Archdiocese of Baltimore: 2023 report of the Maryland Attorney General on 156 abusers and more than 600 abused children

From 2018 the Maryland Attorney General used a grand jury to investigate the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the first diocese in the United States. His report, published in redacted form in April 2023, names 156 priests, members of religious orders, deacons and employees who are alleged to have abused more than 600 children from the 1940s to 2002; the true number is probably far higher. Church leadership dismissed reports, failed to investigate, transferred known abusers and was above all concerned to avoid scandal; in some cases judges and the press helped to keep cases quiet. The archdiocese relied on the statute of limitations in civil suits.

Period

1940-2023 (83 years)

Country

United States

Institutions

Archdiocese of Baltimore
Cardinal Lawrence Shehan
Archbishop Patrick Keough
Cardinal William Keeler

Category

Sexual abuse, Cover-up

Level of evidence

A Primary source · what does this mean?

Persons

Lawrence Shehan (Archbishop of Baltimore 1961 to 1974, cardinal)
Patrick Keough (Archbishop of Baltimore 1947 to 1961)

Background

Who received the assets, who profited?

1. Many priests listed as credibly accused were allowed to retire and were financially supported by the archdiocese for many years, in some cases until their death. Against victims, the archdiocese asserted the statute of limitations in civil suits; as a result, victims over the age of 38 had no recourse. From 2007 it offered a mediation that does not provide for punitive damages.
   Evidence: Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, S. 19, Overview of Official Actions

   „Many of the priests listed as credibly accused were allowed to retire and were financially supported by the Archdiocese for many years and, in some cases, until their death.“

   Evidence: Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, S. 18, Overview of Official Actions

   „The Archdiocese has asserted and vigorously litigated a statute of limitations defense in civil suits in which the defense is available.“

   Evidence: Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, S. 20, Recommendations

   „victims have no recourse if they are over the age of 38“

   Evidence: Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, S. 18, Overview of Official Actions

   „the mediation does not provide for punitive damages and other awards available in civil litigation“

Response of the Church

1. According to the report, church leadership refused to acknowledge allegations for as long as possible. When denial became impossible, it removed abusers from the parish or school, but gave no reason or a false reason. Church documents revealed that the archdiocese was more concerned with avoiding scandal and negative publicity than with protecting children. The report places the ultimate responsibility on the successive archbishops who returned priests to ministry or facilitated their transfer to another diocese.
   Evidence: Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, S. 9, Summary of Abuse and Cover Up

   „Time and again, members of the Church’s hierarchy resolutely refused to acknowledge allegations of child sexual abuse for as long as possible.“

   Evidence: Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, S. 9, Summary of Abuse and Cover Up

   „Church documents reveal with disturbing clarity that the Archdiocese was more concerned with avoiding scandal and negative publicity than it was with protecting children.“

   Evidence: Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, S. 2, Introduction

   „the Archdiocese removed the abuser from the parish, but gave either no reason or a false reason for the removal“

   Evidence: Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, S. 13, Church Leadership

   „While the ultimate responsibility lies with the successive archbishops who made the decisions to return priests to ministry, facilitate their transfer to another Diocese, and provide no reason or false reasons for their removal“

2. In 1968 Cardinal Shehan received a letter from a father saying that the parish priest Albert Julian had abused his daughter. Julian admitted the abuse and an "uncontrollable" attraction to young girls. The archdiocese did not report the abuse, did not seek out other victims and did nothing to assist the victim; it got Julian psychiatric treatment and reassigned him to desk work, and two years later Shehan supported his laicization. Only when another woman came forward in 2002 did the archdiocese report the case to law enforcement.
   Evidence: Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, S. 11, Cover Up by Church Leadership

   „In 1968, Cardinal Shehan received a letter from a distraught father accusing a parish priest, Albert Julian, of sexually abusing his daughter“

   Evidence: Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, S. 11, Cover Up by Church Leadership

   „The Archdiocese did not report the abuse, did not seek out other victims, and did nothing to assist the known victim.“

   Evidence: Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, S. 11, Cover Up by Church Leadership

   „Only then did the Archdiocese report the abuse to law enforcement.“

3. Known abusers continued to be employed. Joseph Maskell was moved from two parishes in the 1960s because of reports about his behaviour with children; the reports were not investigated or reported; he was then made chaplain at an all-girls school and abused at least 39 victims. Lawrence Brett had admitted in 1964 to abusing a boy, then came to Baltimore, was placed at a boys' school and abused over 20 boys in Maryland.
   Evidence: Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, S. 10, Scope of the Abuse

   „Joseph Maskell was moved from two parishes in the 1960s because of reports of troubling behavior with children“

   Evidence: Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, S. 10, Scope of the Abuse

   „he was assigned to be Chaplain at Archbishop Keough High School, an all-girls’ school. Maskell sexually abused at least 39 victims.“

   Evidence: Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, S. 10, Scope of the Abuse

   „Lawrence Brett admitted in 1964 to the Bridgeport Diocese that he sexually abused and assaulted a boy when he was in Connecticut.“

   Evidence: Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, S. 10, Scope of the Abuse

   „He abused over 20 boys in Maryland after 1964.“

4. In 1987 Father Robert Newman admitted to sexually abusing twelve boys aged 9 to 15 over a fifteen-year period. The church said he resigned "for reasons of health". The archdiocese's report to the police reflected only one instance of abuse with one victim. Newman received "treatment" in lieu of prosecution and afterwards was a priest in the Archdiocese of Hartford for 12 more years.
   Evidence: Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, S. 12, Cover Up by Church Leadership

   „In 1987, Father Robert Newman admitted to sexually abusing twelve boys ages 9 to 15 over a fifteen-year period, describing over one hundred acts of abuse.“

   Evidence: Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, S. 12, Cover Up by Church Leadership

   „Newman resigned from his parish but the Church said it was “for reasons of health” and did not disclose the abuse to Newman’s parishioners.“

   Evidence: Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, S. 12, Cover Up by Church Leadership

   „the police report reflects only one instance of abuse with one victim“

   Evidence: Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, S. 13, Cover Up by Church Leadership

   „ministry in the Archdiocese of Hartford, Connecticut, where he was a priest for 12 more years“

5. In 1988, according to the report, "unidentified" persons from the archdiocese repeatedly tried to obtain the silence of the first victim of Father Marion Helowicz while the police investigation was ongoing. Helowicz pled guilty in December 1988; the archdiocese did not report his abuse of a second boy, which he had also admitted, until 2002.
   Evidence: Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, S. 17, Church Leadership

   „was contacted a number of times by ‘unidentified’ persons from the Archdiocese who tried to obtain his silence with assurances that Reverend Helowicz was in treatment.“

   Evidence: Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, S. 17, Church Leadership

   „But the Archdiocese did not report Helowicz’s abuse of the second victim to any authorities until 2002.“

See also

• 1940-2002 · 62 years

  Sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Boston (Attorney General's report 2003)

  • United States
  • Sexual abuse
  • Cover-up
• 1950-2002 · 52 years

  United States, John Jay Report of 2004 on sexual abuse by Catholic priests and deacons 1950 to 2002

  • United States
  • Sexual abuse

Original documents to read

1. Government report
   Office of the Attorney General of Maryland: Attorney General’s Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Archdiocese of Baltimore (Interim Public Release, revised redacted). Original · Archive copy (retrieved 23 Oct 2026)

Last changed on 23 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.