Monsignor Joseph Kelly, 7 others added to diocese’s ‘credibly accused list’

WILKES-BARRE (PA)
Citizens Voice

October 29, 2020

By David Singleton

The Diocese of Scranton on Thursday placed a well-known priest who led Catholic Social Services for many years on its list of individuals who have been credibly accused of sexually abusing children.

Monsignor Joseph P. Kelly, a popular member of the community widely recognized for his work on behalf of disadvantaged children and adults, was among eight new people added to the list.

The new additions included six members of the diocesan clergy, all of whom except Kelly are deceased, along with a religious brother and a former diocesan lay teacher.

Kelly, 80, immediately pushed back against the “credibly accused” designation in a sharply worded statement, urging the people of the diocese to reject it and accept that the claims against him are “completely false and fraudulent.”

While it is true some priests in the diocese abused minors, “which is both a sin and a crime, I am not one of them,” he said.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

Monsignor Joseph Kelly, 7 others added to diocese’s ‘credibly accused list’

WILKES-BARRE (PA)
Citizens Voice

October 29, 2020

By David Singleton

The Diocese of Scranton on Thursday placed a well-known priest who led Catholic Social Services for many years on its list of individuals who have been credibly accused of sexually abusing children.

Monsignor Joseph P. Kelly, a popular member of the community widely recognized for his work on behalf of disadvantaged children and adults, was among eight new people added to the list.

The new additions included six members of the diocesan clergy, all of whom except Kelly are deceased, along with a religious brother and a former diocesan lay teacher.

Kelly, 80, immediately pushed back against the “credibly accused” designation in a sharply worded statement, urging the people of the diocese to reject it and accept that the claims against him are “completely false and fraudulent.”

While it is true some priests in the diocese abused minors, “which is both a sin and a crime, I am not one of them,” he said.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.