Maryland Province Releases Names of Jesuits Credibly Accused of Sexual Abuse of a Minor

Dec 17

Written By the Office of Ignatian Spirituality

December 17, 2018

Dear Friends in the Lord,

Today, the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus is releasing the names of Jesuits from our province, and other Jesuits who have served the province, who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors since 1950. We are deeply sorry for the harm we have caused to victims and their families. We also apologize for participating in the harm that abuse has done to our Church, a Church that we love and that preaches God’s care for all, especially the most vulnerable among us. The People of God have suffered, and they rightly demand transparency and accountability. We hope that this disclosure of names will contribute to reconciliation and healing.

In the last fifteen years, the Maryland Province has instituted numerous reforms for responding to claims of abuse and striving to insure the safety of minors. Most of the cases related to the names that we release today date back decades, with the last known incident of sexual abuse of a minor by a Jesuit of the Maryland Province happening in 2002. We view the disclosure today of our shameful history as part of our commitment now to preventing abuse. The Maryland Province employs a strict zero-tolerance policy regarding sexual abuse and reports to civil authorities accusations of sexual abuse involving a minor. We have had ethics in ministry policies in place for Jesuits since 2003, and an independent review board evaluates accusations and our response to them. The Province has been accredited since 2006 by Praesidium, Inc., an independent agency, for our compliance with standards for safeguarding of minors. As an additional step toward transparency and accountability, we plan to have an external audit of our files to ensure that our previous reviews were both accurate and complete.

An accompanying FAQ sheet provides additional information regarding the release of names today and our procedures for preventing abuse. Via the links below, we are releasing the names of credibly accused Jesuits in four groupings depending on the current status of the Jesuit. One of the groups refers to allegations that could not be fully investigated to determine credibility, but we are releasing the names because there is a reasonable possibility the alleged abuse occurred.

We encourage anyone who suspects abuse by any clergy or employee of the Province to contact local civil authorities and/or the provincial’s office of the Maryland Province.Our Victim Assistance Coordinator can be reached at 443-370-6357, MARadvocacy@jesuits.org, or through writing to Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus, 8600 LaSalle Rd, Suite 620, Towson, MD 21286.

In this season of Advent when we hear the promise of God’s coming among us, we pray for all victims of abuse and for our Church, and we strive now to participate in the future God is bringing into being.

Sincerely in Christ,