Several clergy members assigned to St. Clement have been credibly accused of clergy sexual abuse. Survivors could include students who attended St. Clement Lansdowne Primary School.
If you believe you may have a case against a clergy member or teacher at St. Clement in Lansdowne, contact us for help from our clergy sexual abuse lawyer. We represent survivors of clergy sexual abuse in Baltimore and help them sue for childhood sexual abuse damages.
Credibly Accused Clergy Served at St. Clement (Lansdowne)
St. Clement (Lansdowne) was one of several locations within the Archdiocese of Baltimore with numerous credible accusations of clergy abuse. Throughout the years, some of those with allegations against them who lived or served at St. Clement and may have had access to children at the St. Clement Lansdowne Primary School include:
Father John Carney, in residence, 1972
Father Carney is listed as credibly accused by the Archdiocese of Baltimore. According to the Maryland Attorney General’s Office (AG) report, the allegations of abuse against him include the following:
- In 1991, a woman said he repeatedly abused her in 1970 or 1971 when she was 10 years old.
- A 2017 letter from an attorney who alleges Carney physically abused a sixth-grade student in the 1960s.
- During the AG’s investigation, a woman interviewed accused him of being present while Father Joseph Maskell sexually abused her.
Father Steven Girard, Pastor, 1987-2002
The Archdiocese listed Father Girard as credibly accused in 2019. According to the AG’s report:
- In 2004, a man reported Girard sexually abused him in 1991 when he was a third grader at St. Clement Primary School.
- A number of St. Clement parishioners reported Girard’s “inappropriate” behavior with children and teens, including drinking in their presence, offering alcohol, inviting them to stay overnight at the rectory, and more.
- The Archdiocese said he failed to keep appropriate boundaries with young people.
- There have been numerous other allegations of sexual abuse against Girard.
Father Joseph Kenney, Pastor, 1973-1987
The Archdiocese listed Father Kenney as credibly accused in 2018. According to the AG’s report, the allegations against him include:
- In 1985, a survivor reported being repeatedly sexually abused from ages four to eight in the rectory and school basement.
- In 2002, another survivor reported abuse at age 12 or 13 in the late 1940s.
- Also, in 2002, a survivor reported sexual abuse when she was around 14, in 1952 or 1953.
- In 2019, a man told the Archdiocese that Father Kenney sexually abused his sister and cousin in the 1960s; he was a relative of the family.
- Also in 2019, a male survivor reported sexual abuse when he was around five years old at St. Joseph in Taneytown.
- In 2021, the AG’s office interviewed an additional survivor, who was abused beginning when she was four to five years old and continuing into her teen years; this occurred in the late 1940s and 1950s.
Father A. Joseph Maskell, Assistant, 1966-1968, 1970-1980
Father Maskell was listed as credibly accused in 2002. According to the Archdiocese, he lived and assisted at St. Clement (Lansdowne) while serving at Archbishop Keough High School and the Archdiocese Division of Catholic Schools. There are numerous well-documented credible allegations against Maskell. He is among the most familiar of credibly listed clergy abusers because he played a central role in the events documented by the Netflix series “The Keepers.”
According to the Maryland Attorney General Office’s report:
- At least 39 people have reported being sexually abused by Father Maskell.
- The Archdiocese was aware of concerns about Maskell as early as 1966.
- As many as 16 students gave detailed reports of being abused at Archbishop Keough High School while a student in the late 1960s and 1970s.
Stephen Brotzman, Lay Teacher, 1991-1992
The Archdiocese of Baltimore does not include non-clergy on their credibly accused list, but the AG reports shows allegations that include:
- Inappropriate emails and AIM messages with students in the 1990s and 2000s.
- Sexual abuse at a sports camp not affiliated with the Archdiocese.
- Several allegations of sexual abuse during his time as a teacher at other schools.
Other clergy members in the AG’s report were assigned to St. Clement (Lansdowne), too. This includes Father Robert Lentz as an associate pastor in 1991 and Jesuit Priest Father Francis Ernst as an associate pastor between 1998 and 2004.
If you are a survivor of abuse perpetrated by any of these men or others associated with St. Clement, you can discuss your rights and options with a Maryland clergy abuse attorney from our team for free today. You may be able to act even if you were previously told your time to sue expired.
Lawmakers Recently Made It Easier to Pursue Cases Against the Archdiocese
When the Maryland Attorney General’s Office published its report on Baltimore clergy abuse in spring of 2023, it included a 156-name list of accused clergy members and others associated with the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The office uncovered evidence of more than 600 child victims of abuse.
This abuse by priests and other clergy is one of the driving factors behind Maryland lawmakers passing The Child Victims Act of 2023. This law:
- Redefines child sexual abuse as including those who perpetrate the abuse and the organizations who allow and overlook it.
- Eliminates the statute of limitations for civil cases based on childhood sexual abuse.
- Permits retroactive lawsuits, meaning survivors can sue for clergy sexual abuse even if their previous deadline passed.
- Raises caps on the recoverable damages in these cases, including eliminating the limits for economic damages from private institutions.
What Damages Are Available in a Baltimore Clergy Sexual Abuse Case?
Our personal injury attorneys help clients identify their recoverable damages and negotiate a payout or present evidence to support compensation in court. Some damages in childhood sex abuse cases still have caps under The Child Victims Act of 2023. This includes non-economic damages from a private institution such as the Archdiocese of Baltimore. You could recover:
- Past and present medical bills related to physical and psychological care
- Past and present income losses and reduced ability to earn
- Past and present emotional distress, capped at $1.5 million per case
Discuss Your Next Steps With Our Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawyers for Free
At Jenner Law, our attorneys offer free, confidential case reviews for survivors of Baltimore clergy sexual abuse. We are accepting these cases now. You may have the right to hold the Archdiocese of Baltimore accountable.
Contact us today online or via telephone to get started.