such as the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Non-economic damages are capped at $1.5 million.
The Act empowers survivors to hold not only individual abusers accountable but also the institutions that may have failed to protect them from abuse. This includes cases where an institution such as the Archdiocese of Baltimore might have been negligent in preventing abuse, failed to take appropriate action upon learning of abuse, or was involved in actively covering up such incidents.
The bottom line: Lawsuits can be now filed against the Archdiocese of Baltimore no matter when the abuse occurred.
Note on the List of Priests Accused of Abuse in Baltimore
The names listed below were taken from the Maryland section of bishop-accountability.org, a website dedicated to maintaining a nationwide database of Catholic clergy who have been accused of sexual abuse. Visit their website for additional details about these individuals.
The persons listed below were at one time affiliated with the Archdiocese of Baltimore, although they may have had other assignments as well. The list includes priests, bishops, brothers, nuns, and seminarians who have been formally accused of sexual abuse.
Individuals listed in this section have the presumption of innocence unless they have been convicted in a court of law. Accusations and settlements are not considered legal evidence of guilt.
Be aware that civil action can still be taken relating to alleged abuse perpetrated by an individual associated with the Archdiocese of Baltimore even in cases where the individual is not listed here, or if the individual is deceased.
Fr. Louis John Affrica
Ordained: 1975
Alleged to have abused minors during his time as a Holy Cross Brother and later as a priest. Accusations made in 2005 and 2007 involving abuse of a boy and a girl in the ‘70s, with alcohol and marijuana. Following these incidents, Affrica took leave in 1981, got married, and pursued a career as a licensed social worker. Died in 2016.
Deacon William Steven Albaugh
Ordained: 1996
A deacon at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Nottingham from 1996, he was arrested in 2013 for storing child abuse images on thumb drives and cloud storage. Admitted to storing the images and was suspended from duties. Died in 2016.
Br. James Avant
Member of the Capuchin Franciscan Friars. Served at various locations including Morgan State University and St. Martin in Baltimore. In 1993, a woman reported to the Capuchins that Avant abused her eighth-grade son and other boys in the early ‘70s while at St. Martin’s rectory. Avant left the order in 1990.
Fr. Michael Lowell Barnes
Ordained: 1975
Named in a 2009 lawsuit for allegedly molesting a boy from 1977 to 1982 while at St. Clare School in Essex, in alcohol-involved incidents. Left the priesthood in 1988. Was arrested in 2009 for these abuses, leading to a no-contest plea, a six-month jail sentence, and a $50K civil settlement in 2010. Reportedly hosted young men and boys in the rectory on many occasions. Died in 2017.
Fr. Thomas J. Bauernfeind
Ordained: 1963
A parish priest and Vice Chancellor. Alleged to have sexually abused a teen girl in the mid ‘70s (reported in 1987). He was sent for treatment but continued in ministry. Retired in 1998. Faculties removed in 2002. Allegedly abused another teen girl around 1974. Died in 2003.
Fr. W. Vincent Bechtel
Ordained: 1950
Alleged to have abused multiple male minors during his tenure at Mt. St. Joseph High School between 1979 and 1989. Died in 1994.
Fr. Ronald Belschner
Ordained: 1960
In August 2019, the Archdiocese announced an allegation of child sexual abuse against Belschner dating back to the mid ‘70s while at St. Gregory the Great, which he denied. Took a leave of absence in 1991 and was permanently stripped of his faculties. There is also a report in 2017 of abusing a teen boy from 1975-1976 and a 2020 claim of sexual abuse and rape from 1976-1979.
Fr. Thomas R. Bevan
Ordained: 1963
A monsignor who worked for the Boy Scouts, Bevan was accused in 2005 of sexual abuse dating back to 1974, for which “insufficient evidence” was found. In 2009, he was removed from duties following allegations of abusing a boy multiple times at St. John’s School in Frederick between 1974 and 1979. In 2010, pleaded guilty to abuse and received a suspended 10-year sentence. A settlement was made in 2017. Allegedly provided alcohol to boys at his cabin and observed them streaking.
Fr. Maurice J. Blackwell
Ordained: 1974
Pastor of St. Edward’s in Baltimore (1979-2003), Blackwell was placed on leave in 1993 and 1998 (permanently) due to abuse allegations. In 1998, admitted to a “sexual relationship” with a minor in the 1970s. Was shot and injured by one accuser in 2002. Multiple settlements were made with victims, and more allegations emerged of incidents dating back to the 1960s. Laicized in 2004. Found guilty of sexual abuse in 2005, but conviction was overturned.
Fr. Louis A. Bonacci
Ordained: 1973
Former member of the Society of Jesus. Accused of inappropriately touching a minor between 1978 and 1982 while at Loyola College (reported in 2011). After a second accuser surfaced, Bonacci was removed from active ministry in 2011. He left the Jesuits in 2014.
Fr. William A. Braun
Ordained: 1942
A Sulpician order member from 1949, he was alleged in 2002 of sexually abusing a boy from 1947 to 1949 at St. Dominic’s School. The victim described Braun as controlling and manipulative. Died in 1964.
Fr. Frederick C. Brinkmann
Ordained: 1975
Member of the Redemptorist Fathers (CSsR). In 1996, a man reported being sexually abused by Brinkmann at age 16 during 1976-1977, including an alleged oral rape in St. Michael’s rectory.
Fr. Gerard Bugge
Ordained: 1969
Member of the Redemptorist Fathers. Bugge served in parishes in Baltimore; Annapolis; Lancaster, PA; and Washington, DC. He admitted in 1985 to sexually abusing a hitchhiking teenager. His faculties were subsequently removed. A 2018 report alleged Bugge raped an 8-year-old boy, a Sunday school student of his, in 1975. Bugge was also known as Gerard Serafin. Died in 2004.
Fr. Robert C. Callahan
Ordained: 1957
Callahan was sued in 1978 for having an affair. He subsequently left the ministry and married. A 1988 report alleged he sexually abused a boy from 1967-1974, involving rape and alcohol, at locations including St. Rita’s in Baltimore and Christ the King in Edgemere. Laicized in 2017. Died in 2019.
Fr. John J. Carney
Ordained: 1963
Carney was a parish priest and teacher at Archbishop Keough High School, who later (from 1972) served as a chaplain in nursing homes and hospitals. In 1991, a woman reported Carney fondled and kissed her around 1970-1971 at Our Lady of Victory. She received a $50K settlement; Carney denied inappropriate behavior but admitted kissing her. His faculties were removed in 1995 after admitting to “inappropriate conduct.” In 2014, he was found presenting as a priest, leading to Archdiocesan intervention. Accused again in 2017, this time of physically abusing a 6th grader in the 1960s. Died in 2020.
Fr. Douglas Carroll
Ordained: 1973
Member of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (SAC). Reportedly admitted to soliciting a minor. Was removed from ministry in 1990. Laicized in 1998.
Fr. John J. Corbett
Originally from England and ordained for the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 1909. Monsignor Corbett served at St. Brigid’s (1909-1922); St. Peter’s (1922-1924) and St. Margaret’s (1924-1943) in Washington, DC; and St. Mary Star of the Sea in Baltimore (1943-1957). Accused of abusing two girls at St. Mary’s in the early 1950s (reported in 1993). Additional reports in 2002, 2010, 2018, and 2020 included abuse of a first grader and other girls, with one victim claiming Corbett “molested all the little girls at the school” while at St. Mary’s. Died in 1957.
Fr. Brian M. Cox
Ordained: 1968
Ordained for the Josephites in 1968 and joined the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 1981. Cox admitted in 1994 to abusing a 13-year-old boy. Further accusations emerged, including sexual abuse of a 16-year-old in 1981 and a fifth-grade altar boy in 1980. Was clinically treated in St. Louis. Cox pleaded guilty of abusing two boys, resulting in a 15-month jail sentence and registration as a sex offender. He confessed his pedophilic struggles to a church official, who dismissed his concerns. Laicized in 2003.
Fr. Charles G. Coyle
Ordained: 1965
Member of the Society of Jesus (SJ). Named in a 2002 lawsuit for abusing a boy in the ‘70s at Newton South High School, Boston. A second boy living with Coyle died by suicide. Named in a 2003 lawsuit for abusing two brothers in Baltimore during the ‘60s. Coyle was active in Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Texas, Alabama, and Georgia. Died in 2015.
Fr. Fernando Cristancho
Ordained: 1985
Originally from Colombia. Cristancho served in the Diocese of Arlington, VA, until 1997 when removed for misconduct. He fathered triplets via in vitro fertilization in 2001 and was assigned to St. Ignatius, Baltimore (1999-2002). His faculties were revoked in 2002. In 2006, he was found to have sexually abused his sons. Custody was awarded to their mother in 2008. Arrested in 2017 for child pornography, he pleaded guilty in 2021 to sexual coercion of a minor, admitting to creating nude images of four other children. Sentenced to 22 years in federal prison. Laicized in 2022.
Fr. Robert B. Cullen
Ordained: 1958
Member of the Society of Jesus. Allegedly abused a girl from ages 8 to 14 in the 1960s. Despite her mother’s reports to Jesuits in the 1960s and after 1982, no action was taken at the time and Cullen remained in ministry. Other victims from the ‘60s are alleged as well. He was active in many dioceses. Died in 2005.
Fr. John Danilak
Ordained: 1961
Byzantine Catholic priest who was indicted in 2002 on charge of abusing a minor in 1978. Died in 2003, before trial could commence. Allegations have been made by at least two other men.
Fr. Joseph A. Davies
Ordained: 1943
A parish priest and chaplain in various roles. He resigned in 1990 over misuse of funds at St. Joseph Parish. Multiple allegations were made in 1993 of child sexual abuse, but these were not announced publicly until 2015. Alleged to have abused at least eight boys during the ‘50s and ‘60s. Monsignor Davies died in 1992.
Fr. Richard Deakin
Ordained: 1985
Member of the Capuchin Franciscan Friars. Exposed himself to a woman in 1987. Convicted in 1990 for sexually abusing and raping a 13-year-old girl between 1986-1988, he received suspended sentences and probation. He was then transferred to Pittsburgh. He left the priesthood in 1988, was laicized in 1992, and worked as a licensed social worker from 1996, avoiding counseling minors. Surrendered his license in 2018.
Fr. Alfred A. Dean
Ordained: 1989
Member of St Joseph’s Society of the Sacred Heart (SSJ). Originally from the Bahamas and assigned to St. Veronica and St. Francis Xavier in Baltimore, Dean was suspended in 2002 following accusations of abusing a 13-year-old boy. He resigned from his duties and was placed on leave. Criminal charges in 2003 were dismissed at the victim’s family’s request. He settled in 2004.
Fr. Martin H. Demek
Ordained: 1975
Suspended in 2021 as pastor of Corpus Christi, Baltimore, due to allegations of sexually abusing a minor starting at age 11 between 1989-1994, while at St. Bartholomew’s in Manchester. He denied the charges and the Archdiocese ruled the allegations to be unsubstantiated. Reinstated in 2022.
Br. Donald Dimitroff
Member of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. Accused of sexually abusing a student from the early 1980s until 1997 while teaching at Bishop Walsh High School (reported in 1997). He claimed to believe the boy was 18. Dimitroff resided at Calvert Hall High School’s Christian Brothers residence (1992-2002) and taught at Loyola College and the University of Maryland Baltimore County.
Br. Francis E. Dolan
A Xaverian Brother beginning in 1939. Allegedly abused a boy at St. Mary’s Industrial School in Baltimore in 1945, starting when the boy was 13 (reported in 1995). Died in 1975.
Fr. James H. Dowdy
Ordained: 1969
In 1993, Dowdy was accused of sexually abusing minors in the late 1970s to early 1980s. He admitted to the abuse of two minors. Removed from ministry and sent to St. Luke’s in 1994, where he again confessed to abusing boys. A 2023 report claimed abuse of an altar boy starting when the victim was 10 and continuing for four years.
Fr. Robert W. Duerr
Ordained: 1948
A parish priest and long-time educator at Mount De Sales Academy. Reports in 2002 and 2012 alleged abuse in the early 1950s to 1960s. A former nun in 2002 claimed she saw Duerr fondling altar boys in 1952-1953. In 2012, a woman reported enduring abuse from age 7 until college, including rape before her first communion. Died in 1982.
Fr. John H. Duggan
Ordained: 1957
Member of the Society of Jesus. Trained in Boston and Albany, Duggan served in multiple dioceses, including Scranton, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Chicago, Nigeria, and Camden, working in high schools and parishes. In 2002, reportedly abused a teen boy (who died in 1975) in the late ‘60s-early ‘70s at Loyola Blakefield School. The 2018 PA Grand Jury Report noted Duggan’s early priesthood admissions of abusing children. Additional reports include abuse in Africa (1981-1983) and at Scranton Prep in 1951. Was restricted to convent and prison ministry from 1996 onward. Died in 2004.
Fr. Frederick H. Duke
Ordained: 1942
Allegedly abused a boy in 1953-1954 (reported in 1998). This resulted in a $25K settlement. He confessed to abusing 26 children between 1944 and 1961. Despite many victims reporting to priests and church authorities, little action was taken. Duke directed some victims to confession. The Archdiocese was reportedly aware of his abuse as far back as 1953. Monsignor Duke died in 1992.
Fr. Francis P. Ernst
Ordained: 1957
Member of the Society of Jesus. Ernst was a parish priest, teacher, and campus minister who was active in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. He was reported in 2011 for sexually abusing and raping a boy aged 12-14 at St. Augustine, Elkridge, Maryland, where Ernest was assigned from 1998 to 2004. Further allegations in 2022 claimed the abuse actually started at age 6-7, and that Ernst had a book of photos of naked boys. Died in 2004.
Fr. Luigi Esposito
Ordained: 1964
Member of the Congregation of the Mission (CM). Ordained in Italy, assigned to Our Lady of Pompei in Highlandtown from 1964 to 2018 and pastor from 1987. He taught and coached at the parish school until 1987, becoming part of the Archdiocese in 2000. Suspended in 2018 after allegations of sexually abusing a girl starting around age 14 in 1973, with prior grooming from ages 5-7. He admitted to a “crush” but denied abuse. There is another abuse allegation from 1972-1973. Died in 2021.
Fr. Terence J. Evans
Ordained: 1936
Evans was accused in 2018 of sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy in the late 1950s, when he was the pastor at St. Margaret’s. Reportedly, he grabbed the boy’s hand and rubbed his crotch against it. Died in 1984.
Fr. Alfred Ewanowski
Ordained: 1967
Member of the Conventual Franciscans. Allegedly abused an Archbishop Curley High School student in 1967. More allegations later surfaced from his 1968-1976 tenure at Curley High. Both the Archdiocese and high school settled in 2009. Further reports include abuse in 1969 and another settlement in December 2015 for abuse occurring around 1972. Name also sometimes spelled “Alfred Evanowski” or “Alfred Evanoski.” Died in 1990.
Fr. Kenneth Farabaugh
Ordained: 1963
Former teacher at John Carroll High School. In 1993, Farabaugh was accused of sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl in 1985, but the case was initially dropped. In 2000, the alleged victim detailed the abuse to the archdiocese. In 2002, two women reported childhood abuse in the 1960s and 1970s. In 2010, a man claimed abuse as a second grader in 1963; he received a $5K settlement in 2011. Another man reported (2019) abuse as a John Carroll student. Farabaugh died in December 2000 when he rammed his car into a tree, just before a scheduled police polygraph test.
Fr. Alphonsus Figlewski
Ordained: 1905
Member of the Conventual Franciscans. Assigned to St. Stanislaus in Baltimore (1924-1939). Figlewski was accused in 1997 and 2002 of sexually abusing a boy in the 1930s. The accuser received a settlement. Figlewski reportedly took altar boys individually on streetcar trips, instructing them to wear short pants that he provided. During these rides, Figlewski fondled the boys. FIglewski was active in Shamokin, PA; Chelsea, MA; Milwaukee, WI; Chelsea, MA; Bridgeport, CT; Baltimore & Ellicott City, MD; Hamburg, NY; and Loretto, Italy. Also known as Alphonse Figlewski. Died in 1948.
Fr. Joseph G. Fiorentino
Active in Our Lady of Pompei in Highlandtown during the ‘60s and ‘70s. In 2018 a woman reported inappropriate behavior occurring multiple times from 1973 to 1977, in elementary and middle school. Another woman claimed she was suspended from school in the mid ‘70s for complaining about Fiorentino’s behavior.
Deacon Joseph P. Firlie
Ordained as a deacon in the mid ‘70s and active at St. Peter and Paul School in Cumberland, Maryland, in the 1980s and 1990s. Also a probation officer for the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services (DJS). Firlie was accused in 1991 of making sexual advances towards a 17-year-old at DJS. He subsequently attended the Johns Hopkins Sex Clinic. In 2010, a man reported sexual abuse by Firlie at St. Peter and Paul Catholic School from ages 10 to 14 (1979-1983). Died in 2000.
Bishop Carl A. Fisher
Ordained: 1973
Member of St Joseph’s Society of the Sacred Heart (SSJ). There are multiple allegations against Fisher, including rape, dating back to the 1970s. Fisher allegedly abused both boys and girls, ages ranging from 7 to 16. The Archdiocese of Baltimore reportedly knew about Fisher’s abuse as early as 1990. At least two victims received settlements. Fisher died in 1993.
Br. Robert Flaherty
Member of the Fathers and Brothers of St Francis Xavier from 1979. Suspended in 2018 after allegations that he abused a minor in the mid ‘80s, which triggered a Baltimore Police investigation. Taught at Mount St. Joseph School from 1972-1993 and 2008-2010; in Kentucky from 1994-1999; and at St. John’s Prep in Danvers, MA from 1999-2007. He returned to St. John’s in 2010 and was teaching there when he was suspended.
Sr. Theonilla Flood
Member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame. In 2006, a man alleged that Flood sexually abused him around 1956-1957 at St. Joseph Passionist Monastery School when he was 11-12 years old. The accuser received a $38K settlement in 2012. Flood (birth name: Mary Margaret Flood) died in 1988.
Fr. Sylvan Fondriest
Member of Capuchin Franciscan Friars. Active at SS Peter and Paul in Cumberland from 1956 to 1976. A 2007 report alleged abuse in the late ‘50s-early ‘60s, and another victim made accusations in 2008 about incidents in the late ‘50s. Died in 1976.
Fr. Daniel Free
Ordained: 1952
Member of the Congregation of the Passion. The archdiocese received allegations in 1998 and 2012 against Free, which were reported to law enforcement. Removed from ministry in 2000. The 2023 Maryland Attorney General’s Report revealed that two female victims reported abuse involving torture, and that Free was accompanied by several masked men. One victim was abused around age 5 in the mid ‘50s, and the other at 13-14 in the mid ‘60s. Free died in 2016.
Fr. Joseph J. Gallagher
Ordained: 1955
Former editor of The Catholic Review, he retired in 1985. Allegedly abused a 14-year-old boy in 1980 (reported in 1986). In 1993, Gallagher admitted inappropriate conduct and his faculties were removed. Gallagher claimed that the incident was only a massage. Also known as J. Joseph Gallagher. Died in 2015.
Fr. Joseph U. Gerg
Ordained: 1965
Member of the Benedictine Monks. Alleged to have abused a girl from 1967-1972 (ages 13-17), at St. Benedict’s in Baltimore. In 2002, he was removed from active ministry.
Fr. Steven P. Girard
Ordained: 1974
Accused in 1991 of allowing teens (including Girard’s foster son) to drink whiskey in the rectory. In 2002, Girard received probation for falsely reporting a carjacking; he had actually encountered a male prostitute who stole his car after they used crack and alcohol in St. Clement’s rectory. In 2004, a man alleged Girard abused him as a third-grader in the early 1990s and threatened to castrate him unless he stayed quiet. The victim committed suicide in 2005. The parents received a $200K settlement in 2007. Girard died in 2018.
Fr. Mark A. Haight
Ordained: 1976
Accusations of child sexual abuse date from his early years in the priesthood. After allegations surfaced in 1980, he went on leave of absence until 1985 and began teaching children. The Albany Diocese reportedly made settlements in 1989 and 1997. Was also a hospital chaplain beginning in 1990, but was removed from the position after past allegations surfaced. A settlement of $750K was made in 2022 with a man who was abused as a minor for over ten years, beginning in 1988. Another lawsuit came in 2022 from the family of an alleged victim who eventually died of a drug overdose.
Sr. Joan Agnes Hasson
Member of the Third Order of the Sisters of St. Francis, Philadelphia, until she left in 1945 and got married. Alleged to have orally raped a first-grade student in 1944 (reported in 2004). Hasson told the girl that the abuse was punishment for bad behavior. Other victims are suspected as well. Birth name was Catherine A. Hasson; married name was Catherine A. Salmons. Died in 1991.
Fr. Edward Heilman
Ordained: 1980
In 2014, Heilman was accused of abusing an altar boy aged 8-13 in the 1970s at the Shrine of the Little Flower in Baltimore, where he was a deacon. In 2022, another man reported abuse by Heilman at St. Mary’s Seminary around 1978-1979 and at St. Mark’s between 1979-1981. Died in 1988.
Fr. Marion Francis Helowicz
Ordained: 1974
In 1984, Helowicz was arrested for attempting to solicit a police officer; charges were dropped, and he was sent to treatment. Accused in 1988 of abusing a learning-disabled teenage boy from 1982 to 1985. Admitted to abusing a second boy in 1988. Pleaded guilty in December 1988, receiving a suspended six-month jail sentence and 200 hours of community service. Settlements with two victims were made in 1990. Another allegation was made in 1993, from another victim reportedly abused in the early ‘80s.
Fr. Joseph J. Hill
Ordained: 1943
Member of the Congregation of the Mission. Active in New York, Alabama, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and China. Allegedly abused a 16- or 17-year-old girl at Our Lady of Lourdes in Baltimore where he was assigned from 1964 to 1971. Victim committed suicide in 2002. Hill died in 1990.
Fr. Robert E. Hiltz
Ordained: 1953
Allegedly abused two girls in the ‘70s. In 2018, an accusation against Hiltz was made by a man who claims abuse in 1968 at age 10, at St. Martin School. Died in 1985.
Fr. George L. Hopkins
Ordained: 1939
Chancellor from 1954 to 1965, and used the title of monsignor starting in 1956. He was also an Archdiocesan Consultor. Allegedly abused a girl at Cathedral School when she was in grades 1-3 (reported in 2002), and assaulted a 25-year-old nun in the early ‘50s (reported in 2007). Reportedly left the priesthood in 1969 and got married. Laicized in 1974. Died in 1980.
Fr. Joseph H. Hopkins
Ordained: 1936
Accused of abusing an 8th grade boy in 1948. Baltimore Chancellor John Duggan reportedly knew about the abuse and told Hopkins to go into hiding. Active at St. Ambrose Church (1936-1943) and St. Cecilia’s (1943-1949). Transferred to Wheeling, West Virginia, in 1949. Later incardinated into the Wheeling-Charleston diocese and active at St. Peter’s in Wheeling and St. Xavier in Moundsville. Died in 1961.
Fr. Robert F. Hopkins
Ordained: 1948
Allegedly abused two boys in the 1970s (reported in 1995). Other victims later came forward as well. Hopkins eventually admitted to abuse of 14 boys from the 1950s to the early 1980s, spanning five parishes. Another victim claimed abuse in 1948. Died in 2006.
Fr. Thomas Hudson
A former Catholic seminarian and deacon who was later ordained in the Episcopal Church. Hudson was reported in 2009 for attempting to sexually abuse a 15-year-old boy in 1976. While a high school teacher, he allegedly took the boy camping, gave him alcohol, and tried to remove his pants. In May 2023, the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland placed him on leave and he resigned from the parish.
Fr. William H. Jameson
Ordained: 1933
Allegedly abused a 13-year-old girl in 1942, at Baltimore’s Blessed Sacrament Parish. Jameson relocated to the Archdiocese of Washington, DC in the mid ‘40s, and later to the Diocese of Joliet IL. Also active at St. Anthony in Questa, NM in the late ‘60s. Died in 1973.
Fr. Albert J. Julian
Ordained: 1958
Accused in 1968 of abusing a girl, he admitted to his misconduct and was sent away for treatment. In 2002, another report surfaced alleging abuse of another girl for several years in the early ‘60s. Was laicized in 1970 and got married. Died in 2006.
Deacon John Justice
Became a deacon in 1974. Active at St. Louis in Clarksville (1975-1989) and Bon Secours Hospital (1989-1990). In 1989, admitted to abuse of a 13-year-old girl in 1985, and his faculties were removed. Died in 2015.
Br. Thomas F. Kelly
Member of the Fathers and Brothers of St Francis Xavier (CFX) from 1933. Alleged to have raped a boy aged 13 to 16, starting around 1945, at St. Mary’s Industrial School (reported in 1995). The victim also claimed to have been abused by several others at the school as well. Died in 1976.
Fr. Thomas M. Kelly
Ordained: 1939
Allegedly abused an 8-year-old girl in 1971 (reported in 2006). Was pressured into retirement in 1971 due to complaints about his erratic behavior. Ministered at Stella Maris Hospice. Also caused a 1982 car accident that killed another priest. Died in 1987.
Fr. Joseph A. Kenney
Ordained: 1943
Accused of abusing two female minors in the late ‘40s-early ‘50s (reported in 2002). An earlier allegation (1985) was made about abuse of a girl aged 4-8 in the early ‘50s. Additional allegations came in 2019 and 2021, regarding abuse of several very young children. Kenney retired in 1987 and died in 2001.
Fr. Simon E. Kenny
Ordained: 1938
Alleged to have committed sexual abuse in the early ‘80s (reported in 2017). Was an Army chaplain (1941-1967) and Pastor of St. Mary’s in Pylesville (1968-1985). A complaint was made in 1982 that he kissed a woman and her daughter without their consent. Monsignor Kenny retired in 1985 and died in 1999.
Fr. Paul Knapp
Ordained: 1972
Member of the Redemptorist Fathers (CSsR). Associate pastor at St. Mary in Annapolis (1973-1981). Also active in Toledo (1981-1983) and Saratoga Springs, NY (1983-1993). Alleged to have abused a 13-year-old girl in 1975 (reported in 1993) and a teen girl sometime in the late ‘70s (reported in 2002). Removed from duties in 1993 due to accusations of sexual misconduct involving two women. Left the priesthood in 1995.
Fr. Michael Kolodziej
Ordained: 1970
Member of the Conventual Franciscans (OFM Conv) from 1978. Active in Maryland, New York, Massachusetts, and Georgia as a teacher. Principal of Cardinal O’Hara High in Buffalo, NY (1982-1988). Assistant principal at St. Francis High in Athol Springs, NY (1979-1982). As head of the Order’s St. Anthony of Padua Province (2001-2010), Kolodziej helped establish procedures for preventing child sexual abuse. Allegedly abused a student at Archbishop Curley High in Baltimore from 1975 to 1979 (reported in 2013). Faculties were removed. Named in two 2019 lawsuits alleging abuse in 1982-1983 at Cardinal O’Hara High School in Tonawanda, NY. Several other former students have also made allegations; one received a $50K settlement.
Fr. Gerard J. Koob
Ordained: 1968
Member of the Society of Jesus (SJ). Alleged to have raped two female students in the early ‘70s, at Keough High School. Several other women complained about inappropriate conduct by Koob. He denied accusations. Koob left the priesthood circa 1979, got married, and became a Methodist minister. In 1969, he was romantically involved with Sr. Cathy Cesnik, who was found murdered shortly afterward; the case remains unsolved.
Fr. Joseph W. Krach
Ordained: 1957
Accused by two priests in 1968 of inappropriate conduct with boys and received psychiatric treatment. Arrested in 1981 for solicitation of an undercover police officer; again received psychiatric treatment. Several reports of “questionable activities and relationships” with teens and young men. Retired in 1991. Died in 2013.
Fr. William Earl Krouse
Ordained: 1973
Active in the ‘70s as teacher at the Maryland School for the Deaf and St. Francis Catholic Deaf Center in Prince George Co., Maryland. Left active ministry circa 1986. In 1996, Krouse was sentenced to six 10-year terms in prison for abuse of six deaf boys, aged 10-14, from 1970 to 1978. Also accused of abusing another student in the ‘70s at the Catholic Deaf Center in Landover (reported in 2018). Krouse was also known as “Jay.”
Fr. Joseph J. Kruse
Ordained: 1983
Confessed in 1987 to abusing two teen boys. Reportedly also had multiple encounters with minor hitchhikers. Received psychiatric treatment in 1987-1988. Sued in 1988, which resulted in a settlement. Left ministry in 1989. In 2012, he was denied a request to return to ministry. Laicized in 2017.
Deacon Thomas G. Kuhl
Became a deacon in 1988. Taught at Our Lady of Pompei High School and Towson Catholic High School. Arrested in the mid ‘80s for soliciting an undercover officer. Allegedly abused a teen boy at Our Lady of Pompei in the early-mid ‘90s (reported in 2006). Kuhl was placed on leave after this report was made. One accuser received a $28K settlement in 2009. In 2011, another accuser surfaced, alleging abuse beginning when he was 15. Laicized in 2015. Reportedly died in 2015. Also known as “Thom.”
Br. Xavier Langan
Member of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (FSC) from 1935. Active as a teacher in Pennsylvania and Maryland. Allegedly abused a Calvert Hall College High School student in 1969 (reported in 2003). Several other former students have made allegations as well. At least two accusers have received settlements. Died in 1985.
Fr. James V. Lannon
Ordained: 1931
Active with the Sulpician Order (1931-1932) and various Baltimore parishes (1933-1943). Became priest of Washington, DC archdiocese in the 1940s. Reports of sexual misconduct with teen boys date back to 1953. He was suspended in 1953 and 1954, and permanently removed from ministry in 1958. Also allegedly abused a girl aged 9 or 10 in the mid ‘30s (reported in 2002). Died in 1984.
Fr. Ross A. LaPorta
Ordained: 1951
Active in Baltimore and South Carolina. Accused in 1999 of having abused a male minor in the ‘60s, starting when the boy was around eight years old. The boy’s brother may have been abused by LaPorta as well. LaPorta denied the abuse, but his faculties were subsequently removed. Also accused of abusing a 12-year-old girl at St. Charles in Pikesville in 1966 (reported in 2003). Another report surfaced in 2013, regarding abuse of a boy in the early ‘70s. This resulted in a $75K settlement in 2014. LaPorta died in 2015.
Fr. Regis F. Larkin
Ordained: 1945
Active in archdiocesan parishes from 1945 to 1980. Allegedly abused a boy, aged 12-15, at St. Patrick’s in Cumberland (1978-1981). Also alleged to have abused a fifth-grade boy in the mid ‘50s at St. Michael’s in Frostburg (reported in 2002). Additional complaints were received in 2019 and 2021. Died in 1981.
Fr. David Leary
Ordained: 1956
Allegedly abused a fourth-grade boy in 1971 (reported in 2013). Active in Baltimore and the Diocese of Paranagua, Brazil (1967-1971). Internal reports of Leary’s history of erratic behavior, including violent outbursts, date back to 1961. Died in 1994.
Fr. Thomas B. Lee
Member of the Archdiocese of Seoul, South Korea. Also active at Immaculate Heart of Mary in Towson, Maryland. Studied at Johns Hopkins University from 1970 to 1974. Allegedly abused one individual in the early ‘70s (reported in 1993).
Fr. Francis J. Lefevre
Ordained: 1971
Admitted to abuse of minors, including rape, in the ‘70s and ‘80s, and was sent to Connecticut for psychiatric treatment. Faculties restricted in 1989. Multiple reports of alleged sexual abuse involving boys aged 11-13, including incidents at St. Anthony’s and St. Ursula’s. At least one settlement has been made.
Fr. Robert F. Lentz
Ordained: 1964
A parish priest who was active with the Catholic Youth Department and National Scouting. Also worked at Cardinal Gibbons High School (1973-1974) and Catholic Youth Organization (1973-1976). Was director of the Youth Office (1976-1978). In 2002, Lentz was placed on leave after allegations surfaced that he abused two boys back in the mid-late ‘60s. One accuser received a $35K settlement. Two additional reports were made in 2002; this resulted in a $80K settlement for one accuser. More accusations reported in 2006 and 2017. Lentz died in 2007.
Fr. Phillip J. Linden
Member of St Joseph’s Society of the Sacred Heart (SSJ). Active in the archdiocese from 1969 to 1986. Also employed at Xavier University of Louisiana from 1991 to 2018. Allegedly abused a boy in the ‘70s while at St. Francis Xavier in Baltimore (reported in 2020).
Fr. John L. Lippold
Ordained: 1957
Reportedly abused a girl for two years in the late ‘60s, starting when she was 16, at Saints Philip and James Parish (reported in 2010). Lippold denied accusations but was removed from duties in 2011. Another accusation surfaced in 2017, alleging abuse of an 11-year-old girl and another student in the 60s at a Frederick parish. Died in 2016.
Fr. Robert J. Lochner
Ordained: 1956
Former Director of Southern Area of the Archdiocesan Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, National Guard Chaplain of the Maryland National Guard, and Co-Moderator of the Catholic Youth Organization. Multiple allegations against him, the first received by the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 1993. Alleged abuse took place in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Two accusers have received settlements. Died in a 1967 car accident while traveling to the beach while accompanied by four boys.
Fr. Anthony Lorento
Ordained: 1972
Member of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (SAC). Pastor of St. Leo the Great in Baltimore (1980-1982), later assigned to a parish in Brooklyn, New York (from 1989). Accused of having tried to forcibly kiss a 16-year-old girl circa 1981 (reported in 1994). Another report surfaced in 2017, accusing Lorento of abusing a 12-year-old altar boy around 1980; this resulted in a settlement in 2018. Lorento left the priesthood in 1998.
Fr. George B. Loskarn
Ordained: 1965
Admitted in 2002 to abusing a boy, aged 12-16, in the late ‘60s, as well as an incident where he fondled an 18-year-old male circa 1985. He was subsequently placed on leave. Also allegedly abused an altar boy from 1st to 3rd grade in the early ‘70s while at St. Bernard’s. The boy claimed that when he reported the alleged abuse to a nun a few years after the fact, she responded by beating him. Loskarn died in 2014.
Fr. Samuel J. Lupico
Ordained: 1965
Originally affiliated with the Diocese of Trenton, then transferred to Archdiocese of Baltimore in 1972. Also active at St. Mary of the Assumption in Baltimore and St. Pius X in Towson. Suspended in 2022 pending an investigation into alleged abuse of a minor at St. Ann’s in Baltimore in the mid ‘70s. He denied the accusations. Also several other accusations of sexual misconduct toward boys occurring in the ‘70s and ‘80s.
Fr. E. Neil Magnus
Ordained: 1963
Active as a teacher, chaplain, and/or counselor at five high schools. Allegedly raped a 14-year-old girl at Keough High School in 1970, and further abuse occurred later during her school years. Other former students also made accusations toward Magnus. Also allegedly abused another Keough student in the late ‘60s (reported in 1992). Fellow priest Joseph Maskell reportedly participated in many of these incidents. One accuser claimed to have been raped with a crucifix. Also suspected in the unsolved 1969 murder of Sr. Catherine Cesnik. Died in 1988.
Fr. Ronald Mardaga
Ordained: 1980
Admitted in 1986 to sexual abuse, including rape, of a 13- or 14-year-old boy circa 1975-1976, while employed at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Baltimore City. His faculties were removed. Mardaga refused to fully comply with the archdiocese’s order that he get psychiatric treatment. Laicized in 1992, at his request.
Fr. A. Joseph Maskell
Ordained: 1965
Many allegations of sexual abuse while he was a chaplain and counselor at Keough High School. Complaints about Maskell’s behavior date back as early as 1966. Also active in Ireland from 1995 to 1998. Some incidents included involvement of fellow priest Neil Magnus. A lawsuit in 1994, alleging abuse during the late ‘60s-early ‘70s, was dismissed due to statute of limitations. Also suspected in the 1969 murder of Sr. Catherine Cesnik. By 2017, no fewer than 16 settlements had been made for sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated by Maskell, for a total of $472K. There are at least 39 confirmed victims, ranging from preschoolers to adults. Maskell died in 2001.
Fr. Arthur R. Maurer
Ordained: 1947
Member of St Joseph’s Society of the Sacred Heart (SSJ). In 1993, Maurer pleaded guilty to charges of fondling a 12-year-old boy in 1992 on a Florida cruise ship. Active in New Orleans from 1949 to 1958. Also affiliated with the Galveston-Houston Diocese. Died in 1993.
Fr. Benedict Mawn
Ordained: 1945
Member of the Congregation of the Passion. Active in Baltimore, Boston, Hartford, Buffalo, Worcester, Scranton, and Manchester. Allegedly abused a boy, with participation from two other priests, aged 10 to 14 in the late ‘40s or early ‘50s. Mawn was at St. Joseph Passionist Monastery in Baltimore during 1955-1957 and 1960-1962. Named in 2005 lawsuit for abusing a boy at St. Gabriel’s in Brighton, MA in 1976. Died in 1998.
Br. William F. McCarthy
Member of the Fathers and Brothers of St Francis Xavier from 1940 to 1947. Later taught at the Aquinas Institute in Rochester, New York. Reportedly abused a boy aged 8 or 9 back in the mid ‘40s (reported in 2002). Reportedly also abused at least two other boys as well. Died in 1982.
Fr. William T. McCrory
Ordained: 1941
Allegedly abused a girl, aged 7 to 9, at St. Francis of Assisi in Brunswick (reported in 2019). McCrory was active there as a parish priest from 1959 to 1968. In later years he reportedly gave the girl various gifts to keep her quiet. Died in 1993.
Fr. M. Francis McGrath
Ordained: 1978
Originally ordained for the Diocese of Trenton. Allegedly abused a minor in the ‘70s while still a seminary student in Baltimore. Reportedly admitted to abusing several minors while at Trenton. More accusers spoke out in 2002, including a former St. Anthony Middle School student. Another report came in 2013, this time alleging abuse of a 15-year-old boy in 1974; the accuser received a settlement for $50K. Was at some point removed from ministry. Named in multiple 2020 lawsuits.
Fr. Eugene Ambrose McGuire
Ordained: 1943
Member of the Congregation of the Passion. Alleged to have abused a girl from 1962 to 1966, when she was aged 7 to 11 (reported in 1993). The girl’s sister was also allegedly abused as well. Additional reports came in 2002 (for abuse of an eight-year-old boy in the late ‘40s or early ‘50s) and 2019 (for abuse of a jr. high school boy from 1970 to 1972). Died in 1984.
Br. Lawrence C. Meegan
Member of the Fathers and Brothers of St Francis Xavier from 1941. Taught in Baltimore, MD, Louisville, KY; Lawrence, MA; Bangor, ME; and Montvale, NJ. Alleged to have abused a boy at St. Mary’s Industrial School in Baltimore beginning in 1945, when the student was aged 13-16. The boy claimed that several others at the school abused him as well. Died in 1977.
Fr. Romuald Meogrossi
Ordained: 1968
Member of the Conventual Franciscans. Suspended from ministry in 2021 due to accusation of sexual abuse of a minor, which allegedly took place in 2006 when Meogrossi was a licensed therapist. Meogrossi denied the abuse.
Fr. Joseph V. Messer
Ordained: 1961
Allegedly abused boy aged 16 or 17 back in 1975 or 1976 (reported in 2008). Another former student has corroborated the allegation. The alleged victim was reportedly told he would go to hell if he told anyone about the abuse. Messer denied the allegations.
Fr. Ronald N. Michaud
Ordained: 1973
Alleged to have abused a teenager in 1974 (reported in 1989). Michaud was placed on leave and sent to treatment. Active in Maryland from 1973 to 1978. Incardinated at the Diocese of Portland (Maine) in 1982. Sued in 2007 over alleged abuse of an altar boy in Westbrook in the early ‘80s. This resulted in a $4.4 million judgment against Michaud. More allegations surfaced in 2018 and 2019. Sued again in 2021 and 2022.
Fr. William J. Migliorini
Ordained: 1959
Alleged to have abused an altar boy over a period of 3-4 years in the 1960s (reported in 1995). Three other people were reportedly involved in perpetrating the abuse as well. In 2019, a woman alleged abuse at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart in the late ‘60s. Migliorini was assigned to the Shrine of the Sacred Heart from 1965 to 1973. Died in 1992.
Fr. John Joseph Mike, Jr.
Ordained: 1975
Faculties removed in 1987 over allegations of recent abuse of two teen boys. Was diagnosed with “sexual sadism.” Mike admitted to the abuse and was sentenced to five years’ probation; he never returned to active ministry in Baltimore Reportedly beat one victim with a table tennis paddle. Another accusation was made in 1987 from another parent, but this was not reported to the police. At least seven accusers have come forward so far.
Fr. Jerome A. Moody
Ordained: 1974
Member of the Redemptorist Fathers. Allegations surfaced in 2002 about abuse of multiple individuals. Another allegation came in 2005, accusing Moody of abusing a teen boy over three years back in the ‘70s. Reportedly was in the habit of inviting boys to sleep overnight in the rectory. Died in 2006.
Br. Eugene Morgan
Member of the Brothers of the Christian Schools from 1952. Allegedly abused a male student in the late ‘70s at Calvert Hall College High School (reported in 2018). Morgan was Dean of Discipline at the school, and also taught typing classes. In 2019, a former student claimed that Morgan would watch boys undress for swim class and get in the pool naked with them. Died in 2019.
Br. William Morgan
Member of the Society of the Divine Word. Active in New Guinea in 1950-1991. Accused in 1986 of recent abuse of a 4-year-old girl, as well as abuse of two other girls ten years earlier. Was allowed to continue employment in New Guinea, as the monsignor supervising the case reportedly said that “things are different” there. Lived in Wisconsin from 1998. Died in 2008.
Fr. John A. Mountain
Ordained: 1928
Ordained in Philadelphia. Active in Washington, DC and (beginning in 1929) Maryland. Allegedly abused a boy over several years in the 1940s (reported in 1995). Retired in 1968 and lived in West Palm Beach, Florida. Died in 1979.
Fr. Timothy M. Murphy
Ordained: 1967
Member of the Trinitarians. Alleged to have abused a 12-year-old boy circa 1970 at St. Charles Borromeo Parish (reported in 1999). Murphy was on leave from 1972-1978 for “health reasons” and was employed as a high school teacher during this time. Apologized to his victim in 1993. Murphy’s faculties were removed in 1999, and he was restricted to duties in the Province Offices. Accuser received a settlement in 2008. Died in 2004.
Fr. James Glenn Murray
Ordained: 1979
Member of the Society of Jesus. Active in Washington, DC; Durham, NC; Cleveland, OH; and Baltimore. Accused of improperly touching a minor in the early ‘80s at St. Frances-Charles Hall (reported in 2005), but allegations were not verified. Also active at Gonzaga College High School (1974-1976) and St. Aloysius Parish. Permanently removed from ministry in 2011.
Fr. Alan W. Nagle
Ordained: 1967
Alleged to have abused a high school freshman during an overnight retreat circa 1970 (reported in 2009). Another accuser, a former altar boy, claimed in 2018 that Nagle laid in bed with him naked in 1960. Nagle also reportedly had a drinking problem. In 1978, Nagle went on leave and was employed as a priest at a Melkite-Greek Catholic Church in North Hollywood, California, until he was fired from this position in 1980. He left the Church in 1981. He was also Assistant Pastor at St. Mary’s Assumption Greek Catholic Church in Joppa. Died in 1997.
Fr. Robert Victor Newman
Ordained: 1981
Member of the Sons of Charity. Accused of abusing multiple minors during the ‘70s and ‘80s (reported in 1987). Newman admitted to his superiors that he had abused at least twelve boys, aged 9 to 15. He was subsequently removed from his assignment. No criminal charges were filed. In 1990, he was permitted to serve as a parish pastor in the Archdiocese of Hartford (Connecticut). Placed on leave from this position in 2002.
Br. Ronald N. Nicholls
Member of the Society of Mary. Allegedly abused a boy aged 10-12 while a teacher at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Southwest Baltimore during the ‘70s. The boy accompanied Nicholls on many outings. Nicholls left the Marianists in 1980.
Fr. Henry J. O’Toole
Ordained: 1944
Member of the Redemptorist Fathers. Active in the Archdiocese of Baltimore from 1962-1983. Also active in Toledo, Ohio, and Richmond, Virginia. Alleged to have abused a 12- or 13-year-old at Our Lady of Fatima in East Baltimore in the early ‘70s (reported in 1992). Died in 2003.
Fr. Joseph F. O’Brien
Ordained: 1968
Allegedly abused a 15- or 16-year-old girl in the mid ‘70s (reported in 2002). The accuser claims to have been abused by two other individuals around that time as well, and that O’Brien told her that he wanted to teach her “real love between a man and a woman.” She complained to a parish priest, but there is no record of any official action. Went on leave in 1976. Laicized in 1978, at his request.
Deacon Leo O’Hara
Member of the Third Order of St. Francis from 1957. Active in two parishes, and also as an assistant hospital chaplain. Reports of sexual abuse were made in 1981, 1995, and 2002. Allegedly abused at least five boys while at St. Rose Elementary School. In 1987, O’Hara was charged with 16 counts of sexual offenses and 16 counts of child abuse. He reportedly admitted to abusing more than a hundred minors since 1953. Died in 1994.
Seminarian Brian Keith Olkowski
A seminarian who was active in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Pleaded guilty in 1995 to charges of giving alcohol to and sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy. Olkowski was then dismissed from seminary. Sentenced to five years in jail (four suspended) and five years’ probation.
Fr. Joseph O’Meara
Ordained: 1967
Accused of many incidents of kissing and fondling girls and women without their consent. In 2019, he was removed from active ministry due to complaints about his behavior. In the 1970s, O’Meara helped to establish the Lamb of God community.
Fr. John B. Peacock
Ordained: 1934
Monsignor Peacock is said to have abused a fourth-grade student at Our Lady of Victory in the ‘60s (reported in 2005). Another accuser came forward in 2015, claiming she was abused as a second- or third-grade student in the late ‘50s. Peacock retired in 1973 and died in 1995.
Fr. Dennis A. Pecore
Ordained: 1982
Member of the Society of the Divine Savior. Active in Maryland, Arizona, and Wisconsin. Convicted in 1987 of abusing a teenage boy from 1984 to 1985 and sentenced to a year in jail on a work-release program. Victim received a $595K settlement in 1988. Convicted again in 1994 for sexually abusing his nephew while on work-release; also introduced the boy to another priest who would be later convicted of molesting him as well. Pecore was sentenced to twelve years in prison. Laicized in 1995. Released from prison in 2002. Named in lawsuits in 2016 and 2018 for allegedly abusing other minors.
Fr. Adrian Poletti
Ordained: 1934
Member of the Congregation of the Passion. Allegedly abused an 11- or 12-year-old boy circa 1956 while at Camp Gabriel (reported in 2006). The accuser received a settlement for $38K. Another allegation was made in 2007 by a woman who claimed he abused her in the mid ‘40s when she was 14 or 15. Died in 1980.
Fr. Blair Raum
Ordained: 1971
Allegedly abused a minor in the 1960s (reported in 2004). Several other accusers later surfaced, including a woman who claims Raum tried to grope her the day before her wedding and a man who says Raum fondled him back in 1971. He allegedly groomed teen girls and then had relationships when they became adults. Died in 2003.
Br. Thomas Rochacewicz
Member of the Redemptorist Fathers. Active in Connecticut, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Florida, and Washington, DC. Assigned to the Archdiocese of Baltimore from 1975 to 1986. Alleged to have abused a 14-year-old girl in the early ‘80s (reported in 1987). Ten other women later made accusations, claiming to have been abused as minors. Abuse occurred from 1968 to the mid ‘80s. One accuser received a $90K settlement. Died in 2015.
Fr. Charles O. Rouse
Ordained: 1976
Admitted in 1995 to having abused two boys in 1981. Rouse was receiving treatment for alcoholism at the time of the confession. Several other alleged victims later came forward; incidents are said to have occurred from the ‘60s to the ‘80s. One man was reportedly told by the Archdiocese that his report was unnecessary because other accusers had already come forward.
Fr. Thomas A. Rydzewski
Ordained: 1998
Pleaded guilty in 2002 for possession of child pornography, after being arrested in the FBI’s Operation Candyman sting. Sentenced to 27 months in prison. Released in 2004. Currently on the Maryland sex offender registry.
Seminarian Michael V. Scriber
Resided at St. Ann’s Parish in East Baltimore as a seminarian in the ‘70s, and reportedly remained there years after leaving the seminary. Also responsible for running St. Ann’s Youth Program, which included Cub Scout and Boy Scout activities, from 1972 to 1982. Alleged to have abused a Boy Scout aged 11 or 12 back in ‘76 or ‘77 (reported in 2003). Several other former Scouts later made allegations of sexual abuse.
Fr. William Q. Simms
Ordained: 1962
Active at St. Joseph’s in Cockeysville from 1966 to 1971. Also active at St. Ursula in Parkville in the ‘70s. Reports of misconduct date back to his seminary days in the ‘50s, when he was banned from St. Mark’s Summer Camp due to unspecified sexual offenses. Simms was removed from parish duties in 1985 after allegations of inappropriate conduct with altar boys. Named in two 1988 lawsuits claiming he forced altar boys to dress in sexually provocative clothing and wrestle with him. Both cases later settled. Criminal charges in 1997 were dismissed without prejudice. Additional reports of sexual abuse were made in 1994, 1997, 2002, 2016, and 2021. Died in 2005.
Fr. David G. Smith
Ordained: 1973
Pleaded guilty in 2002 to sexually abusing a boy beginning at age 15 from 1973 to 1976. Smith, who had been on a leave of absence for unrelated reasons since 2000, was put on probation. The victim received a settlement. Smith reportedly received psychiatric counseling at St. Luke Institute in the 1990s.
Fr. Richard E. Smith
Ordained: 1966
Alleged to have abused two teen girls in 1966-1967 at the Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Woodlawn (reported in 2007). Monsignor Smith was removed from active ministry after the report was made. Also accused of raping an altar boy in 1980 (reported in 2006); the accuser received a settlement. Another male accuser surfaced in 2007, alleging abuse during seventh and eighth grade; he received a settlement. Additional allegations came in 2009, 2018, and 2002. Smith died in 2008.
Fr. Thomas W. Smith
Ordained: 1950
Admitted in 1988 to having abused multiple boys back in the ‘60s, but allowed to remain in ministry. An accusation surfaced in 1993 from an alleged victim who claimed to have been abused as an eighth-grader in 1980 at St. Stephen’s in Bradshaw. Scheduled to go in for psychiatric treatment, Smith instead killed himself with a shotgun (August 1993). Many other accusers came forward after his death. To date, there are at least forty known accusers. Alleged victims were aged 6 to 16 at the time of abuse.
Fr. Michael J. Spillane
Ordained: 1968
Employed at the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commission from 1986 to 2002. Accused of sexual abuse of a 13-year-old altar boy in 1975 and 1976 (reported in 1991); the accuser received a settlement. Spillane admitted to having abused six teen boys from 1975 to 1983, and his faculties were then removed. Further accusations came in 2002, 2005, and 2021.
Fr. Albert T. Stallings
Ordained: 1936
Allegedly abused a boy aged 8 to 10 in the St. Clare rectory and church from 1978 to 1980 (reported in 2002). Monsignor Stallings was also known as “Pete.” Died in 1990.
Fr. Edmund F. Stroup
Ordained: 1949
Active at St. Vincent DePaul Parish from 1961 to 1973, and as a hospital chaplain from 1982 to 1990. Also active at St. Rita’s in Dundalk and Holy Family in the ‘70s. Reportedly “attacked” a 16-year-old boy in 1975, and was placed on sabbatical and required to attend Alcoholics Anonymous. In 1981, Stroup was arrested in Cape May, New Jersey, on charges of fondling a minor, but was allowed to return to ministry after seeking treatment. Faculties were removed in 1992 after an accusation that he abused a boy in the early ‘60s. Multiple accusations were leveled against him in 2002, and more arrived in 2012 and 2013. Stroup retired in 1990 and died in 2001.
Fr. Cuthbert Sullivan
Ordained: 1949
Member of the Congregation of the Passion. Alleged to have abused a 13-year-old boy at St. Joseph’s Monastery Parish in Baltimore in 1952 (reported in 2002). Sullivan was also active at the time at the Church of St. Michael’s in Union City, New Jersey. Died in 1999.
Fr. Francis Michael Sweeney
Ordained: 1961
Member of the Paulist Fathers. Active in Massachusetts, Minnesota, California, Ohio, New York, and Washington, DC. In 1993, Sweeney was removed from his duties as chaplain of Charlestown Retirement Community in Catonsville after his admission of abusing minors in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. He then received treatment and was transferred to Boston. He was active at Boston’s Paulist Center from 1997 to 2002. Allegedly raped a 6-year-old boy in 1991 (reported in 2019). Also reportedly committed abuse while at University of Maryland Base Community of Relay. Died in 2013.
Fr. Alcuin W. Tasch
Member of the Benedictine Monks. Allegedly abused an altar boy in the late ‘50s at Fourteen Holy Martyrs in Baltimore when the child was in third to fifth grades (reported in 1994). Another former altar boy made a report in 2003 alleging abuse in 1955 and 1956. Tasch died in 1982.
Br. Thomas Tomasunas
Member of the Capuchin Franciscan Friars from 1955. Active in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Allegedly abused a 12- or 13-year-old altar boy in 1959 (reported in 2008). Tomasunas was assigned to SS Peter & Paul in Cumberland, Maryland, at the time of the alleged abuse. The accuser received a settlement in 2004. Tomasunas died in 2001.
Fr. Jerome Toohey
Ordained: 1977
Active at St. Francis of Assisi (Baltimore) from 1977 to 1984 and Chaplain at Calvert Hall High School from 1982 to 1993. Alleged to have abused a boy at Calvert Hall from 1985 to 1989 (reported in 1993). Subsequent lawsuit was dismissed in 1996. Another accusation from a former Calvert Hall student surfaced in 2004, alleging abuse from 1987 to 1990. Toohey pleaded guilty to criminal charges and was sentenced to prison; he was released after ten months. Laicized in 2008. Three settlements have since been made. Another report of abuse arrived in 2015, for alleged incidents from 1980 to 1987. Toohey was also known as “Jeff.”
Fr. James J. Toulas
Ordained: 1954
Member of the Redemptorist Fathers. Alleged to have abused a teen boy in the ‘60s-early ‘70s. Toulas was removed from duties in 1993 when this accusation came to light, and he went to St. Luke Institute for psychiatric treatment. He admitted to the abuse. Also active as a missionary in Brazil. Died in 2000.
Fr. Gerard Trageser
Ordained: 1955
Allegedly abused a teen girl beginning in 1956 (reported in 1958). He avoided jail time with the promise that he’d leave Maryland; the story was kept out of the news due to intervention from Archbishop Keough. Trageser was then sent to New Mexico for psychiatric treatment. Active in various roles in Utah from 1959 onward. Left the priesthood in 1976. Died in 2013.
Fr. Jorge Antonio Velez-Lopez
Ordained: 1989
Member of the Capuchin Franciscan Friars. Originally from Colombia; came to the U.S. in 2001. Suspended from the ministry in 2016 due to allegations of abusing a female minor over an eight-year period. Victim eventually had a child with him. Faculties removed in 2010. In 2020, Velez-Lopez was sentenced to 25 years in prison (16 years suspended).
Fr. Francis P. Wagner
Ordained: 1940
Alleged to have abused an 11- or 12-year-old girl at St. Joan of Arc Parish School in Aberdeen in the late ‘60s while a pastor there (reported in 1995). Wagner reportedly told her she would go to hell if she told anyone. She received a settlement in 2017. Wagner was also assistant pastor at St. Augustine in Washington, DC (1940-1943) and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Essex (1946-1959). He died in 1984.
Fr. William C. Wehrle
Ordained: 1950
Member of the Society of Jesus. Assignments included Albany, NY (1951-1952); Washington, DC (1966-1971); Omaha, NE (1973-1974); Denver (1974-1981); Baltimore (1981 or 1982-1985); and Pittsburgh (1986-1995). Multiple allegations against him. Reportedly removed from DC, Denver, and Balitmore parishes due to his misconduct, which included sexual abuse and taking photographs of young girls. Died in 1995.
Fr. Thomas A. Whelan
Ordained: 1941
Allegedly abused (“tickled”) a 6-year-old girl in the ‘50. Monsignor Whelan was an alcoholic who was responsible for the death of an elderly woman in a 1973 drunk-driving accident. Whelan died in 1987.
Fr. John T. Wielebski
Ordained: 1978
Ordained a priest of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity, Wielebski was incardinated into the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 1988. Allegedly abused three teen boys (aged 16-18) in the mid-late ‘80s. He was removed from Resurrection of Our Lord in Laurel when these allegations surfaced in 2009. Lived in Las Vegas from 2010. By Vatican ruling, he was not laicized. Other victims are suspected.
Br. John F. Wilson-Shine
Member of the Fathers and Brothers of St Francis Xavier from 1919. Allegedly abused a boy in the late ‘40s while at St. Mary’s Industrial School in Baltimore (reported in 2003). Suspected of abusing other boys as well. Died in 1974.
Fr. Roger K. Wooden
Ordained: 1927
Alleged to have drunkenly assaulted a teen girl in the ‘70s at Blessed Sacrament in Baltimore (reported in 2002). Reportedly, two seminarians intervened to stop the incident and enable her to escape. Monsignor Wooden was a pastor at Blessed Sacrament from 1958 to 1971, and lived there after retirement. Died in 1976.
Fr. Howard F. Yeakle
Ordained: 1951
Active in several area parishes from 1951 to 1971. Multiple allegations of abusing boys, including three brothers, during the ‘60s, with complaints against him made in 1997, 2002, and 2018. Yeakle was apparently in the habit of becoming a “father figure” to boys. He left the priesthood in 1972, got married, and became president of a beer distributing company. Died in 1988.
Sr. Francis Marie Yocum
Member of the Sisters of St Francis of Philadelphia. Allegedly abused a 16- or 17-year-old girl in 1954 while at Catholic High School in Baltimore (reported in 2012). Yocum taught voice lessons and was director of the glee club and a choir at the school during the ‘50s. Died in 1994.
Fr. Henry Francis Zerhusen
Ordained: 1953
Reportedly abused an 8- or 9-year-old boy in ‘82 or ‘83 at St. Ambrose in Baltimore, under the pretense of giving him a physical exam (reported in 2013). The accuser received a settlement. Another accusation came in 2023, from a man claiming to have been abused for more than a year as a middle school student. Monsignor Zerhusen died in 2003.
Fr. Raynor Ziemski
Ordained: 1939
Member of the Conventual Franciscans. Two accusers have alleged abuse that occurred in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Name is sometimes spelled “Rayner Ziemski.” Died in 1981.
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