Clergy Abuse / Sexual Abuse of Minors | Baltimore, Maryland Crime Lawyers

Clergy Abuse / Sexual Abuse of Minors

Recent developments in Maryland law have opened the courthouse doors to survivors of child sexual abuse.

On April 11, 2023, Governor Wes Moore signed the Child Victims Act of 2023 (CVA) into law. The CVA eliminates the statute of limitations and the statute of repose for survivors of child sexual abuse, permitting survivors to pursue civil claims against individual perpetrators and the organizations or entities who facilitated the abuse, regardless of when the abuse occurred. This new law goes into effect on October 1, 2023.

The CVA represents an important step to providing justice and healing to survivors of child sex abuse. While every survivor has their own individual experience of abuse, a common thread in many survivor’s stories is difficulty reporting the abuse. One study shows that the average age at the time of reporting abuse is 52. [1] The CVA revives claims that were barred under the previous law, allowing survivors to hold perpetrators, and the institutions that have enabled their abuse, accountable.

Our multi-faceted team of attorneys is uniquely positioned to help survivors navigate the many issues and challenges that arise in claims involving child sexual abuse. Our attorneys have decades of combined experience advocating tirelessly on behalf of survivors, and we have been recognized as national leaders in crime victim rights. More than that though, we recognize the significant trust a client places in us when they hire our firm, and we are committed to handling each case with skill, vigor, and compassion.

Attorney General’s Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Governor Moore signed the CVA into law shortly after the release of the Attorney General’s 463-page report [2] on clergy sexual abuse in Baltimore’s Archdiocese. The report details accounts of abuse perpetrated by over 150 priests, deacons, sisters, and non-clerical employees over whom the Archdiocese either had oversight or possessed records related to their abuse. Over 600 children are known to have been abused by the individuals referenced in the report, but this most likely represents only a fraction of the total number. As the Attorney General’s report notes, reporting rates are generally low: U.S. Department of Justice statistics show that only 22.9% of rapes and sexual assaults were reported in 2020. For sexual assaults committed against children, reporting rates tend to be even lower, particularly if the abuser was someone known to them.

The Attorney General’s report reveals the gravity and pervasiveness of abuse taking place in some of Maryland’s most trusted institutions. If you or a loved one is a survivor of clergy or other childhood sexual abuse, you are certainly not alone.

Survivors of child sex abuse often experience profound physical, emotional, and psychological harm. This harm may persist throughout their lives, and initiating a civil action against an abuser can feel daunting and overwhelming, even if the abuse occurred many years ago. In all of our survivor’s rights cases, we are dedicated to advocating for and working alongside clients to help them achieve justice and closure. Far too many survivors experience re-victimization through our justice system. We strive to provide individualized guidance and support to clients throughout the legal process. We also understand that healing is just as important as seeking justice, and we help clients navigate the legal system with that in mind.

If you are a survivor of child sex abuse, we are here to help. Please reach out to schedule a confidential consultation.

Resources for Survivors

National Sexual Assault Hotline at RAINN, the Rape and Incest National Network at 1-800-656-4673
RAINN connects callers to a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in the area. They can help provide access to a range of free services including:

Confidential support from a trained staff member
Support finding a local health facility that is trained to care for survivors of sexual assault and offers services like sexual assault forensic exams
Someone to help you talk through what happened
Local resources that can assist with your next steps toward healing and recovery
Referrals for long term support in your area
Information about the laws in your community
Basic information about medical concerns

National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453

Victims of Child Sexual Abuse Reporting Hotline: 410-576-6312

Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault:
Maryland’s Rape Crisis and Recovery Centers provide confidential services to adult and child victims, as well as families, partners, and loved ones:

Crisis intervention, counseling, and referral.
Victim accompaniment to hospitals, police interviews, and court to provide support and information about options.
24-hour Crisis Hotline with counselors trained to listen and offer information.
Individual, group, and family psychotherapy.
Assistance navigating the legal and judicial systems.

Alleged Abusers Named in OAG Report

The information below is based on the Maryland Attorney General’s Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, released in April 2023. Our office has modified the names of some parishes and institutions for accuracy and consistency.

The report is available in full here.

Please note that the report contains graphic descriptions of sexual assault and child sexual abuse that may be distressing to some readers.

To view - Suspected Abusers Named in the Attorney General’s Report

To view - Summary: Maryland Attorney General’s Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Alleged Abusers Named by Bishopaccountability.org

The information below is based on the Database of Accused published by the nonprofit bishopaccountability.org. The names of alleged abusers below are only those that were not included among the 156 clergy and Archdiocese personnel named in the Maryland Attorney General’s 2023 report, although some are referenced in Appendix A of the report. Our office has modified the names of some parishes and institutions for accuracy and consistency.

As explained on Bishop Accountability’s website:

“This database provides convenient access, for law enforcement and other interested persons, to the names of all U.S. Catholic clergy accused of sexually abusing children and/or possessing child abuse images, commonly referred to as child pornography. Links are provided to the publicly filed court documents and mainstream media articles that are the sources for this database, and a factual summary of the allegations is provided for each accused person.”

The Bishop Accountability Database of Accused is available here.

To view - Suspected Abusers - By Name - Bishop Accountability Only

Alleged Abusers Named on the Archdiocese Website

The information below is based on the names published by the Archdiocese of Baltimore of priests and religious brothers accused of child sexual abuse. The Archdiocese of Baltimore first published this list in 2002 and it was last updated in February 2023. The names below are only those that were not included among the 156 clergy and Archdiocese personnel named in the Maryland Attorney General’s 2023 report, or published on bishopaccountability.org, although some are referenced in Appendix A of the report. Our office has modified the names of some parishes and institutions for accuracy and consistency.

The Archdiocese of Baltimore’s full list of priests and brothers accused of abuse is available here.

To view - Alleged Abusers - By Name - Archdiocese Website

Alleged Abusers Organized by Institution

The Maryland Attorney General’s Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Archdiocese of Baltimore identified several parishes with multiple abusers. The report states that one parish, St. Mark in Catonsville, had eleven child abusers living and working there between 1964 and 2004. The report further notes that four parishes had six abusers (St. Michael-Overlea, in Baltimore; St. Patrick, in Cumberland; St. Mary, in Cumberland; and St. Clement, in Lansdowne) and that three parishes had five abusers (St. Thomas More, in Baltimore; Our Lady of Victory, in Baltimore County; and St. Clare, in Essex).

Our office has reviewed the Attorney General’s report extensively, together with additional information published by the nonprofit bishopaccountability.org and the Archdiocese of Baltimore website, and concluded that there are many more parishes and schools with multiple alleged abusers assigned to live and/or work there. There are also many instances of multiple abusers living and working at the same parishes or schools at the same time. Below is a list of institutions: schools, parishes, hospitals, and universities, that were included in either the Attorney General’s report, on bishopaccountability.org, or published by the Archdiocese of Baltimore, and noted as having had at least one alleged abuser assigned.

We have identified one institution with thirteen alleged abusers: Mount St. Joseph High School in Baltimore. St. Mark in Catonsville had twelve alleged abusers. Eleven alleged abusers have lived or worked at Loyola University, formerly known as Loyola College, in Baltimore.

Three institutions had nine alleged abusers: St. Bernard in Baltimore, St. Mary in Cumberland, and St. Michael-Overlea in Baltimore.

Four institutions had eight alleged abusers: Our Lady of Good Counsel in Baltimore, Our Lady Queen of Peace in Middle River, Our Shrine of the Little Flower in Baltimore, and St. Anthony of Padua in Baltimore.

Five institutions had seven alleged abusers: Calvert Hall College High School in Towson, Cardinal Gibbons High School in Baltimore, Loyola Blakefield High School in Baltimore, St. Clare in Essex, and St. Patrick in Cumberland.

Ten institutions had six alleged abusers: All Saints in Baltimore, Immaculate Heart of Mary in Towson, Most Precious Blood in Baltimore, St. Clement in Lansdowne, St. Dominic in Baltimore, St. Jerome in Baltimore, St. Joseph’s Monastery in Baltimore, St. Matthew in Baltimore, St. Pius X in Towson, and St. Rita in Dundalk.

Eight institutions had five alleged abusers: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Middle River, Our Lady of Victory in Baltimore, St. Augustine in Elkridge, St. Jane Frances de Chantal in Pasadena, St. Mary Star of the Sea in Baltimore, St. Mary’s Industrial School in Baltimore, St. Patrick in Baltimore, and St. Rose of Lima in Baltimore.

A full list is arranged alphabetically below, with the name of each alleged abuser and the years they were assigned to the institution included.

To view - Alleged Abusers - By Institution, Combined

To view - Alleged Abusers in the Archdiocese of Baltimore - Organized by School

[2] Attorney General’s Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, April 2023.